Midway Heights Elementary School

Midway Heights Elementary School

Midway’s original building was built in 1956 as a K-8 school and additions were added in 1975 and 1988. It has been a part of Columbia Public Schools since 1982 when it became a K-6 building. Midway was designated an US Department of Education Blue Ribbon School in 1992-93.

The school sits in the center of twelve acres surrounded by woods and rolling hills. The school is outside of the city limits. It has a rich tradition of support and commitment by area residents. Several generations of families have attended Midway Heights since being built. We currently have 280 students in grades K-5 and 13 regular classroom teachers.

Parent volunteers support our educational programs and sponsor many activities by donating over 5,000 hours annually. They do everything from working in classrooms to serving chili at our annual Fall Festival fundraiser. Parents also serve with faculty representatives on the PTA. Monthly PTA meetings are held to plan and coordinate activities, arrange for fund raising, and generally support the school program.

We are also very fortunate to have outstanding business partners. Midway Electric, D & H Drugstore, Spectrum Utilities, Midway Optimists and Boone County Fire District are very supportive of our students and our school program. The partnership has allowed our students the opportunity to design winter holiday cards, improve technology, improve outdoor classroom, and participate in a reading challenge and Literacy Week.

A state incentive grant was written in 1991, implemented in 1992 and continued in 1993, restructuring the learning environment at Midway to coordinate and improve instruction between library media, technology, special education and the regular classroom instruction. This emphasis on computer literacy earned Midway Heights several prestigious awards. By the end of 1997, it was apparent our computer lab was outdated, yet our student expertise with computers continued to grow. Another grant was written in conjunction with the Boone County Fire District. The Department of Commerce fully funded our request and Midway Heights became the training facility for the 300 plus volunteer fire fighters. Midway Heights received forty PC computers, a networked lab, computers in the classroom, and production equipment.

Midway students continue to be at the forefront of technology. Thanks to our PTA and business partners, we have one-to-one iPads in second through fourth grade classrooms and eight laptops in each room. Columbia Public Schools has provided fifth graders with one-to-one iPads. Kindergarten and first grade rooms have four laptops and five iPads in each room.

We are very proud of the students, faculty and parents at Midway! We are told time and time again from visitors what a wonderful learning environment we have and that everyone seems truly happy to be here.