History

In 1951, after a successful $30,000 bond vote, the Bellevue Board of Education purchased three sites for future schools to meet the demands of a rapidly growing community. One was for the North Ward School, which was constructed and opened in October of 1955, just three years after Belleaire and Betz were opened.

In the spring of 1955, the Board voted unanimously to name North Ward as Bertha Barber Elementary School after Miss Bertha Barber who was in her 44th year of teaching in Bellevue.

The school was dedicated in October of 1955 while Miss Barber was beginning her 45th year of teaching in Bellevue. Miss Barber holds the all-time service record of all Bellevue teachers, 45 years of teaching in Bellevue.