Ground was broken for Owyhee Elementary in 1969. At that time, the bench area north of the airport was growing rapidly and an additional school was needed to relieve overcrowding in the Hillcrest, Whitney, and McKinley attendance areas. Owyhee has two wings or "pods", which were originally designed in an open classroom concept to facilitate team teaching. Owyhee operated as an open classroom school through the 2003-2004 school year.

When the District decided to convert Owyhee to a Harbor School, it became clear that the open classroom design was not conducive to the Harbor School instructional methods. Methods such as recitation, dramatization, buddy reading, chorale reading, and whole class direct instruction require classrooms with walls and doors. Remodeling during the summer of 2004 created separate classrooms but retained a common work area at the center of each pod where parent volunteers and support staff can provide individual or small group instruction as needed.

Owyhee-Harbor School is located just north of Interstate 84 and the Boise Airport on the corner of Owyhee Street and Pasadena Street. We invite you to visit our school. We'll take you on a tour of our wonderful facility and when school is in session you'll have the opportunity to observe the Harbor Method firsthand.