The original North Riverside School building serving the children of District 170 was a small two-room wood-frame structure located at approximately 39th Street and Arkansas. It was in operation for most of the first half of the twentieth century and was the attendance center for farm children of the area who went through grade eight. Those who chose to attend high school went either to Valley Center or a Wichita high school.
In 1952, the present 11-acre site was occupied by a small building which was added to as the area became more settled. The school continued on a kindergarten through grade eight basis. Hot lunches were served because of the distance some students had to walk.
The district came into the Wichita Public School system by attachment on July 1, 1963 and in 1964-65 the name was changed to Amelia Earhart in honor of the famous Kansas aviatrix. In September 1965, the school organization was altered to serve kindergarten through grade six.
In 1977, the school became an environmental magnet school. Working with school officials, local, state and federal agencies, an environmental outdoor classroom area was designed for the north part of the school ground. Divided into four sections, there is a natural vegetation area, a picnic area and a formal garden area - each an important part in the overall site.
At the beginning of the 1988-89 year, sixth grade students were incorporated into the middle school program, leaving a K-5 enrollment of approximately 300 students.
In April 2000, the voters of the Wichita School District approved a $284.5 million bond issue. The projects began in the fall of 2000 and were completed over the next five years. The plan built 19 multipurpose rooms, upgraded science labs, replaced portable classrooms with permanent construction, improved handicap accessibility to all buildings, rebuilt five existing elementary schools, added a new elementary and middle school, expanded seven other elementary schools and provided nine new libraries as well as the expansion of nine others. Building infrastructure in 82 buildings was also upgraded, including the replacement of antiquated plumbing, updates and expansion of electrical systems, replacement of inefficient or broken windows and doors, upgrades of heating and cooling systems, and asbestos abatement when required.
As part of the 2000 bond issue, Earhart Environmental Magnet received a new, state-of-the-art building to replace the old school.
Construction wrapped up in November 2008 on the new Earhart. On November 12, the students met at the old school to pack up their desks. They walked through their old school and past the portables for the last time before they walked over to the new school.
The original school was demolished to make room for parking and more outdoor learning opportunities. The school arranged to demolish the building with minimal impact to the existing trees and plants surrounding the old building.
Earhart’s new school can hold 450 students and features an environmental lab, library with a computer room, two music rooms, an art room, cafeteria, parent involvement center and a multipurpose room that is a FEMA tornado safe room.
To coincide with the environmental magnet theme, the school has large windows for natural lighting, preferred parking for fuel efficient vehicles, recycling alcoves in the school, a neighborhood recycling center, an outdoor courtyard and will retain rainwater on site.