Meadows Elementary was built in 1996. The building officially opened on September 3, 1996. The building is named after Dr. Kay E Meadows. She made history by being the first black woman ever elected to the Topeka Public Schools Board of Education and the first black woman to serve as the President of the Board. Dr. Meadows was born in Hutchison and moved to Topeka. She attended Topeka Public Schools and graduated from Highland Park High School. She received her bachelor's degree from Washburn University and master's and doctorate degrees from Kansas State University. Dr. Meadows worked for Kansas State University and the University of Toledo. She died on January 30, 1992 of a brain tumor. In her written resignation to the Board of Education she said, "My major goal as a Board member has been to see that each child in this district is afforded an opportunity to achieve to his or her ability, recognizing that some is not always."