Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics

Last updated
Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics
Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics (logo).jpg
Address
Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics
1141 North Lincoln Boulevard

Oklahoma City
,
Oklahoma
73104

United States
Information
Type Public Boarding School
Established1983(40 years ago) (1983)
CEEB code 372684
PresidentTony Cornforth
Grades 11–12
Gender Co-ed
Enrollment175
Campus size32 acres
AffiliationsNCSSS
Website https://www.ossm.edu/

The Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics (OSSM) is a two-year, public residential high school located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Established by the Oklahoma state legislature in 1983, the school was designed to educate academically gifted high school juniors and seniors in advanced mathematics and science. OSSM opened doors to its inaugural class in 1990. It is a member of the National Consortium of Secondary STEM Schools (NCSSS). [1]

Contents

History

Dr. Earl Mitchell is credited as the originator of the idea of starting OSSM. He was reportedly inspired by a letter about the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics (NCSSM), written by North Carolina governor Jim Hunt. [2] In 1982, Dr. Mitchell travelled to NCSSM to study their practices, and enlisted Speaker Dan Draper, Representative Penny Williams, and Senator Bernice Shedrick to help bring the idea to fruition. [3] [4]

OSSM was established by HB 1286 in 1983, during the 39th Oklahoma Legislature. The bill's principal authors included Representative Penny Williams, Senator Bernice Shedrick, and Senator Rodger Randle. The bill was signed into law by Governor George Nigh on June 23, 1983. [5]

In 1988, Dr. Edna Manning was appointed the first president of OSSM. Manning aided in the building and development of the institution, supervising the selection of faculty and the development of the curriculum. [6]

When OSSM's inaugural class was accepted in 1990, the school did not have its own campus yet. Students were temporarily housed in OU's Cross Center dormitory in Norman, and took daily shuttle buses to the OU Health Sciences Center (OUHSC) campus in Oklahoma City for their classes. [7] In 1992, OSSM moved into the newly-renovated Lincoln Elementary School, across the street from the OUHSC. During Dr. Manning's tenure as president, the school's campus grew to include a dormitory, a gymnasium, a library, and a science building. [6]

In 2006, Chesapeake Energy gifted OSSM $500,000 to fund an endowed faculty chair in geophysics, the first endowed chair at an Oklahoma public high school. [8]

In June 2012, Dr. Manning retired from her position as president, [9] and was succeeded by Dr. Frank Y.H. Wang. [10] During his tenure, Dr. Wang increased contributions to the OSSM Foundation Faculty Endowment from $4.2 million to $10 million. [11]

On May 31, 2013, the 54th Oklahoma Legislature passed SB 1131, authored by Senator Clark Jolley, and signed into law by Governor Mary Fallin. The bill allows OSSM to accept out-of-state students for up to 10 percent of the student population and charge them tuition. It also allows the school to rent out its facilities, and create summer programs & workshops for which tuition and fees could be charged. [12] Dr. Wang helped create the bill in an effort to generate a new revenue stream, to make up for money lost to severe cuts in state funding. [13] [14]

In June 2021, Dr. Wang announced he will retire at the end of the 2021-22 school year. [10] [15]

General

Admittance to OSSM is conducted through a highly selective application process, with acceptance rates varying over time. The application process consists of five short essays, submission of high school transcripts and standardized test scores (such as the ACT), recommendations from teachers and counselors, personal questionnaires of the student, a statement from the student's parents, and an on-campus interview. [16]

Students are accepted from all over the state of Oklahoma, and students from each of Oklahoma's 77 counties have been selected to attend. Because students hail from across the state, all are required to live on campus during the week. Classes are held five days a week, with the earliest classes starting at 8 am and the latest ending at 5:30 pm. Some classes, such as astronomy lab and special topics classes, are held at night. Most students have breaks throughout the day depending on their individual, college-style schedule. Students are not allowed in the dorm during their breaks in the academic day, but are to stay academically engaged during these periods. Required physical education classes are held in the afternoon with each student participating in 45 minutes of supervised physical activity twice a week. Fine arts classes (two semesters are required for graduation) are also held in the evenings. One Saturday a month, students are required to take a three-hour test in math, physics, literature, history, or a national standardized test (ACT, SAT, or PSAT). Two weekends a month is called an open weekend, with the students allowed to either go home or stay in the dorms, and the other weekend is an extended weekend with all students required to leave campus.

As part of OSSM's academic program, two hours of study are required each weeknight from 8 to 10 pm, with students on structured study (resulting from unfortunate grades) required to study for an additional hour each night, beginning at 7 pm. Lights out is at 11 pm every night of the week, and internet access is shut off in the dormitories at that time. OSSM fulfills its educational mission at no charge to its students: tuition, books and other class materials, as well as room and board, are all provided by the taxpayers of the State of Oklahoma.

One hundred percent of OSSM graduates are college-bound, and approximately 60% of OSSM graduates choose to remain in-state for college. Of the 1,211 (as of May 2011) graduates since the school's inception, 323 students have been named National Merit Scholars, and an additional 167 students have been selected as National Merit Commended Scholars. Graduates also show exemplary performance in other national scholarship programs, with 227 graduates selected as Robert C. Byrd Scholars, and 124 students nominated for the Presidential Scholars Program, of whom thirteen were named semifinalists and five selected as Presidential Scholars. Graduates excel in statewide scholarship programs, with 553 students receiving Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education Scholarships and 92 students named Academic All-Staters by the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence. Twice, in 1998 and again in 2000, the school had the highest ACT composite scores of any high school in the nation. OSSM is also listed as one of the best public high schools in the nation by the Washington Post, in a list of top-performing schools with elite students. [17]

Academics

OSSM's graduation requirements include four semesters of History, four semesters of Literature, two years of the same foreign language (unless this was completed at the student's previous high school), one semester of computer science, four semesters of mathematics including math through Calculus II, three semesters of physics including physics through Electricity and Magnetism, two semesters of chemistry, two semesters of biology, four semesters of physical education, two semesters of fine arts, and two semesters of science, math, or computer science electives. [18] OSSM regularly offers the following classes: [18]

Additionally, students may arrange to take directed studies with faculty members. Many OSSM students choose to participate in the mentorship program in their senior year, in which they perform research with a mentor (who may be an OSSM faculty member, or an off campus expert).

Campus

OSSM is located on thirty-two acres at the northwest corner of 10th Avenue and Lincoln Boulevard near downtown Oklahoma City, near the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. Its main academic building, Lincoln School, was built in 1903, and used as an elementary school, then torn down and rebuilt in 1948 Oklahoma City Public Schools and used until the 1980s. This building houses a computer lab, the campus auditorium, nineteen classrooms, six labs, a student lounge, a study area, basement, and faculty and administrative offices. The Dan Little Residence Hall, with a capacity of nearly 300 students and twelve faculty families, was completed in 1998, located at the center of campus, complete with a basement containing billiards, game tables, and a TV for students to use during their nightly free time. The basement is also a reinforced storm shelter and is large enough to house the entire school population. The Gymnasium, opened in March 1999, provides a full-size basketball court, a weight room, and a dance floor, among other amenities. The Samson Science and Discovery Center was completed in 2001 and houses three chemistry labs, four physics labs, one computer lab, and one demonstration/lecture room, as well as many personal research labs. In Fall 2003, the Senator Bernice Shedrick Library opened, with a capacity of 50,000 books and 10 computers for student use.

In 2000 the school was scheduled to open remote centers in Enid and Tahlequah. [19]

Demographics

Notable alumni

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science</span> Residential school in Texas, United States

The Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science (TAMS) is a two-year residential early entrance college program serving approximately 375 high school juniors and seniors at the University of North Texas. Students are admitted from every region of the state through a selective admissions process. TAMS is a member of the National Consortium for Specialized Secondary Schools of Mathematics, Science and Technology.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bronx High School of Science</span> Specialized high school in New York City

The Bronx High School of Science, commonly called Bronx Science, is a public specialized high school in The Bronx in New York City. It is operated by the New York City Department of Education. Admission to Bronx Science involves passing the Specialized High Schools Admissions Test. Each November, about 30,000 eighth and ninth graders take the three-hour test for admittance to eight of the nine specialized high schools. The test is extremely competitive, with only 800 of the 30,000 applicants being accepted to Bronx Science each year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The College Preparatory School</span> Private college preparatory school in Oakland, California, US

The College Preparatory School is a four-year private high school in Oakland, California. The school's motto is Mens Conscia Recti, a Latin phrase adapted from Virgil's Aeneid that means "a mind aware of what is right".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences, and the Arts</span> Public residential high school in Hot Springs, Garland County, Arkansas, United States

The Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences, and the Arts (ASMSA) is a public residential high school located in Hot Springs, Arkansas that serves sophomores, juniors, and seniors. It is a part of the University of Arkansas administrative system and a member of the NCSSSMST. The school was originally known as The Arkansas School for Mathematics and Sciences. The school is accredited by AdvancED.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Academy for Mathematics, Science, and Engineering</span> Magnet high school in Morris County, New Jersey, United States

The Academy for Mathematics, Science, and Engineering (AMSE) is a four-year magnet public high school program intended to prepare students for STEM careers. Housed on the campus of Morris Hills High School in Rockaway, New Jersey, United States, it is a joint endeavor between the Morris County Vocational School District and the Morris Hills Regional District.

P.S. Senior Secondary School is situated in the Mylapore area of Chennai, India. Most students graduating enter higher education institutions especially engineering institutions like NIT Tiruchi and Anna University. It is rated among the top five schools in Chennai city.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bergen County Technical High School, Teterboro Campus</span> High school in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States

Bergen County Technical High School, also known as Bergen Tech (BT), is a four-year, tuition-free public magnet high school located in Teterboro, New Jersey serving students in ninth through twelfth grades in Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Bergen Tech is part of the Bergen County Technical Schools, a countywide district that also includes Bergen County Academies in Hackensack, Applied Technology in Paramus, and Bergen Tech in Paramus. The school is nationally recognized, as students have the opportunity to be engaged in a technical major while fulfilling college preparatory classes and having the opportunity to take a wide variety of electives.

Regional Science High School Union (RSHS-Union) is a specialized system of public secondary schools in the Philippines, established during the academic year 1994-1995. It is operated and supervised by the Department of Education, with a curriculum heavily focusing on math and science. It remains within the ambit of the Department of Education, unlike the specialized science high school system of national scope, the Philippine Science High School.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Ursula Academy (Toledo, Ohio)</span> School in Toledo, Ohio, United States

St. Ursula Academy is Toledo's oldest, all-female, Catholic fully accredited, college preparatory school serving girls in grades 6-12 and has been educating students since 1854.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John D. O'Bryant School of Mathematics & Science</span> Public exam school in Roxbury, Massachusetts, United States

The John D. O'Bryant School of Mathematics and Science, formerly known as Boston Technical High School is a college preparatory public exam school along with Boston Latin School and Boston Latin Academy. The O’Bryant specializes in science, technology, engineering and mathematics ("STEM") in the city of Boston, Massachusetts, and is named for one of Boston's prominent African-American educators John D. O'Bryant. The school is currently located on 55 Malcolm X Boulevard in the neighborhood of Roxbury, Massachusetts. With a student body of 1,500 7th–12th graders, this school is part of the Boston Public Schools. The school was named a 2010 Blue Ribbon School of Excellence, the US Department of Education's highest award. In 2014 the school was awarded Gold by the US News Best High School Ranking, indicating that it is one of the top public high schools in the country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dearborn Center for Math, Science and Technology</span> Public specialized secondary school in Dearborn Heights, Michigan, United States

Dearborn Center for Math, Science and Technology (DCMST) is a specialized secondary education center with a four-year advanced, research based, science and math curriculum located in Dearborn Heights, Michigan. The school was founded in 2001, with its first graduating class in 2005. Most of the school is located in the Henry Ford Community College building, but some of the Michael Berry Career Center (MBCC) building is also used by DCMST. About 75 students are selected each year from the three high schools in the Dearborn City School District. Once in the program, students are committed for four years. In freshman and sophomore year, students attend their three classes at DCMST in the afternoon from 11:15 to 1:55. Juniors and seniors attend in the morning from 7:35 to 10:15. The other three hours are spent at student's home school. DCMST is a member of the NCSSSMST, an alliance of specialized high schools in the United States whose focus is advanced preparatory studies in mathematics, science and technology. The school is also accredited by the North Central Association (NCA) as all other Dearborn Public Schools are.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Portsmouth High School (New Hampshire)</span>

Portsmouth High School is a public high school located in Portsmouth, New Hampshire with a current enrollment of approximately 1,100. Accredited by the New England Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools and the State of New Hampshire, the school serves the communities of Portsmouth, Rye, Greenland, New Castle and Newington, New Hampshire.

The Tennessee Governor's Academy for Mathematics and Science, commonly Tennessee Governor's Academy or TGA, was a residential high school located in Knoxville, Tennessee on the campus of The Tennessee School for the Deaf (TSD). It was founded in 2007 by Governor Phil Bredesen as part of an effort to provide challenges for students across the academic spectrum. Its inaugural class consisted of 24 high school juniors from throughout the state. The academy was closed on May 31, 2011, due to lack of state funding.

University student retention, sometimes referred to as persistence, is a process to try to improve graduation rates and decrease a loss of tuition revenue via programs such via peer pressure, student academic programs, counselor and faculty monitoring, and financial and academic support. Put simply, schools measure the student retention rate as the number of students who re-enroll from one year to the next. The topic is also considered to be of importance to students, who invest their time and resources in the hope of earning a degree.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Math and Science Academy</span> School in Woodbury, Washington, Minnesota, United States

The Math and Science Academy (MSA) is a charter school that serves students in grades 6 through 12. It is located in the City Center neighborhood of Woodbury, Minnesota, United States. MSA is a tuition free public school open to any student in the state of Minnesota.

Fort Worth Christian School is a private Christian preparatory school in North Richland Hills, Texas. Established in 1958, the school serves students in preschool through grade 12.

The Kansas Academy of Mathematics and Science (KAMS) is a two-year, residential, early-entrance-to-college program for U.S. high school juniors and seniors who are academically talented in the areas of mathematics and science. Located on the Fort Hays State University campus in Hays, Kansas, students concurrently complete their last two years of high school while earning over 60 college credits.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sri Guru Granth Sahib World University</span>

Sri Guru Granth Sahib World University is a private university in Fatehgarh Sahib, Punjab, India. It was established under Punjab State Act 20/2008 and is recognized by UGC under section 2(f) of the UGC Act, 1956. Sardar Prakash Singh Badal announced the setting up of Sri Guru Granth Sahib World University at Fatehgarh Sahib, the holy place of martyrs, on the occasion of the fourth centenary celebrations of the compilation and the first installation of Sri Adi (Guru) Granth Sahib in 2004.

Waxahachie Global High School is a high school in Waxahachie, Texas, founded in 2007 on the historic T.C. Wilemon campus. It is one of only 91 STEM academies in the state of Texas. It was additionally granted Early College High School status in 2009 through a partnership with Navarro College, allowing students to earn an associate degree along with their high school diploma. Recently, as of the start of the 2013-2014 school year, Global High made a partnership with UT Tyler for all the STEM-based college courses offered at Global. As a public charter school, students from Ellis County and surrounding areas can attend regardless of zoning. Many students commute from surrounding cities such as Waxahachie, Red Oak, Ennis, Maypearl, Midlothian, Palmer, Italy, Cedar Hill, and Desoto. In 2014, Waxahachie Global was named the "Best High School" by the U.S. News & World Report. Starting in the 2018-19 school year, the Global campus is located in the Billy R. Hancock Building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Langley Education Centre</span> High school in Langley, British Columbia, Canada

Langley Education Centre (LEC) is a public high school in Langley, British Columbia, part of School District 35 Langley.

References

  1. ↑ "NCSSS Institutional Members".
  2. ↑ Plumberg, Diane (2000-10-09). "Elite school marks 10 years Science, math academy proves worth to critics". The Oklahoman . Retrieved 2022-05-10.
  3. ↑ "Uncrowned Community Builders". Uncrowned Community Builders. Retrieved 2022-05-10.
  4. ↑ "2020-21 Annual Report" (PDF). OSSM Foundation. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-05-10. Retrieved 2022-05-10.
  5. ↑ "30th Anniversary of Legislation". Archived from the original on 2022-01-08. Retrieved 2022-01-08.
  6. 1 2 "OSSM President Inducted into Oklahoma Educators Hall of Fame". 2007-10-04. Archived from the original on 2011-10-08.
  7. ↑ Killackey, Jim (August 19, 1990). "Science, Math School's Ultimate Test to Begin". The Oklahoman . Gannett. Archived from the original on 2022-04-18.
  8. ↑ Tonn, Jessica (December 19, 2006). "Gas Company Endows Chair at Okla. Math-Science School". EducationWeek . Editorial Projects in Education, Inc.
  9. ↑ "Manning retires from OSSM". Archived from the original on 2012-05-14.
  10. 1 2 "Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics president to retire". The Oklahoman . Gannett. July 14, 2021. Archived from the original on 2022-04-18.
  11. ↑ "Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics Begins Leader Search for State's Leading Public and STEM High School" (Press release). Business Wire. Berkshire Hathaway. December 9, 2021.
  12. ↑ "An Act relating to the Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics". Senate Bill No. 1131 of May 31, 2013.
  13. ↑ Brandes, Heide (April 29, 2014). "Doing the math for budget problems: Out-of-state tuition to help cover OSSM funding shortfall". The Journal Record . New Media Investment Group.
  14. ↑ Brus, Brian (April 21, 2015). "Math problems: Magnet school seeks funding answers as OKC Council urges Legislature to help". The Journal Record . New Media Investment Group.
  15. ↑ "Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics president Frank Wang will retire at end of 2021-22 school year". Lawton Constitution . June 30, 2021.
  16. ↑ Admission information
  17. ↑ Top-performing schools with elite students - The Washington Post | Education
  18. 1 2 Course Descriptions
  19. ↑ Greiner, John; Killackey, Jim (1999-08-25). "Enid, Tahlequah To Get Branches For Science, Math". The Oklahoman . Oklahoma City, Oklahoma . Retrieved 2023-04-23.
  20. ↑ "OSSM alumnus on front lines of researching COVID-19 vaccine". www.ossmfoundation.org. May 22, 2020. Archived from the original on April 18, 2022. Retrieved on 18 April 2022.

6. https://cen.acs.org/articles/93/i35/Oklahoma-Chemist-AwardK-Fazlur-Rahman.html#:~:text=A.K.%20Fazlur%20Rahman-,A.%20K.,of%20a%20plaque%20and%20%241%2C000.

7.https://www.inverse.com/article/44254-high-school-student-george-wang-carbon-7-bonds

8. https://stateimpact.npr.org/oklahoma/2018/05/10/oklahoma-high-school-student-makes-scientific-discovery-by-questioning-common-knowledge/#:~:text=George%20Wang%2C%20a%20senior%20at,in%20Oklahoma%20City%2C%20is%20ecstatic.

9. Ab initio calculations of ionic hydrocarbon compounds with heptacoordinate carbon, G. Wang, A. K. F. Rahman, Bin Wang*, J. Mol. Model. 24, 116 (2018) + This work has been featured on a few public media, including a feature story "Oklahoma High School Student Makes Scientific Discovery By Questioning Common Knowledge" at the STATEIMPACT Oklahoma, Oklahoma Radio NPR, "A High Schooler Has Upended a Fundamental Chemistry Theory" at INVERSE, "A High School Kid From Oklahoma Just Made A Massive Breakthrough In Chemistry" at IFL Science, and a broad discussion on Reddit.

35°28′48″N97°30′19″W / 35.48000°N 97.50528°W / 35.48000; -97.50528
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.