Classen School of Advanced Studies
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- See also Classen (disambiguation):
Classen School of Advanced Studies (sometimes referred to simply as Classen SAS) is a public combined middle/high school with grades 6-12 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The Oklahoma City Public Schools magnet school, participates in the IB Diploma Programme, and offers fine arts courses. It is currently number 17 among The 100 Best High Schools in America according to Newsweek [1] (Classen was previously ranked number 81 [2] ).
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[edit] Structure
Students joining the school must choose a "major": Students wishing to earn an IB Diploma become IB majors, while students studying fine arts must choose a specific field of study for their major; the latter are frequently simply referred to as VPA (visual and performing arts) majors. Students may choose to switch their majors at a later date, although at times this is infeasible due to the IB Program's stringent course requirements. Students may choose classes regardless of their major; for example an IB major student might attend a music class, or a VPA major might attend an honors math class. However, certain classes are required. In order to graduate, students must all meet the standard curriculum set down by the Oklahoma City Public School board, and satisfy the requirements for their particular major. In addition, even though a VPA major might take IB courses they cannot test for the IB Diploma in high school.
As the IB Program only covers grades 11-12, IB majors in grades 6-10 are considered "pre-IB" and attend honors classes to prepare them for the IB Program. This emphasis on grades 11-12 is one reason Classen is sometimes compared with the nearby Oklahoma School of Science and Math. OSSM is generally considered superior for sciences such as physics, chemistry, biology, and advanced math. Although Classen does offer many advanced math and science courses, they only offer one physics class. Classen tends to focus on the liberal arts. Also, Classen has a strong visual and performing arts program. All of the VPA Programs have won many awards, including the Theatre Department, which has won the Oklahoma State One-Act Play Contest for three years in a row. The Orchestra Department has also recived superior ratings consecutively for over three years. This year the Band Department ended the drought and recieved a Superior rating at district band contest and wil continue on to state in April.
Classen goes by a block schedule, with A and B days. Mondays and Wednesdays are A days, Tuesdays and Thursdays are B days, and Fridays alternate. Each day consists of four 85 minute classes, with five minute passing periods between each and a thirty minute lunch period. Days of operation are the same as other Oklahoma City Public Schools.
[edit] History
Classen was originally established in 1919 as a junior high school. It was built on land that was part of an area that was being developed by Anton H. Classen, and 6.33 acres was purchased by the Oklahoma City Public Schools Board of Education for $55,100. The building was constructed at a cost of $420,500 by the Holmboe Construction Company. The three story brick building was enlarged in 1921, 1923, 1925, 1934 and 1957.
The school was converted to a high school in 1925, graduating its first senior class in the spring on 1926. The last CHS class graduated in 1985 when the school became a fifth year center. From its opening until 1985, CHS graduated slightly more than 20,000 students. In 1994 the school was changed to the Classen School of Advanced Studies, a magnet school for students in grades 6-12, and its first class graduated in May of 1997.
[edit] Available Majors
- Dance
- Dramatic Arts/Technical Theater
- Guitar
- IB Program
- Instrumental Music
- Piano
- Strings
- Two-dimensional Visual Arts (although the school offers three-dimensional art an elective)
- Vocal Music
