Ottawa High School (Kansas)

Ottawa High School is a public high school located in Ottawa, Kansas, serving students in grades 9-12. Its athletic teams, known as the Cyclones, compete in the Frontier Athletic League. The principal is Ryan Cobbs, the assistant principal is Mr. Bland, and the athletic director is Brad Graf. The current enrollment of the school is approximately 689 students, and the school has 102 teachers, secretaries, paras, and nurses. Ottawa Middle School is the main feeder school to Ottawa High School.

History

The USD 290 school district was established on November 12, 1864 by Jacob Sumstine.^[2] The first term of Ottawa Public School (then the only school in the county) was held from 1864 to 1865 in the upstairs of a building on Second Street and Main Street. The first school building was built in 1866 and served until 1872.^[2] A newer school, referred to as Central School was built at Fifth Street and Main Street and served until 1898 when it was renamed Washington School. This school ceased to exist in 1927. In 1917, adjacent to Washington School, a new building designed by architect George Washburn's son, officially became Ottawa High School.^[2] This new school served the community for 51 years before a new school on Ash Street replaced it in 1968. Later, in 1978, wood and metal shops were added. The latest addition was created in 1990.

Academics

Ottawa High School operates on a 7:45am to 3:10pm school day with 7 classes each day. Ottawa High School offers a wide variety of classes geared towards the specific abilities and interests of its students. In addition to the standard curriculum, the school also has various courses geared towards the preparation of students for college or university-level education. These “College Preparatory” courses are offered in English, Government and Economics.

Ottawa High School also offers college classes via Neosho County Community College, classes on the Spanish language,^[3] and visual and performing arts classes such as basic/advanced art, clay construction,^[4] debate, forensics, theatre,^[5] band, and various vocal classes.^[6] Ottawa High also has a newspaper class that electronically publishes The Review,^[5] with physical copies released near the end of each semester,^[5] and a yearbook class that annually puts out The Record.^[5]

Extracurricular activities

The extracurricular activities offered at Ottawa High School are many and varied. The Cyclones compete in the Frontier League and are classified as a 4A school according to the KSHSAA. Throughout its history, Ottawa High School has won several state championships in various sports and activities.

Athletics

Ottawa High School offers the following sports:

State Championships

Performing arts

Band

The 2010–2011 Ottawa High Marching Cyclones conducted by senior drum major Paul Thomas

The Ottawa High School band program has several state recognized performers every year, qualifying either individually or in ensemble groups. The marching band, known as the Ottawa High Marching Cyclones, perform every year at the University of Kansas' Band Day and the Baker Marching Festival. The band program received a one rating at Baker in 2005 and 2006. The concert band competes in the state large ensemble competition annually and received one (superior) ratings most recently in 2008, 2010 and 2011. Ottawa High School also has a Jazz Ensemble where students learn about the tricky style of jazz and the art of improvisation.

Chorus

The Ottawa High School chorus program consists of concert choir, womans choir, chamber singers and cytones. Chamber choir and Cytones compete at contests once a year.

Drama and theatre

Fall musical and spring play

Every year the Ottawa High School music department presents a fall musical. The performance consists of a student cast, stage crew, tech crew, and pit and is put on at the Ottawa Municipal Auditorium.

Ottawa High School puts on a play every spring at the Ottawa Municipal Auditorium with a student cast and crew.

Debate and Forensics

Many Ottawa students participate in speaking and acting competitions throughout the school year. During the fall, Ottawa's Debate team is active, and during the spring the Forensics teams is active. Both teams, composed of 9th–12th graders, compete on Saturdays at area high schools. Ottawa annually hosts both debate and forensics tournaments. When competing nationally, Ottawa competes in the National Catholic Forensic League.

Other

Ottawa High School students actively participate in Student Council (commonly abbreviated to STUCO). Ottawa High School also has a state-qualifying Scholar's Bowl team, a branch of the National Honor Society, a state-qualifying chess team, and a successful Science Olympiad competition team.

Notable alumni

• Steve Grogan, former New England Patriots quarterback, led Ottawa to a runner-up place in state football and to a state championship in basketball
• Don Harrison, news anchor, one of the original anchors of CNN Headline News
• Stanley Sheldon, bassist and vocalist for Peter Frampton, most notably on Frampton's Frampton Comes Alive! album
• John G. Thompson, mathematician, awarded the Fields Medal in 1970

References

External links

• Ottawa High School Website
• Ottawa USD 290 Website
• School Newspaper
• OHS in the 50's Alumni Website