South Salem High School

South Salem High School

South Salem High School Crest
Address
1910 Church St SE
Salem, Oregon, Marion County, 97302
 United States
Coordinates 44°55′21″N 123°02′20″W / 44.922410°N 123.038963°WCoordinates: 44°55′21″N 123°02′20″W / 44.922410°N 123.038963°W
Information
Type Public
Opened 1954
School district Salem-Keizer School District
Principal Lara Tiffin[1][2]
Grades 9-12[2]
Number of students 1898[2]
Color(s) Columbia blue and scarlet         [1]
Athletics conference OSAA Central Valley Conference 6A-7[1]
Mascot Saxons[1]
Newspaper The Clypian http://clypian.com/
Website http://www.southsaxons.com/

South Salem High School was the second public high school built in Salem, Oregon, in 1954, at which time the former Salem High School was renamed North Salem High School.

History

South Salem High School is not the first school to be built on the current site. The former Leslie Middle School was built in 1927, and the high school was connected to it when the high school was constructed in 1954. The schools shared common facilities, including the cafeteria and auditorium. When the middle school was moved in 1997, the old building became home to Howard Street Charter School.[3][4]

Academics

South Salem offers the International Baccalaureate program in the 11th and 12th grades, as well as a preparatory Honors program for 9th and 10th grades. The first graduating class to have spent 4 years with the IB program was the class of 2002.

In 1987, South Salem High School was honored in the Blue Ribbon Schools Program, the highest honor a school can receive in the United States.[5]

In 2008, 78% of the school's seniors received their high school diploma. Of 466 students, 364 graduated, 69 dropped out, 1 received a modified diploma, and 32 are still in high school.[6][7]

Athletics

State Championships

Music

South Salem High School's entire music department has been nationally recognized as a Gold[8] school in the Grammy Signature School program.[9]

Since the OSAA State Band Contest began in 1987, the SSHS's Wind Ensemble has won in 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008.[10] The Wind Ensemble also performed in Shanghai and Beijing in activities surrounding the 2008 Summer Olympics in China.[11]

Since the state choir championship began in 1987, SSHS placed first in 1987, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2010, and 2014.[12]

The state orchestra championship also began in 1987, and SSHS placed first in 2001, 2004, 2007, and 2014.[13] In 1989, Oregon added Full Orchestra to the state competition; SSHS won in 1995, 2000, 2005, 2007, 2010, 2012, and 2014.

Notable alumni

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 OSAA.org :: Schools
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Oregon School Directory 2008-09" (PDF). Oregon Department of Education. p. 139. Retrieved 2009-05-28.
  3. ↑ Litke, Yvonne (2006). "South Salem High School". Salem (Oregon) Online History. Salem Public Library. Retrieved 2009-07-14.
  4. ↑ "A Brief History". Howard Street Charter School. Retrieved 2009-07-14.
  5. ↑ Archived: Blue Ribbon Schools Program, Schools Recognized 1982-1983 Through 1999-2002 (PDF)
  6. ↑ "State releases high school graduation rates". The Oregonian. 2009-06-30. Retrieved 2009-07-01.
  7. ↑ "Oregon dropout rates for 2008". The Oregonian. 2009-06-30. Retrieved 2009-07-01.
  8. ↑ Christina Cassidy; Jaime Sarachit (April 19, 2011). "THE GRAMMY FOUNDATION® ANNOUNCES 2011 GRAMMY® SIGNATURE SCHOOLS". Retrieved 21 April 2011.
  9. ↑ There are many schools in the nation that are selected as a GRAMMY Signature School by the GRAMMY Foundation. The top seven schools are designated Gold recipients. The best of the Gold recipients is named the National GRAMMY Signature School.
  10. ↑ OSAA State Champions, Band
  11. ↑ Area musicians will play at Olympics, Salem Statesman Journal, January 7, 2008. Retrieved January 7, 2008.
  12. ↑ OSAA State Champions, Choir
  13. ↑ OSAA State Champions, Orchestra

External links