- Olympia High School (Olympia, Washington)
-
Olympia High School Established 1907 Type Public secondary Principal Matt Grant Students 1850 Grades 9-12 Location 1302 North St.,
Olympia, Washington,, USADistrict Olympia School District 111 Campus Suburban Colors Mascot the Bear Newspaper The Olympus Website olympia.osd.wednet.edu Olympia High School (OHS) (officially named William Winlock Miller High School), commonly referred to as Oly, is a public high school in the southeast side of Olympia, Washington along its border with Tumwater. Being the first of two comprehensive high schools in the Olympia School District, it is one of the oldest public schools in the state of Washington. The school, along with Tumwater High School, resulted from a split (effective 1961) of William Winlock Miller High, Olympia's first high school. That school had opened in 1907 on land donated by the wife of William Winlock Miller on the grounds immediately east of the sunken gardens in the Washington State Capitol Campus. It began as an extension of the elementary schools in Olympia. It is ranked by the Newsweek article "Our Schools and Their Dilemma" as top 5% of all high schools nationally, due to the significant number of students taking AP Tests, as well as notable music, drama, and sports programs.
Contents
Origins
When fire destroyed the building in 1918, a new W.W. Miller High School was built in 1919 between 12th and 13th Streets on Capitol Way because the state had purchased the land near the sunken garden to increase the Capitol grounds. An auditorium, gymnasium, and more classrooms were added to that building in 1926; however, any further expansion on this site was impossible. As the school's needs increased, 40 acres (160,000 m2) between Carlyon Avenue and North Street were purchased. After many community discussions and public meetings, the new school opened on the present grounds in 1961. Olympia High remained open in its 1961 form until 1996 when a full renovation began, completed in the summer of 2000. In the years after the renovation of the building, portables were placed on campus. In total ten portables are on campus, nine of which are in use for regular classrooms.
Information
- 86% scored 3, 4, or 5 on AP tests
- Drop out rate: 1.47%
- Graduation Rate: 93.3%
- SAT Score Average: verbal = 560, Math = 556
- 58 Vocational Class Offerings
- Cooperative agreement with New Market Vocational Skills Center
- Alternative programs provided in the areas of: Direct Instruction in Reading and Math, Academic Contractual Learning, and Social Affective Block for students with adjustment needs.
Sports
Olympia High School is a 4A-division member of the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association. [1]
State Championships Season Sport Number of Championships Year Fall Cross Country, Girls 1 1978 Football 1 1984 Golf, Boys 1 1996 Swimming, Girls 1 1987 Volleyball, Girls 2 1998, 2011 Winter Basketball, Boys 2 1929, 1986 Swimming, Boys 3 1956, 1957, 1985 Spring Golf, Girls 1 1998 Tennis, Boys 3 1983, 1984, 1998 Track and Field, Boys 2 1932, 1998 Track and Field, Girls 1 2006 Total 18 State Championships, second place:
Boys Basketball - 1987, 1998; Girls Golf - 1997; Girls Gymnastics - 1998; Girls Soccer - 1988, 1995; Boys Swimming - 1958, 1970, 1972; Girls Swimming - 1989, 1995; Boys Tennis - 1979, 1982, 1990, 2007; Girls Tennis - 1982, 1999, 2006; Girls Volleyball - 1981, 2011
Notable alumni
- Eric Alexander, '86, Jazz musician
- Gerry L. Alexander, '54, Chief Justice, Washington State Supreme Court
- Floyd Brown, '80, author, speaker and media commentator
- Gretchen Christopher, '58, singer, The Fleetwoods
- Bruce P. Crandall, '51, Lieutenant Colonel, United States Army (Ret.) (Helicopter pilot, call sign "Snake", in movie We Were Soldiers)
- Daniella Deutscher, '94, actress
- Barbara Ellis, '58, singer, The Fleetwoods
- Kathleen Hays, '70, financial reporter on the Bloomberg TV network
- Rickie Lee Jones, '72, singer–songwriter
- Douglas Massey, '70, Professor of sociology and former President (2000-01) of the American Sociological Association
- Joy Osmanski, '94, actress, television series The Loop
- Travis Shook, '86, jazz musician
- Irene Stewart, '75, Seattle School Board member
- Gary Troxel, '58, singer, The Fleetwoods
- Courtney Love, dropped out, musician, Hole (referenced in the song Rock Star)
- Bill Moos, '68 University of Oregon, and Washington state Athletic Director.
Adam Conley, the second round pick by the MLB's Florida Marlins in the 2011 draft
References
External links
A, B, Independent Classifications 1A Conferences Nisqually: Cascade Christian Cougars
Cedar Park Christian (FOOTBALL ONLY) • Charles Wright • Chimacum • Life Christian • Orting Cardinals • Port Townsend Redskins (FOOTBALL ONLY) • Seattle Christian • Vashon Island Pirates1B Conferences North Olympic: Clallam Bay • Crescent • Neah BayIndependent Auburn Adventist Falcons • Tacoma School of the Arts 1A (MUSIC ONLY)Categories:- Education in Olympia, Washington
- High schools in Thurston County, Washington
- History of Olympia, Washington
- Buildings and structures in Olympia, Washington
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
