- Ossining High School
-
Ossining High School 
West elevation, 2010 Location 29 So. Highland Avenue Ossining, NY 10562
United StatesInformation Type Public School district Ossining Union Free School District Principal Joshua Mandel Grades 9-12 Enrollment 1300(in 2010)[1] Color(s) Maroon and White Website http://ohs.ossiningufsd.org/home Ossining High School is public high school, located in Ossining, New York, colloquially known as OHS. Its building is located within the boundaries of the Downtown Ossining Historic District, added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989.[2]
Contents
Mission statement
This is the mission statement of OHS as written on the school's official website.
Ossining High School provides an academically and socially adaptive environment, emphasizing an academically stimulating surrounding with quality instruction. In addition, all students will come away with a sense of respect and appreciation for individual and cultural diversity and for an equal educational opportunity for all.
Student body
The most recent demographics for OHS are as follows[1] Ethnicity:
- 44.6% White/Caucasian
- 32.7% Hispanic
- 18.3% Black
- 4.4% Asian
Gender:
- 52.2% Male
- 47.8% Female
District Graduation Rate: 81%
Faculty
- Number of full-time principals: 1
- Joshua Mandel
- Number of full-time assistant principals: 3
- Lorraine Longing
- Dean Parker
- Chris Olson
- Number of full-time professional staff other than teachers, principals, and assistant principals: 15
- Number of full-time teachers: 101
Daily Routine
Ossining High School has 9 periods, each 41 minutes long. A normal school day begins at 7:45am and ends at 2:26pm.[4] The school offers optional extra help time from 2:30-3:00pm. Classes run on an A/B day schedule, so that days alternate and some electives or labs may occur every other day. There is no set period for lunch time, the students go to the cafeteria or eat their lunch whenever they have a period with no scheduled class. Freshmen may not leave campus during school with the exception of excused early departures verified in advance by a parent/guardian. All upperclassmen, however, may leave the premises during a free period.
Academics
General education classes and electives are offered that fall under these categories[5]:
- Art
- Business
- College Prep
- Computer Science
- English
- ESL (English as a Second Language)
- Foreign Language
- Guidance
- Health
- Math
- Modern Language
- Music
- Physical Education
- Science
- Social Science
- Social Studies
- Special Education
- Life Skills
All the programs ensure that the students have a variety of courses available to their individual interests in order to complete the requirements for earning a High school diploma.
- Special Programs
Science research program
Science teacher Angelo Piccirillo started OHS’s science research program in 1998 with three students, who all dropped out. Twelve years later it had 90 students, with Piccirillo and a second teacher, Valerie Holmes, working on the science research full time. The program includes guidance on research topics, mentors, and help with writing papers and presenting them. It accepts 30 freshmen yearly out of more than 100 applicants. Ossining’s semifinalists in the 2010 Intel Science Talent Search included Jessica Brill’s Development and Function of Extrathymic T-Cells in Athymic Bone Marrow Transplantation Recipients and Hayley Zullow’s Ecat11 Plays a Role in the Epigenetic Regulation of Retrotransposons.[6]
Athletics
Ossining High School offers a wide variety of sports throughout the school year, ranging in level from Modified to Junior Varsity to Varsity. Physical Education is a requirement for all students to attend each semester but students on a varsity team are exempt from their P.E. class while that sport is in season.
The Physical Education Mission Statement
The mission of the Ossining High School Physical Education Department is to provide a positive experience in a variety of Lifetime Fitness Activities and Leisure Recreational Activities, focusing on the establishment of a lifestyle that includes proven concepts of wellness and fitness. We present activities that result in improved muscular coordination, flexibility, strength and endurance. We challenge all students to grow in character, self-reliance and self discipline. We help students to improve their self image and to reach a higher level of health, vitality, and wellness.
The Mascot
For 73 years, Ossining teams were the "Ossining Indians".[8] In June 2002, the school changed its mascot after a request from the state education commissioner.[9] The request for changing American Indian symbols and mascots was part of the Native American mascot controversy. A new mascot, the Riverhawk, was then chosen. After opposition from the student body, the Riverhawk was dropped and Ossining has participated in athletics with no mascot.
Co-Ed Sports
These sport teams are open to both genders, though some are more dominated by(or in some cases completely composed of) a single gender:
- Bowling
- Cheerleading
- Cross Country
- Field Hockey
- Football
- Golf
- Gymnastics
- Ice Hockey
- Softball
- Track
- Volleyball
- Wrestling
Gender Specific Sports
Exclusive girl and boy teams exist for the following sports:
- Basketball
- Lacrosse
- Soccer
- Swimming
- Tennis
- Baseball
Clubs & Activities
OHS has many clubs for learning, leading, socializing, empowering, and reaching out to the community.[10]
- Art Club
- Black Cultural Club
- Computer Club
- Creative Writing Club
- Diamond Steppers
- Drama Club
- El Barrio
- Engineering Club
- Environmental Club
- Fed Challenge
- Gay/Straight Alliance
- Habitat for Humanity
- Interact
- International Club
- Interval
- JSA(Junior States of America)
- Latina Power
- Law Club & Law Team
- NHS(National Honor Society)
- OHS International Social Change Club
- Outdoor Club
- Peer Leaders
- Performing Arts
- Power of Peace
- Prestigious Ladies of Power
- Project Earthquake
- Radio Club (WOSS)
- S.A.D.D(Students Against Destructive Decisions)
- Safe Driving Committee
- School Store
- Student Council
- The Current (School Newspaper)
- Ultimate Frisbee
- Video Club
- Wellness Club
- Yearbook
References
- ^ a b [1]. Retrieved 4-13-2010
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2009-03-13. http://nrhp.focus.nps.gov/natreg/docs/All_Data.html.
- ^ [2]. Retrieved 4-13-2010
- ^ [3]. Retrieved 4-13-2010
- ^ [4]. Retrieved 4-14-2010
- ^ Peter Applebome (January 26, 2011). "A School Far From No. 1, but a Leader in Science". Our Towns. New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/27/nyregion/27towns.html?partner=rss&emc=rss. Retrieved 2011-01-28.
- ^ [5]. Retrieved 4-13-2010
- ^ [6]. Retrieved 4-13-2010
- ^ [7]. Retrieved 4-13-2010
- ^ [8]. Retrieved 4-13-2010
Categories:- High schools in New York
- Schools in Westchester County, New York
- School buildings completed in 1930
- Historic district contributing properties
- Ossining, New York
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