Norman High School

Norman High School
Location
911 W. Main Street Norman, Oklahoma, 73069 United States
Information
Type	Co-Educational, Public, Secondary
Motto	Norman High School expects excellence, responsibility, and respect among all members of the learning community.
Established	1891
Authority	OSDE
Principal	Dr. Lynne Chesley
Faculty	160
Grades	9-12
Number of students	1945
Student to teacher ratio	1:18
Color(s)
Athletics conference	6A District 1
Sports	Baseball, Basketball, Cheer, Football, Golf, Pom, Soccer, Sports Medicine, Swimming, Volleyball, Wrestling
Mascot	Tigers[1]
Average ACT scores	23.3
Newspaper	'The Tiger Tribune'
Yearbook	'The Trail'
Website	Norman Tigers

Norman High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school in Norman, Oklahoma with a steady enrollment of 1,945 students. It is accredited by North Central Association, the Oklahoma State Department of Education and the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association. The school year consists of two 15-week semesters with a 6 class flexible schedule, consisting of 52 minute periods. Norman High School is part of the Norman Independent School District No. 29 of Cleveland County, Oklahoma, more commonly known as Norman Public Schools (NPS). Norman High was ranked as one of the top 1,400 high schools in the United States in 2009.^[2]

History

Norman High School's history began in 1890 with the construction of the township's first high school, located at what was then the west side of the city. The institution enjoyed the honor of being the only educational facility in Norman, tutoring students from elementary through high school. In the early 1900s, the original high school building burned down following an attempt to condemn the school. After the fire, there were no official high school buildings for 15–19 years. During this time, students were taught in homes, businesses, churches and other facilities. The second structure to house Norman High was located off of Porter Avenue and later would become Central Mid-High, and later Longfellow Middle School. This was the high school of Norman for the next 22 years.

Academics

Curriculum highlights include:

CareerTech

Students interested in technical and career-specific skills to prepare for such careers as automotive, child care, computers, construction, cosmetology, industrial technology, health care, and landscape may have Dual Enrollment in one- or two-year programs at Moore Norman Technology Center, affiliated with the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education. Bus transportation is provided in both the morning and afternoon.

Dual Enrollment

Juniors and seniors may take courses at many local colleges and universities, including the University of Oklahoma, Rose State College, and Oklahoma City Community College.

Communications

Norman High's student newspaper, TigersTalk, was renamed The Tiger Tribune in 2006. Since 2006, The Tiger Tribune has received multiple state awards. In 2009, The Tiger Tribune was awarded the OIPA Sweepstakes award, the highest honor awarded for high school newspapers in Oklahoma. Yearbook students produce The Trail yearbook, which has also received some state and national awards. Media students study broadcasting through the production of programs for the local Public-access television channel 18.

Special Education

Norman Public Schools provides comprehensive services to many qualifying students. NHS Special Education services have won many state awards.

Fine & Performing Arts

Norman High offers a wide array of courses allowing for an in-depth exploration of the arts, including drawing and painting, photography, debate, acting, music, and modern dance.

Music

The music department encompasses the marching band, two concert bands (Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band), two concert orchestras (Symphonic and Philharmonia), and several choirs. The Symphonic Orchestra has been one of the top orchestras in Oklahoma since the 1970s, receiving the state Sweepstakes award almost every year. To receive the Sweepstakes award, an orchestra must receive Superior (I) ratings at the state string orchestra and full orchestra contests, and have a certain combination of solos and ensembles receive Superior (I) ratings at the state solo and ensemble contest.

Alternative Education

An alternative high school program offers a different approach to learning with a nontraditional curriculum in a more structured environment.

Guidance and Counseling

A team of five counselors provides support and services to students in areas including course placement, personal adjustment, and college and career counseling. The counselors offer students the opportunity to individualize their education plans to better suit their needs starting next school year as part of the IEP (Individual Education Plan) program.

Advanced Course Offerings

Norman High provides students with Advanced Placement (AP) coursework in a variety of subjects including Computer Programming, Psychology, Studio Art, English Literature & Composition, English Language & Composition, United States History, European History, Government, Human Geography, Biology, Chemistry, Physics C, Calculus AB and BC, and Spanish.

Also available are the two-year, mentored AEGIS English and AEGIS Math programs. Students can apply at the end of their sophomore year, and 20-25 students are selected for each program.

Graduation Requirements

• English - 4 units
• Math - 3 units (Algebra II or greater)
• Science - 3 units
• World History - 1 unit
• U.S. History - 1 unit
• U.S. Government - 1/2 unit
• Oklahoma History - 1/2 unit
• Electives - 8 units
• Fine Arts - 2 unit

Total - 23 units

Athletics

Norman High School has a rich tradition in athletics, having won a state championship in football in 1992, baseball in 1995, and girls' basketball in 1995. Among those notable alumni that led the Tigers to these state championships are former NFL linebacker Tyrell Peters (Ravens) and kicker Scott Blanton (Redskins), former college football all-American J.T. Thatcher (Oklahoma), also former college players fullback T.J. Leon (Missouri), quarterback Zac Taylor (Nebraska), current college football players running back Mossis Madu (Oklahoma), wide receiver Ryan Broyles (Oklahoma), linebacker Turner Troup (Central Oklahoma), quarterback Press Taylor (Marshall), former college baseball players J.T Harrison (Mississippi), former college basketball player Jack Herron (Oklahoma State), Andy Hayes (Virginia Tech), Chad Cochell (Oklahoma), Jade Noles (Oklahoma), Richard Park (Oklahoma), and Stacy Hansmeyer (UConn women's' basketball).

The Tiger basketball team won State Championships in 1945, 1955, 1959, 1961, 1963, 1970, 1990, and 1999. Some of the notable alumni who led these teams were Denny Price ('55), Butch Roberts ('61), Jack Herron ('63), Rick Kersey ('63), John Carroll ('70), and Ian Boylan ('99).

The Tiger baseball team played in the state championship game in 1958, 1985, 1991, 1994, and again in 1995 and 1996, winning titles in 1958, and in 1995^[3] with a 34-5 record. They finished the 1995 season ranked 14th nationally by the USA Today.

Miscellaneous

Mission Statement

Norman High School expects excellence, responsibility, and respect among all members of the learning community.^[1]

Student organizations

Norman High has many student organizations, including:

• Art Club
• Asian Cultural Club
• Bike Club
• Black Student Association
• Botball
• Cookies and Books
• DECA
• Food Club
• French Club
• Global Awareness Club
• Gay–straight alliance
• Invisible Children
• Latin Club
• The Tiger Tribune (student newspaper)
• Psychology Club
• S.W.A.T (Students Working Against Tobacco)
• Spanish Club
• Spanish Honor Society
• Young Democrats
• Young Libertarians
• Young Republicans

Awards

The Tiger Tribune, the monthly student newspaper, won the OSM/OIPA All-Oklahoman award in 2008, 2009 and 2010. At the 2010 OSM/OIPA Spring Media Monday the newspaper won the All-Oklahoman award. In 2009 the newspaper won the coveted OSM/OIPA Sweepstakes award, the highest award given by OSM/OIPA. Along with the Sweepstakes and the All-Oklahoman awards, the newspaper won the Spirit Award at the annual Spring Media Monday of 2009.

The Norman High Botball team did very well at the Oklahoma Botball Regional competition (which includes teams from multiple states) from 2002–2007, including placing first in the region for several years, including 2006 and 2007, as well as winning two national championships in 2005 and 2006.

The speech and debate team lost its first state championship in speech and debate in 1998. It then won the state championship in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, and 2006. They also regularly send teams of four to five students to the National Debate Tournament held in June by the National Forensic League, sending a record 14 students in the summer of 2006. The Tiger squad recently won back the state championship for the 2008 season.

Norman High has produced numerous National Merit Scholars and Presidential Scholars.

In 1989 Norman High School was awarded the Oklahoma Blue Ribbon award of excellence.

NHS Fight Song

Fight on, Norman High!
And to your school be true!
Lift up your head with pride
In all you say and do.
Fight on, Norman High!
We'll always do our best.
We are the orange and black
of N! H! S! ^[4]

Notable alumni

Basketball

• Jimmy McNatt, '36, All-American for OU, played in first-ever NCAA Final Four in 1939, starred for AAU's Phillips 66ers in the 1940s

Football

• Scott Blanton, '91, Washington Redskins kicker
• Ryan Broyles, University of Oklahoma
• Zac Taylor, Nebraska Cornhuskers: 2006 Big 12 Conference Offensive Player of the Year, Texas A&M Assistant Coach

Baseball

• John Russell, '79, Major League Baseball player, former manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates
• Joe Simpson, '70, Major League Baseball player; currently part of Atlanta Braves broadcast team

Entertainment

• Dean Cameron (Eikleberry), '80, actor
• Greg Coolidge, '87, actor/writer/director/producer
• James Garner (Bumgarner), actor.
• Milena Govich, '95, star on NBC's Law & Order
• Denise Masters Jones, '87, singer and a founding member of the Christian band Point of Grace
• Megyn Price, '88, actress. Numerous TV roles including staring on Grounded for Life and Rules of Engagement.

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "Student Handbook 2008-2009, page 1". http://www.norman.k12.ok.us/group/common/nhshb.pdf. Retrieved 2009-06-24. 
2. ^ "The complete list of the 1,500 top U.S. high schools". Newsweek. http://www.newsweek.com/id/201160. Retrieved 2009-06-24. 
3. ^ "History of Baseball". OSSAA. http://www.ossaa.com/Sports/Baseball/HistoryofBaseball.aspx. Retrieved 2010-03-16. 
4. ^ "Student Handbook 2008-2009, page 2". http://www.norman.k12.ok.us/group/common/nhshb.pdf. Retrieved 2009-06-24. 

External links

• Norman High School
• Norman Public Schools Home Page
• The Tiger Tribune

Coordinates: 35°13′06″N 97°27′22″W / 35.218429°N 97.456177°W / 35.218429; -97.456177