Oswego High School (Illinois)

Oswego High School
Address
4250 Route 71 Oswego, Illinois, 60543 United States
Information
School type	public secondary
Motto	Educational Excellence. Caring Community.
Opened	1951
School district	308
Superintendent	Daniel O'Donnell[1]
Principal	Mike Wayne[2]
Grades	9–12
Gender	coed
Enrollment	1,561[3]
Average class size	21.7[3]
Campus type	Suburban
Color(s)	navy blue      orange[4]
Athletics conference	Southwest Prairie Conference
Mascot	Panthers
Team name	Panthers[4]
Average ACT scores	21.2[3]
Newspaper	'Panther's Paw[5]
Yearbook	'Reflector[6]
Website	http://www.oswego308.org/schools/ohs/

Oswego High School, or OHS, is a public four-year high school located in Oswego, Illinois, a southwest suburb of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States. It is part of Oswego Community Unit School District 308, which also includes Oswego East High School.

History

Oswego high school opened its doors in the spring of 1951. The existing Oswego High school building is actually the third location of the Oswego High School. When the new high school was built, the former Oswego High School building became Traughber Junior High School. The building remained in use until the junior high moved to a new building in 2008.

In the past decade, Oswego High School has undergone many additions to its existing location to accommodate such a fast growing community.

The Oswego High School football stadium is named "Ken Pickerill Field".

The school's song is actually the Notre Dame Fighting Irish fight song. Dean Joe Sweeney is known for screaming "School Song" during pep assemblies in order to boost school spirit among the students.

Academics

In 2008, Oswego had an average composite ACT score of 21.2, and graduated 93.5% of its senior class.^[3] As of 2008, Oswego has made Adequate Yearly Progress on the Prairie State Achievement Examination, the Illinois state test used to fulfill the federal No Child Left Behind Act.^[3]

Student life

Activities

In 2005, the combined marching bands of Oswego High and Oswego East marched the 116th Tournament of Roses parade.^{[citation needed]}

Athletics

Oswego competes in the Southwest Prairie Conference, and is a member of the Illinois High School Association (IHSA), the organization which governs most interscholastic sports and competitive activities in Illinois. Teams are stylized as the Panthers.

The school sponsors interscholastic teams for young men and women in basketball, cross country, soccer, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field, and volleyball.^[7] Young men may compete in baseball, High school football, golf, and wrestling, while young women may compete in badminton, bowling, cheerleading, gymnastics, and softball.

The following teams have won their respective IHSA sponsored state championship tournaments or meets:^[8]

• Bowling (girls): 1997–98
• Football: 1992–93, 2003–04

Notable alumni

• Rita B. Garman is a justice on the Illinois Supreme Court (2001–present) representing the fourth judicial district.^[9]
• Joey Goodspeed is a former NFL running back (2002–04, 06).^[10][11]
• Dennis Hastert is a former U.S. Congressman representing Illinois' 14th Congressional District (1987–2007). He served as the 59th Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives (1999–2007).^[12][13]
• Alex Magee is a NFL defensive end playing with the Kansas City Chiefs (2009-2010)^[14] and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2010-2011).

References

1. ^ "District Administration". directory. Oswego Community Unit School District 308. http://www.oswego308.org/district_leadership/administration.aspx#superintendent. Retrieved 25 October 2009. 
2. ^ "About the Administration". directory. Oswego High School. http://www.oswego308.org/schools/ohs/school_info/aboutadmin.aspx. Retrieved 25 October 2009. 
3. ^ ^{a b c d e} "Oswego High School: Illinois School Report Card". Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). http://webprod.isbe.net/ereportcard/publicsite/getReport.aspx?year=2008&code=2404730800001_e.pdf. Retrieved 25 October 2009. 
4. ^ ^{a b} "Oswego (HS)". Illinois High School Association (IHSA). 22 October 2009. http://www.ihsa.org/school/schools/1519.htm. Retrieved 25 October 2009. 
5. ^ Oswego Community Unit School District 308 Course Catalog, Oswego Community Unit School District 308, 2009-10, p. 17, http://www.oswego308.org/assets/12/student_services/coursecatalog0910.pdf 
6. ^ Oswego Community Unit School District 308 Course Catalog, Oswego Community Unit School District 308, 2009-10, p. 18, http://www.oswego308.org/assets/12/student_services/coursecatalog0910.pdf 
7. ^ "Athletics". directory. Oswego High School. http://www.oswego308.org/schools/ohs/cocurricular/athletics/. Retrieved 25 October 2009. 
8. ^ "Season Summaries - Oswego (HS)". Illinois High School Association (IHSA). 6 October 2009. http://www.ihsa.org/school/records/sum1519.htm. Retrieved 25 October 2009. 
9. ^ "Rita B. Garman, Supreme Court Justice Fourth District". biographic sketch. Supreme Court of the State of Illinois. http://www.state.il.us/court/SupremeCourt/Justices/Bio_Garman.asp. Retrieved 25 October 2009. "Rita B. Garman was born in Aurora. She was valedictorian of Oswego High School in 1961." 
10. ^ Sharp, Kristin (3 February 2005). "Three Panthers ink letters of intent: Panthers moving on to college gridiron next year". Ledger-Sentinel (Oswego, IL, USA). http://www.ledgersentinel.com/article.asp?a=3709. Retrieved 25 October 2009. "Magee is Oswego’s first Division I football recruit since Joey Goodspeed signed with Notre Dame in 1996. Goodspeed played for the Fighting Irish from 1996-99 and is currently playing in the NFL with the St. Louis Rams." 
11. ^ Crane, Carter (18 August 2005). "Joey Goodspeed stronger, heavier, ready to play for Rams". The Fox Valley Labor News (Aurora, IL, USA). http://www.foxvalleylabornews.com/news.asp?id=782. Retrieved 25 October 2009. "Joey Goodspeed moved around nervously Friday night on the sidelines of the Edward Jones Dome ... The Oswego High School and Notre Dame graduate paced the sidelines." ^{[dead link]}
12. ^ Rolfe, Lyle R. (12 June 2008). "School building closing a time for reflection: Young and old attend ceremony at Traughber; leave their prints on the wall". Ledger-Sentinel (Oswego, IL, USA). http://www.ledgersentinel.com/article.asp?a=7294. Retrieved 25 October 2009. "Opened in 1950 as Oswego High School ... Handprints of high school graduates close to his include former Speaker of the House, Dennis Hastert, class of 1960" 
13. ^ "Dennis Hastert (R)". biographci sketch. The Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/elections/2004/candidates/22310/. Retrieved 25 October 2009. "Dennis Hastert was born in Aurora, Ill., and resides in Yorkville, Ill. He graduated from Oswego High School in 1960." 
14. ^ "Chiefs Sign Three More Draft Choices – Magee, Washington & Lawrence" (Press release). Kansas City Chiefs. 30 July 2009. http://www.kcchiefs.com/news/2009/07/30/chiefs_sign_three_more_draft_choices__magee_washington__lawrence/. Retrieved 25 October 2009. "Magee played in 12 contests (11 starts) for the Boilermakers ... The Oswego, Illinois native was a two-time first-team all-state selection at Oswego High School." 

External links

• Official Website