Oak Lawn Community High School

Oak Lawn Community High School
Address
9400 Southwest Highway Oak Lawn, Illinois, 60453 USA
Coordinates	41°43′18″N 87°46′04″W / 41.7216°N 87.7677°W / 41.7216; -87.7677
Information
School type	public secondary
Opened	1952
School district	Oak Lawn Comm. HS 229
Superintendent	Dr. Michael Riordan[1]
Principal	Dr. Michael Riordan[1]
Grades	9–12
Gender	coed
Enrollment	1,830[2]
Average class size	20.1[2]
Campus type	suburban
Color(s)	kelly green      white[3]
Athletics conference	South Suburban Conference[3]
Mascot	Spartan
Nickname	Spartans[3]
Team name	Spartans
Average ACT scores	20.2[2]
Newspaper	'Spartanite[4]
Yearbook	'Shield[4]
Website	http://www.olchs.org

Oak Lawn Community High School (OLCHS or "Oak Lawn"), is a school in the Chicago suburb of Oak Lawn, Illinois. The name "Spartans" and the colors Green and White were chosen by a committee in tribute to the Michigan State University Spartans, who won the Rose Bowl in 1954.

Academics

In 2009, OLCHS had an average composite ACT score of 20.2, and graduated 91.6% of its senior class.^[2] The school has not made Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) on the Prairie State Achievement Examination, which is the state assessment used to fulfill mandates of the federal No Child Left Behind Act.^[2] Overall, the school failed to meet minimum standards in reading and mathematics, in addition to having two student subgroups fail to meet expectations in reading, and one subgroup fail to meet expectations in mathematics.^[2]

Athletics

Oak Lawn competes in the South Suburban Conference (SSC) and is a member of the Illinois High School Association (IHSA); the organization which governs most sports and competitive activities for high schools in the state. Teams are stylized as the Spartans.

The school sponsors interscholastic teams for young men and women in basketball, bowling, cross country, soccer, swimming & diving, track & field, and volleyball.^[5] Young men may compete in baseball, football, and wrestling, while young women may compete in badminton, cheerleading, golf, softball, and tennis.^[5] There is a coed bass fishing team.^[5] While not sponsored by the IHSA, the school also sponsors a poms team for young women.^[5]

The following teams have won their respective IHSA sponsored state championship tournament or meet:^[6]

• Volleyball (boys): 1993–94

• Drama: State Champions (2005-06); State Champions (2009-10);
• Speech team: 1st place (2010)
• Group Interpretation: State Champions (2003-04); State Champions (2007-08); State Champions (2010-11)

Notable alumni

• Benn Jordan is an award winning composer and recording artist known as The Flashbulb^{[citation needed]}
• C. J. Kupec is a former Forward/Center who played professionally in the NBA (1975–78). He was also honored as one of "100 Legends" of the IHSA Boys Basketball Tournament.^[7][8]
• Steve Kmak is an ex-bassist for the group, Disturbed^{[citation needed]}
• Rob Mackowiak is a Major League Baseball outfielder, currently playing for the Cincinnati Reds.^[9]
• Tim Purpura is the former general manager of the Houston Astros (2004–07).^[10]

Notable faculty

• Edward Maloney is an Illinois state senator (2003–present).^[11]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "District/School Administrators". directory. Oak Lawn Community High School District 229. http://www.olchs.org/about/admin_staff.asp. Retrieved 18 November 2009. 
2. ^ ^{a b c d e f} "Illinois District Report Card". Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). 2009. https://www.olchs.org/assets/publicrelations/School-Report-Card-2009.pdf. Retrieved 18 November 2009. 
3. ^ ^{a b c} "Oak Lawn (Community)". Illinois High School Association (IHSA). 17 November 2009. http://www.ihsa.org/school/schools/1502.htm. Retrieved 18 November 2009. 
4. ^ ^{a b} "Activities". directory. Oak Lawn Community High School District 229. http://www.olchs.org/activities/index.asp. Retrieved 18 November 2009. 
5. ^ ^{a b c d} "Athletic Teams". directory. Oak Lawn Community High School District 229. http://www.olchs.org/athletics/index.asp. Retrieved 18 November 2009. 
6. ^ "Season summaries for Oak Lawn (Community)". Illinois High School Association (IHSA). 16 November 2009. http://www.ihsa.org/school/records/sum1502.htm. Retrieved 18 November 2009. 
7. ^ IHSA Announces 100 Legends of Boys Basketball Tournament; 12 April 2006; accessed 1 January 2009
8. ^ C.J. Kupec stats & bio; basketball-reference.com; accessed 1 January 2009
9. ^ Vorva, Jeff (9 December 2005). "Baseball's Winter Meetings". Beacon News (Aurora, Illinois, USA). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1N1-10EBEC48E7996BB0.html. Retrieved 18 November 2009. "Thursday, the (White) Sox acquired Mackowiak, who attended Oak Lawn High School and South Suburban College, from the Pittsburgh Pirates for relief pitcher Damaso Marte." 
10. ^ "Timothy G. Purpura - Alumni Hall of Fame". biographic sketch. Oak Lawn Community High School District 229. 2005. http://www.olchs.org/activities/ahoftpurpura.asp. Retrieved 18 November 2009. 
11. ^ "SENATOR EDWARD D. MALONEY NEWS". Illinois State Senate Democrats. 16 November 2009. http://www.senatedem.ilga.gov/index.php/sen-maloney-home. Retrieved 19 November 2009. "His professional experience includes being an assistant principal and dean of faculty at Brother Rice High School in Chicago ... and a teacher, counselor and administrator at Oak Lawn Community High School."