Chickasha High School

Chickasha High School
High School after remodel
Main entrance
Location
Chickasha, Oklahoma

United States
CoordinatesLatitude 35.0507494 Longitude -97.9566233
Information
MottoThe mission of Chickasha High School is to increase academic achievement and student success.
Established1898
School districtChickasha Public Schools
SuperintendentJim Glaze
PrincipalBeth Edwards
Grades9 through 12
Enrollment684
Color(s)Purple and Gold
MascotFightin' Chicks
Feeder schoolsChickasha Middle School
Websitechickasha.k12.ok.us

HISTORY

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Chickasha Public Schools were established in 1890’s. Mr. Irvin Munn states in his book, Chickasha...A Journey Back in Time, “Mrs. Joe Dews wrote that a school in Chickasha was held in a store on Main Street with Eugene Hamilton as teacher. (Note: He was a lawyer.) Mr. W. A. Delzell was selected as the first superintendent of schools in Chickasha under the 1898 Second Class City classification. With the coming of the First Class City classification in 1901, it became possible to levy taxes on the properties. As a result, in 1902, four brick school buildings were started and soon completed. One of these was a high school.” He later says the first graduating class was in 1903. It consisted of two members, Lousie Murphy and W. P. Latting. Lincoln School was established in 1941, consolidating with Chickasha High School in 1959. Lincoln School remained an elementary school with grades 1-9 until 1965. St. Joseph's Academy, associated with the Catholic Church, closed in 1968. With that closure, Chickasha High School became the only public or private high school in the city limits. In her book, Trails, Rails, and School Tales, author Gwen Jackson quotes two sources that Chickasha was "one of the leading school systems in Oklahoma." The location of Chickasha High School has been in primarily two locations:1000 South 9th Street where the current Middle School is located and, in 1968, the current site of Chickasha High School was established, 101 N. John P. Cowan Ave formerly known as Borden Park. Grades 9 through 12 are currently housed at this location. After several unsuccessful attempts to pass bond issues, in 2003, the Chickasha High School Activity Center was completed. It houses the Basketball Arena which contains the Harly Day Basketball Court and the Chickasha High School Auditorium. In 2007, the High School itself was renovated to its current structure. The Stage Building was converted to a Freshman Center.

STATISTICS

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For the 2012-2013 school year, the school had an enrollment of 684 with 48 teachers. As well as the traditional curriculum options, Chickasha High School has an associated alternative education program with is housed off campus at the former Southwest Elementary School. In 2012, Chickasha High School was one of only three 5A schools in the State of Oklahoma that graduated all members of their Senior Class under the new state mandated ACE testing requirements. In 2013, all the students classified as Seniors at the first of the year, graduated under the high stakes testing requirements mandated fromRuiz the State of Oklahoma. In 2013, Advanced-Ed, formerly known as North Central Accreditation, accredited Chickasha High School with 100 years of continuous accreditation, one of the few continuously accredited schools in the State of Oklahoma.

AWARDS and RECOGNITION

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• Named by U.S. News and World Report as one of “America’s Best High Schools” in 2005, 2006, 2008
• Bronze medal school named by U.S. News and World Report
• Governor of Oklahoma ACE Award


FAMOUS PEOPLE WHO GRADUATED FROM CHICKASHA HIGH SCHOOL

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Chet Allen (Actor) graduated in 1945
Stephen Alexander (NFL) graduated in 1994
Bill Chapman (Advocate for visually impaired) Graduate in 1946
Ada Lois Sipuel Fisher (Civil Rights Activist) graduated in 1941 from Lincoln High School which consolidated with CHS in 1959
Scott Meachum (State Treasurer) graduated in 1981
A. Lee Mullican (artist) graduated in 1932
Wallis Ohl (Bishop, Episcopal church) graduated in 1961
Sam Rayburn (NFL) graduated in 1998
Jami Smith (religious singer and songwriter) graduated in 1988
Bill Wallace (Author of children’s books) graduated in 1965
Susan Winchester (Speaker Pro Tempore of Oklahoma State House) graduated in 1968

STATE TITLES

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Baseball 1966, 2002
Boys Basketball 1953, 1955, 1963
Girls Basketball 1984
Cheerleading 2006
Boys Golf 1972, 1991
Boys Soccer 1995, 1996, 1999, 2002
Girls Soccer 1998
Boys Tennis 1959

REFERENCES

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Jackson, Gwen (1995). Trails, Rails, and School Tails: A History of 125 Schools and Communities of Grady County. N.p.:N.p.
Munn, Irvin (1982). Chickasha...A Journey Back In Time. USAO Printing Services, University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma Foundation, Inc.
Oklahoma Secondary Schools Activities Association Website, www.ossaa.com