Millwood Public Schools (Oklahoma)

Millwood Public Schools is a PK-12 district with an enrollment of approximately 1032 students in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The district covers an area of 10.5 square miles (27 km²), with its boundaries between Lincoln Boulevard and Sunnylane/Coltrane Rroads on the west and east, and between NE 48th and NE 86th on the south and north. The student body is primarily made up of African-American students (98%). Two schools, an arts academy, a ninth grade academy, a pre-school program and two community learning centers are maintained within the district.

The ad-valorem tax base is primarily residential property and the land surrounding Remington Park, which contains such non-taxable properties as the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, the Oklahoma City Zoo, the Omniplex Science Museum, the National Softball Hall of Fame, the Oklahoma State Firefighter Museum, and the land on which Remington Park is built.

History

A map discovered in 1987, dated June 8, 1900, is marked "Territory of Oklahoma, Oklahoma County, District 37," and is drawn with the current Millwood district boundaries. The land was purchased by a firm from South Carolina, which planned to build a cotton mill on the site along with homes and a school for mill workers, but the entire project was later dropped. The only work completed 160 acres (0.65 km²) plotted for a housing project and the one-room school house historically known as Deep Fork School.

In 1918, the school board traded the original site for another 2.5-acre (10,000 m²) tract (which is located near the present spot of the Millwood Middle School Building) and a new three-room, two-story rock building was built. In 1935, with WPA labor, a large two-story rock building was built, complete with a principal's office, classrooms, cafeteria, and auditorium. Kindergarten was started in 1949 on a tuition basis, and in 1951, kindergarten was included in the regular school program. In 1960, a new building, which included 11 classrooms, library, new offices, kitchen, lounge, and cafeteria, was added at a cost of $275,000. Six new 72-passenger buses were purchased in 1963, along with a plan to expand the existing facilities and to add a ninth grade. The curriculum required additional facilities, including a home economics room, drafting and manual arts room, and two classrooms.

During the spring of 1971, a special election was held for the purpose of establishing an independent school district with the addition of a new high school for grades 10-12. The high school was accredited the year of operation and held its first graduation in 1972 with 16 students.

We should mention the fire which led to the decision to tear down the auditorium and several classrooms that had smoke damage. Fire was started by a cigarette in the class room on the southwest side of the building. Students missed only one day of instruction as classes were held in the cafeteria and elsewhere.

Recent developments

A preschool program was added in 1980, and computer education programs were added in 1982. A pre-kindergarten program was added to the primary school in 1995. In 1996, the fifth grade was moved from the middle school to the primary school, which was then changed to an elementary school with grades pre-kindergarten through five. The sixth grade was moved from the middle school in the fall of 2002.

The Millwood Elementary School Arts Academy (MESAA) opened for the 2003-2004 school year. Parents and staff participated in the development of this academy, designed to offer an intense, integrated arts curriculum with opportunities in the areas of drama, vocal/instrumental music, visual arts and dance. Admission to MESAA is through an application process.

In the school year of 2006-2007, the arts academy reformed the middle school cheerleading squad.

Noted alumni

• Joe Carter – professional major league baseball player for the Toronto Blue Jays
• Susie Berning – professional golfer
• Ellis Edwards – former Oklahoma State Treasurer
• Anthony Williams- Recording Artist

External links

• Millwood Public Schools website