Opelika City Schools Board of Education

About

Educating Every Child Every Day http://www.opelikaschools.org

Story

The Opelika City Schools offer each student a world of opportunity. Beginning in primary school with art, music and multiple computers in each classroom, students are excelling in their learning environment. Each elementary classroom is equipped with a Promethean whiteboard system to allow the teachers to teach interactive lessons using laptops and interactive whiteboards. The intermediate schools offer a challenging curriculum that is accented by outstanding enrichment classes and music programs. Every third grade student in the Opelika City Schools takes nine weeks of violin lessons. Students who excel in the classroom are pulled from class at least one day a week to participate in enrichment activities that are tailored to their interests. Our highly qualified teachers have been trained in the latest instructional strategies including the Alabama Reading Initiative (ARI) and Team Math and Alabama Math Science Teaching Initiative (AMSTI).

Opelika Middle School, which was completely renovated in 2006, is a “true” middle school serving grades six, seven and eight. The students are taught in teams that provide an enhanced relationship with the teachers and interdisciplinary instruction. The 24-station technology lab at the Middle school offers students the opportunity to experience subjects such as animation, robotics, space and rocketry, flight simulation, aerodynamics, bridge building, medical technology, electronics, virtual makeovers, a television studio and radio station. In addition to technology, OMS offers band, art, chorus, computer applications, Global Connections in Science and showchoir as elective courses.

Opelika High School offers Advanced Placement (AP) classes in every core academic area. In addition, many students are dual enrolled in Opelika High and Southern Union Community College, located across the street from the OHS campus. While taking pre-calculus at OHS, they are also getting college credit from Southern Union. Over $4.7 million dollars in scholarships were offered to the graduating class of 2012.

In addition to having computers in the classrooms, OHS has four computer labs, 20 computer stations in the media center and 30 wireless laptops that are used by students as a portable lab. OHS offers desktop publishing, video production, guitar, drama, advanced theatre, art, chorus, band, and horticulture. The Career/Tech programs at OHS offer students many different options to transition quickly into the manufacturing environment. Over 200 students play in the award winning “Spirit of the South” marching band and participate in the Concert, Symphonic and Jazz Bands. The Opelika High School Choral Department has four choirs that include the Ovations coed show choir and Impressions girls show choir that have traveled to competitions in Alabama, Mississippi and Missouri. The drama department at OHS performs at least three productions each year which include a play each fall, an advanced theatre (trumbauer) competition mid year and a spring musical. Our highly competitive 6A athletic programs include football, baseball, track, soccer, basketball, softball, and tennis with a recently added sports arena and baseball facility.

Opelika City Schools is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

Mission

The mission of the Opelika City Schools is to educate every child, every day.