OSSM celebrates milestone anniversary as it recruits a new president

By Scott Meacham

Here’s great — but not surprising — news. Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics (OSSM) is ranked #20 of all the 19,984 public high schools in the country. This places OSSM in the top one-tenth of 1 percent of all public high schools in the United States.

This is no feel-good ranking — although with OSSM there is plenty for Oklahomans to feel good about.

Niche, the data analysis firm that produces this ranking, applies rigorous standards and sophisticated algorithms to the most up-to-date data available from dozens of public sources (including the Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau, and the FBI) along with more than a million reviews and survey response from students, parents, and residents.

Milestone Anniversary

The Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics was created through legislative action in 1983 and enrolled its first class of 44 juniors from across the state in 1990. The school is celebrating the 30th Anniversary of that first graduating class (1992).

OSSM is a two-year public residential high school with about 140 students. Students come from each of Oklahoma’s 77 counties. They pay nothing for tuition, fees, or for room and board. The main campus located in the center of the Innovation District in Oklahoma City within eyesight of the state capitol. OSSM’s location itself is a testament to the results that can be achieved in STEM when public officials and educators link arms. Non-residential regional centers provide advanced technical courses throughout the state.

In this 30th Anniversary year, there is more breaking news. OSSM is in recruiting mode for only its third president in the history of the school. Dr. Edna Manning, appointed in 1988, served 25 years. President Frank Wang, noted mathematician and CEO of Saxon Publishers, was teaching math pro bono at OSSM when Dr. Manning retired. He stepped up and has led the school with perseverance and flair for the last decade. Dr. Wang is retiring and the school is looking for the next new leader. (The good news for students is that Dr. Wang plans to continue teaching a mathematics class at OSSM.)

Search Committee

Geoffrey Simpson, OSSM alum and serial entrepreneur, leads the search committee. He is enthusiastic about the responsibility and the opportunity.

“We built the presidential search committee from the ground up,” he said. “We have people from the community, from inside OSSM, alum, and people with no prior connections to the school. There are so many perspectives on the search committee. We feel that we are at an inflection point, that this is a great opportunity to align the direction of the school with the state’s vision of innovation.”

This is a unique and once in a lifetime opportunity for the right leader. The first OSSM president advanced to the school through the ranks of academia with an innate understanding of students. The second from incredible success as a CEO and a passionate love of mathematics. OSSM benefited tremendously from each.

“We recognize that the right person could be an educator or could come from the business community,” Simpson said. “OSSM has a knack for attracting talented students who go on to accomplish amazing things inside and outside Oklahoma — smart curious kids who want to study. This is an opportunity to influence future leaders. OSSM is a life changing experience.”

A life-changing experience shaping some of Oklahoma’s best and brightest young people to change the world. What leader wouldn’t be interested in an opportunity like that?

Scott Meacham CEO of i2E Inc., a nonprofit corporation that mentors many of the state’s technology-based startup companies. i2E receives state support from the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology and is an integral part of Oklahoma’s Innovation Model. Contact Meacham at i2E_Comments@i2E.org.

OSSM celebrates milestone anniversary as it recruits a new president