Orion High School
Encyclopedia
Orion High School, or OHS, is a public four-year high school
located at 1103 13th St. in Orion, Illinois
, a village
in Western Township of Henry County, Illinois
, in the Midwestern United States
. OHS is part of Orion Community Unit School District 223
, which also includes Orion Middle School, and C. R. Hanna Elementary School. The campus is 11 miles south of Moline, Illinois
and serves a mixed village
and rural
residential community. The school is the only high school
in the village
of Orion
, a bedroom community of the Quad Cities
and part of the Davenport-Moline
-Rock Island
, IA
-IL
metropolitan statistical area.
on the Prairie State Achievement Examination
, a state test that is part of the No Child Left Behind Act
. In 2009, 66% of students tested met or exceeded state standards. The school's average high school graduation rate between 2000-2009 was 94%.
Orion High School ranked 3rd of 16 in Prairie State Achievement Examination
scores compared to all public high schools in the surrounding Henry County
, Rock Island County
, and Mercer County
, Illinois
communities over a 3 year period from 2007-2009. Only Annawan High School and Geneseo High School
scored better. Orion High School is 1 of 7 high schools in this group to make Adequate Yearly Progress
as part of the No Child Left Behind Act
.
The district's teaching faculty is 72 teachers, averaging 18.4 years of experience, and of whom 57% hold an advanced degree. The average district class size is 20.0, with a student to faculty ratio is 15.4. The [district's] instructional expenditure per student is $5,042. Orion High School enrollment decreased from 376 to 342 (9%) in the period of 2000 to 2009.
The Orion Community Unit School District 223
was selected as one of 61 school districts in Illinois to be named a "Bright A+" Award Recipient for 2006. The award was based on those school districts with the highest academic performance in the state of Illinois, and designates the district as among the top 5% of all Illinois.
and is a member school in the Illinois High School Association
. Its mascot is the Charger, symbolized by an armored knight
and horse carrying a shield
and jousting
lance
. The school offers 15 varsity sports for men and women and has no state championships on record in team athletics.
Traditionally strong programs include Boy's Wrestling
, Boy's Football
, Girl's Softball
, Girl's Volleyball
, and Boy's Basketball
. Boys wrestling
coach Bob Mitton retired in 2006 with a 28 year career meet record of 287-188-3 (.604), and 7 state tournament qualifications, the 4th most of any coach in Illinois Class A history. (Complete data not available prior to 1978, as well as 1999-2000, 2001-02, 2002-03, and 2004-2005). The boy's football
program has posted a record of 78-45 (.634) and qualified for the state tournament on 8 occasions (.667) since 1998. The girl's volleyball
program has won its regional (or district) 18 times (.514) since state tournament play began in 1975.
The Orion FFA Chapter has continuously been named a top FFA chapter in the state. For the past eight years they have been a 2 or 3 STAR chapter through the National FFA Organization. In 2009, they had two state CDE championships in the Agricultural Issues Forum and the Agricultural Communications contest.
In 2010, Orion student Annette Putnam won Illinois' state Poetry Out Loud
title. As the state representative at the national recitation finals in Washington, DC she placed in the top 9.
met with representatives of neighboring Cambridge
and Sherrard
, Illinois
school districts on separate occasions to discuss merger possibilities and consolidation study reports.
Based on the report's recommendations, if merger were to occur with Cambridge, the existing Orion High School building would be used as a high school for the new district. If merger were to occur with Sherrard, Orion High School students would attend the current Sherrard Junior and Senior High School building, and the current Orion High School building would become the middle school for Orion and Sherrard.
A survey of students, parents, and teachers in all districts was also conducted with regard to Orion and Sherrard. Overall, 63% of both district's respondents were against consolidation. Surveys were more favorable of an Orion-Cambridge consolidation than an Orion-Sherrard consolidation. Frequently quoted oppositions to the Orion-Sherrard consolidation included Orion's debt, the already large size of the Sherrard district, and the incompatibility of school cultures due to a historic interconference athletics rivalry.
In 2009, district superindent David Deets commented that the consolidation topic remained on the district's radar because of the economic challenges districts face. No formal conversations have been scheduled with any of the region's districts regarding consolidation. Before reorganization talks can even begin, a feasibility studies must be completed, and then a Committee of 10 would have to be formed to prepare a consolidation proposal. A public vote is required to authorize any proposal deemed acceptable by the districts involved. Deets acknowledged the process is long, there is much information to process, and that there are many other issues on the radar. While Orion's population and economy remains relatively stable due to a proximity to the Quad Cities
no comment was made regarding the community's efforts to address new housing starts, business improvement districts, marketing campaigns, or other indicators that address the district's overall population, or the ratio to school age population.
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
located at 1103 13th St. in Orion, Illinois
Orion, Illinois
Orion is a village in Henry County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,861 at the 2010 census. It is home of the Orion Chargers...
, a village
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
in Western Township of Henry County, Illinois
Henry County, Illinois
Henry County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 50,486, which is a decrease of 1.0% from 51,020 in 2000. Its county seat is Cambridge...
, in the Midwestern United States
Midwestern United States
The Midwestern United States is one of the four U.S. geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau, providing an official definition of the American Midwest....
. OHS is part of Orion Community Unit School District 223
Orion Community Unit School District 223
The Orion Community Unit School District 223 is a school district in Illinois. The district serves pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade students in the communities of Orion, Andover, Lynn Center, Osco, Sunny Hill, Warner, and portions of Coal Valley, Colona, and Green Rock. These communities are...
, which also includes Orion Middle School, and C. R. Hanna Elementary School. The campus is 11 miles south of Moline, Illinois
Moline, Illinois
Moline is a city located in Rock Island County, Illinois, United States, with a population of 45,792 in 2010. Moline is one of the Quad Cities, along with neighboring East Moline and Rock Island in Illinois and the cities of Davenport and Bettendorf in Iowa. The Quad Cities has a population of...
and serves a mixed village
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
and rural
Rural
Rural areas or the country or countryside are areas that are not urbanized, though when large areas are described, country towns and smaller cities will be included. They have a low population density, and typically much of the land is devoted to agriculture...
residential community. The school is the only high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
in the village
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
of Orion
Orion, Illinois
Orion is a village in Henry County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,861 at the 2010 census. It is home of the Orion Chargers...
, a bedroom community of the Quad Cities
Quad Cities
The Quad Cities is a group of five cities straddling the Mississippi River on the Iowa–Illinois boundary. These cities, Davenport and Bettendorf and Rock Island, Moline, and East Moline , are the center of the Quad Cities Metropolitan Area, which, as of 2010, had an estimated population of...
and part of the Davenport-Moline
Moline, Illinois
Moline is a city located in Rock Island County, Illinois, United States, with a population of 45,792 in 2010. Moline is one of the Quad Cities, along with neighboring East Moline and Rock Island in Illinois and the cities of Davenport and Bettendorf in Iowa. The Quad Cities has a population of...
-Rock Island
Rock Island, Illinois
Rock Island is the county seat of Rock Island County, Illinois, United States. The population was 40,884 at the 2010 census. Located on the Mississippi River, it is one of the Quad Cities, along with neighboring Moline, East Moline, and the Iowa cities of Davenport and Bettendorf. The Quad Cities...
, IA
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
-IL
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
metropolitan statistical area.
Academics
Orion High School made Adequate Yearly ProgressAdequate Yearly Progress
Adequate Yearly Progress, or AYP, is a measurement defined by the United States federal No Child Left Behind Act that allows the U.S. Department of Education to determine how every public school and school district in the country is performing academically according to results on standardized...
on the Prairie State Achievement Examination
Prairie State Achievement Examination
The Prairie State Achievement Examination is a two-day standardized test taken by all High School Juniors in the U.S. state of Illinois. On the first day, students take the ACT, and on the second day, a WorkKeys examination and Illinois State Board of Education-developed science examination....
, a state test that is part of the No Child Left Behind Act
No Child Left Behind Act
The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 is a United States Act of Congress concerning the education of children in public schools.NCLB was originally proposed by the administration of George W. Bush immediately after he took office...
. In 2009, 66% of students tested met or exceeded state standards. The school's average high school graduation rate between 2000-2009 was 94%.
Orion High School ranked 3rd of 16 in Prairie State Achievement Examination
Prairie State Achievement Examination
The Prairie State Achievement Examination is a two-day standardized test taken by all High School Juniors in the U.S. state of Illinois. On the first day, students take the ACT, and on the second day, a WorkKeys examination and Illinois State Board of Education-developed science examination....
scores compared to all public high schools in the surrounding Henry County
Henry County, Illinois
Henry County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 50,486, which is a decrease of 1.0% from 51,020 in 2000. Its county seat is Cambridge...
, Rock Island County
Rock Island County, Illinois
Rock Island County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 147,546, which is a decrease of 1.2% from 149,374 in 2000. Its county seat is Rock Island...
, and Mercer County
Mercer County, Illinois
Mercer County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 16,434, which is a decrease of 3.1% from 16,957 in 2000. Its county seat is Aledo...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
communities over a 3 year period from 2007-2009. Only Annawan High School and Geneseo High School
Geneseo High School
Geneseo High School is located in Geneseo, Illinois, USA. The school is part of the Geneseo Community Unit School District 228, which covers Geneseo, Atkinson, and parts of Colona. The school is well known for its strong football program, the Geneseo Maple Leafs, also known as the Green Machine...
scored better. Orion High School is 1 of 7 high schools in this group to make Adequate Yearly Progress
Adequate Yearly Progress
Adequate Yearly Progress, or AYP, is a measurement defined by the United States federal No Child Left Behind Act that allows the U.S. Department of Education to determine how every public school and school district in the country is performing academically according to results on standardized...
as part of the No Child Left Behind Act
No Child Left Behind Act
The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 is a United States Act of Congress concerning the education of children in public schools.NCLB was originally proposed by the administration of George W. Bush immediately after he took office...
.
The district's teaching faculty is 72 teachers, averaging 18.4 years of experience, and of whom 57% hold an advanced degree. The average district class size is 20.0, with a student to faculty ratio is 15.4. The [district's] instructional expenditure per student is $5,042. Orion High School enrollment decreased from 376 to 342 (9%) in the period of 2000 to 2009.
The Orion Community Unit School District 223
Orion Community Unit School District 223
The Orion Community Unit School District 223 is a school district in Illinois. The district serves pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade students in the communities of Orion, Andover, Lynn Center, Osco, Sunny Hill, Warner, and portions of Coal Valley, Colona, and Green Rock. These communities are...
was selected as one of 61 school districts in Illinois to be named a "Bright A+" Award Recipient for 2006. The award was based on those school districts with the highest academic performance in the state of Illinois, and designates the district as among the top 5% of all Illinois.
Athletics and Activities
Orion High School competes in the West Central ConferenceWest Central Conference (Illinois)
The West Central Conference is a high school conference in western central Illinois. The conference participates in athletics and activities in the Illinois High School Association...
and is a member school in the Illinois High School Association
Illinois High School Association
The Illinois High School Association is one of 521 state high school associations in the United States, designed to regulate competition in most interscholastic sports and some interscholastic activities at the high school level. It is a charter member of the National Federation of State High...
. Its mascot is the Charger, symbolized by an armored knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
and horse carrying a shield
Shield
A shield is a type of personal armor, meant to intercept attacks, either by stopping projectiles such as arrows or redirecting a hit from a sword, mace or battle axe to the side of the shield-bearer....
and jousting
Jousting
Jousting is a martial game or hastilude between two knights mounted on horses and using lances, often as part of a tournament.Jousting emerged in the High Middle Ages based on the military use of the lance by heavy cavalry. The first camels tournament was staged in 1066, but jousting itself did not...
lance
Lance
A Lance is a pole weapon or spear designed to be used by a mounted warrior. The lance is longer, stout and heavier than an infantry spear, and unsuited for throwing, or for rapid thrusting. Lances did not have tips designed to intentionally break off or bend, unlike many throwing weapons of the...
. The school offers 15 varsity sports for men and women and has no state championships on record in team athletics.
Traditionally strong programs include Boy's Wrestling
Wrestling
Wrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
, Boy's Football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
, Girl's Softball
Softball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
, Girl's Volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
, and Boy's Basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
. Boys wrestling
Wrestling
Wrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
coach Bob Mitton retired in 2006 with a 28 year career meet record of 287-188-3 (.604), and 7 state tournament qualifications, the 4th most of any coach in Illinois Class A history. (Complete data not available prior to 1978, as well as 1999-2000, 2001-02, 2002-03, and 2004-2005). The boy's football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
program has posted a record of 78-45 (.634) and qualified for the state tournament on 8 occasions (.667) since 1998. The girl's volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
program has won its regional (or district) 18 times (.514) since state tournament play began in 1975.
The Orion FFA Chapter has continuously been named a top FFA chapter in the state. For the past eight years they have been a 2 or 3 STAR chapter through the National FFA Organization. In 2009, they had two state CDE championships in the Agricultural Issues Forum and the Agricultural Communications contest.
In 2010, Orion student Annette Putnam won Illinois' state Poetry Out Loud
Poetry Out Loud
The Poetry Out Loud: Recitation Contest was created in 2006 by the National Endowment for the Arts and The Poetry Foundation. The contest was created to increase awareness in the art of performing poetry, with substantial cash prizes being awarded to schools that participated as well as...
title. As the state representative at the national recitation finals in Washington, DC she placed in the top 9.
Consolidation Talks
In 2007, representatives from Orion Community Unit School District 223Orion Community Unit School District 223
The Orion Community Unit School District 223 is a school district in Illinois. The district serves pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade students in the communities of Orion, Andover, Lynn Center, Osco, Sunny Hill, Warner, and portions of Coal Valley, Colona, and Green Rock. These communities are...
met with representatives of neighboring Cambridge
Cambridge, Illinois
Cambridge is a village in Henry County, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,160 at the 2010 census, down from 2,180 at the 2000 census...
and Sherrard
Sherrard, Illinois
Sherrard is a village in Mercer County, Illinois, United States. The population was 694 at the 2000 census. Sherrard is home to the Sherrard Junior / Senior High School, home of the Sherrard Tigers.-Geography:Sherrard is located at ....
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
school districts on separate occasions to discuss merger possibilities and consolidation study reports.
Based on the report's recommendations, if merger were to occur with Cambridge, the existing Orion High School building would be used as a high school for the new district. If merger were to occur with Sherrard, Orion High School students would attend the current Sherrard Junior and Senior High School building, and the current Orion High School building would become the middle school for Orion and Sherrard.
A survey of students, parents, and teachers in all districts was also conducted with regard to Orion and Sherrard. Overall, 63% of both district's respondents were against consolidation. Surveys were more favorable of an Orion-Cambridge consolidation than an Orion-Sherrard consolidation. Frequently quoted oppositions to the Orion-Sherrard consolidation included Orion's debt, the already large size of the Sherrard district, and the incompatibility of school cultures due to a historic interconference athletics rivalry.
In 2009, district superindent David Deets commented that the consolidation topic remained on the district's radar because of the economic challenges districts face. No formal conversations have been scheduled with any of the region's districts regarding consolidation. Before reorganization talks can even begin, a feasibility studies must be completed, and then a Committee of 10 would have to be formed to prepare a consolidation proposal. A public vote is required to authorize any proposal deemed acceptable by the districts involved. Deets acknowledged the process is long, there is much information to process, and that there are many other issues on the radar. While Orion's population and economy remains relatively stable due to a proximity to the Quad Cities
Quad Cities
The Quad Cities is a group of five cities straddling the Mississippi River on the Iowa–Illinois boundary. These cities, Davenport and Bettendorf and Rock Island, Moline, and East Moline , are the center of the Quad Cities Metropolitan Area, which, as of 2010, had an estimated population of...
no comment was made regarding the community's efforts to address new housing starts, business improvement districts, marketing campaigns, or other indicators that address the district's overall population, or the ratio to school age population.