Oxford High School (Michigan)

Oxford High School
Location
745 North Oxford Road

Oxford address
,
Oakland County
,
Michigan
48371-3715

United States

42°50′17″N 83°15′40″W / 42.838°N 83.261°W / 42.838; -83.261
Information
TypePublic secondary school
Established2004 (2004)
StatusOpen[1]
School board
7
School district
Oxford Community Schools
NCES District ID
2627240[2]
School code
MI-63110-02437
CEEB code232935
NCES School ID
262724006338[1]
Principal
Brad Bigelow[3]
Teaching staff
79.30 (on an FTE basis)[1]
Grades9–12
GenderMixed-sex education
Enrollment1,568[1] (2024–2025)
 • Grade 9390
 • Grade 10380
 • Grade 11353
 • Grade 12445
Student to teacher ratio
19.77[1]
Campus type
Suburb: Large[1]
ColorsBlue and gold   
NicknameWildcats
RivalsLake Orion Dragons
Lapeer West Panthers
USNWR ranking
5,212[4]
Websiteoxfordhigh.oxfordschools.org
Student assessments
2021–22 school
year[5]
Change vs.
prior year[5]
M-STEP 11th grade proficiency rates
(Science / Social Studies)
Advanced %21.7 / 8.9
Proficient %26.3 / 26.5
PR. Proficient %15.8 / 49.0
Not Proficient %36.2 / 15.6
Average test scores
SAT Total1006.4
(Decrease −15.3)

Oxford High School is a coed public secondary institution located in Oxford Township, Michigan, United States, with an Oxford postal address.[6] Part of the Oxford Community Schools district, it is within one of the largest school districts, geographically, in southeastern lower Michigan.[7]

History

Oxford's first high school was built in 1887 and expanded in 1917. It was still in use in 1956, when Oxford's district consolidated with small outlying school districts, prompting the need for a new high school. It was then built at 105 Pontiac Street, and is currently Oxford Elementary. It served as the high school until 1982.[8][9]

The current Oxford High School building was originally the district's middle school, which opened in fall 1998.[10] By 2001, the high school had reached its 1,200-student capacity and was continuing to add students, but there was little room to expand on the high school site. The district proposed a bond issue to convert the high school into the middle school and build additions at the middle school to convert it to the high school.[11] The additions were intended to surround the existing building, creating a new architectural identity. Designed by TMP Architecture, the new Oxford High School opened in fall 2004.[12]

The previous high school, now the district's middle school, opened in spring 1982, replacing the 1956 high school. It used energy-efficiency features that were innovative at the time, such as earth sheltering and passive solar building design. Designed by Flint architectural firm Tomblinson, Harburn, Yurk & Associates, the building won the Engineering Society of Detroit's Construction Award.[13]

On November 30, 2021, a mass shooting occurred at the high school. Four students were killed, and seven other people were injured.[14]

The shooting occurred in the east academic corridor,[15] and that section of the building was repaired with new carpet, paint, and ceilings. When students returned to the building on January 24, 2022, they found it decorated with cards of support from the district's younger students.[16][17]

Attendance boundary

The district (of which this is the sole comprehensive high school) serves portions of northeastern Oakland County and southwestern Lapeer County as well as a small northeast section of Macomb County. In Oakland County, it serves Oxford, Leonard, most of Oxford and Addison townships, and portions of Brandon Township.[18] In Lapeer County, the district serves sections of Dryden and Metamora townships.[19] The district also extends into a very small portion of Bruce Township, Macomb County.[20]

Curriculum

Oxford High School is an authorized International Baccalaureate World School for the Diploma Programme.[21]

Extracurricular activities

Oxford High School offers 24 different varsity sports.[22] Teams participate in the Oakland Activities Association, a high school athletic conference whose member schools have similar enrollments and are all located in the Oakland County area. The statewide class designation (based on enrollment) is "Division 1" or "Class A".[23]

The school's athletic nickname is the Wildcats. Both the high school and the middle school have teams which are referred to as the "Oxford Wildcats". Oxford's chief rival is Lake Orion, located directly in the township to the south, and connected by M-24. In football, the two teams compete for the "Double-O" (Oxford/Orion) rivalry trophy. The teams had competed annually from at least 1950 until 1983 when Oxford moved to the Flint Metro League. During FML play, Oxford's chief rivals were Lapeer East High School and Lapeer West High School, located in Lapeer approximately 15 miles north of Oxford on M-24.

Prior to the 2010-2011 year, Oxford High School moved from the Flint Metro League, where it had been a member school since 1983, to the Oakland Activities Association. Reasons cited for the move included demographic and geographic considerations. Urban sprawl in Metro Detroit over the years had brought Oxford in from the rural–urban fringe and closer in line with the greater Detroit area like much of the OAA, rather than the Flint area.[24] As a result of the move, the sports rivalry with Lake Orion resumed after a 27-year hiatus.

Oxford has won state championships in boys track (1991 class B), football (1992 class BB), and wrestling (2011 class A).[25][26]

In 2011, the school installed blue-colored artificial turf for the football stadium at a cost of $400,000, which was to be paid for with private donations. Initially, the turf was to be paid for with public bonds; however, voters disapproved of the millage.[27] The AstroTurf made headlines when it was revealed that several athletics boosters had put their personal homes up as collateral for the purchase of the field.[28] When initial fundraising efforts came up short, the boosters were hit with a $300,000 balance and were in danger of defaulting. An agreement was reached between the boosters and AstroTurf that allowed for an extended payback period.[29] The turf also made headlines when Boise State University notified Oxford that they held a trademark on the term "Blue Turf" for their field at Albertsons Stadium.[30] Therefore, Oxford could not continue calling their field "blue turf", but instead could use the terms "navy turf", "Oxford blue turf", or "true blue turf".[31]

Notable alumni

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Search for Public Schools - Oxford High School (262724006338)". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved February 10, 2026.
  2. ↑ "Search for Public School Districts – District Detail for Oxford Community Schools". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved February 10, 2026.
  3. ↑ "Principal, Ms. Beazley". oxfordhigh.oxfordschools.org. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  4. ↑ "Oxford High School". Best High Schools. U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  5. 1 2 "MI School Data Annual Education Report". MI School Data. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
  6. ↑ "2020 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP: Oxford charter township, MI" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
    Compare to the address: "745 N. Oxford Rd., Oxford, MI 48371"
  7. ↑ "About Our District". www.oxfordschools.org. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  8. ↑ Editorial staff of Oxford High School yearbook. Wildcat 78 (1978 Oxford High School yearbook). p. 1.
  9. ↑ "Enrollment down in '80s, booming in '90s". The Oxford Leader. April 15, 1998. p. D1.
  10. ↑ "Busy, busy Oxford". Oxford Leader. October 14, 1998. p. B20. Retrieved March 28, 2026.
  11. ↑ Higgins, Lori (September 24, 2001). "School districts ask voters for funds". Detroit Free Press. p. B1.
  12. ↑ "Oxford High School Addition/Remodeling (Oxford, Mich.)". School Designs. Retrieved March 24, 2026.
  13. ↑ "Flint architectural firm's school design wins award". Flint Journal. July 9, 1982. p. D5.
  14. ↑ Dupnack, Jessica; Centofanti, Deena; Langton, Charlie (November 30, 2021). "Oxford High School shooting: 3 students dead, 8 hurt including 1 teacher". Fox 2 Detroit. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
  15. ↑ Nissen, Jack (March 30, 2022). "Oxford shooting victims fund expands who is eligible for compensation". WJBK.
  16. ↑ "Oxford reveals renovations to high school ahead of student return". WWMT. January 24, 2022.
  17. ↑ "A look inside Oxford High School after renovations". Detroit News. January 22, 2022.
  18. ↑ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Oakland County, MI" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved December 3, 2021.
  19. ↑ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Lapeer County, MI" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved December 3, 2021.
  20. ↑ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Macomb County, MI" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved March 9, 2024. - Text list
  21. ↑ "International Baccalaureate School District". www.oxfordschools.org. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  22. ↑ "Athletics". oxfordhigh.oxfordschools.org. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  23. ↑ "Oxford | Michigan High School Athletic Association". www.mhsaa.com. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  24. ↑ Tunnicliff, Greg (August 28, 2009). "Oxford High to begin play in Oakland Activities Association in 2010-11 school year". Flint Journal. mLive. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  25. ↑ Carnacchio, CJ. "Officials praise wrestlers, pass resolution for state champions | Oxford Leader". oxfordleader.com. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  26. ↑ "Michigan High School 11-Man Football State Champions". michigan-football.com. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  27. ↑ Kuhlman, Jay (August 10, 2012). "Public donations will foot bill for blue turf field at Oxford High School". Oxford, Michigan: WDIV-TV. Archived from the original on March 14, 2017. Retrieved October 4, 2023 – via Wayback Machine.
  28. ↑ "FOX 2 Detroit". September 8, 2022.
  29. ↑ "Oxford blue turf update: 'Homeowners' tell their story, would 'do it again in a heartbeat' (With video)". August 10, 2012.
  30. ↑ "Oxford High School football can have blue turf, but Boise State says they can't call it 'blue turf'". August 25, 2011.
  31. ↑ Dunlap, Keith (August 24, 2011). "Boise State takes exception to Oxford High School using 'Blue Turf' WITH VIDEO". The Oakland Press. Oxford, Michigan. Archived from the original on March 13, 2017. Retrieved October 4, 2023 – via Wayback Machine.
  32. ↑ "Oxford Schools: News". Archived from the original on April 3, 2012. Retrieved May 2, 2011.
  33. ↑ "Oxford Schools: News". Archived from the original on April 3, 2012. Retrieved May 2, 2011.
  34. ↑ Paul, Tony. "State hoops: Oxford tragedy hits close to home for Oakland's Trey Townsend". The Detroit News. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
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