Top 100 Best High Schools 2013 – Oxford Academy – Newsweek – 34/100

Top 100 Best High Schools 2013 – Oxford Academy – Newsweek – 34/100


Top 100 Best High Schools 2013 – Oxford Academy – Newsweek – 34/100

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Oxford Academy

Oxford Academy is a college preparatory school in the suburbs of Cypress, California. The school is rigorous and highly competitive as students test to get in. According to U.S. News & World Report dated December 9, 2009, Oxford Academy is ranked fourth in national public high schools and fourteenth in the entire US. As of 2012 in the same ranking, Oxford Academy was ranked 7th in the nation among both public and private high schools.[8] A combined junior high and high school, Oxford has less than 1200 students, 200 or less in each grade 7th through 12th, and over 69 faculty members.[10] Although Oxford is not classified as a magnet School, an entrance exam comprehensively consisting of math, English, and an essay writing section is required for all students. As of 2009, potential students must achieve a minimum GPA in elementary school to take the exam. Entering seventh grade students can compete for 200 spots. These spots are divided among the 8 junior high schools in the Anaheim Union High School District, with admissions for 25 students from each corresponding school. Oxford mandates minimum GPAs (2.5 for grades 7-8, 2.7 for grades 9-10, and 3.0 for grades 11-12) for all students and if students fail to stay above the minimum for 2 semesters, they are dismissed from Oxford and enrolled in their home district’s junior high or high school.

5172 Orange Ave, Cypress, CA 90630, United States

Local Map

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Courses

Oxford offers Honors and Advanced Placement classes. This is in line with the mission statement to “provide students with a rigorous educational program in a collaborative setting, with emphasis on mastery of academics, critical thinking, effective communication skills, and character development.”
Oxford Academy follows a “UC system” approved A-G course listing, meaning that all required classes meet the standards and recommendations for entrance in a University of California college. In addition to the UC course listing, Oxford requires all students to choose the Business or Advanced Sciences pathway in their junior year. Business or Science pathways are required. Students in the business pathway take a semester each of accounting and marketing in their junior year and virtual enterprise their senior year, whereas health pathway students can choose from any of the advanced sciences (AP Biology, AP Chemistry, and AP Physics) in their junior year and an additional science elective in their senior year.

Activities

The school’s newspaper is called The Gamut, which is run by students who take the Journalism elective class. The editor-in-chief is a student. However, unlike at most schools where Yearbook or “Memory Book” is an elective, Yearbook is offered as a zero period class and is run by students who take the Yearbook class. There are many clubs and organizations on campus, such as the National Honor Society, Key Club, Future Business Leaders of America, Health Occupations Students of America, a speech and debate team, a STEM-oriented academic team, and various other clubs.

Sports

At the high school level, Oxford offers varsity baseball, JV and varsity tennis (boys and girls), swimming (boys and girls), JV and varsity basketball (boys and girls), JV and varsity soccer (boys and girls), JV and varsity volleyball (boys and girls), varsity softball, track (boys and girls), and cross-country (boys and girls). The physical education department recently attempted to add water polo, but was unable to add the school to any competitions. The varsity baseball won the California Interscholastic Federation-Southern Section Championship in 2009 and 2010. Swimming has won several individual or relay events.
Junior high students can compete in a variety of intramural sports against other schools in the Anaheim Union High School District.