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John Parsons, Founder and Executive Director of the Omaha Street School taught on a volunteer basis at the Denver Street School while serving as Assistant Attorney General in Colorado. Parsons was struck by the relationships he made with inner-city teens and believed that a similar school was needed in his hometown of Omaha. In the summer of 1998, John and his family returned to Omaha and began planning for an alternative high school. He realized when students dropped out or are expelled from schools, they have little chance of developing the (academic, physical, spiritual, social/emotional, and vocational) citizenship necessary to have a positive impact in the communities in which they live.
The Omaha Street School opened its doors in January 1999 with four students. Today enrollment ranges from 30 to 40 with an average classroom size of 8 to 12 students. OSS is affiliated with the National Association of Street Schools (NASS) www.streetschools.com. NASS has over 40 schools in its network of inner-city Christian based schools. Like the more than 40 Street Schools around the country, students at the Omaha Street School feel that they are valued as individuals, that they matter and that they are part of a nurturing family. Among the caring and compassionate teachers, staff, and volunteers, they find hope and gain self-esteem while increasing valuable self-sufficiency skills along with their education.
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- We believe the primary goal of the Omaha Street School is to present Jesus Christ as the Savior of all those who believe and the ultimate eternal solution to all earthly problems.
- We believe that Christian education takes place in both formal and non- formal settings.
- We believe that all people have the potential to learn because they are created in the image of God.
- We believe that Christian education involves the total student in terms of mental, physical, spiritual, and social development.
- We believe that Christian education is modeled through nurturing relationships between teachers and students.
- We believe that all curriculum material should be presented from a Biblical worldview.
- We believe that God’s truth can be witnessed in all areas of academic study.
OSS has a variety of academic programming options for students and parents to consider.
Traditional Day School - This is the primary educational option open to students. Classes are every day from 8am until approximately 3:00pm. OSS is planning to open a second campus in the near future in South Omaha, a community that experiences a high school dropout rate equal to that of children in North Omaha
Night School - This credit recovery option is currently reserved for students who are maintaining an active status in the OSS day program.
Summer School - Summer School is held during the month of June and has historically been a half-day program. Summer school is open to all students regardless of previous or current enrollment status with OSS.
Community Based programming - OSS is aggressively seeking to establish a community based program for parents and the community at large. This program seeks to equip persons with the necessary tools to effect change at an individual and community level. Specifically, the curriculum will address building personal and community resources to address the devastating effects of poverty.
Alumni programming - OSS is also planning to address the ongoing academic, personal, and community needs of its existing graduates and former students. By creating a forum for their continued development, OSS hopes to promote the value of life-long learning and personal/professional development.
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OSS operated as a Rule 13 school with the Nebraska Department of Education in 2007-08. Rule 13 allowed OSS to operate as a recognized school in the state of Nebraska and award a high school diploma upon completion of the curriculum. For 2008-09, OSS is seeking status as a Rule 14 school, or state-approved. However, OSS is also a private, non-public school and is responsible to create its own funding and development.
OSS is accredited through the Commission on International and Trans-Regional Accreditation (CITA) www.citaschools.org. This accreditation will allow reciprocity of credits, and provide increased recognition as an academic institution.
- Q: How do I enroll at OSS?
A: Enrollment paperwork is processed 2 weeks prior to the beginning of each quarter. The enrollment process consists of completing the necessary enrollment forms, an interview with the school principal, and academic placement testing.
- Q: Is OSS accredited?
A: Currently OSS operates as a Rule 13 school in the State of Nebraska. This allows us to operate as a recognized school and award a high school diploma. OSS is accredited through the Commission on International and Trans-Regional Accreditation (CITA) www.citaschools.org.
- Q: How is OSS funded?
A: Since OSS is a non-public school, it does not receive state and federal funding. The major sources of revenue for OSS are individual donors, foundations, churches, student tuition, corporations, and fundraising events.
- Q: How is OSS different than traditional public and alternative public high schools?
A: OSS differs from public high school settings because of its maximum enrollment of 30 to 40 students, 10:1 student to teacher ratio, individualized student learning plans for every student, a holistic approach to student development, and a community-based approach to education.
- Q: Is OSS affiliated with a particular church or denomination?
A: Although OSS is in partnership with several different churches in the local area, it is not affiliated with any church or denomination.
- Q: Am I still welcomed at OSS even if I do not go to church or prescribe to the same religious foundation as OSS?
A: Absolutely. OSS does not discriminate on the basis of church affiliation or religious beliefs.
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