About Us

 

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The first school district meeting was on Sept. 1, 1902. A three-man school board was elected and a 20-mill tax levy was voted. They decided to begin an eight-month school term as soon as a school was available.

A schoolroom was created by removing a partition between two rooms in the Mustang State Bank building. Miss Etta Fisher was hired at $40 a month as the first teacher, and had 45 students that first year.

Lack of money and furniture delayed the start of school. The term finally began in mid-October 1902 and ended five-and-a-half months later. A two-room schoolhouse was built during the summer of 1903, in what is now the southeast corner of the MHS campus. The green building measured 24 feet by 70 feet. Grades 1-4 were taught in one room and grades 5-8 met in the other. A ninth grade class was added for the 1904-1905 school year, which lasted for eight months.

In 1920, the voters of Mustang School District and the four surrounding districts (Pleasant Hill, Shiloh, Center Valley and Cedar Creek) formed a union graded district. This meant grades 1-6 were taught in each of the outlying districts. Grades 7 and 8 joined Mustang students in the two-room Mustang school. Ninth graders were taught on the second floor of a store.

Mustang Schools first became accredited with the State Department of Education in 1920. A brick school was built to house grades 1-12. Mustang became an independent school district when its four-year high school was fully accredited. The first MHS graduating class was in 1924.

 

Mustang: Where Everyone's a Bronco

Mustang Public Schools enjoys the status of being one of the premier school districts in Oklahoma. Thanks to the continued support of the voters over the years, the district enjoys quality facilities and expanding opportunities for its students. It’s also a district where, from pre-kindergarten to the walk across the stage at graduation, everyone is a Bronco. It’s a unique continuity, gradually blending all corners of the district into one high school that is a shining star in the community.

Mustang's Board of Education has been devoted to maintaining the cohesiveness of the community by serving all the students at one premier high school instead splitting the community and district resources with the creation of a new campus. In 2009, voters overwhelmingly approved a bond issue to expand and renovate Mustang High School, maintaining its roots by connecting the pieces of the 1960s campus with several new academic buildings and a commons area with seven serving lines to accommodate its current population of 3600 students. With the support of the community through future bond issues, the capacity and opportunities at MHS will continue to be expanded, while additional elementary, intermediate and middle schools will be needed to keep up with capacity and maintaining manageable class sizes.

Bond Issues Continue the Momentum

The reputation of Mustang Schools is in evidenced with its continued growth in enrollment. The district has an average 10-year growth rate of 3.2 percent, ranging from a net gain of more than 200 students in one year to more than 1500. To accommodate this growth and to provide opportunities for kids, a long range planning committee began meeting in the fall of 2014. This committee of parents, business leaders and school staff worked for two years to project what the future needs of the district would be, and distilled those needs into a list compatible with bonding capacity. 

The History of MPS Bonding (Reverse Chronology)

On February 14, 2023 the voters of Mustang's seventy-two square mile boundary approved a $180.9 million bond by over 70% to support the unprecedented growth in the area.  This Bond, dubbed Momentum23, will provide a new elementary school, a significant high School expansion, and operational funds for Mustang Public Schools.  

Momentum23 is the first step in a series of bonds that are planned over the next several years to support the education of students in Mustang.  The long range planning commission will continue to meet to develop goals and objectives to this end.  More information about Momentum23 can be found here.

On Valentine's Day 2017, MPS took a bond issue of $180.8 million to patrons, and voters turned out in record number, despite the cold and rain, to cast their ballots affirming their support for the District. 

The 2017 bond issue has made it possible to plan for the district’s average student population growth with the new Riverwood Elementary (opened in August 2018), Meadowbrook Intermediate School (also opened in August 2018) and Mustang Central Middle School (opened in August 2019). Capacity on the high school campus was also increased with a new freshman cafeteria, eight classrooms, a science academy for upper-level courses and a new visual and performing arts center.

More information about the 2017 Bond can be found here.

Just prior to this historic vote, an operational bond of $4.5 million was approved in the spring of 2016. While the State weathered its financial crisis that cut into the allocations of public schools, Mustang was able to provide for its students and take care of its facilities thanks to the voters. The bond purchased textbooks, additional heating and air conditioning repair and repair to facilities such as repaving of the high school parking lot, resurfacing two tracks and the purchase of additional technology.  

At Mustang High School, the doors opened on the MHS Event Center in November 2015. With surround seating, the building is nearly triple the size of the previous gym, which was constructed in 1964, more than 50 years ago. The Event Center made is possible to host the community as it honored the 1345th Transportation Company at their deployment ceremony in September 2016.  

District officials are continually grateful for the support of Mustang voters, who approved a $7 million bond issue in February 2014 that provided $1.6 million in additional STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) opportunities, $375,000 for the arts, a new home for the district's nationally recognized JROTC program, a new vocational-agriculture barn and a baseball/softball practice facility. Other funds from that bond issue went toward a storm shelter at Mustang Education Center and additional sheltering opportunities at Mustang High School. Another $800,000 went to the purchase of land for a new school site.  

Mustang Schools enjoyed the August 2014 opening of its seventh elementary school, Prairie View Elementary on 59th Street near County Line Road. The new elementary was part of the 2012 bond issue and is helping MPS keep pace with the district's unprecedented growth rate. 

The 2012 bond issue also made it possible to open two new intermediate centers in the 2013-2014 school year to serve the district's fifth and sixth grade students. A new facility, Canyon Ridge Intermediate School, was constructed on Sara Road. The former Mustang Mid-High (which was originally built as a middle school in 1970) was renovated into a second intermediate school, Horizon Intermediate. The fifth and sixth grade centers eased overcrowding in district elementary schools and middle schools, while still keeping students of similar education and developmental levels together.
 
Also from the 2012 bond issue, Mustang Elementary moved out of its 1976 gym, with the bare patches in the ceiling, and into a new one. The old gym was renovated into a large music room with an office and storage area. Vocational Agriculture also received a new barn which opened in January 2017, more than doubling the program’s current capacity. The original barn, which remains in use, was constructed more than 30 years ago.

More information on the 2012 Bond can be found here.

In 2009, Mustang voters approved the reinvention of Mustang High School.  The voters overwhelming approved the bond issue with more than 80 percent yes votes. The project was completed in three phases, and students continued attending classes on the campus during construction. The renovated campus officially opened in 2012.  More information can be found here.

In 2007, voters approved a bond that included funds for the MHS Health and Wellness Center. The center, a 45,000 square foot facility, boasts two regulation-sized basketball courts, 600 square yards of turf, locker and training rooms. A running track is on the second floor, and cardio and weight equipment is available as well.

The 2007 bond issue also expanded our capabilities of accommodating the explosive growth in our elementary population with classroom additions across the district. This bond also made it possible to retire some of the aging bus fleet, purchase band uniforms, improve technology and repair and maintain district buildings.  More information can be found here.

In 2005, Mustang voters agreed to support the District with the approval of a bond issue.  The most notable accomplishment of the 2005 bond issue was the construction of Centennial Elementary, the district's first new elementary school since Mustang Creek Elementary was constructed in 1994; between the construction of Creek and the opening of Centennial in 2007, Mustang Public Schools grew by 1,855 students.

Other major accomplishments of the 2005 bond included a new vo-ag classroom and softball and soccer locker facilities. Mustang Schools has more than 1,200 students in the band program. Portions of this bond were used to purchase additional instruments. In addition to improving the district warehouse and administration to keep up with the needs of a district growing at this rate, MPS replaced some high mileage buses, added a new passenger van and a vocational-agricultural truck. Maintenance vehicles and equipment and pavement repair at Mustang Valley Elementary, Mustang North Middle School and Lakehoma Elementary were also included. More information can be found here.

A Focus On Academics

Mustang Public Schools maintains a steady focus on its longstanding tradition of student success. Students receive rigorous instruction aligned with the Oklahoma Academic Standards across all content areas. Teachers work to make learning engaging and differentiated for all MPS students to prepare them to be college, career, and citizen ready.

From the youngest students to high school seniors, the district is focused on diligently identifying students in need of intervention and/or enrichment through Professional Learning Communities. As a result, specialized services are provided to accommodate MPS students. 

STEM - Science Technology Engineering and Math

Mustang Schools is one of the few in the state to earn the status as one of the Governor’s STEM communities focusing on science, technology, engineering and math. The goal is to infuse STEM into all levels of learning, from STEM exploration in the elementary schools to actual scientific research classes at the secondary level. At its heart, STEM is about solving real-world problems through science, technology engineering and math.

According to the Alliance for Science & Technology Research, there were 81,000 high paying, STEM related job openings in 2018. These openings need students with a strong STEM background to fill them. According to Pew Research (2021), "STEM workers enjoy higher median earnings than those in other, non-STEM occupations. In 2019, median earnings for full-time, year-round workers ages 25 and older in a STEM job were about $77,400. The comparable median for workers in other, non-STEM occupations was $46,900."

For Mustang Public Schools, STEM represents teaching science and mathematical concepts through the integration of technology and engineering design. Mustang has received several STEM grants, and bond funds for STEM were approved by the voters in 2014. These funds have allowed many teachers to go to STEM training and have purchased technology and science equipment to better equip our STEM classes.

There is a grass-roots aeronautics movement taking off in Oklahoma classrooms, and the aviation and aerospace industry is counting on an innovative program to reach new heights. The 4-year “You Can Fly” High School Curriculum developed by the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) is being adopted by independent school districts at a record pace across the state.

Over the last several years, the Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission has led the way to advocate and implement this novel curriculum to support Oklahoma’s commitment to solve workforce challenges and to ensure that the state’s second-largest industry, aviation and aerospace, will continue to be a major economic driver for the state. Today, Oklahoma is ranked third in the Nation for implementing the AOPA curriculum with nearly 30 schools teaching it, and is on the heels of overtaking the lead this fall with the start of the 2022-2023 school year.  

In late 2021 the Commission, as part of a statewide consortium, was awarded a Federal Aviation Administration Workforce Development Grant to further support the implementation of the AOPA program and to make Oklahoma’s educators aware of the potential that aviation and aerospace have in their classrooms. One of the foundational aspects of receiving the FAA grant funding was the ability to name five Oklahoma high schools as “Aviation High Schools of Excellence.”

These five schools, Ada High School, McAlester High School, Mustang High School, Okmulgee High School, and Pryor High School were all early adopters of the AOPA program and are in year three or beyond of implementing the curriculum. Because of their expertise and willingness to share their knowledge they have been designated to assist what is expected to be 50 Oklahoma high schools in the implementation of the AOPA Curriculum for next school year and will serve as hubs for aviation STEM activities and teacher professional development.

“We are very pleased to recognize these five high schools as Oklahoma Aviation High Schools of Excellence,” stated State Director of Aeronautics, Grayson Ardies. “Each of these schools has demonstrated a commitment to the implementation of strong aviation education programming, not just through high school coursework but the development of vertically aligned PreK-12 aviation programs and activities. Many in the industry have long-desired this aviation-focused, primary-level education curriculum to get students started on an early flight path to joining an aviation or aerospace career.” 

“We are very proud of our Aviation Program and are thrilled at being selected as an Oklahoma Aviation High School of Excellence. We simply could not offer such amazing opportunities for our students without the support of our community, and we look forward to seeing how high Mr. Knowles and our students can soar,” Charles Bradley, Superintendent, Mustang Public Schools.

“In addition to these five early adopters of the AOPA program, we are seeing wonderful news elsewhere in Oklahoma to support the industry’s workforce needs.  The announcement of Norman Public Schools and its desire to develop an aviation and aerospace-focused high school is an amazing step forward,” said Paula Kedy, who began the state’s aviation education revolution while working with Ada Public Schools. Kedy is the lead source in the state regarding aviation and aerospace education at the primary school level and now represents the Aeronautics Commission as a member of its staff. “Proponents of the effort are hopeful that the AOPA curriculum, and schools that are adopting it, will create energy across the state which will enhance the industry’s ability to recruit workforce talent from within Oklahoma,” Kedy continued.