Education on Fast Track in Muskogee, OK
Traditional places of learning are ideal complements to a few innovative approaches in Muskogee, OK.
Education opportunities are plentiful in Muskogee, including preschool, K-12, colleges and universities. In at least one case, public education can be found in the home.
Public Schools
Through what is called “virtual school day,” students at Fort Gibson High and Middle schools can stay home and interact with their teachers through their laptop or tablet computers. This is done through the Fort Gibson School district’s One-to-One digital initiative that began at the start of the 2013-14 school year.
Every student in the two schools are given a laptop or tablet that they can take home. And on select days during the year, teachers show up at the school but the students learn at home.
Nearly 6,500 students in the area are served by Muskogee Public Schools, including an Early Childhood Center, eight elementary schools, Muskogee High and Alice Robertson 7th and 8th Grade Center. The district is also home to the Benjamin Franklin Science Academy and the Rougher Alternative Academy.
In addition, the district’s Early Childhood Center has had a significant impact on area public schools since it opened in 1999. It features a structured academic curriculum as well as activities that promote social skills, physical development and language skills.
Special Learning
Founded in the early 1900s, the Oklahoma School for the Blind has been educating students who are either blind or visually impaired, and it has had a 100 percent graduation rate.
For a different kind of learning experience, plans and fundraising are underway for the Muskogee Arts and Science Center to open in the city’s Depot District. With an emphasis on science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics (STEAM), the interactive museum will be targeted to learners of all ages.
Higher Education
Connors State College has been educating area students since 1909, and today it is seeing tremendous growth. According to its website, the arrival of Dr. Tim Faltyn as president in 2011 has spurred new building projects and new degrees and programs.
The Muskogee campus of Northeastern State University opened in 1993, and today it serves approximately 1,400 students. NSU-Muskogee has become an allied health educational programming hub for northeast Oklahoma, continuing to expand its health-care scope through various partnerships.
Other places of higher learning in Muskogee include Indian Capital Technology Center and Bacone College.