Education

P. C Jantz Elementary School serves preschool through sixth grade students and Odessa High School serves seventh through twelfth grade students. The school district offers small class sizes, exceptional teaching staff and excellent support staff who, along with many community volunteers, provides an award winning educational experience for the students.
The five-member school board is responsible for representing the community in setting policies and directing school programs. Members serve without pay in staggered four-year terms. The Superintendent of schools is employed by the board to carry out its policies and to supervise the day-to-day operation of the schools.
The District is proud of the fine facilities, which include a high school built in 1989, a well-kept elementary school built in 1950 and modernized in 2013, a multipurpose gymnasium/auditorium, and a full-sized gymnasium. These facilities are located on the same site in separate but joined buildings. There is also a separate agricultural sciences facility, a transportation maintenance facility, and a 28 acre activity area which includes a football field with covered bleachers, baseball field, softball field and track and field event venue.
The current enrollment of Odessa Public Schools is approximately 215 students in grades P-12. The district employs 24 certified employees, including teachers/administrators/counselor/and special education coordinator, and 28 classified employees, including business manager, executive secretary, school secretaries, classroom paraprofessionals, food service workers, maintenance personnel, transportation supervisor and bus drivers.
Students are in school for 180 days, from 8:00 to 3:00 from the end of August until June. Every Wednesday afternoon students are released at 1:30 to provide professional development time for faculty.
Odessa is proud of the full range of learning offered to students. Small class size, academic freedom, climate for innovation, and well-stocked resource material centers characterize the schools of Odessa. A wide variety of subject matter offerings are available in the high school including Career and Technical Education with very successful student organizations of FFA and FBLA. High school students have access to AP classes, online Running Start and other online opportunities for electives. Odessa High School Advanced Science Research provides students with the opportunity for independent, self-directed research, which builds on the research focus in its science classes. Odessa provides a preschool program for 4-year old students and an all-day kindergarten for its youngest learners. Special programs such as special education, Title I, Part A and LAP remediation programs and a K-12 highly capable program provide for students with differing educational needs. All students in first through twelfth grade have access to a music program which provides many venues for performance. All students through ninth grade are provided PE classes every day and PE is available for 10-12 grade students.
Student support is provided to ensure a safety net for all students. The district has a part time mental health counselor available to students. Free meals are provided all summer for children of the community and the school participates in the “Friday Backpack Program” for students in need. All basic school supplies are provided for students.
The district has a vibrant technology program with managed WIFI throughout the district. All classrooms have computer stations as well as mobile labs with tablet devices and two stationary computer labs. All classrooms have projection devices and many have SMART Boards. Students are allowed to bring their devices from home to use in the school environment.
Over 89% of the junior high school students participate in extra-curricular programs. The activities program at Odessa middle and high school is designed to provide students with the opportunity to participate in a variety of activities year round. Through participation in sports, music groups, clubs, and other extra-curricular activities, they are helped to develop physically, socially, and emotionally in order to become better citizens in our society. The activities program is an integral part of the total school program.
In addition to serving students, the activities program acts as a cohesive force, unifying the school and community. Students have been recognized for exemplary performance in athletics, music and academic competitions. As a member of the Northeast 1-B League, Odessa is proud of individual and team success as illustrated by past state championships in football, tennis and volleyball, and recent state trophies in track and volleyball. Many sports teams receive recognition for exemplary academic performance and have received many academic state championships. The Odessa schools cooperate with Harrington schools for athletics to provide as many programs as possible for students.

Please visit the district’s website for the latest information.