Holland Hall (Tulsa, Oklahoma)

Holland Hall first moved into a new building in 1923, just south of downtown Tulsa, at 1850 South Boulder. Financing was arranged by a group of prominent Tulsa businessmen, including Waite Phillips and William Skelly. The building contained only nine classrooms. The school outgrew this facility by 1932, when it moved to a new location.[5][lower-alpha 1] By 1930, the school had 60 students and 8 teachers.[4]

The campus is 162 acres (0.66 km²) in the southern part of Tulsa. The move to 81st Street began with the Upper Division in 1970. The Primary Division moved in 1976, and the Middle School made the transition in 1982. The 81st Street facility has since added the Walter Arts Center (1992), the Outdoor Sports Complex, including the Charles H. Brown Football Field (1995), the Duenner Family Science, Math, and Technology Center (2000), and Mary K. Chapman Primary School (2009). The football field was renamed Hardesty Field in 2012, when the facade was remodeled and artificial turf was installed.[4] Each of the three divisions has its own library. In 2018, the A.R. and Marylouise Tandy Dining and Wellness Center was completed, creating a state-of-the-art workout facility for various sports, and bringing Middle School and Upper School dining operations under one roof.

Although the school was intended to be coeducational from the time of its founding, within a few years it became girls-only at the Upper Level (high school age). In 1959, the school became affiliated with the Episcopal church. In the same year, it started a major campaign to attract boys to the upper classes. This included starting an energetic athletic program for boys.[4]

The school enrolls approximately 1,000 students each year.

The school's "4 A’s" philosophy values academics, athletics, arts, and atmosphere.

Graduation requirements include English, 4 credits; Foreign Language, 3 credits; Mathematics, 3 credits; Science, 3 credits; Social Studies, 3 credits; Religious Studies, .5 credit; Fine Arts, 1 credit; Athletics, 3.5 credits; Additional non-departmental requirements include: Wellness (Ninth and Twelfth grades) - one semester class dealing with social and emotional health; Junior Seminar - one semester class dealing with college selection and application process; A 40-hour senior internship/shadowing experience; A minimum of 21 credits is necessary for graduation.

Holland Hall offers multiple foreign language possibilities. Beginning in primary school, students learn Spanish. In sixth grade, students take a language of their choice, either French, Chinese, or Spanish. Latin in the middle school was removed after the 2017–2018 school year. Students who need extra enrichment take LAS, Language Arts Strategies, to help with study skills in place of one year of language in middle school. In upper school, students choose between French, Spanish, Latin, and Chinese. Exchange trips and class trips are offered.

Holland Hall is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Southwest (ISAS), is recognized by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools, the National Association of Episcopal Schools, National Association for College Admission Counselors, the Great Plains Association for College Admission Counseling, the College Board, the Education Conservancy and, since 1968, the Cum Laude Society.[2]

Holland Hall has been recognized by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education for superior college preparation.

Holland Hall is one of only three Oklahoma educational institutions to belong to the Center for Academic Integrity. Holland Hall is one of four independent schools to participate in the College Work Readiness Assessment (CWRA) project. The scores of Seniors in the Class of 2007 were comparable to the top 25% of college freshmen who took the exam at the end of their first year of college.

Middle and Upper school schedules are based on a six-day cycle: A through F. Each day is divided into eighteen twenty-two-minute mods, unless on Wednesday, when school starts an hour later, when it is 18 minute mods. Classes are generally two or three mods long. Each class meets a set number of days per cycle. Freshman Wellness (Upper School), for example, meets two days per cycle, while an English class would meet five of the six. Most of the primary classes (English, math, science, history, foreign language) meet five times per cycle.

The boys' soccer team won the 2008 SPC Championship with a 5–3 win over St. Mark's School of Texas.[7] The girls were 2nd place in Division II. The boys' soccer team also won the 2009 SPC Championship with a 2–0 win over John Cooper School. They finished the season 21-0-1 and were ranked #8 in the nation in the ESPN RISE national winter soccer rankings; ESPN RISE also named coach Richard Hart as to its first team All-America squad.[8]

The boys' soccer team also won the 2011 SPC Championship in a penalty shootout against St. Mark's. They finished the season 18-0-1.

Beginning with the 2016/2017 school year, The Dutch transitioned to the OSSAA at the 2A divisional level. The team has found success in 2A, having qualified for the divisional playoffs every year. The 2017 team completed a 12–1 season, losing in the quarterfinal playoff round to Davis, 28–27, in overtime. The 2018 team finished with a 9–3 record, losing to Washington in the divisional playoff. The Dutch have won the 3A state championship in 2020 and 2021.[9]

Prior to entry in the OSSAA in 2016, Holland Hall played in five SPC Division I Championship games, including winning the 2005 championship 24–10 over St. Marks School of Texas. This was the conclusion of a 10–0 season, including regular season victories over Cascia Hall and Casady. Their rival in the Southwest Preparatory Conference was the St. Mark's School of Texas Lions, which had beaten Holland Hall to win the SPC Division I football championship several times.

The boys' golf team won three consecutive championships in 2003, 2004, and 2005. The girls' team won their first title in 2005.