Gateway STEM High School (formerly known as Gateway Institute of Technology) is a public

magnet A magnet is a material or object that produces a magnetic field. This magnetic field is invisible but is responsible for the most notable property of a magnet: a force that pulls on other ferromagnetic materials, such as iron, steel, nickel, ...

high school A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...

St. Louis St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...

Missouri Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...

, United States.

History

Gateway opened as John O'Fallon Technical High School in 1956, named in honor of

John O'Fallon John O'Fallon (November 17, 1791 – December 17, 1865) was a businessman, philanthropist, and military officer, a nephew of the explorer William Clark. During the 19th century he rose to become the wealthiest person in St. Louis, Missouri. The c ...

. Under its former name it opened in August 1992, in response to a court order mandating the establishment of a high technology

magnet school In the U.S. education system, magnet schools are public schools with specialized courses or curricula. "Magnet" refers to how the schools draw students from across the normal boundaries defined by authorities (usually school boards) as school ...

. The school integrates a strong academic curriculum emphasizing mathematics and science with career preparation in highly technical fields. Accelerated and advanced placement courses are available for students. Inquiry, innovation, creativity and exploration are encouraged throughout the school. In June 2012 The School was renamed as Gateway STEM High School or Gateway Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics High School. Gateway was one of ten schools recognized as a

New American High School The New American High Schools initiative, started in 1996 under the direction of the United States Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley, is a national recognition program for United States secondary schools. Description In 1996, 1998, 1999, a ...

by the United States Department of Education in 1996. Gateway serves as a model school and is visited regularly by educators from the U.S. and elsewhere. The school also has the long time Music and Band instructor Steven Hill who has been at the school since its opening in 1992.

Student body

The school has 970 students, who are accepted on a lottery basis. Approximately 200 of the students have disabilities, including severe orthopedic disabilities, learning disabilities, and behavior challenges. Gateway accepts gifted students.

Academics

At the ninth and tenth grade level students are in 'houses' of 85 to 100 students supported by four teachers (covering English, social studies, math, and science, respectively) and a counselor. The school is designed to integrate academic and technological education in career clusters that require students to have a strong background in mathematics and science. All the students take a broad mathematics curriculum, biology, chemistry, and physics. Going into their junior year, students pick a career strand, or 'major', within one of four specialty areas: *Agricultural, Biological, and Health Sciences. *Applied Physical Sciences. *Computer Science and Mathematics. *Engineering Technology, which can include an Aviation Maintenance Program that lasts five years and is certified by the

Federal Aviation Administration The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the largest transportation agency of the U.S. government and regulates all aspects of civil aviation in the country as well as over surrounding international waters. Its powers include air traffic m ...

Partnerships with businesses

The school has partnerships with local businesses.

Monsanto Company The Monsanto Company () was an American agrochemical and agricultural biotechnology corporation founded in 1901 and headquartered in Creve Coeur, Missouri. Monsanto's best known product is Roundup (herbicide), Roundup, a glyphosate-based herbic ...

and two medical schools in St. Louis provide assistance and internships in the area of agricultural, health and biological sciences;

Mallinckrodt Chemical Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals is an American-Irish domiciled manufacturer of specialty pharmaceuticals (namely, Adrenocorticotropic hormone (medication), adrenocorticotropic hormone), generic drugs and imaging agents. In 2017 it generated 90% of i ...

, in physical sciences;

McDonnell-Douglas McDonnell Douglas was a major United States, American Aerospace manufacturer, aerospace manufacturing corporation and defense contractor, formed by the merger of McDonnell Aircraft and the Douglas Aircraft Company in 1967. Between then and its o ...

, in engineering technology; and

Lucent Technologies Lucent Technologies, Inc. was an American multinational telecommunications equipment company headquartered in Murray Hill, New Jersey. It was established on September 30, 1996, through the divestiture of the former AT&T Technologies business u ...

Bell Labs, as well as the computer divisions of Monsanto, Mallinckrodt Chemical, and McDonnell-Douglas, in computer science and mathematics. Lucent Technologies staff also help the students.

Alumni

Sheldon Richardson Sheldon Adam Richardson (born November 29, 1990) is an American football defensive tackle who is a free agent. He played college football at Missouri, and was drafted by the New York Jets in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft. Richardson has ...

Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Founded in 1960 as an expansion ...

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defensive tackle A defensive tackle (DT) is a position in American football that will typically line up on the line of scrimmage, opposite one of the offensive guards, however he may also line up opposite one of the tackles. Defensive tackles are typically the la ...

). *

Sam Scarber Sam Willis Scarber (born June 24, 1949) is an American actor former American football fullback in the National Football League for the San Diego Chargers. He played college football at the University of New Mexico and was selected by the Dallas ...

San Diego Chargers The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team that played in San Diego from 1961 until the end of the 2016 season, before relocating to Los Angeles, where the franchise had played its inaugural 1960 season. The team is now ...

(

running back A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive American football plays#Offensive terminology, handoffs from the quarterback to Rush (American football)#Offen ...

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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gateway Institute of Technology Educational institutions established in 1992 High schools in St. Louis Public high schools in Missouri Magnet schools in Missouri 1992 establishments in Missouri Buildings and structures in St. Louis