In 1837, the Ohio government established the Ohio Institution for the Education of the Blind. This institution was the predecessor of the Ohio State School for the Blind. It was the first public school for the blind in the United States. The school opened its doors in 1837, and it was located in downtown Columbus, Ohio. Any blind children residing in Ohio could attend the institution. Eleven students enrolled at the Ohio Institution for the Education of the Blind this first year. In 1839 the first school building was constructed & initially had a maximum capacity of sixty students, but upon moving to a new building in 1874, more than three hundred students could attend at one time. Between 1839 and 1901 2,058 students enrolled at the Ohio Institution for the Education of the Blind, with 339 attending in 1901 alone.
In the early 1900s, the Ohio Institution for the Education of the Blind became known as the Ohio State School for the Blind, and the Ohio Department of Education assumed control of the school. In 1953, the school moved ten miles north of its original location to its present home. In 2005, 126 students enrolled in the Ohio State School for the Blind. Students as young as three and as old as twenty-one years of age attended the school. Students could receive their entire education—kindergarten through high school—at the institution. In addition, the Ohio State School for the Blind offeres vocational training for its students.
5220 North High Street
Columbus, Ohio 43214
Phone:614-752-1359 Fax:614-752-1713
Website: http://www.ossb.oh.gov
| Title | Name | Phone | |
| Superintendent | Cynthia Johnson | Ext. 1152 | cjohnson@ossb.oh.gov |
| Principal | Gerard Marcom | Ext. 1359 | gmarcom@ossb.oh.gov |
| Athletic Director | Jim Peterfish Sharon Shaw |
614-995-4860 Ext. 1518 |
jpeterfish@ossb.oh.gov sshaw@ossb.oh.gov |
| Boys Track Coach | Jeff Shaw | Ext. 1511 | jshaw@ossb.oh.gov |
| Girls Track Coach | Christine Croyle | Ext. 1518 | ccroyle@ossb.oh.gov |
| Wrestling Coach | Jeff Shaw | Ext. 1511 | jshaw@ossb.oh.gov |
| Cheerleading Coach | Laurie Brevik Patti Miller |
lbrevik@ossb.oh.gov pmiller@ossb.oh.gov |
|
| Boys Swim Coach | Alison Brewer | abrewer@ossb.oh.gov | |
| Girls Swim Coach | Sharon Shaw | Ext. 1350 | sshaw@ossb.oh.gov |
| Forensics Coach | Christine Croyle Chris Ross |
Ext. 1518 | ccroyle@ossb.oh.gov cross@ossb.oh.gov |
| Boys Goal Ball Coach | Dan Kelley | Ext. 1721 | dkelley@ossb.oh.gov |
| Girls Goal Ball Coach | Kim Picard | Ext. 1529 | kpicard@ossb.oh.gov |
| Recreation Director | Joe Gehres Erica Cooper |
Ext. 1533 | jgehres@ossb.oh.gov ecooper@ossb.oh.gov |
| Mascot | Panther | ||
| School Colors | Red & Blue |