“We both attribute a great deal of our daughter’s success to the skills and attitudes she acquired at Oakland.  You helped her to see success as a possibility and we are eternally grateful.  The investment was substantial, but we certainly got our money’s worth.  We often reflect on her years at Oakland and your loving insistence on building success where there had been little.  We are so thankful that we found Oakland - it has made a life’s worth of difference.”

“He came to you a confused child with an uncertainty about his academic future, and left a young man full of self-confidence and goals.  He recently told someone, ‘I love to read,’ a statement we would not have heard two years ago.”

“There are many times we feel your ears should be burning as we brag about the time he spent with you.  I feel we cannot express the many ways his life was so positively affected by the hard work of the Oakland Staff.  You will be pleased to know that he has set his college goal as Virginia Military Institute (VMI).”

“Graduation was wonderful.  We were so proud to see our son standing straight and tall and ready to move on.  Everybody at Oakland has been wonderful for him.  I think of where he was four years ago and how far he has come.  He has self-confidence and I think is really ready for the next step.”

“It is hard to believe that in June our son will graduate from high school and go straight into a four-year college.  There is no doubt that his foundation was laid at Oakland.  His confidence, his attitude and his determination all started with you and your wonderful staff.”

“I came out of desperation to see the school and out of prayers hoping that this was the right place for my son.  I found peace, acceptance and people who valued my son for who he was.  I found hope, as my son has found his own faith and hope in the future.  We both leave with trepidation.  Can we make it?  Will the next school be a success or will there be problems? We believe that the next step and the ones after that will be successful.  You have given him all the essentials, plus goodness and kindness.  I cannot think of people and a school that gives more to their students.”

“Finding Oakland was the first wonderful step.  Finding out over four years how much you could enable our sons to achieve provided many, many unexpectedly exciting steps.  Growth has been significant in reading, math, and content areas beyond our dreams after our earlier nightmares in public education.  Personal, social, and athletic growth has been as significant. Both teachers and Residential Instructors have been knowledgeable, skillful, and genuinely caring toward our children. The food service staff must have done something right as both boys have grown at least ten inches and three shoe sizes!  We are grateful to each individual staff member. We couldn’t have asked for more. While having our children away from home was not what we would have chosen, we wish with all our hearts that each American child could have an education as well suited to his or her needs as we have found for our sons, thanks to Oakland.”

“As I write parent statements for his college applications, I get very moved every time I talk about what an enormous difference Oakland has made in his life.  I do truly believe that it has saved his life, and for that I am eternally grateful that I found you.  I don’t know how I had the courage to drop him off, but clearly something greater than me has guided this process.”

Narrative reports follow up on the progress of students in each area and are sent home quarterly.  Formal conferences are held three times a year, but parents are welcome to schedule in-person conferences, call, or e-mail with questions, concerns or suggestions at any time.

Next: After Oakland

• learning the parts of a book including title page, table of contents, index and glossary;
• effective use of reference materials;
• efficient and pertinent note taking from books, whiteboards/chalkboards, lectures and media;
• test preparation and test taking strategies;
• memorization techniques;
• learning how to become a flexible reader by exposure to skimming, scanning and other techniques; and
• comprehensive report preparation and writing.

Study skills instruction at Oakland is designed to enhance organizational skills both in terms of materials and time management.  Homework is given, but assignments are manageable and meaningful.  In addition, hands-on activities supplement traditional classroom instruction.

Technology

Technology is a key component of the larger study skills program.  Oakland’s academic program leverages PCs throughout the curriculum to enhance classroom instruction.  Students complete most of their writing on PCs and are taught keyboarding and proofing skills as well as how to use spell check and grammar check.  Students also learn how to prepare PowerPoint presentations.  Additionally, various software applications are used in all areas of the curriculum to promote student interest, reinforce concepts and provide guided practice.

Next: Parent Participation in the Academic Program

Since many students with attention difficulties struggle with getting their thoughts down on paper, Oakland’s small classes and individualized attention provide a nurturing and accepting environment in which students begin to feel comfortable with the process of writing.  As one English teacher put it, “Kids who view themselves as poor writers feel like they’re caught in a mudslide. Everything is moving too fast and is out of their control.  Oakland’s writing program stops the downward motion so that students can take a realistic look at their own strengths and develop strategies to overcome weaknesses.”  Over the years, Oakland students have participated in and won recognition in local, statewide and national writing competitions.

Math

Math classes at Oakland are taught in small groups of six to eight students and range from basic math concept courses to Geometry for ninth graders working above grade level.  Student schedules include an instructional period at their appropriate level followed by a guided practice period.  Lessons follow textbooks written to cover the Virginia Standards of Learning, but are often broken down into smaller, easy-to-follow steps.  Teacher-made worksheets help clarify concepts and allow students to be successful.  The multisensory approach found throughout the Oakland program is employed in math classes, as well, with students writing on erasable whiteboards, working with manipulatives, reciting mnemonics and playing math games to reinforce concepts.  Prompt feedback on written work and class exercises ensures that students know right away that they’re on the right track.  Lessons are planned to connect to students’ lives and are personalized whenever possible to make the topics more relevant.

Next: Study Skills Including Technology

One-to-one instruction is flexible and based on the individual student’s needs.  Beginning readers practice phonics skills, decoding and the structural analysis of words – all skills that are taught in the phonics class.  During this individualized time, they may use tracing packets – children trace the raised shapes of the letters of words – as they hear and read the sounds orally.  In this way, several senses are brought into play.  Drill and repetition are also features of the program at this level, and oral reading helps children transfer and practice the skills they have learned in isolation.

As children become more adept at reading words, oral reading continues to be a focus of one-to-ones.  This method allows the student to practice reading with a teacher in a safe and accepting environment.  By reading some passages orally him or herself, the teacher is able to model inflection, punctuation observation and pronunciation, giving the struggling reader a listening break, which also provides story continuity and improves comprehension. Oral reading also allows the teacher to constantly observe and evaluate a reader’s skills and provides opportunities for questioning, for detecting weaknesses as well as for offering praise and encouragement.

Daily one-to-ones also give the teacher an opportunity to teach specific comprehension strategies, vocabulary development and improve a reader’s fluency.  And since the reading teacher is also the student’s “Main Teacher,” he or she can serve as a resource for almost any area needed.  As the champion for each student, one may find the Main Teacher helping a student study for a science test, guiding handwriting practice, drilling multiplication tables, reviewing spelling lists, giving extra assistance with a writing assignment, developing a schedule for homework completion or even discussing a social problem with a student.  As one teacher noted, “If you weren’t aware of what I was doing, you’d think I was conducting an orchestra.” 

Students may also work in small reading groups or independently using materials chosen specifically to enhance each individual student’s skills.  Students often show 1.5 to 2 years of progress in reading each year as measured by standardized testing and achievement level and are moved ahead as quickly as their abilities allow. 

Next: English & Math

The focus at this early stage of the reading experience is to produce a vertical lift in decoding and word recognition rather than to improve comprehension skills.  A typical Oakland student is average to above average in intelligence and those who benefit from Upward Lift often have solid general comprehension skills; however, they need to learn the process of reading.  Once they learn how to read the words and sentences, comprehension follows.

The program’s daily schedule consists of a group class in phonics. Students learn phonics rules, decoding skills and the structural analysis of words in a telescoped version of a full year’s course.  Students work at their own chalkboards designed especially for this class.  By working at the board, the children are using their kinesthetic sense and by also hearing the words read and repeating the words, they benefit from the multiple modalities that Upward Lift employs. In this sense, The Oakland Way of teaching phonics is very similar to the Orton-Gillingham method.  The two programs differ in that the Oakland technique focuses on the vowel sounds in each word, making word division and blending more fluid for the child.

The second and third daily reading periods focus on a variety of tasks. There may be multiple segments of one-to-one oral reading with the teacher.  These sessions are preceded by a review of phonics lessons and preview of the reading passage.  The remainder of the reading periods is comprised of independent study in materials chosen specifically for each student in order to build, strengthen and reinforce skills.

The intensity of the Upward Lift program produces dramatic results.  Perhaps most importantly, students themselves can see results and, therefore, realize that they can learn.  As a result, students are motivated to work hard to reach the next academic milestone.

Next: Ongoing Reading Instruction

As part of the emphasis on basic skills, much time is spent on language, math and study skills.  However, since each child has an individual program, a child with severe reading problems may spend six of the daily ten periods focused on reading, for example.  A student at the ninth grade level, on the other hand, will have a schedule very similar to a traditional program for a student entering high school, receiving credits in reading, math, English, history, science and physical education.

Core elements of the Oakland Academic Program include the following:

• Upward Lift: Oakland’s Entry-Level Reading Program
• Reading: Basic Skills and Ongoing Reading Instruction
• English & Math
• Study Skills and Technology

Oakland accepts bright students with learning disabilities including dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, and non-verbal learning disabilities as well as visual and auditory processing disorders. We also accept children with ADHD and organizational difficulties who we believe can benefit from our program.

Oakland has an enrollment of up to 85 boarding and day students during the school year and 135 students during the six-week summer program.  Age at admission is 6 - 14, and students may remain through the ninth grade.  Unlike other learning disabilities boarding schools and day programs, Oakland does not continue through 12th grade.  Our goal is to enable students to transition to a traditional school environment at their age-appropriate grade level after graduating from Oakland.

Although many students hail from the Mid-Atlantic, students come from all parts of the country as well as overseas. Girls usually make up one-quarter to one-third of the student body.  A typical Oakland student possesses average to above-average intelligence, but has not experienced success in a prior school experience due to learning disabilities, attention deficits, organizational problems or an inappropriate program. 

Academically, Oakland accepts students with a wide range of both abilities and achievement levels. More specifically, Oakland is appropriate for students who may be below grade level and in need of remediation, on grade level but struggling, or even above grade level but not achieving to their potential.  Most of our students are not performing at the same level across subjects, but may excel in one area while being several years behind in another area. Individualized academic programs, combined with daily one-to-one instruction and an ungraded curriculum, ensure that each student can be taught at an appropriate level and progress as rapidly as possible.

Oakland is not a therapeutic school and does not accept children with severe emotional or behavioral disorders.

Admissions Process

As is the case with other learning disabilities boarding schools and day schools, inquiries and applications are received throughout the year and applicants are accepted on a space-available basis, although most students enroll in June or September.

Please contact Admissions for tuition information for both the six-week and year-round programs.

Please note that school tuition and fees may be tax-deductible as medical expenses.  Children who have been diagnosed as having a specific learning disability may qualify for deductions under federal income tax regulations.

The admissions process involves the following steps:

• Parents or educational consultants initially should speak with Admissions.  At that time, a preliminary evaluation will be made to determine whether Oakland is an appropriate school for the prospective candidate and informational materials will be mailed from the school.
• The application.pdf enclosed with the school’s materials should be completed and returned to the school along with current educational and psychological evaluations (the WISC is most commonly used), school records including achievement test scores and teachers’ comments and any other pertinent information.
• If it is determined that Oakland is a suitable match for the child, parents will be contacted to arrange an on-site interview and tour of the school.

We are happy to arrange for prospective parents to speak with parents of current or former students.

For further information and to apply, contact:

Carol Williams, Director
434-293-9059
carol@oaklandschool.net
Amanda Baber
Admissions Director
admissions@oaklandschool.net

The Oakland grounds are dominated by the pre-Revolutionary “Big House,” which served as the setting for a school for girls in the 19th century.  Constructed in the mid-1700s and added on to in the mid-1800s when Oakland served as a plantation, this structure houses administrative offices and several classrooms.  The school’s first dining hall was in The Big House.  Behind The Big House are a series of school buildings including the Old Kitchen, which was just a chimney when Mrs. Shepherd first set foot on Oakland Farm in 1922, and the School House built in 1963. 
Historic gardens accent the main grounds. Recent efforts have brought back some of the original plant selections and a wide array of herbs have been added.  A gazebo, built in honor of Joanne and “Pep” Dondero, longtime stewards of the farm and school, houses a swing that is an idyllic spot for reading.

The main school grounds areas are flanked by the summer camp, which was originally constructed in the early 1950s and replaced in 2007, and the year-round dormitory complex that includes the Margaret G. Shepherd Gymnasium and Recreation Center.  The stone foundation of an original tobacco barn serves as the walls of Bright Leaf Terrace, an outdoor picnic and study area.

On a far corner of the property is the stable complex and riding ring.  The more than 16 equine residents of Oakland are very well cared for and students take part in this process to learn responsibility.  Other much-loved residents of the barn are miniature goats, donkeys and our barn cat.

The grounds also consist of open fields, forests and Mechunk Creek, which traverses the woodlands area.  Adjacent to the property is the historic Union Mills Church, which served as a place of worship for workers of the nearby woolen mills in the 19th century.

During the regular school year, a special Thanksgiving assembly is held in the Union Mills Church.  Another special event is the annual Horse Holiday held in December.  Both the regular school year and summer session have concluded for many years with a special recognition banquet.  Students are acknowledged at this time for their academic and social achievements.  Oakland also has a unique graduation at the end of the summer session in which graduating students are honored by teachers of their choice.  Recognition is also central to the Outstanding Citizens program and weekly Star Lists that have been used for years to recognize top performing students.

Please join us on Monday, February 20th at 10:00am for our Open House!
Six-week Summer Camp!  Sunday, June 24-Friday, August 3
Cash Raffle Tickets now on sale! A $10 ticket could win you $2,500! Contact the office for details