en debra@drwdesign.com Copyright 2013 2013-02-07T20:03:58+00:00 http://www.oaklandschool.net/site/physical-education-and-activities/ http://www.oaklandschool.net/site/physical-education-and-activities/#When:20:03:58Z {summary}Physical Education: Daily physical education is an integral part of Oakland School’s mission to develop the whole child.  Physical education is a unique discipline in that it can, in a single class period, stimulate the concurrent development of a student’s physical, mental and emotional health.  Each student has one 35 minute P.E. class each day.  The Physical Education classes are taught by a licensed teacher certified in physical education and health.  Classes are differentiated to include and encourage students of all abilities.  Units are designed to increase movement, build skills and confidence, and inspire students to be active and engaged beyond the gymnasium.  Units include: • Soccer • Basketball • Volleyball • Softball • Tennis • Hiking In addition to thematic physical education units, students participate in a variety of games and activities that promote exercise and health.  Activities include bowling, skating,  and more.  Furthermore, all students participate in the National Presidential Physical Fitness Screening and Awards.  For more information, visit http://www.presidentschallenge.org. Health: In conjunction with daily Physical Education classes, all students participate in a five-six week Health course.  Key concepts include nutrition, exercise, disease, wellness and hygiene.  Instruction is differentiated to include information for students at all levels and ages.  All courses focus on developing healthy habits that include feeling better, doing better and being better!  Movement: Validated by research, we know that movement encourages optimal learning.  In addition to daily P.E. classes, students spend as much as an hour of their day in motion.  The structure of Oakland’s campus and grounds promotes healthy habits.  Students transition from class to class, and often building to building, a minimum of ten times each day.  This movement in between classes allows students to increase oxygen intake, revitalize blood flow and prime the brain to store and retrieve information.  Activities: The amount and variety of activities offered at Oakland are endless.  Oakland’s grounds include a rural 450-acre setting with rolling hills, creeks and ponds, and numerous walking and horseback riding trails. Students participate in horseback riding , swimming, fishing, camping, hiking, tennis, basketball, archery,  drama and more.  2013-02-07T20:03:58+00:00 http://www.oaklandschool.net/site/research/ http://www.oaklandschool.net/site/research/#When:20:03:10Z {summary}Resources and Research Institute of Education Sciences National Center for Learning Disabilities The International Dyslexia Association American Dyslexia Association ld online Piedmont Regional Educational Program Council for Exceptional Children http://www.boardingschoolreview.com In a recent research study, the data concluded that students participating in the “The Oakland Way” phonics program had above average yearly gains in reading levels, including vocabulary, comprehension, and total scores, as measured by a standardized reading test.   2013-02-07T20:03:10+00:00 http://www.oaklandschool.net/site/equestrian-program/ http://www.oaklandschool.net/site/equestrian-program/#When:18:10:48Z {summary}Our most popular non-academic program is horseback riding, where children not only learn to ride, but also develop new skills, confidence and horsemanship through riding lessons, responsibility in caring for the horses and horse show competitions. The program is an integral part of Oakland’s mission to foster a love for learning and to grow as an individual and community member. All students at Oakland have the opportunity to ride at no additional cost to families.  Approximately 60-75% of our students participate in the riding program. During Winter School,  classes are scheduled based on previous experience and riding ability.  We have a variety of beginning riders and those with more experience.  Typically, students will ride a particular horse for the duration of the year.  Horses and riders are matched by size, experience and personality.  This personalized approach encourages a special bond between the horse and rider. Time at the barn includes grooming, tacking and structured lessons.  Riding fundamentals are the primary focus at Oakland.  It is important for students to understand horse terminology, riding equipment and use, safety procedures and general horse care.  Students begin with learning how to groom and tack their horse correctly.  Students will walk, trot and canter, as appropriate to their riding level. For more skilled riders, Oakland offers an Advanced Class.  These students have mastered the prior levels and practice cantering and jumping.  The year culminates with a drill performance in which horse and rider participate in an intricately choreographed show.  This show takes place at the end of the summer semester. During Summer Camp, students have the opportunity to ride every other day in a regular camp class.  Similar to winter school, classes are scheduled based on experience and ability and horse and rider are paired based on size, experience and personality. On average, students will ride two-three hours each week.  Our advanced riders will ride each weekday, for a total of five hours per week.  All riding students have the opportunity to participate in our annual Summer Horseshow!  An important part of the Oakland riding program, barn work ensures that our equestrian friends receive special care after their lessons.  Barn work allows students to have a greater understanding of the important responsibility of caring for animals.  Students participating in barn work have a variety of responsibilities including grooming, cleaning stalls and general horse care.  Some barn work positions are paid and students will receive earnings at the end of each semester.  All barn workers are recognized and rewarded for their contrition and dedication to the barn at annual spring and summer award banquets.  An Oakland tradition for over 20 years, Horse Holiday is a unique event that honors our equine friends for their work and dedication to Oakland.  Dressed in festive holiday attire, the horse and riders parade from the barn to the school yard where a holiday tree adorned with carrots and apples awaits.  This favorite event of staff, students and locals is a treasured Oakland tradition. Sarah Bailey, Oakland’s Equestrian Program Manager, has been a horsewoman for 25 years. She has worked in the Oakland Equestrian Program for 21 years and she’s been the Equestrian Program Manager for 9 years. Sarah is well-known and respected in the local riding community. Sarah is selective with the horses in our program for the safety of our student riders. Our horses are well cared for and get plenty of love from the students and instructors. Oakland has a 16-stall barn, approximately 40 acres of fenced pasture and several beautiful trails throughout our 450 acre property. 2012-10-29T18:10:48+00:00 http://www.oaklandschool.net/site/newsletter/ http://www.oaklandschool.net/site/newsletter/#When:23:28:32Z {summary}Branches Newsletter Spring 2013 2011-03-10T23:28:32+00:00 http://www.oaklandschool.net/site/mission/ http://www.oaklandschool.net/site/mission/#When:23:26:28Z {summary} 2011-03-10T23:26:28+00:00 http://www.oaklandschool.net/site/events/ http://www.oaklandschool.net/site/events/#When:19:24:15Z {summary} 2011-03-09T19:24:15+00:00 http://www.oaklandschool.net/site/support-oakland/ http://www.oaklandschool.net/site/support-oakland/#When:22:59:20Z {summary}Annual Fund The Oakland Annual Fund provides tuition assistance to families who may not be able to fully afford an Oakland education. After at least one successful term at Oakland, families may apply for assistance.  Approximately 15% of year-round Oakland students benefit from this important fund.  While the bulk of annual funds support tuition assistance, a small percentage also augments the general fund which, in turn, provides for a variety of student, program, and staffing needs. The 2012/2013 Annual Fund: Goal- $110,000 Annual Fund gifts are raised from alumni, parents, grandparents, former parents, friends, foundations and corporations. Please consider a gift in 2011-2012 in support of the Annual Fund. The giving levels that provide recognition for donors to Oakland School are: Founder’s Circle….....$5,000 and above Brightleaf Society…...$2,500-$4,999 Director’s Circle…......$1,000-$2499 Oakland Stalwarts….. $500-$999 Oak Tree Club…..........$100-$499 Acorn Club…...............$1-$99 Oakland 1950 Club…...For Alumni, $19.50 and above             We appreciate any donation you can make to support the Oakland experience for our students! All contributions to the School qualify as charitable contributions which are fully deductible consistent with Federal and state laws. Giving to Oakland Oakland School could not operate without the voluntary financial support of its parent and grandparent body, alumni parents and grandparents, friends of the School and community members. Voluntary charitable contributions to the Annual Fund, and other fundraising activities such as the Silent Auction and Raffle, help fuel Oakland’s tuition assistance and staff development programs and our annual operations. Without these donations Oakland would need to dramatically boost its annual tuition cost, thus placing a quality Oakland education beyond the reach of many prospective and current families. Your financial support of the School is crucial to the success of the School. Please contact us if you have any questions about what might be the best manner to dispose of any appreciated assets, the value of which can be directed to the School as a charitable contribution. These assets include cash, stock, personal property, real estate and planned gifts. Cash To make a cash contribution to Oakland, you may send a personal or business check to the address below or you may use Donor Town Square (click below) securely on-line to pay Oakland School directly through your credit card. Oakland School Boyd Tavern Keswick, VA 22947   Stock market conditions may preclude the number of stocks in your portfolio that “qualify” for significant capital gains. However, as asset classes are reorganized and investment vehicles are switched to take advantage of market conditions, there may be stocks and bonds you are holding whose value to your bottom line is greater in being contributed than in being sold and utilized in your portfolio. Should you wish to consider donating any stock or bonds to the School, please contact us first so we are alerted to the impending transfer of assets and can pass along the appropriate bank transfer information to you in advance. Personal Property (Gifts-in-Kind) Contributions of personal property - works of art, manuscripts, rare books, antique furnishings, automobiles, etc. – help underwrite both excellence in teaching at Oakland and tuition assistance for eligible parents. Items with valuations under $1,000 may be used at the discretion of the School in the Annual Auction. Any non-automotive gifts with an estimated value of $5,000 or more must have an appraisal documented in writing by an outside expert. Donated automobiles must be deemed safe, drivable and have passed VA state inspection before they will be accepted by the School. There are three reasons to contribute personal property to Oakland School:  You may receive a charitable deduction for the appraised value at the time of the donation. The value of your charitable contribution will be larger than if you sold the personal property, paid capital gains taxes on any appreciated value and then contributed the cash value to the School. The value of the personal property is removed from your estate, which lowers your estate taxes. For any gifts valued at more than $500, the donor will need to fill out IRS Form 8283, “Non-Cash Contributions”. Real Estate Real estate may be donated to the School, both as an outright gift or through a charitable trust (see below) as a planned gift. Various giving options exist for real estate that do not apply to paper assets. Some of these options permit the owner to continue to live in and use the property for a certain number of years or for the donor’s lifetime, while taking advantage of the tax advantages during their lifetime. Other arrangements offer special tax advantages and a lifetime income opportunity based on the appreciated value of the property. Gifts of real estate, such as undeveloped land, a residence, a vacation home, a farm or a commercial property, should be arranged through the donor and the School. Oakland requires the donor to obtain a written appraisal to determine the fair market value, prior to the transfer of the property to the School. Planned Gifts There are numerous ways that one can make a planned gift to Oakland School. The easiest is by including the School as a bequest in your will, therein indicating a level of assets that you would like to see the School receive from your estate as a measure of your appreciation for the school’s contribution to the educational and personal growth of your child, of your grandchild or of yourself. The more involved planned gifts center on the creation of a trust that positions your assets to look after the best interests of your beneficiaries while it also makes a valuable contribution to the welfare of Oakland School.  For more information on supporting Oakland School, please contact: Leah Burger, Development Director Oakland School Boyd Tavern Keswick, VA 22947 434-293-9059 development@oaklandschool.net 2010-04-27T22:59:20+00:00 http://www.oaklandschool.net/site/quotes/ http://www.oaklandschool.net/site/quotes/#When:21:03:47Z {summary}Following are verbatim quotes from parents who were surveyed about their Oakland experience in the years after their child’s graduation from the school: “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.” 2009-02-13T21:03:47+00:00 http://www.oaklandschool.net/site/parent-participation/ http://www.oaklandschool.net/site/parent-participation/#When:20:42:04Z {summary}All students have an Individual Instruction Plan (IIP), which is a student’s educational roadmap for the year.  Parents are encouraged to be active participants in the design and implementation of their child’s academic program at Oakland.  The plan includes current levels of performance as well as strengths and weaknesses noted in the areas of reading, written language and math.  Achievement test data is included and specific goals and objectives are noted for the core academic areas.  It is important to note that the objectives are not merely a listing of the curriculum, but are individualized to address the particular needs of each child. 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 2009-02-13T20:42:04+00:00 http://www.oaklandschool.net/site/study-skills/ http://www.oaklandschool.net/site/study-skills/#When:20:12:06Z {summary}Equipping students with a robust toolkit of study skills is a cornerstone of The Oakland Way that benefits children long after they leave our grounds.  Content classes at Oakland such as science and social studies are taught as Study Skills classes with the goal of helping students become successful in all classes at Oakland and to prepare them to be successful in school after Oakland. Most study skills do not come naturally, especially for children with learning difficulties.  Therefore, skills are taught both in isolation and then integrated throughout the curriculum.  Some of the key study skills taught include the following: 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. SMART Boards are used for additional multi-sensory instruction and Kindle Fires provide alternative reading options for students. Our oldest students use laptops for classroom learning, research and homework. Next: Parent Participation in the Academic Program 2009-02-13T20:12:06+00:00