en OaklandSchool@earthlink.net Copyright 2007 2007-08-13T21:06:00-05:00 http://www.oaklandschool.net/site/school-calendar/ http://www.oaklandschool.net/site/school-calendar/#When:21:06:00Z Winter School Hours : 9:00am - 3:35pm Parents new to Winter School should plan on attending the 3:30 p.m. Orientation on Saturday, September 15. Boarders Report Saturday, September 15, 1:00 to 5:00pm or Sunday, September 16, 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm Day Students/ School starts Monday, September 17, 9:00amNew Parent Orientation 9:00am FALL PARENT DAY Saturday, October 6 THANKSGIVING RECESS Wednesday, November 21, 1:00 to 5:00 pmto Sunday, November 25, 1:00 to 5:00 pm WINTER HOLIDAY Friday, December 14, 1:00 to 5:00 pm (Conferences) to Sunday, January 6, 1:00 to 5:00 pm SPRING VACATION Thursday, March 20, 1:00 to 5:00 pm. (Conferences)to Sunday, March 30, 1:00 to 5:00 pm SPRING PARENT DAY Saturday, April 19 WINTER SCHOOL CLOSES Friday, May 16, 1:00 pm Summer School Hours : 8:30am - 4:30pm SUMMER TERM OPENS Saturday, June 28, 1:00 pm to 5:00 pmor Sunday, June 29, 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm SUMMER VISITING WEEKEND Friday, July 18, 4:30 pm to Sunday, July 20, 5:00 pm (Note: Students may remain at school during this weekend. Please advise the Director of Residential Servicesif your child will not be leaving for the weekend.) SUMMER TERM CLOSES You will be contacted near the end of this term to set up yourconference for August 7 or 8. Your child will leave with you at the time of your conference.Graduate conferences ONLY will be Wednesday, August 6.Graduation: Wednesday, August 6, 3:30 pm Calendar 2007-08-13T21:06:00-05:00 http://www.oaklandschool.net/site/oakland-school/ http://www.oaklandschool.net/site/oakland-school/#When:01:49:00Z Get the Flash Player to see this player. Oakland School is a small co-ed boarding and day school that enables children who have dyslexia, learning disabilities, or organizational and study skills difficulties to reach their academic and personal potential. Thanks to a success-oriented environment and time-tested methods, hundreds of Oakland students have successfully returned to mainstream education since the school’s founding in 1950. The school is located on the site of a former plantation in the rolling countryside of central Virginia, just eleven miles east of historic Charlottesville. Oakland’s peaceful country setting and nurturing environment allow for truly remarkable learning to occur. Click on the image to play the video and learn more about our school. Join us February 19 from 9:30am till noon for our Open House. Call 434-293-9059 for details. Home 2007-02-15T01:49:00-05:00 http://www.oaklandschool.net/site/admissions/ http://www.oaklandschool.net/site/admissions/#When:05:06:00Z {exp:freeform:form form_name="application" notify="information@oaklandschool.net" template="app" return="thanks" class="wufoo"} Preliminary Student Application Student's Name Date of Birth Grade School Type Day School Boarding School Brief Information on Learning Problem Parent or Guardian Information Parent's Name Street Address Address Line 2 City State Zip Code Preferred Phone Number Email How did you hear about Oakland? Other Parents Alumni Publications/Ads Educational Directories Educational Consultants Child Psychologists Internet Search Other Schools If you checked Educational Consultants, Child Psychologists, or Other Schools, could you tell us who you spoke to? Any questions or comments? {/exp:freeform:form} 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 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: Parents or educational consultants should speak with the school’s Director or Assistant Director.  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 form enclosed with the school’s materials should be completed and returned to the school along with current educational and psychological evaluations, school records including achievement test scores and teacher’s comments, and any other pertinent information. If it is determined that Oakland is a suitable match for the child, the parents will be contacted and an appointment for a personal interview and tour of the school for the parents and prospective student will be arranged. 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, by phone at 434-293-9059 or e-mail at: carol@oaklandschool.net. Admissions 2007-02-14T05:06:00-05:00 http://www.oaklandschool.net/site/contact-us/ http://www.oaklandschool.net/site/contact-us/#When:05:01:00Z Oakland School Boyd Tavern Keswick, Virginia 22947 434-293-9059 (phone) 434-296-8930 (fax) General info: information@oaklandschool.net Carol Williams, School Director: carol@oaklandschool.net Donna Darden, Assistant Director: assistdirector@oaklandschool.net Driving Directions From Washington, D.C.: Take I-95 south to Fredericksburg Exit 130, to Route 3 for approximately 13 miles. Turn left on Route 20 toward Orange. In Orange, turn left on Route 15. Continue on Route 15 through Gordonsville to I-64 at Zion Crossroads. Take I-64 west toward Charlottesville. Take Exit 129 (Keswick/Boyd Tavern); turn left onto Route 616, to the stoplight at Route 250. From Washington, D.C. through Charlottesville: Take Route 66 west to Route 29 south at Gainesville. Continue on Route 29 south to Charlottesville. Take Route 250 bypass east toward Richmond to I-64 east entrance. Following I-64 east, take Exit 129 (Keswick/Boyd Tavern). Turn right onto Route 616 to stoplight at Route 250. From Richmond: Take I-64 west toward Charlottesville to Exit 129 (Keswick/Boyd Tavern). Turn left at Route 616 to the stoplight at Route 250. From Stoplight: Continue on Route 616 for 3.2 miles and turn left at the “OAKLAND” sign. Take the middle drive to the main house. Map and Driving Directions (from Google) Contact Us 2007-02-14T05:01:00-05:00 http://www.oaklandschool.net/site/after-oakland/ http://www.oaklandschool.net/site/after-oakland/#When:04:59:00Z Many parents ask the question, “Where do students go after they leave Oakland?” Oakland students graduate when they are well prepared for success in mainstream education. After completing secondary programs, many go on to college and to achieve remarkable success. Students graduate into the grade that will be most appropriate for their age, maturity level, and academic skills. They may enter fifth through tenth grade after leaving Oakland, depending on their age at enrollment. Most Oakland students return to their homes and attend public or private day schools. Students who prefer a boarding school environment have attended Blue Ridge, Christchurch, Grier, Miller, Oldfields, and other private schools throughout the country. Oakland students do best in programs that continue to provide them with small classes and a structured environment. Placement after Oakland generally depends on each child’s ability, achievement levels, progress at Oakland, age at graduation, and level of commitment and responsibility. The school sends a follow up questionnaire for four years after a student leaves Oakland. Parents usually report that their children are especially strong in study skills, self-confidence, and the ability to quickly adjust to new situations. Many former students and their parents remain in touch with Oakland for years. They visit the school and proudly tell of their achievements in high school, college, careers, and life. “Oakland turned my life around” is a common sentiment among these returning alumni. Testimonials Here’s what some parents who responded to our follow-up inquiries had to say about Oakland: “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.” “We are grateful for his years at Oakland and feel that without that start our son would never have been able to complete his high school program. We are now looking forward to his freshman year in college.” “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).” “Our daughter has been inducted into the National Honor society. She will be attending Virginia Intermont College in the fall majoring in Equine studies. You work wonders for a child’s self-esteem. Also your study skills program and the advice you give to their future school is great.” “The Oakland years obviously helped him catch up with his class and ‘get back in the game.’ The lasting benefit of Oakland above all others is that he still exhibits the study habits and uses the information gathering strategies he learned there.” After Oakland 2007-02-14T04:59:00-05:00 http://www.oaklandschool.net/site/the-summer-program/ http://www.oaklandschool.net/site/the-summer-program/#When:04:55:00Z Oakland’s yearly schedule includes a six-week summer session from late June to early August. For students enrolled in the year-round program, the summer session is a required part of the 180-day school year. Oakland increases its enrollment in the summer to a capacity of 85 boarding students and 50 day students. Some children, needing only a quick academic boost, are enrolled only for the summer. Others may begin their regular school year early to get a head start on learning and to make an easier transition into a new school. Summer Classroom The summer program at Oakland is a wonderful balance of academic and traditional camp classes. Students receive 3 1/2 hours of intensive academic instruction each day. Oakland’s own Upward Lift intensive reading program for children with reading disabilities includes two periods of reading, one period of phonics, and one period of math. Other students may concentrate on written language and study skills as needed. The rest of the day and weekends are filled with camp activities. No homework is assigned to summer students. Water Activities The day is carefully organized so that every child has a healthy mix of intellectual stimulation and energetic fun. Recreational activities include swimming, tennis, archery, arts and crafts, nature study, team sports in soccer, volleyball, and basketball, as well as a variety of other activities offered as clubs. Popular special events include a swim carnival, a talent show, overnight camping trips, and weekly outdoor movies. Horseback Riding Horseback riding also is offered as a camp class to all students at no additional cost. On the grounds are a stable and riding ring, as well as beginner and advanced trails. All students who ride participate in a horse show at the end of the summer. Every child is scheduled individually with a program specifically designed to meet his or her particular academic needs and recreational interests. In addition to achieving academic gains, each child should go home feeling accomplished and with a heart full of happy memories of a fun and rewarding summer. Summer Program 2007-02-14T04:55:00-05:00 http://www.oaklandschool.net/site/student-life/ http://www.oaklandschool.net/site/student-life/#When:04:50:00Z Oakland’s residential program is designed to enhance each child’s personal growth and happiness. Every effort is made to create a home-like atmosphere in the small dormitories that have both single and double rooms. Dorm life is carefully planned to provide the structure, consistency, and emotional support that every student needs. A highly-trained staff of residential counselors lives in the dormitories and runs the after-school, evening and weekend recreational programs. Oakland competes with other schools in basketball and soccer. In addition, there are intramural sports, including touch football, basketball, soccer, softball, volleyball and tennis. All students are encouraged to participate regardless of experience or athletic ability. With the help of residential counselors, each child develops personal goals for the year. Many of the rewards in the dorms are based on the student’s progress towards these goals. Counselors provide a safe and structured atmosphere as well as maintain a high degree of communication with other staff members and parents, all of whom are encouraged to participate in each student’s successes. Older students may be nominated for the Leadership Club, taking on the responsibility of planning and helping to run special activities as well as mentoring younger or struggling students. Dorm Council is another opportunity for children to gain leadership experience. Great emphasis is placed on responding positively to desired behavior. As a result, children learn to be good citizens and to be kind and helpful to others. Open fields and numerous trails are ideal for horseback riding. Approximately 75% of Oakland students take part in a year-round horseback riding program offered at no extra cost. Students learn horsemanship, go on trail rides, and take full care of the more than sixteen horses on the grounds. Horse Shows are staged twice a year, with all riding students participating. An important activity at the school, riding helps children learn how to listen carefully, follow directions, and take on additional responsibilities. Many students become expert riders during their stay at Oakland and develop a life-long love of riding. Oakland’s 450-acre rural setting hosts a wide variety of outdoor and seasonal recreational activities such as bike riding, hiking, nature study, archery, fishing, camping, swimming, rollerblading and skateboarding. Friday nights are movie nights complete with popcorn and soda. Evening and weekend trips to sporting events, educational visits to museums and art galleries, hikes in the Blue Ridge Mountains, or just taking in a movie and a pizza all are part of the recreational program. Fine art, cooking activities and arts and crafts are offered several times a week. Counselors supervise clubs including music, drama, chess, model building, ceramics, and more. Additionally, students produce a newspaper and a literary magazine as part of the academic program and a yearbook as a joint dorm/school activity. Weekends include general cleanup, community service, and individual dorm activities as well as trips off the grounds. The residential staff also plans a Sunday morning non-denominational chapel service held in the historic Union Mills Church located adjacent to Oakland’s property. Student Life 2007-02-14T04:50:00-05:00 http://www.oaklandschool.net/site/faculty-and-staff/ http://www.oaklandschool.net/site/faculty-and-staff/#When:04:29:01Z Oakland employs 14 full-time teachers and 4 teaching assistants. All Oakland teachers are certified by the Commonwealth of Virginia with endorsements in Special Education or their content teaching area.  All have received extensive training in the methods and techniques needed to teach learning disabled students. As part of their first year at Oakland, teachers are trained in the many longstanding, successful teaching methods utilized at the school as well as how to assess a student’s needs and develop an individualized program that will result in optimal progress.  In order to carefully coordinate each student’s program and monitor progress, frequent teachers’ meetings are held to discuss each student and to pool knowledge. The residential staff plans after-school, evening, weekend and sports activities.  These counselors live in the dorms, serve as dorm parents, and work with children to establish and attain individual social and emotional goals. Residential and teaching staffs meet regularly to ensure that individual student programs are well coordinated. Ongoing communication among all staff members helps to reassure both students and parents that Oakland maintains a warm, caring, and consistent atmosphere in which a child can flourish. Oakland has a contractual agreement with a clinical child psychologist practice as well as a speech/language pathologist.  Individual therapy, group therapy, and speech and language therapy are available as needed and are billed privately by the provider.  These professionals are valuable resources as they provide services on the grounds and conference regularly with teachers, residential staff, and parents in a team-oriented approach.  Faculty 2007-02-14T04:29:01-05:00 http://www.oaklandschool.net/site/academic-program/ http://www.oaklandschool.net/site/academic-program/#When:03:59:00Z The Oakland School academic program has been generating outstanding results for students for more than half a century. Small classrooms and a student-teacher ratio of 4.5 to 1 provide the specialized attention needed to ensure success.  Every student is assigned to a main teacher who oversees the specifics of each child’s progress.  Each student’s academic program is tailored to address his or her academic needs and is individually prepared. The academic program places a heavy emphasis on basic skills which are instrumental to any successful remedial education. Positive reinforcement is also emphasized to build confidence and self-esteem. Reading: An Oakland Specialty Each student receives at least one 30-minute period per day of one-to-one instruction. Children with severe reading disabilities often receive additional “one-to-ones” and may spend 2 1/2 to 3 hours daily in intensive reading instruction. Because the ability to read impacts all aspects of education, teaching reading is a specialty at Oakland. The beginning reading program is phonics based similar to the Orton-Gillingham method. Phonics and word attack skills are reinforced during one-to-one reading periods and all reading teachers are trained in this method. Many other types of reading, comprehension, and vocabulary instruction are utilized based on individual needs and learning styles. Students typically show 1 1/2 to 2 years of progress in reading each year and are moved ahead as quickly as their abilities allow. General Academic Outline A strong basic skills emphasis is essential to future school success.  Therefore, much time is spent on language, math, and study skills.  English is taught as two separate courses, encompassing both grammar and written language. Students complete most of their writing on computers and are taught keyboarding and proofing skills as well as how to use spellcheck and grammar check. Math instruction is individualized as necessary; however, most math classes are taught in small groups of 6 to 8 students. Children progress as quickly as they are able without sacrificing the review of basic skills. At the blackboard, science and history are taught as study skills classes and are an integral part of the process of transitioning students into mainstream education. Most children do not intuitively learn how to skim and scan for information, outline, take notes from lectures, study for tests, or answer essay questions. These skills are taught through a variety of courses in science and history. Academics at Oakland are not taught by grade but according to each child’s own particular ability and achievement level. Grade and course credits are provided at the ninth grade level through a curriculum based on the Commonwealth of Virginia’s Standards of Learning. Parents can actively participate in their child’s school experience and closely monitor progress via four written reports a year plus several scheduled conference times as well as extensive telephone communications with school staff as needed. Student Profile Oakland has an enrollment of up to 85 boarding and day students during the school year and 135 students during the seven-week summer program. Age at admission is 7 - 14, and students may remain until age 17. Although many are from Mid-Atlantic states, 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 can accept a wide range of both abilities and achievement levels. Because of the individualized academic program, each student can be taught at an appropriate level where he or she can learn and make progress as rapidly as possible. Successful students at Oakland learn how to be responsible for their own behavior.  Children who thrive in Oakland’s supportive and family atmosphere become more self-confident and independent. Oakland is not a therapeutic school and does not accept children with severe emotional or behavioral disorders. Academics 2007-02-14T03:59:00-05:00 http://www.oaklandschool.net/site/oakland-history/ http://www.oaklandschool.net/site/oakland-history/#When:03:28:00Z A Pioneering Spirit Oakland’s founder, Margaret G. Shepherd, was a teacher for more than 60 years. After serving as an elementary school teacher, high school assistant principal and operating her own private school for children in grades K-2, Mrs. Shepherd in 1950 started a summer camp and remedial school for children with learning disabilities on her family farm in central Virginia. It was named Oakland Farm Camp & School. Mrs. Shepherd was a pioneer in many ways. She was drawn to children who were experiencing trouble reading. In those days, very little was known about dyslexia and learning disabilities. She created a program that used phonics to teach reading and positive reinforcement to create a nurturing environment that enabled personal growth and development. For her, building self-esteem in students was the very foundation of successful education, as was forming a true friendship with her students. Setting high expectations with her students was key as well. Many of the methods used to teach the very first Oakland students are still in practice today. Up until the end of her life, Mrs. Shepherd continued to teach. At age 91, she was the main teacher for a handful of students who presented the greatest challenge. Where other schools had failed with certain children, she was extremely successful. In 1967, at the insistence of a group of parents, Mrs. Shepherd began a year-round program. In 1968, Oakland was certified as a full-fledged, private, non-profit learning disabilities school with a certificate of approval from the Virginia Board of Education. In 1974, Mrs. Shepherd’s daughter, Joanne Dondero, took over as school director, a role she held until 1993. This period was marked by an expansion of school enrollment to the current capacity as well as construction of a variety of facilities including a gymnasium and recreation center, a dining hall and library, as well as several new classroom buildings and dormitories. The grounds are dominated by the pre-Revolutionary “Big House.” Constructed in the mid-1700s and added on to in the early 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, too. 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. Longstanding Oakland Traditions Traditions have been a very important part of the Oakland experience for both staff and students. Each morning during summer school, students and counselors gather around the flagpole for flag raising. Twice daily Popsicle breaks continue to be looked forward to by students as well as Friday night movies under the stars. The Plantation Dinner held in honor of the Fourth of July is much anticipated each year. 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 achievements. Oakland also has a unique graduation at the end of the summer session in which graduating students are honored by their favorite teachers. Throughout the school year, the Outstanding Citizens program and weekly Star Lists have been used for years to recognize top performing students. History 2007-02-14T03:28:00-05:00