Parent Quotes
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.”
Parent Participation in the Academic Program
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
Study Skills and Technology
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.
English and Math
Students at a beginning level in reading will not have a separate English class, but will receive written language instruction within the reading classroom. As a student’s reading level improves, his or her schedule expands to include an English class. More skilled readers and students with written language difficulties will be enrolled in both a writing and a grammar class. In addition to writing, composition and grammar, students also receive keyboarding instruction.
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.
Reading: An Oakland Specialty
Not all learning disabilities schools provide one-to-one instruction, but this method has been an integral element of The Oakland Way since the school’s inception. Each student, other than older students nearing completion of the program and ready to transition into high school, 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 2.5 to 3 hours daily in intensive reading instruction. Because the ability to read impacts all aspects of education, teaching reading is not only an Oakland specialty, but also a core focus of the academic program. The hallmark of the beginning reading program is phonics and the structural analysis of words. Different levels of reading instruction will focus on comprehension, literature, organization and study skills.
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
Upward Lift: Oakland’s Entry-Level Reading Program
Students who are non-readers or who are reading below a fourth grade level and are significantly behind grade level are enrolled in Oakland’s own acclaimed “Upward Lift” Program, which was developed in the early days of the school and has been refined over the past 60 years. Offered during the summer session, this intensive, systematic six-week program includes three 50-minute periods of reading each day. The overall objectives are 1) to improve the child’s reading level by at least one year as measured by standardized tests and/or achievement level and 2) to raise the student’s self-esteem and, therefore, openness to learning by providing a successful experience with measurable growth.
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.
Academic Program Overview
The Oakland School academic program has been generating outstanding results for students for more than 60 years. Small classrooms, individualized programs coupled with an ungraded curriculum, daily one-to-one instruction and a student-teacher ratio of 4:1 provide the specialized attention needed to ensure success. Each student is assigned to a main teacher who develops individualized educational programs and closely monitors each child’s progress. The rigorous academic program places a heavy emphasis on basic skills which are instrumental to any successful remedial education. Teachers emphasize positive reinforcement to build confidence, self-esteem and a drive to succeed.
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:
Admissions Process
Student Profile
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 form 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
(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
The Grounds
A unique and ideal setting for learning and character development, Oakland School is located on a 450-acre property in a peaceful country setting 10 miles from historic Charlottesville. The Keswick area to the east of Charlottesville, where Oakland is located, features a number of historic homes and estates, some of which were designed by Thomas Jefferson. The country road that goes past Oakland originally was called Stagecoach Road and was one of the main thoroughfares from Richmond to Charlottesville in the 1800s.
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.
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 residential instructors gather around the flagpole for flag raising. Students look forward to twice-daily Popsicle breaks as well as Friday night movies under the stars. Additionally, the Plantation Dinner in celebration of the Fourth of July is much anticipated each year as is the newer tradition of a holiday carnival.
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.
Annoucement
Oakland School
Please join us on Saturday, March 27 at 10:00am for our Summer Camp Open House!
Welcome
Oakland School is a small boarding and day school for children ages 6-14 with learning disabilities including dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, non-verbal learning disabilities or visual and auditory processing disorders. The program also is well-suited to those with ADHD or organizational difficulties.
The combination of daily one-to-one instruction, an emphasis on basic skills including Oakland’s specialty of teaching reading, a highly-experienced and nurturing staff and a success-oriented environment has enabled scores of children to reach their academic and personal potential since 1950.
Contact Us
Oakland School
Boyd Tavern
Keswick, Virginia 22947
434-293-9059 (phone)
434-296-8930 (fax)
General info: (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Carol Williams, School Director: (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Donna Darden, Assistant Director: (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
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.
After Oakland
Many parents ask the question, “Where do students go after they leave Oakland?” Oakland students graduate when they are well prepared for success in education. After completing secondary programs, many go on to college and achieve remarkable success.
Students graduate into the grade that will be most appropriate for their age, maturity level and academic skills. They may enter fourth through tenth grade after leaving Oakland, depending on their age at enrollment. Most Oakland graduates return to their homes and attend public or private day schools. Families who prefer a boarding school environment have chosen Blue Ridge, Christchurch, Grier, Miller, Gow and other private schools throughout the country. The largest percentage of Oakland graduates attend traditional schools. We typically recommend resource or Learning Center assistance to aid in the transition to a new school, but most students do not require continued specialized services.
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 as well as responsibility. The school sends a follow-up questionnaire for five 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. Indeed, The Oakland Way is present for our students during their lifetime learning endeavors.
The Summer Program
OAKLAND SCHOOL & CAMP 2010: JUNE 27 - AUGUST 6
Oakland School & Camp combines an intensive academic program with the joys of traditional summer fun for both year-round students and summer-only students. 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 up to 135 boarding and day students. Some children, needing only a quick academic boost or the acquisition of new skills, 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.
As is the case with year-round students, Oakland’s summer-only student population consists of bright children with learning disabilities, such as dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, non-verbal learning disabilities as well as visual and auditory processing disorders, ADHD and organizational difficulties. Summer students greatly benefit from the individualized programs, ungraded curriculum, small classes and daily one-to-one instruction that are hallmarks of the Oakland program.
Summer Classroom
Each child is scheduled individually with a customized program designed to meet his or her specific academic needs and recreational interests. Students receive 3.5 hours of intensive academics each day including one-to-one instruction. Oakland’s own acclaimed 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. 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.
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, music, nature study, soccer, volleyball, basketball and lacrosse as well as a variety of other activities offered as clubs. Popular special events include a talent show, overnight camping trips, weekly assemblies which may include magic shows, wildlife exhibits or concerts and weekly outdoor movies under the stars.
Horseback Riding
Horseback riding, one of the most popular extra-curricular activities at Oakland, 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.
For additional information on Oakland School & Camp, contact us at 434-293-9059/ email (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
Refer a Friend: Information on our summer program also may be found at http://www.readingcamps.org.
Residential Life
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 instructors 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 basketball, soccer, softball, volleyball and tennis. All students are encouraged to participate regardless of experience or athletic ability.
Oakland’s boarding school environment is goal oriented. With the help of the residential instructors, each child develops personal goals for the year. Many of the rewards in the dorms are based on the student’s progress toward meeting these goals. Residential instructors 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.
Character Development
Oakland students are immersed in an environment that promotes character development. The “Character Counts” program serves as the framework for an emphasis on trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship. These values are reinforced both in and out of the classroom. Boarding students are enveloped by these values at all times and, therefore, boarding at Oakland provides an exceptional opportunity for children to mature, become more self-sufficient and to prepare for high school, college and beyond. The benefits of a boarding education also include the opportunities to try new things, meet new people, develop new skills and have fun and form friendships that are lifelong connections. Parents routinely remark on the transformation they see in their children’s confidence and sense of responsibility as a result of 24/7 immersion in the Oakland environment.
The Perfect Environment for Learning
Oakland’s 450-acre rural setting is the setting for 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.
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.
Evening and weekend trips to sporting events, educational visits to museums and art galleries, community service, 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. Residential instructors organize and supervise clubs including music, drama, chess, model building, ceramics and more.
Faculty and Staff
“Although I admit to wondering if the staff at Oakland somehow managed to acquire supernatural powers, I realize their many accomplishments are the result of applied talent, dedication and enduring tenacity. For that, I am forever grateful.”
— From an Oakland Parent
The faculty and staff at Oakland are the core of a nurturing and family-like environment that ensures that each child receives the attention he or she needs and develops into the best person he or she can be. Staff, from the laundresses and the maintenance crew to the teachers and the head of school, plays an important part in each student’s development. Each staff member knows each child’s name and unique strengths and weaknesses. Mutual respect is an important value at Oakland.
Oakland employs 15 full-time teachers and 3 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 at a school for learning disabled students.
Interestingly, over half of our faculty members began their tenure at Oakland as residential instructors. Several went on to earn higher-level degrees and several taught at other schools – public, private and even college level. Why come back to Oakland? As one teacher said, “This is the place I feel most at home and where I can make the biggest difference in a child’s life.”
As part of their first year at Oakland, teachers are trained in The Oakland Way—the many longstanding, successful teaching methods utilized at the school—as well as how to assess a student’s needs and develop, administer and fine-tune an individualized program that will result in optimal progress. In order to carefully coordinate each student’s program and monitor progress, three weekly teachers’ meetings are held to discuss each student, to pool knowledge to address any concerns and to share successes. During the summer program, teachers’ meetings occur daily.
The residential staff plans after-school, evening, weekend and sports activities. Residential instructors 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 weekly to ensure that individual student programs are well coordinated. Ongoing communication among all staff members helps to provide 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.
Oakland History
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 started a summer camp and remedial school for children with learning disabilities on her family farm in Central Virginia in 1950. Students from across the south flocked to the Oakland Farm Camp & School where children learned how to read. She later added a year-round learning disabilities boarding school program as well as a day school program.
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 true and lasting friendships with her students and setting high expectations.
Many of the methods used to teach the very first Oakland students are still in practice today and regularly are enhanced. 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, including other learning disabilities 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 including a learning disabilities boarding school. Her daughter, Joanne Dondero, became the school’s director in 1974. Mrs. Dondero, along with her husband, Andrew Dondero, who served as director of operations, ran Oakland until 1993. Their tenure was marked by an expansion of school enrollment to the current capacity as well as construction of a variety of new facilities.
Welcome from our Director
Welcome to Oakland School’s online presence!
We are delighted that you have chosen to learn more about Oakland. It won’t take much investigation to discover that Oakland offers a very unique environment and program that are unlike what you will find at any other learning disabilities school.
It is my privilege to serve as the fourth school director in Oakland’s sixty-year history. My personal history with Oakland began in 1978 when I served as a residential counselor. I later returned to the University of Virginia, where I had completed my undergraduate work, and received my graduate degree from the Curry School of Education. Having witnessed the successes of the children I had worked with in the dormitories, it was an exciting prospect to be able to continue my tenure at Oakland as a classroom teacher and, eventually, as the Assistant Director.
Through the years and my varied experiences, it became more and more clear to me why Oakland is so special. The peaceful country setting combined with a strong community that is entirely united around the cause of succeeding is truly inspiring. The passion for learning and for success established by our founder, Margaret G. Shepherd, remains a guiding and very palpable force that visitors sense when they step onto our school grounds. Moreover, the collective commitment of our staff and the unwavering drive to achieve that we instill in our students make me feel honored to be a part of this remarkable organization.
Our focus on individualized programs, basic skills such as our proprietary methods and expertise in reading as well as study skills, an ungraded curriculum that lets students progress as fast as they can and daily one-to-one instruction have been Oakland hallmarks since our founding. These elements all are part of a highly successful formula and track record that we refer to as The Oakland Way.
Graduates of Oakland regularly return to the grounds to say hello and update former teachers and staff on their lives and achievements. It is highly gratifying to see how we have helped graduates successfully return to a traditional classroom environment so that they may reach their academic and personal potential. As you consider educational options for your child, we invite you to come to Oakland to see for yourself how we can help your child build the strong foundation needed for future educational and personal success.
Carol Williams
Director, Oakland School
Oakland At a Glance
Oakland School is a small co-ed boarding and day school that enables bright children who have learning disabilities, ADHD or organizational difficulties to reach their academic and personal potential. Oakland’s mission is three-fold:
- To provide students with the tools to learn
- To instill in students the confidence required to reach their academic and personal potential, and ultimately
- To enable students to successfully transition to a traditional classroom at their appropriate grade level
Student Profile
- Boys and Girls ages 6-14 at admission
- Average to above-average intelligence
- Learning disabilities (dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, non-verbal learning disabilities and visual as well as auditory processing disorders), ADHD or organizational difficulties
- School size: Our capacity is 85 boarding and day students during the school year and 135 students during the six-week summer program.
- Students are enrolled at Oakland for an average of 2-4 years.
- Oakland is not appropriate for behavior disordered or emotionally disturbed children.
Academic Program
- Ungraded curriculum through 9th grade so students can progress as fast as they can
- Individualized programs
- Overall student/teacher ratio of 4:1
- Daily one-to-one and small group instruction
- Emphasis on basic skills including reading, Oakland’s specialty, math and written language as well as study skills incorporated into a history or science curriculum
- Our own acclaimed Upward Lift Program, offered in the summer, immerses children who are reading below a fourth grade level in phonetic instruction and the structural analysis of words. Similar to Orton-Gillingham in its multisensory methodology, Upward Lift is an intensive and systematic program that can produce dramatic gains in word recognition, one of the first steps in reading.
- Comprehensive instruction in study skills to facilitate life-long learning
Student Life
- A very special, success-oriented environment featuring a beautiful country setting, a home-like atmosphere and a dedicated, nurturing staff that make this learning disabilities boarding and day school an exceptional place
- 450-acre grounds, the centerpiece of which is the pre-Revolutionary “Big House,” surrounded by a series of school buildings including the historic Old Kitchen
- Fully-equipped gym and recreation building
- Structured athletic and recreational program
- Intramural and team sports
- Access to rich cultural activities in nearby Charlottesville, home of the University of Virginia
- Strong, year-round horseback riding program offered at no additional cost
- Character development emphasis throughout the academic, recreational and residential program to instill in students the pillars of character including responsibility, respect, caring, trustworthiness, fairness and citizenship
- Supervised evening study halls
Oakland School is licensed by the Virginia Department of Education, accredited by the Virginia Association of Specialized Education Facilities (VAISEF) and is a member of the Small Boarding Schools Association (SBSA). All teachers are certified by the Commonwealth of Virginia.
