Ron Schindel

Director of Upper Elementary & Middle School

Credentials:

B.A., Liberal Studies
California State University, Northridge
Teacher since 2000

How many years have you worked at Oak Grove?

I have been here for 13 years.

Why do you work at Oak Grove?

Because I love the opportunity to learn with my students and colleagues.

A quote that inspires your approach to your job.

“Reach one. Teach one.”

Where is your special spot on campus?

On the Middle School deck by the hallway to the elementary school.

Coffee or Tea?

Cold water.

What makes an Oak Grove education unique?

The relationship/partnership among the teachers, students, parents, and administrators.

How do we prepare students for their life ahead?

Through providing them with a caring relationship during their time at OGS.

What outdoor experience has been most impactful for you?

I love all outdoor experiences! I just thoroughly enjoy being active and being out there in nature. Pushing myself to be connected with what is around me only makes it more special. I enjoy sharing these experiences with my students, whether it’s surfing, mountain biking, soccer, or taking them out to the Sierras.

The best live music performance/concert you ever attended is …

Zac Brown at the Mid-State Fair.

Which teacher in your life affected you greatly? How?

Mr. Houston, my 6th grade teacher at Mira Monte Elementary in Ojai, California. He is actually my inspiration for becoming a teacher. He was patient and kind, but he also held high expectations for academics and the classroom environment which allowed me to reach my potential as a student.

Name something that nobody knows about you.

Ron is my middle name, not my first name.

Person (dead or alive, famous or not) that you’d most like to share a meal with.

John Wooden.

Name a place you’ve always wanted to visit, but haven’t yet.

Uruguay.

What is your most bizarre OGS experience?

I was rafting down the Colorado River with my Middle School students, and we looked up to see two bald eagles in a death spiral coming down towards us in the raft.

Share a hilarious OGS experience.

Watching our Middle School “California kids” attempting to free our van from a snow drift in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, while a group of wild, Bighorn sheep were licking salt off of the tires!