Our High School
9th through 12th Grade
The Art of Living and Learning
At Oak Grove we approach teaching, learning, and living as an art form – The Art of Living and Learning. Our dedicated High School faculty will help you tap into your interests and explore your natural creativity. Students develop life-long practices of intellectual discipline, good communication, self-reflection, understanding, and clear thinking. We offer a challenging college-preparatory curriculum that is approved by the University of California and is designed to exceed admissions requirements for the most rigorous and selective universities across the country. All Oak Grove High School students select from a number of fine and performing arts electives which encourage and support the development of an aesthetic sense toward all art forms as well as integrate and honor individual student interests and passions.
Discover Oak Grove High School
We all remember our first time walking through campus, visiting with teachers, and how the philosophy of Oak Grove’s approach to education resonated with us. There’s nothing more exciting than to see that in new students, parents, teachers, and friends visiting the school. If you’re discovering Oak Grove for the first time, please take a moment to watch the video below, explore links to program details, and contact us to schedule a tour.
Academics
Knowledge · Academic Standards · Conventions · Core Subject Areas
Oak Grove High School courses and electives offer a challenging college-preparatory program approved by the University of California and designed to exceed admission requirements for the most rigorous and selective universities across the country. Our engaging curriculum challenges students both in knowledge of content and in skill development. Project-based learning and small, discussion-based classes will ask you to explore topics deeply.
Art & Music
Studio & Digital Art · Photography · Ceramics · Woodworking · Music · Dance · Theater
High School electives provide a wide variety of creative exploration. Whether it’s expanding skills in an area of interest or trying something for the first time, all levels of interest are supported with students and teachers learning from one another in an atmosphere of fun and deep learning.
For examples of student work in the arts, check out High School Showcase!
Outdoor Education & Travel
Camping · Hiking Local Trails · Southwest Trip · Seniors’ Trip to India
Oak Grove’s Outdoor Education and Travel Program at the High School level offers opportunities to learn from nature, build lasting friendships, feel comfortable and secure in the outdoors, and become active stewards of the environment. The outdoor experience, be it a walk around our oak-studded campus or a week back-packing in the wilderness, is an essential component of Oak Grove’s approach to education. In the Winter, Seniors embark on a three-week trip to India. In the Spring, each senior presents their experience and personal reflections during India Night, one of the year’s most anticipated events.
Advisory
Fostering Supportive Relationships
Advisory for High School students provides opportunities for students to delve into questions about their relationship to themselves, each other, their community, and the earth. Students develop supportive relationships with adults they trust, as well as with their peers. These strongly established connections and relationships are foundational to moving ahead with ease, in anticipation of increasing academic rigor and evolving social networks. The small Advisory group setting is a natural incubator where norms are established and kids can try out new ideas and explore their own identities. Driven by three essential questions — Who am I? How do I relate to others? What will I contribute to the world? — students cultivate a sense of self — academically, emotionally, and socially.
Athletics
Fit-for-Life Program · Team Sports
Oak Grove’s Fit-for-Life and Team Sports Program help students learn the importance of physical vitality, caring for their body, making healthful life choices, developing understanding, respect, and compassion for others, and instilling a sense of responsibility to the whole. Personal excellence, sportsmanship, self-reflection, and joy in the game are emphasized over competition.
Community Service
Student-led Community Service Projects
High School students develop community service projects in collaboration with teachers and Student Council. These are often tied to curriculum and tap into the many resources and partnerships Oak Grove School has established in Ojai. Recent projects include: rehabilitation of local habitat, recycling projects, meal preparation for people experiencing homelessness, awareness and fundraising for various causes, including the Rural Education Project in India.
Honoring Transitions
Preparing for Life Beyond High School
Our lives are in a constant state of growth and change, particularly throughout our school years. Times of change present tremendous opportunities for academic and social learning, for personal growth, and passage from one stage of life to another. An Oak Grove education prepares students to access a variety of different paths post-High School. Our College Counseling Program is coordinated by the College Advisor who works closely with all students and their parents, the High School Advisors, the High School Registrar, and the Head of School. Our goal is to fully support students and families throughout the college selection and application process. Finally, students are honored each year at the High School Graduation ceremony, in which each senior presents a formal speech to friends, family, faculty, and the community regarding their readiness for college and the responsibilities of adulthood.
Parent Education
Led by Teachers as Well as Outside Professionals
Oak Grove provides a well-rounded Parent Ed program, whereby parents can become informed on subjects related to teen and young adult development. Parent Ed events are led by teachers as well as outside professionals, covering topics like social media wellness, college readiness, teen sexuality, inquiry-based dialogue, and more. The program’s mission is to support parents in raising teenagers through workshops on adolescent development, communication strategies, college readiness, and harm prevention. In addition, the program emphasizes building relationships and support networks among parents, teachers, and community members.
