Parent Education
Note: Parent Education events and meetings are being held virtually on ZOOM.
In order to help our parents, students, and teachers work together as a “family unit,” we offer a Parent Education program that spans the entire Oak Grove experience from Preschool through 12th grade. Parent Education events are led by teachers as well as outside professionals, covering topics like Growth Mindset, social media wellness, college readiness, inquiry-based dialogue, diversity & equity, teen sexuality, and more. In addition, the program emphasizes building relationships and support networks among parents, teachers, and community members.
On February 11, 1974, the day the school was officially announced, Oak Grove School founder J. Krishnamurti said:
And this school here, we have been discussing with the teachers, with the parents, and with the architects for the last two years. This school is entirely different from the other schools in India and England. Here the parents are involved in it, which is a new kind of experiment because if the children are going to be different then parents must also be different, otherwise there is a contradiction between the child and the parents, and there will be conflict between them. So to avoid all that we thought it would be right that the parents as well as the teachers and the students work together as a family unit.”
Elementary & Secondary Parent Ed Schedule
Grades 1st-12th
Our Parent Education program takes a two-pronged approach. First, the program is designed to support parents in raising children and adolescents through workshops on subjects such as child development, communication strategies, harm prevention, and academic support. As students advance to the secondary level, we also include sessions on college readiness and the transition into adulthood. The second goal of the program is to build relationships and support networks among parents, teachers, and community members. Oak Grove is a close-knit community, and we seek to create a healthy dialogue between staff and families in order to best serve the needs of our students.
RSVPs and Snacks:
While RSVPs are not required, we always appreciate knowing who is planning on attending. Please email willhornblower@oakgroveschool.org if you are coming. This workshop is adults-only. We also need a few volunteers who would like to bring some tasty snacks. Please email Will if you are interested.
ECP and Early Elementary Parent Education/Family Partnership
Preschool-3rd grade
Gathering in the Main House once a month, Parent Ed begins just after you’ve said good-bye to your child (anytime after 8:00am) and continues until 10:30am.
The goal of Parent Ed is to support both parenting and teaching by building pathways between home and school. We place high value on this aspect of our program and urge families to attend. Parent Ed is your time, an opportunity for families to share the complexity and similarity of their experiences during the young family years. We want parents to feel comfortable bringing their comments and questions to our morning discussions. These meetings offer a chance to wonder out loud, deepen understanding of our individual children, their relationships and growth, and of child development in general. The goal is to increase self-understanding, balance, and joy in family life.
Each month a different teacher from the early elementary program will join us in Parent Ed for the first hour, 8:00-9:00am. Parents of OGS students from Preschool through 3rd grade are welcome to join.
Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Parent Education
Please refer to the school calendar to see the current Parent Education schedule.
Parent Ed – Social Relationships & Health
Blog, Events, News, Parent EducationHumans are social animals. Does the quantity and quality of our social relationships impact our state of health, future risk of disease, and our life span? Are the effects of relationships via social media the same or different from those of in-person relationships? Please join our presenter Dr. Pathik Wadhwa in a discussion that will touch on the biological and behavioral science behind social relationships, both in-person and virtual.
Embracing The Agile Mind
Blog, Events, News, Parent Education, Staff & FacultyFormer Head of School, Meredy Benson Rice, now the Director of Teaching and Learning spoke about her personal journey as an educator and how students experience education at Oak Grove School as part of the 2015 Do Lecture Series.
Parent Ed – Unplugging in Pandemic Life
Blog, Events, News, Parent EducationIf you were not able to join us for this timely Parent Education event, or would like to review, we have provided this recording of parenting expert Dolly Klock’s special presentation on the challenge of finding a balance between screen life and real life. The recording includes attending parents’ Q&A.
Talking About Confusing World Events
Blog, News, Parent EducationAs educators and parents, we have an important role in contextualizing disturbing world events like the recent violent takeover of our country’s capitol. After a year of challenge after challenge, this will require reaching into our deepest reserves of energy and resilience. But we must do what we can to provide a sense of understanding and stability amid chaos. We are obligated to take an active role in building a healthier, more just future.
Parent Education Workshops Continue on ZOOM
Blog, Events, News, Parent EducationOur first Parent Education workshop in the series of the year looked a little different, but the content was equally impactful. Organized and facilitated by High School history teacher Will Hornblower, Parent Education Workshops have been an incredible resource, and have recently been made available to the greater community.
The Parents of the School
Blog, Parent Education, Parent PerspectiveObserving a pair of California Scrub Jays through binoculars with students and parents in the quiet early hour before school begins… Witnessing the Pavilion transform into the Pale of Settlement of Imperial Russia of 1905… Discovering the studio of Leonardo Da Vinci surrounded by student-crafted renditions of Mona Lisa and Self Portrait in the medium […]