Warm Greetings
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February 2022
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From the Head of School


Almost as soon as children can use their hands, they begin to share. It is often in the form of a soggy, half-eaten biscuit or drool-soaked spoon that is thrust toward one’s face – a pure offering. As we watch children grow, we continually witness their natural desire to help. I never tire of seeing a toddler or preschooler carrying items almost as big as they are across a room in an effort to help a beloved adult. A breathtaking image is of a small child crouching down to offer emotional support to another child equal in size. The result is that the crouching child ends up eye-to-belly rather than eye-to-eye with the child they are supporting. This sharing and helping is in part a behavior the child has studied by watching the adults around them.

Helping others is an essential part of healthy development for children. It builds competence and awareness of their relationship with others. It helps build self-efficacy in their role as a positive force in the world. Understanding one’s impact, helpful and not, is also a fundamental aspect of our school philosophy. Helping others, contributing to the common good, and service learning are integrated throughout the Oak Grove curricular and co-curricular programs.

One way we practice our shared responsibility for our school is through the Day of Reading. This is a concrete way for our students to individually raise funds for their school and see the tangible impact of that support. For the past 15 years, our students have raised thousands of dollars to purchase art materials, musical instruments, playground equipment, the Pavilion stone seating, and many other things. The funds raised have bolstered our school in recognizable ways, and as a school, we have come to rely on this annual support.

This year, our students are not just raising money for Oak Grove, they also chose to raise funds to benefit the larger Ojai community. Since our students identified the need to purchase new, safer vans for day trips and travel, they also chose to raise funds to support food delivery to home-bound seniors, which is provided through the service organization HELP of Ojai.

On Wednesday, February 16, we will arrive on campus in our jammies, perhaps with a favorite book, to share in the magic of reading! Check out our students' progress here.

Affectionately,
jodi signtaure
Head of School

Roxaboxen!


“Emergent Curriculum” is just what it sounds like. Teachers observe and listen to children for insight into their interests and hypotheses. Projects emerge in the moment as kids make meaningful connections and spark each other’s eager theories.
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Mahalo, Hawaii

Interacting with the greater Krishnamurti community, immersing themselves in a different culture, and making new friends at their sister schools are three of the intentions of Oak Grove’s annual senior trip to India. This year the seniors weren’t able to continue the 30+ year practice of traveling across the globe, but they were offered a unique adventure that approached and mirrored many of these goals of the India trip. We are grateful to our chaperones who led the students on this trip – Aaron Gardner, Angela Daugherty, Bo Qalandar, and Sydney Robertson.

Time was spent exploring the drastically varied geography, experiencing the eight different climate zones, walking lava fields, trekking through volcano craters, swimming in the ocean, hiking to waterfalls, and investigating the rainforests of Hawaii. Students split their time between camping in a rainforest and near a working farm, both on the southern side of the island. They were given time to strengthen their connections with each other, while also being allowed time alone to reflect on the experience and on themselves. As one student shared in her reflection after last year’s trip:

“I learned that I really appreciate silence and love to have space for reflection. Mahalo, Hawaii!”


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Recent Video


Watch the recording of the High School Winter Showcase, 2021, where students perform and present their arts to a live audience.

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Socially Speaking

A recent Instagram post —

Ukulele practice, Oak Grove style.

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The Simplicity of Now


February 21-25
Online In-Depth Program
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The Simplicity of Now. We often speak of now, of living in the present moment and not moving away from it. What does now refer to? Maybe now has nothing to do with time.
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