oak grove school 2019-20 annual report

oak groveO A K G R O V E S C H O O L 2019-20 A N N U A L R E P O R T

from the

High School Seniors' India Trip 2019-20

Table of ContentsHead of School Address 1

School Board Chair Message 3

Oak Grove School Board 4

You are the World 7

Incoming Family 13

Fall Theater Production 15

Krishnamurti Foundation of America 21

Class of 2020 23

Senior Trip to India 24

Deep Dives 25

Poco Farm 27

Professional Development 29

Distant Learning 31

Studio Art 33

Parent Profile 35

2019-20 Income & Expenses 37

2019-20 Donors 39

Carole & Darcy Retirement 47

Outgoing Family 53

Covid Poem 55

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Faculy and Staff In-Service, Krishnamurti Library

Fifth Grade Tea in the Main House High School Student Council

Our school theme for the 2019-20 academic

year was derived from a passage in Krishnamurti’s Notebook dated November 29, 1956. In it, he points to “a total sensitivity – to colour, to nature, to all my reactions, how I respond to others...” From this, we chose a theme for reflection in the form of a question, “What does it mean to be sensitively aware?”

Our community of teachers, parents, and students approached this year-long inquiry through group dialogue, personal contemplation, observation, writing, and sharing. With the emergence of a global pandemic and social upheaval, we are seeing up close how fear and isolation can inwardly block our ability to be sensitive.

Sensitively AwareJodi G rass, Head o f S chool A sense of safety and security is

fundamental to a child’s healthy development. Psychological safety is critical to an exploration of total awareness. The current societal disorder is humbling and confusing for adults to discuss, but how do we have conversations with children in ways which will help them to understand what is happening around them without instilling fear? This is the sacred mission of our school – to inquire into our own conditioning, to meet the world as it is.

I am grateful to spend my days in a place that has space for active exploration, both academically and, more poignantly, space for personal exploration and self-understanding. We may not understand the conflict and suffering around us, but we can become sensitive to the suffering and conflict that lies within us.

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Oak Grove SchoolBoard ChairLeone WebsterMuch of the 2019-20 academic year went well and as expected, with student concerts, art exhibitions, science and pottery nights, as well as all-school events. Our seniors went to India and our 7th and 8th graders to the Teton Science Schools. Camping trips to the beach, mountains, and local forest were enjoyed by students across the grades. On March 13, however, along with much of the world, our learning environment was disrupted by the stay-at-home orders due to the pandemic.

The stay-at-home orders required us to do things differently. Our teachers and staff quickly moved Oak Grove onl ine. Within four short days after the physical campus was closed, the entire school was ful ly back and running, remotely. In partnership with our community (with you), we continue to make possible the intent left by Krishnamurti, even when faced with a pandemic and social unrest. The mission of Oak Grove School is to assist students in developing those qualit ies of mind, heart, and body that wil l enable them to function with excel lence, care, and responsibi l i ty in the modern world. In addit ion, it is the intention of the school to offer a place where the whole community can inquire together into the perennial questions of humankind and explore an approach to l i fe that is whole, mindful, and intel l igent. I want to thank our teachers, staff, parents, students, and you – our donors – for doing everything possible to ensure that our small school continues through this time with financial strength and a sense of joy and purpose, as we continue to navigate through an unsettl ing time in our l ives. I personally feel so grateful to be among such deeply caring people.

Leone

"... four short days after the physical campus was closed, the entire school was back up and running, remotely."

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Oak Grove School Board 2019-20Mark Lee, Karen Hesli, Jodi Grass, Kathleen Lynch, Dennis Rice, Bill Prather, Leone Webster,

Michelle Sherman, Tom Davis, Robert BD Dautch, Duke Stump, Racheal Barkley

Missing: Tanya Smith-Montano

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“a total sensitivity – “a total sensitivity – to colour, to nature,...”to colour, to nature,...”5

““ ...how I respond to others...””6

“You are the world, and without your transformation, there can be no transformation of the world.” Early in our school year together, these striking and challenging words uttered by J. Krishnamurti led my 5th grade fellow learners and me to a particularly memorable inquiry into our relationship to nature. This drew out in us a deeper felt sense of our roots in the earth and our own shared responsibility as vigilant stewards of this life-giving planet. Initially, the words just quoted seemed somewhat daunting, and several students, while sensing something profound, could hardly fathom such a radically uncompromising statement as “You are the world.” But rather than just dismiss it, we resolved to remain open to learning what those words might yet reveal to us in our daily lives.

An Invitation to See That You are the World

by Mary Kel ley, F i f th Grade Teachercher

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Shortly after sharing that inquiry together, I showed the class a video of the well-known young environmental activist, Greta Thunberg, who may be said to almost embody this realization of total responsibility for the world. Together we watched and listened to her unequivocal message, urging the human race in no uncertain terms to wake up and respond with intelligence and sensitivity to what has become for us, in fact, a climate emergency. She maintained that this urgent condition was wholly a result of our lack of understanding of the environmentally destructive forces impacting our planet today. Deeply moved by her compelling message, we set out to educate ourselves so that we would be in a better position to affect change.

During our initial brainstorming session, I recorded ideas as the students discussed at length the various causes of climate change that Thunberg mentioned in her TED talk. Soon we decided to organize ourselves into “expert groups” and, together, bring greater awareness first to ourselves and then to present our learning to others by way of a website we’d design, entitled “You Are the World.” The various “expert groups” the students chose as areas for exploration included: species extinction, deforestation, fossil fuel and green-house gas emissions, ocean issues (related to poaching and pollution, including by way of sonar), and livestock production and consumption. The students each selected those areas to which they were most drawn, and from that day on, we dedicated large blocks of learning time to this inquiry project. Before long it seemed to permeate everything we were engaging in, both academic and spiritual in nature!

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What quickly emerged and remained constant was each student’s passion to further pursue their own research and learning. What unfolded during this process was an ever-evolving realization of each person’s role in protecting our precious earth. Whether by raising money through bake sales to support environmental causes, planting trees on campus, changing our own habitual behaviors of consumption at home, or penning heartfelt poetry as a means of authentically expressing a heightened understanding of the fragility of the earth, it was apparent that the content of what they were learning was affecting the way the students perceived themselves in their relationship to each other and the whole world.

Even as life as we knew it seemed to change right before our eyes, and we went from in-person, physical communion on our beloved Oak Grove campus to a remote learning, more psychological expe-rience in cyberspace, what remained a constant was the students’ vital, ever-blossoming relationship to Mother Nature. Now, instead of sitting with a tree on campus as we had done before, each student found a tree in their own backyard or neighborhood with which to commune. Even though they could no longer sit together in physical proximity to discuss their research in groups, they almost more fervently chose to meet in chat groups and made the most of their time in our small “Zoom” group meetings to finalize the website.

"The world is each one of us; to feel that, to be really committed to it and to nothing else brings about a feeling of responsibility and an action that must

not be fragmentary, but whole." - K

I saw how the “Species Extinction” group discussed designing bird-houses for local species they wanted to protect. The “Ocean Issues” group came together in a way they’d never done before to finalize a presentation on our carbon diet. I watched the “Deforestation” group work together wholeheartedly to finish their blog, so that it reflected each member’s ideas and learning. One member of the “Livestock Production and Consumption” group proudly shared her family’s decision to raise their own chickens in a more natural and humane way. The group focusing on “Fossil Fuel and Greenhouse Gas Emissions” found meaningful ways to articulate how to reduce our carbon footprint, while the “Website Group” worked with dedication to ensure that each group’s work was reflected in an organized and authentic way on the website.

As Krishnamurti taught, “The world is each one of us; to feel that, to be really committed to it and to nothing else brings about a feeling of responsibility and an action that must not be fragmen-tary, but whole.” These words were never more true for us than they were in those moments of shared learning when our students began living the truth they perceived of their total responsibility to our planet. So, on behalf of the 5th graders at Oak Grove School, we invite you to also find out what “You Are the World” might reveal to you! 10

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KWIN WYN Incoming Family

by Justine Wynn, Ph.D.

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are developmentally so important for teens, we especially wished they’d had more time to build deeper relationships and experiences at Oak Grove. As things settled down into our “new normal,” we felt very fortunate that our teens had become part of a community they can count on, and we were impressed with how Oak Grove was nimble and adapted quickly to the situation, and has continued to do so.

We are all living during an extraordinary time of health risks, economic uncertainty, community disruption, demands for social justice, and political strife. As a clinical psychologist helping children and adults coping with some of these challenges, I feel especially grateful that Oak Grove is focused on helping our children continue to find and create ways to grow, learn, and to enjoy life.

I was 10 the first time I visited Krishnamurti speaking under the majestic oaks in the grove, and I remember resonating with his views on life. My own truth reminds me that there are also many opportunities for us right now to grow in awareness, strengthen our resilience and flexibility, deepen our relationships, and let wisdom help us savor life. I don’t know when Krishnamurti shared these words, but they seem particularly meaningful now: “The very desire to be certain, to be secure, is the beginning of bondage. It’s only when the mind is not caught in the net of certainty, and is not seeking certainty, that it is in a state of discovery.” Our family is very glad to be part of the Oak Grove School community during this extraordinary time of change and discovery.

Our 10th grade daughter, Gré, and our 6th grade son, Rylan, transferred to Oak Grove School in January 2020. Our views match Krishnamurti’s statement that “teaching is not the mere imparting of knowledge but the cultivation of an inquiring mind,” and we wanted a school that would encourage greater exploration of thought, creativity, awareness, growth, and community. Our teens had also witnessed or experienced racism and sexism at school, and we appreciated how Oak Grove is more inclusive and supportive of diverse perspectives. We had considered Oak Grove School before, but the time was finally right for both of our children in January 2020. We had no idea how perfect the timing would be.

Transferring in the middle of the school year is not easy, but the Oak Grove teachers, staff, and students welcomed our family to the community. We could already see changes in our children after their first week of school. Rylan enjoyed the new and fun ways he got to learn and was happy to find friends to play basketball. Gré especially appreciated the encouragement she received for her creative pursuits and enjoyed preparing for the musical production of “Matilda.” Then COVID-19 changed the world, and the pandemic arrived in California. After only nine weeks at Oak Grove School, required distance learning through online classes became the new reality for our family, as it did for so many other families.

Like most, we struggled in the beginning to adjust to the sudden changes and the reduced social connections. Since social relationships

KWIN WYN Incoming Family

...we wanted a school that would encourage greater exploration of thought, creativity, awareness, growth, and community.""

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On a twilit evening

in early December, 2019, the newly revitalized theater department of Oak Grove high school put on its first play, A Peasant of El Salvador. A gripping piece that deals with events preceding the Salvadoran Civil War, the play was originally conceived as a one-man show, then revised to a two-man show, and here performed for the first time by four teenage girls – under the guidance not only of director Richa Badami, but also Peter Gould, the original author and performer himself.

by Richa Badami High School Theater Teacher & Coach

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Studio arts.

Ame Martinez Gimenez Valdes breathed life and passion into her debut in the lead role as Jesus, a stoic Salvadoran farmer who suffers through the oppression and violence leading up to the civil war. Her fellow actors, Ananya Badami, Anna Richardson, and Sara Sharp, brought lyricism, humor, and gravitas to the supporting roles. As the play neared its tragic conclusion, the audience sat in riveted silence, many of them on the verge of tears. Both performances received standing ovations.

After the show, the four girls came forth to answer questions. The play dealt with heavy subject matter, and the audience wanted to know how performing this affected the young actresses. The students confirmed that it brought these events to life in a way that learning about them in a history textbook never can. Here, they not only witnessed history, but lived it, inhabiting the roles of the play’s doomed, yet unvanquished heroes.

Richa Badami, the driving influence behind this new incarnation of the Oak Grove theater department, knew that this was an unconventional choice. In fact, this is the first time this play has ever been performed by a high school. But she wanted to present a piece that would show that we are capable of more than the conventional. In the Spring of 2019, Richa led an incredible team of volunteers and performers to produce a rendition of Fiddler on the Roof, marked by professionalism, talent, and excellence at all levels. She could have presented something similarly “expected” for the Fall performance, and it would have been successful. But she had a gut feeling that called for something different. This, she knew, was the time to tell an important story, a story that would disrupt ideas of what high school theater should, and could, be. It is also a story that is deeply relevant to our times, as the plight of the Salvadoran people is far from over, and refugees from El Salvador today make up a disproportionate percentage of those languishing in detention centers on the American border, trapped between a rock and a hard place in their desperate struggle to find a better life.

"...an important story, a story that would disrupt ideas of what high school theater should, and could, be."

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When Peter Gould first wrote Peasant, he had been living and working in South America for years. Writing this piece was a way for him to process the tragedies he had witnessed, and performing it was a way for him to give voice to the voiceless. He did over 300 performances of Peasant over 13 years, first alone, then alongside Stephen Stearns, traveling across America, performing in concert halls, schools, and churches, or wherever they could find a venue. They raised money for charitable causes and reached out to universities and politicians to raise awareness. According to the Brattleboro Reformer, Vermont senator Bernie Sanders himself was deeply moved by the play, saying, “A Peasant of El Salvador teaches more about the politics, economics, history, and the plight of the poor world-wide than a dozen weighty treatises.”

In 2019, Peter Gould joined the Oak Grove cast of Peasant over Zoom on multiple occasions to

offer support, encouragement, and guidance on how to bring this important story to life. He gave lessons on mime – a key vehicle for expression in a minimalist play such as this one – shared artifacts from his years on the road performing, and even delivered the climactic monologue for the students’ benefit and inspiration.

The play was so successful that Richa and the OGS high school theater department planned a sequence of encore performances starting in April. Peter Gould himself was scheduled to make an appearance, not just via Zoom, but in person, spending a week at Oak Grove as the artist-in-residence. However, due to the outbreak of the worldwide pandemic, these exciting plans had to be canceled. Those remarkable performances from December of 2019 are destined to be unreprised, ephemeral, as all theater ultimately is, and yet shining in the memories of those who were lucky enough to be there.

OPEN HOUSEB all-school showcase

Open House is an annual event not easily replaced. Prospective families tour the campus, guided by alumni, teachers, boarding house parents, staff, board members, and current students. The aroma of tasty vegetarian food lingers in the Fall morning air. The sights and sounds of student performances enhance a wonderful experience for our community.

Touring the campus with a family just discovering Oak Grove lets one see the campus through fresh eyes, and makes our hearts swell with gratitude for this special place to learn and grow together.

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High School Holi Festival

Middle School trip to Teton Science Academy, Wyoming

Krishnamurti Foundation of America

Who are the masses? You and I. Let us not get lost in the thought that the masses must also be rightly educated. The consideration of the mass is a form of escape from immediate action. Right education will become universal if we begin with the immediate, if we are aware of ourselves in our relationship with our children, with our friends and neighbours. Our own action in the world we live in, in the world of our family and friends, will have expanding influence and effect.

By being fully aware of ourselves in all our relationships we shall begin to discover those confusions and limitations within us of which we are now ignorant; and in being aware of them, we shall understand and so dissolve them. Without this awareness and the self-knowledge which it brings, any reform in education or in other fields will only lead to further antagonism and misery.

In building enormous institutions and employing teachers who depend on a system instead of being alert and observant in their relationship with the individual student, we merely encourage the accumulation of facts, the development of capacity, and the habit of thinking mechanically, according to a pattern; but certainly none of this helps the student to grow into an integrated human being. Systems may have a limited use in the hands of alert and thoughtful educators, but they do not make for intelligence. Yet it is strange that words like “system,” “institution,” have become very important to us. Symbols have taken the place of reality, and we are content that it should be so; for reality is disturbing, while shadows give comfort.

J. KrishnamurtiEducation & the Significance of Life

Begin with the Immediate

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A Note from the Executive DirectorThe purpose of the Krishnamurti Foundation of America (KFA) is to advance public understanding and realization of human potential by means of the study of the teachings of J. Krishnamurti. Our activities are focused on making the teachings available through traditional and modern media, outreach programs both in the USA and internationally, and through our adult Educational Center and School in Ojai.

Our challenge is to make Krishnamurti’s teachings available to all age groups, cultures, economic groups and races, and to do this we continue to expand our dissemination efforts.

Residential Student Program The intention of the program is to allow for open exploration of all aspects of one’s life, with the ongoing potential of gaining insight into the nature of one’s life, the world, and the activity of human relationship. Visit kfa.org/rsp

The Immeasurable Podcast The podcast is powered by the spirit of inquiry, echoing K’s words that one must “look for oneself ”. We aim to convey how relevant the teachings are today and that the spirit of inquiry is ongoing. Visit podcast.theimmeasurable.org

Unconditionally Free The format of this new book is a timeline that spans the life of Krishnamurti, including excerpts from his talks and key events before his birth. This timeline is contextualized with major world events occurring each decade. Visit kfa.org/unconditionally

The Immeasurable The Immeasurable is our blog for young people. We work with filmmakers on creating compelling videos based on Krishnamurti’s original audio recordings that get shared on social media and Youtube. Visit theimmeasurable.org

Jaap Sluijter Executive Director

CLASS2020

As the 2020 school year drew to a close amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, staff and students alike found themselves overusing the words “resilience” and “unprecedented.” The prior was often used to describe the students and staff as they adapted to online learning, and the latter was used to summarize the situation that all found themselves in. As a teacher and Director of the High School, I also tried to eliminate or minimize my use of these two words. I can’t help, however, focusing on these two concepts when reflecting on our most recent set of graduates. The truth is that this class did exhibit formidable resilience, and they did so in the face of an unprecedented situation. During the last quarter of their senior year, they spent their time apart from their peers and teachers, only connecting virtually through online classes and meetings. In the midst of this newness and uncertainty, our graduating senior class rose to the occasion, and they were able to replicate every hallmark event within a virtual version. They offered their Gateway Presentations, they had their Senior Dinner, and they even attended their final Prom – all online. They did so while exhibiting a level of flexibility and steadfastness that was a direct reflection of their own thoughtfulness, care, and determination.

by Russ Bowen Director of the Secondary School Program

Despite the pandemic, we were able to safely allow this year’s graduating class to take to the stage again as usual, but there was a noticeable difference. Those gathered at the Pavilion to support and celebrate them were limited to immediate family, and even they were spaced out to safely distance themselves from one another. The graduates wore masks and kept a safe distance from each other, and the ceremony proceeded as normal. The evening was broadcast live to anyone who wanted to tune in, and it was replete with the usual poignancy, reflection, and gratitude that is so characteristic of an Oak Grove graduation.

The class of 2020 was unique in that it consisted of a small group of five young women. They were five kind, dynamic, and strong students who contributed in countless ways to the Oak Grove community. During their time at Oak Grove, they were leaders, scholars, activists, athletes, and inspirations to their fellow classmates and the faculty. They were a diverse group; many of them had parents from outside the U.S., and many of them were either bilingual or even trilingual.

The mission of the school is visible in these five young women; the qualities of mind, heart, and body that we value are abundantly clear in their level of reflection, kindness, and mindfulness that was showcased on stage, and we at Oak Grove had the pleasure of witnessing on a daily basis. We hope that the journey provided by Oak Grove has served them well, and we encourage them to continue to ask complicated questions that allow space for an approach to life that is whole, mindful, and intelligent.

of

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IndiaThe annual senior trip to India in January is three weeks of travel and cultural exchange including visiting Krishnamurti sister schools where seniors dance, play music and sports, and spend time in the classroom with fellow students. Several months later, India, along with most international travel would be greatly restricted due to the pandemic.

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•DEEP DEEP DIVESDIVES

by Brittany Borowitz High School Admissions AssociateHigh School Science TeacherMiddle School Student Council Advisor

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• •••

"At Oak Grove, we dive deeper.Underwater, you might ask? Maybe with the Surf Club, but surely you know I’m referring to our mission and philosophy. Our quest for connection, meaning, knowledge, and awareness. Our commitment to provide space for inquiry, reflection, silence, and relationships. The push for depth over breadth, examining one’s self and our conditioning, and pursuing our passions.

Like I said, at Oak Grove, we dive deeper.

During the This fall and spring semester, our middle school students had the opportunity to participate in “Deep Dives.” For three hours each afternoon over the course of a week, students engaged wholeheartedly and uninterruptedly in an enrichment program sponsored by an enthusiastic advisor. The topics and choices varied, but students committed to one for the week’s entirety.

Imagine the opportunity to explore the history of the universe. Through a special night hike, storytelling, and high powered binoculars, Jorge led the investigation and piqued curiosities with questions like, “How much do we know about how the universe came to be and how it works?” and “How can you look up into the night sky and see back in time through the stars?”

Or how about finally having the time to go to school, finish your homework, and grab your board for a solid surf session? Just hop in the van for Stoked Surf School with Ron and Eric, experts in riding all of life’s waves and caring for our ocean front.

Maybe you’d rather study the world, and yourself, from behind a lens, capturing and preserving the moments and emotions of life. Nina encouraged students to find and express their own visual story via documentary, journalistic, and portraiture photography, while also helping them develop an awareness of the creative and professional possibilities and skills needed in this field.

Dass mesmerized us all with kinetic and peaceful artistry. Students swung pendulums of paint, creating concentric patterns on canvas. They used glue and acrylics while pouring, dripping, swirling, and dipping to create abstract fluid art. When you include the fiber art and zentangles too, the space for creativity felt endless.

How about combining classical guitar music, video game music, and music from a Disney theme park ride? We call that a week with Aron’s Performance Ensemble – advanced student musicians jamming on bass, drums, and guitar with only their own desires and interests dictating the outcome.

And who could pass on the opportunity to join high school science teacher Brittany for a week of interactive science play? Conducting experiments, building catapults, launching rockets, racing boats, and exploring programming with robots sounds like exactly where I’d want to be.

Deep Dives are just one example of the many ways in which we encourage our community to explore, be present, inquire, and engage. Whether you are a parent, student, alum, donor, or staff member, consider how and where you choose to dive deeper. We’d love to know!

""How can you look up into the night sky How can you look up into the night sky and see back in time through the stars?"and see back in time through the stars?"

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Poco Farm is an urban sustainable teaching farm located in Meiners Oaks, about .5 miles from the Oak Grove campus. The farm educates children and residents of the Ojai Valley about sustainable food and fiber, land stewardship, and farming practices.

I am a teacher at Poco Farm, and an alumna of Oak Grove School. When I went to India with my senior class in 2015, I woke up to the fragile connections in our food system. I remember watching from the bus as a cow, full of milk, rummaged through a trash pile on the highway looking for something to eat. I knew that cow would soon be going home to give milk to the family she lived with, and I wondered about the nutrition of that milk due to the cow’s scavenger diet.

I realized the Indian cow was not all that different from the ones we raise for milk here in the states. Here, they are often fed by-products, pumped with hormones and drugs, and confined to small spaces. People then consume that milk. Since the process in the United States is largely hidden to the general public, we might be led to believe it is healthier and cleaner than the milk sourced in India. This is the realization that led me down a path to learn and share all I could about our profoundly flawed food system as a nation, which led me to where I am now, working and teaching at Poco Farm.

Throughout the 2019-20 school year, I had the privilege of teaching kids from all of the schools in the Ojai Valley. The Oak

Grove sixth grade spent a substantial amount of time at the farm this year, visiting twice a month. Our learning focus was on regenerative agriculture.

The curriculum at Poco is candid about some of the shortcomings of our food system, but also hopeful in sharing sustainable options. The emphasis is on sustainability not just in climate terms, but financial, labor, and technological terms as well. It is thrilling to witness a student share a realization or epiphany as they make connections between the greater world and the food they choose to put on their plate.

Once, in a closing circle with an Oak Grove class, a sixth grader asked, “Can we talk about farmer suicide for a minute?” The child proceeded to share their wealth of knowledge on the topic, speaking of trends in different nations and the influence of corporations like Tyson. Naturally, this surprised me!

I had not anticipated this topic, but we delved into it together. We discussed as a group the mental health of the farmers, the financial instability, and the cultural implications of debt. I am grateful that I get to participate in such inquiries, which reminds me of my time as a student at Oak Grove. Farming is not just about the food on our plate. It is also about social justice, economics, climate change, education, biodiversity, and so much more. This is what I hoped all students would take away from their visits to Poco Farm. I am confident this is some of what Oak Grove students walked away with.

POCO FARManimal husbandry tt

by RUBY DOSS, CLASS OF 2015

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It is thrilling to witness a student share a realization or

epiphany as they make connections between the greater

world and the food they choose to put on their plate.""28

pprofessionalrofessional DevelopmentDevelopment

The National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) provides services to more than 1,800 schools and associations of schools in the United States and abroad, including nearly 1,600 nonprofit, private K-12 schools. Being a member of NAIS offers Oak Grove School access to extraordinary resources. The annual conference is a special professional development opportunity for connecting personally with this community of educators and leaders and for deep peer learning. At the end of February, 2020, I joined High School History teacher Will Hornblower and Director of Early Childhood Program (...and my darling wife) Laurie Cornell in a trip to Philadelphia for the three-day conference.

The Last Hurrah Looking back, our trip feels like a strange sort of "last hurrah" before the pandemic changed life as we know it. After a packed flight to Philadelphia, we settled into our hotel and called home to talk to the kids. We were tired but brimming with excitement for the next few days. We soon learned that the conference had called an early meeting that evening to address an announcement by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: U.S. schools and businesses needed to prepare for the spread of the coronavirus.

The next morning, focused on the busy day at hand, we ate breakfast and headed out for our first day of workshops by way of bustling city streets, grand halls, and the mighty escalators of the giant Pennsylvania Convention Center.

NAIS ANNUALNAIS ANNUAL CONFERENCECONFERENCEP h i l a d e l p h i a

Not a Face-mask in Sight All things considered, I bask in the memory of this conference of 5,000 educators, racing footloose and fancy free from crowded workshops and masterclasses to keynote speeches and various hob-nobbing events. And though there was concern in the air of something looming ahead, there was not a face mask in sight. For the moment we remained the epitome of blissful ignorance. How could we really comprehend that, in just a few short weeks, our lives and our schools would be turned upside down?

It's a Small World We attended a few workshops together, beginning with one entitled Calm is Contagious: Partnering with Parents to Create a Non-Anxious Environment for Students, where Laurie was reunited with her 7th grade English teacher and earliest mentor, and coincidentally one of the presenters. It's a small world, after all. But we mostly took a divide-and-conquer approach to the conference, soaking up as much as we could. It was powerful stuff. In the evenings, we met with colleagues from other schools, discussed passionately the things we’d absorbed and what could be applied back home.

Powerful Keynote Speakers Highlighting each day were powerful keynote speakers, beginning with author Jonathan Haidt, a social psychologist who questioned the coddling of children and how we might be setting them up for failure if we don't allow unstructured play and conflict. There were Irshad Manji, Idriss Aberjane, and Yong Zhao, experts in ethics, sustainability, and business, respectively. Their different perspectives on education were captivating. Angie Thomas, author of the award winning novel The Hate U Give, spoke of her personal experience as an African American student attending an all-white Christian school in Mississippi, the subject of her best-selling novel. Thomas is an inspiring speaker who encouraged us all to find our voice in activism. The final keynote was presented by another New York Times bestselling author, Gretchen Ruben. She took us through The Four Tendencies, simplifying complex human behavior in order to bring clarity to ourselves, avoid conflict, and mostly increase happiness both personally and professionally.

What, No Cheese Steak?I was personally in awe of this great historical city and the scope of the conference. Though there was not much time for being tourists, we managed to visit the old city, see the Liberty Bell, and strike a Rocky pose on the steps of the great Philadelphia Museum of Art on our way out of town. To the chagrin of friends who heard I was in Philly, I did not have the classic cheese steak.

by Oliver Cornell, High School Dorm Parent

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pprofessionalrofessional DevelopmentDevelopment

“There is nothing more powerful than the moment a child feels seen, heard, cared for and valued by someone outside their family.” -Angie Thomas

The Importance of Professional DevelopmentOak Grove gives teachers and staff space for and supports many forms of professional development throughout the year. This includes guest presenters, books, and texts to read and discuss in small groups, parent education workshops, and forays to cities near and far for conferences and workshops. I have certainly been humbled by our school community's ability to shape-shift and take on the monumental challenge of conducting school through closure and isolation due to the pandemic, possibly the most intense workshop of our lifetime.

Like a Game of Giant JengaI was so grateful to attend the NAIS conference with Will and Laurie, who in turn support students, parents, and colleagues to be resilient learners. They know that sometimes things fall apart. Like a game of Giant Jenga, one must pick up the pieces and start again. As soon as we got home from our trip, the pandemic became everyone's top priority. The conference was instantly ancient history, but never forgotten. Often I have thought of all those teachers and administrators flooding the convention center and how we are having this strange, collective experience. I hope they are somehow comforted by those same memories and the support that NAIS continues to provide.

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distance learning

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On March 16, 2020, after an enormous amount of thought and input from the California Association of Independent Schools and following the advice of several health organizations, our entire school moved to “remote” or “distance” learning. Like everyone around the world, our community was learning about the spread of a novel coronavirus, newly named COVID-19. We were also learning new terminology like “social distancing,” and there were many more questions than answers. Our community of students, parents, teachers, and staff worked tirelessly to continue connecting and educating by creating synchronous and asynchronous lessons, materials sent home, and phone calls. As time went on, the long term impacts on schools became clear and the question became "can we be safe on campus." We are lucky to have expansive outdoor spaces, and began preparing and rethinking how our spaces are used.

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Isis, 11th grade Anna, 10th grade

Savannah, 6th grade Ravi, 11th grade

Grayson, 6th grade

33

Nature Collage Art, Early Childhood Program Grayson, 6th grade

Aishy, 5th grade Mica, 5th grade34

My three-year-old daughter Luna and I visited Oak Grove School for the first time in 2005 when I was looking for a school for her. As a mother and an educator, I knew exactly what I was looking for. While holding Luna's hand and walking around with her, I was struck by the obvious: the beauty of the campus and the surrounding nature, the charm of the classrooms, the high quality of the materials, the warm welcome from teachers. What a wonderful place for a child to bloom.

In You is the Beginning & the Endby Bettina Hohner, Parent & Kindergarten Teacher

From that very first visit, I also remember the flag with a picture of the Earth that was swinging in the wind on a long stick on the campus. I had visited other schools but this was the first time I had seen a school raise the flag of the planet Earth. This simple and welcoming gesture touched me deeply.

35

Around that time my own world was shaking. After a short marriage, I found myself redefining my life as I became unable to return home to Europe with Luna as originally planned.

In Germany I had worked more than a decade as a counselor for refugees. The dark part of German history was a subject of broad public discourse and an important element of my education ever since I was little, and it defined my adolescence. As a teenager I devoted time to being politically active for human rights. These experiences affected and shaped me deeply and left me with the ongoing inquiry of what it means to be human.

I believe in the power of education - and the importance of an education that not only focuses on the intellectual but also on the social and emotional growth of a child. To change the world and make the world a better place one must start with oneself, or as Krishnamurti said: "You are the world, the neighbor, the friend, the so-called enemy. If you would understand, you must first understand yourself, for in you is the root of all understanding. In you is the beginning and the end."

Oak Grove School's approach to education embraces the whole child and all the aspects of a student's individuality. It provides the space in which one can explore deeper questions involved in the process of understanding oneself, one’s relationship to others, to nature, and to the world around us. When a child is seen, heard, and respected at this level it creates potential for endless possibilities.

Luna started her school experience at Oak Grove School as a preschooler the year of our first visit and graduated this spring as a senior. During the last 15 years, OGS helped her understand and discover who she is and what matters in her life.

In the Early Childhood Program, Luna dug endless rivers in the sand box, learnt about Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, and non-violent communica-tion, ran to the baby oak tree, and made sandwiches for the homeless. She started to read her first "Bob" book, practiced her conflict resolution skills on the peace table, and built a wooden owl box for the Lost Meadow with her classmates.

In Elementary, Luna got tucked in by her teacher on her first camping trip without parents, planted pumpkin seeds in the spring and harvested them in the fall, was supported by her teachers during her parents' divorce and after her grandfather's death, played the main character in a theater performance, and worked on several multiple-level projects such as research on Native American tribes or on one state in the US.

In Middle School, Luna gained real work experience via three different appren-ticeship opportunities, participated in gratitude councils, visited the Museum of the Holocaust in Los Angeles, read endless books and wrote just as many book reports, and studied the science of snow in Wyoming.

In High School, Luna discovered her interest in leadership and got deeply in-volved in student council. She discovered her passion for the environment and founded Oak Grove School's Environmental Activism Club. Luna helped found the Ojai Valley Green Schools Coalition, was later elected president of OVGSC, and became one of the main organizers for "Run for the Hills", a fundraising run for local fire relief. She got involved in the movement "Fridays for Future" and organized several walkouts - with the support of teachers, which is an ex-ample of the mutual trust and respect found in teacher-student relationships at OGS. Luna spent part of her community service hours in a refugee camp in Germany and started to think about environmental equity. The rich discussions at school lead to many inspiring conversations during our family dinners. Luna deepened her knowledge of Spanish, explored dancing, discovered her passion for ceramics, and performed music on stage. As a Junior, Luna got the opportunity to visit a sister school in England and as a senior four sister schools in India.

This Spring, Luna was involved in a car accident as a passenger. The support of the school community during those scary times was amazing. Even though Luna still walked on crutches and her nose brace had just been removed the day before, she insisted on giving her speech at the annual Fundraising Tea. To see her commitment to the school and her determination in the face of adversity was touching and inspiring.

In the last 15 years, Luna has grown into a strong, confident, and independent young woman. The gifts of her OGS education are visible in so many aspects of her personality: her kindness, compassion, resilience, and communication skills. Oak Grove built a safe and solid foundation for her that is the basis of thinking critically, taking risks, and asking deep questions. Luna is ready for the world, and I'm very excited for her.

Luna had a lot of good options for college in Germany as well as in the United States. She decided to attend UC Berkeley and major in Society & Environ-ment. I'm confident that Luna will do her part to make the world a better place. On her journey she will bring with her a part of Oak Grove School and the picture of the flag of the Earth, the flag that was swinging in the wind a long time ago.

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Earned Income $4,216,737

Contributed Income $609,324

Other Investment Income/ Change in Market Value

$214,845

Unrestricted Donations $386,636

Restricted Donations $222,688

Grants $0

Bequests $0

TOTAL CONTRIBUTED INCOME $609,324

Income Breakdown Contributed Income Breakdown

Tuition & Fees $4,011,675

Other Income * $205,062

Endowments Draw $200,000

Carry Forward $120,463

TOTAL INCOME $5,361,370

* Summer School, After School Care, Lunch Program, Special Events, etc.

2019-2020 Income

Total Income $5,361,370

Earned Income

Contributed Income

Other Investment Income

37

General & Administrative $3,934,422

Deferred Maintenance $203,095

Financial Aid $626,747

Program Expenses $344,528

Development, Marketing, Outreach

$114,813

Retained for Future Projects

$137,763

2019-2020 Expenses

Total Expenses $5,361,370

Oak Grove has let me look deeper into myself and others.”

— Dinki, Eighth Grade Gateway Speech

“

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2019–2020 Oak Grove School DonorsThank YouThank YouThank YouThank YouThank YouThank YouThank YouThank YouThank YouThank YouThank YouThank You

Jay Jayanetti joined Oak Grove School in 3rd grade back in 1988

and graduated in 1998. He went on to obtain his B.S. in Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior (NPB) with a minor in Studio Art from the University of California, Davis. Jay subsequently obtained his Doctorate of Dental Surgery (DDS) and Specialty Certifi-cate in Prosthodontics from UC San Francis-co. Heading east, he then obtained a Spe-cialty Certificate in Maxillofacial Prosthetics from University of Alabama, Birmingham. (Maxillofacial prosthodontists treat patients who have acquired defects in the head and neck region, usually due to cancer, surgery, trauma, and/or birth defects.)

Jay spent five years working as a Clinical Assistant Professor of Prosthodontics, first at UCSF School of Dentistry and the University of the Pacific School of Dentistry, before joining Louisiana State University in the same capacity. At LSU School of Den-

tistry, Jay was awarded the “Golden Apple” Excellence in Teaching Award in 2014.Last year, Jay was thrilled to return to Cal-ifornia. He is currently the UCLA Associate Program Director of Maxillofacial Prosthet-ics and Clinical Assistant Professor in the Division of Advanced Prosthodontics.

Asked how his Oak Grove education re-mains important to him, Jay responded:

“I am a naturalist in my thinking. There-fore I know that I am a product of my genetic material and my upbringing, the latter of which was to a great degree influenced by the faculty and staff and friends that are the fabric of the Oak Grove School community. To that end I know that I am fond of my time in Ojai and at OGS. I love reminiscing about these past chapters in my life, and when I’m in Ojai, I’m drawn to the campus for a quiet stroll through the wood chip paths.

Nikolette Huberman began her

Oak Grove journey in preschool and graduated in 2006; she is therefore a proud “lifer.” After graduation, she went on to Northeastern University in Boston, where she studied International Business with a dual concentration in Finance and Marketing and a minor in Spanish. During her time at Northeastern, she lived in Madrid, Spain, for a year where she studied at ICADE for the first half and worked in Corporate Banking at Deutsche Bank for the second.

Upon graduation, she moved to San Francisco for a position in Wells Fargo’s Commercial Banking Group as a Financial Analyst. After two years, she was sent to a six-month credit training program and subsequently promoted to be a

Relationship Manager. In that role, she worked mostly with nonprofits and real estate investors, primarily lending them money so they could continue to run their businesses successfully. After five years with Wells Fargo, Nikolette decided to truly focus on the two industries she had been working alongside, by joining her family’s real estate investor/developer firm, BLT Enterprises, and working on the real estate side, while also spearheading their initiative to found a nonprofit foundation. Outside of work, Nikolette spends most of her time traveling and fostering rescue dogs.

While the academic education was clearly an important aspect of her Oak Grove experience, Niko says the emotional and interpersonal education has been far more instrumental in her post-OGS life.

alumni donor profiles

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Thank YouThank YouThank YouThank YouThank YouThank YouThank YouThank YouThank YouThank YouThank YouThank YouThank You

Brian D. AbbottRobert S. AbbottJulie AbstonStafford AcherKelly & Tom AdamsThe AG Educational TrustRon AgnewAmit AhujaJake AinsworthAIS NetworkSamar Akhras & Robin GangopadhyaSarah & John AldersonAlison WilliamsJack & Bev AltmanKurt AndersonLynn AndersonAlison & Kent AnderssonHemanth AnnavarapuAnonymousRobert R. AntakiLesley ApplebeeGary & Colleen ArchieGabriel & Jaymie ArquilevichDominick AtanasioRicha & Ankash BadamiDayna & Robert BaerChris BaileyJoan & Arthur BaileyAlben & Rebecca BarkleyRachael & Griffin BarkleyMike BarryDahlia Bates TorresJane BatesJohn BatesElizabeth BaumanDonna Hemmert Baumann & Kurt BaumannSamir BecharaDaniel BejeskyJudith BellSameer BellapravaluRebecca Benard

Megan & Christine BenseSharon BenseMeredy Benson Rice & Dennis RiceSerra BensonBud BenzleJoel & Jeanette BerkovitzLaura BerryRobert & Patricia BerryRonald BettencourtSalyl S. BhagwatRamesh & Sharda BhandariSharon BialyCharles BillanteKatherine Black & Carlos RamirezBLT EnterprisesSteven M. & Suzanne M. BorislowBrittany BorowitzJohn & Vicki BortolussiMia Bortolussi & Ian CrawfordTim BosierDana & Ron BoutainRuss BowenDaniel & Victoria BreenBrian KuhlmannJohnson BrittoBobbi-Lynn BrownChristian & Samantha BrownJeff S. BrownNorman V. BrunerRobin Scott BryantNghiep BuiGary L. Bulla & Theresa Bulla-RichardsThomas G. ByrnesOona & Chad CaldwellBrian Calvin & Siobhan McDevittDeborah L. CalziniAlexandra Lea & Jeffrey CantleChristopher CantlePeter & Cindy CantleTiana Capri & Curt BeyerAlan Carroll

Marian CaseyUldine & Fabien CastelKim CastroSrinivas ChalamalasettiDuane & Pamela ChanMrs. Indira ChandnaniAnthony & Patricia Daly ChibbaroJen ChochinovRobert M. ChristensenDavid Cipriani & Emily FleckRichard & Paula R. ClementAnna ClementiEdward Clift & Burcu BakiogluSara CloudWilliam & Dianne CodyAmeya Cohen & Zat EliasGerald ConwayBrian & Mikko CookLaurie & Oliver CornellPhoebe CowenHoward CramptonGail CrawfordTerry CyrCarolina Da Costa & Don JayanettiSuzanne DallmanNoelle DarlingtonAngela & Rich DaughertyRobert M. Dautch & Elizabeth PretzingerAlexis & Thomas DavisJoseph & Barbara DavisMichael DavisRobert Aubry Davis & Patricia Ann BrannanSusan DavisLauri & Jim DawsonSaskia de Vries & David TraubermanJohn & Lorette M. DedenJ. Howard DeHoffPaul Del Signore & Michele MurdochMaria & Oscar DelgadoGirish DesaiDrs. Vinod & Sunanda Deshmukh

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Elisa A. DeStefanoCarrie Devaney & Francisco MazzaStephen DeVaneyNissim DhobleByran Diaz & Chad AtkinsRaj & Veena DoddakashiImre DoffJohn DombekDon & Lori HallRodolfo DonRob & Jessica DonahueKenneth B. DooleyRobert DreesenGary & Kristina DuncanE.A. Sween CompanyMichael EcksteinGerald & Christine ElmoreJimmy EugeneLouise Everett & Steve CollinsJudy FasoneIvor FaulknerMax FechtLuiz FernandesJohn & Caroline FerrandoChris P. & Kerrie FlanaganSharon FleaganeBrian FloydLila & Dines FranceseFrank Castro & Jenny CastroChris FreyWilliam & Patricia FreyDee & Gene FunkhouserBailey Gaddis & Eric CowenGabriela GarayRom GarnarJoseph P. GaudinoMicheline GauthierKalli GedwedElfi Geigner-MagErin Gerken & Zeb StewartElizabeth Glasoe

David & Trupti GlaubmanSusan GlazebrookPaul GoetzOlga B. GonzalezTomasz GorniakSriya Gorugantu & Subramanyam KattamuriTom GrantJodi Grass & Kevin DossDavid M. GreeneGretchen & David BlackJohnnie M. GrgurichLawrence GruberKent GrunewaldElsa Gudmundsdottir & Tryggvi SigurdssonDatta GumasteKatherine & Brooks GuyerSally & Dave HackelCharles E. Hackwith, Jr.Benedict & Violette HaenggiElizabeth & Jeremy HaffnerLogan & Misty HagegeTom & Karen HallPhilip HaltonChristopher Ham & Elissa O'BrienDaniel HannabyTegan Hannah & Aaron GardnerGordon & Terry HanusekTrudy Happ-FrohlichSue Harrington & Terry MillerHarold F. Hattier, Jr.Peter Hay & Dorothea AtwaterHeather Haynes & Ty YbabenLeah Hecker & Christoph SchreweBarbara Hemmerlein & Oliver SteffensenClara & George HendonPetal HenryMarcey HenshelBobby J. HensonJorge HernandezGreg & Penny HerringWallace & Susan Herring

Karen Hesli & Jeff WelchAnna HicksLeonard HillThomas HillAllan H. & Susan HodgsonJack & Gretchen HoferBettina HohnerWill & Kaitlyn HornblowerLawren Howell & Kristopher MollerPamela M. HoxseyErik HubermanNikolette HubermanTamara HuffMarie Joie HughesEva Iacomini & Emiliano LopezCarole IvyJessie A. JacksonJohn W. JaegerRaja M. JambhekarMichael JardineJay JayanettiShemina JerajFrancisco JimenezWilliam JochimsenTom JohnstonHoward JosephsJessica JoyceGarry KalajianLilli KalmensonJesse Kamm & Lucas BrowerLinda KanarekDana & Dan KannKaran & Harpreet SinghJennifer & Joel KeelerMary & Sean KelleyMichelle KemmerBryan KestDaniel L. & Debra KilpatrickJudy KindbergEdward & Andrea KishKristin Knauff & Daniel Perkins

41

Thank YouThank YouThank YouThank YouThank YouThank YouThank YouThank YouThank YouThank YouThank YouThank YouThank You

Kate KomaikoArj KondamaniJamie KoskyC. Mani KrishnaGiddu KrishnamurtiMichael KrohnenMarcin KrzesinskiLinda KuenemanAnil KumarChetan KumarMuralidhar KurakulaSantosh KushwahaKwok Y. KwanRachel Laney & Robert WorsleyEmma & Ryan LarkanJim LarsenJoslyn LawrenceKen & Carol LeandroKasia & Randy LeavittWilliam LeeGary LeimerLyn LeschDavid LewitCassidy LinderDottie LoeblBarner David Loucks & Elizabeth TenneyKelli LoughmanCathleen Lynch & Kevin ReedDavid Lynch & Heather McDougleBeth & Greg LyonsJean Noel MagotJohn T. Mahoney, Jr.Boguslaw MaleckiPathmanathan ManoharAlix & Goffredo MarcacciniJohn M. MarchiMartha MaresmaCheryl Marino & Jesse CassoAleta MarquezSanders MarvinJane Mathews

Robert James MathewsEdmund G. McCurtainSuresh & Sudha S. MehtaStuart MeiklejohnRafael MelachrinosSanjay MenonPaul M. MenzioBonnie MetcalfKaron MettlerAlicia & Jeremy MeyerClaudia MichelliDonald & Cynthia MillerPhilip S. MillerNancy Milliken & Sergei Smirnoff Jr.Joel B. MintzPaul & Margaret MisteleMichal MitchellSilas Weir MitchellMichael Montano & Tanya Smith-MontanoManuel Montes de OcaWilliam H. MontgomeryStephen & Naomi MoriRonald D. MorrisonPaul & Evelyn Firestone MoschettaPaul MoserEliza & William MosesPhyllis MottolaVanessa MowellTerry MrvichinLaila MullerMichael Muller & Adrienne HoskinsStephen E. & Martha MullisTom & Nicole MurphyArulselvan MuthiahGerard Linsmeier & Zhena MuzykaStephen & Karen MyersMohammad A. NamvarNathan Rega & Kira FriedmanJohn R. & Jessica A. NavaPhuong NguyenTranh Nguyen

Simone NobleJohn NocasMarc NorelliScott O'BrienJock OlneyDesmond OndatjeNancy Opitz Simms & Terry SimmsKaren OrenRichard OrozcoTom & Mary OrsiniTheresa Ortega-Simpson & Melvin SimpsonAnna & Scott OsterSarah Otterstrom & Rick RutherfordLaxmi PandeyMatthew Paprocki & Amanda CoplanHemant & Ann ParekhDevanand ParmarPatagoniaKavita & Nilesh PatelRohit & Mridula PatelDianne PattonRebecca PenroseHara PeruriVladimir & Bonnie J. PeskoCharles W. PhilpJennifer PlewMary Plummer & Jesse HoneycuttDavid E. & Sandra PostBill PratherSkand PujariDeepa & Vasudev PulipatiBritt Purdy & Kenny PurdyTim Quinn & Jennifer SmithRobert RafterJoseph RaiolaRaj & Sudha RajasekaranVasant RamabadranSridharan Ramaswamy & Jayasree ChambalaEla RatheeNanda G. RavipatiBruce & Marilyn Reichardt

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Rosi ReidSteven RendinaYvonne & Jeremy RendinaWinston RichardsDass & Peter RichardsonJere & Faye RichardsonHilda J. RicheyWilliam RiddlespurgerLiesel & Craig RigsbyGuus RijnbeekPhilip & Susann RizzoRobert & Diane RutherfordSydney RobertsonTiffany Rochelle & Paul HiblerBianca & Channon RoeLouise RogersSteven RogersBill & Carolan RomeyJulia RomeyLisa & Paulo RosasDebra Rose & Peter McClurkinRaghavendra RottiRSF Social FinanceMichael & Carrie RubalcavaBarbara RuddErin Russ & Johnny KreitmanRyan & Carrie ChildsUlhas SabnisMichael SagolAjay SahgalRanjit SalunkeMarie SamsonJane SandefurBrittany Sanders & Robert PolidoriSiva R. & Dalila SankaranMelissa & Jared SappSaumen SarkarNitin SawantEmily SchabackerNorbert SchatzJoanna & Ron Schindel

Jeanne SchmittTracey SchmittJohn SchroederMariana Schulze & Justin HuhnStephen SchwindtLinda L. SelmerAlicia Serfaty de Markus & David MarkusJagdish P. ShahS. D. Shastri, M.D.Prasad N. & Sunita ShastryMichelle ShermanMichael & Shael ShevchukRyan Shields & Sarah GrunewaldMG ShivakumarCari & Peter ShoreJohn ShowJyoti ShrianScott ShriverAndrew SieffDmitri Siegel & Woodwyn KoonsPaul SiegelLewis SimsGreg SingChin Fook SiongJaap Sluijter & Kristy LeeFrancis Smith, Jr.Frederick O. SmithLynne SneadJohnny SneedWarren Snow & Kim ReedKathleen S. SnyderParesh SolankiMarcine SolarezTetyana SolotskaIndra K. & Saroj SomaniRugang SongSophmore ClassClaudia Soto & Warren PetersenCaryll SouthlandGeralyn SouzaMark Sproul

Charles W. Spurgeon, Ph.D.Yves St-AubinBenjamin StathisRobert & Patricia SteeleMary Steenburgen & Ted DansonAngela StephensBrad & Shawn StewardTiffany Stone & Myles NestelMolly Supple & Duke StumpSaygin SuzenDan & Krista SwannerNatalie SwartzTasha SweenDarcy Gray & Carole Sylvester-GrayGopal TalrejaRachel Tanck & Darris LangeMoira & Henry TarmyHoward TaylorJanice Thomas & Brian StaffordJennifer Thompson & Andrew StoryRosalie ThompsonRichard S. TombergSandra Torres & Christopher BatesRosita TowerSaïda TrabelsiBenny TrinhGabriele Troetscher-KausKathryn Tucker & Gabe MayhanJames & Carissa TudorJillian TullettGilden Tunador & Paul D'AmourThomas & Sara TurnerTyler Labine & Carrie RuscheinskyKiritkumar O. UpadhyayChayo Ureno & Norman ClaytonClarissa VaidaFrancesca ValleJacqueline Valle & Greg RomeyAron & Meghan Van AlstineHong Minh VanKalyan Vandana

43

Thank YouThank You Thank You

Thank You

Thank You

Thank YouYolanda Vega & Martin TiradoMaria VekkosHarsh VenkataramaniaShashank VinchurkarKent & Carol WadeFoster N. WalkerElizabeth WallaceNathan & Rebecca WallaceTom WallaceGlen & Patricia WalmsleyPatricia WaltcherLilly & Charlie WaltonHoward WardMelissa & Ray WarrenDick WarshawMark Warshaw & Tracy Bellomo-WarshawLeone WebsterMeredith WebsterTravis WeedonSarah & Jeff WhiteUdayo Untarya WijayaDean WilliamsKelli WilliamsDuncan Winecoff & Sheila Marquez SanchezJennifer & Eric WingJoe WohlmuthJeff WolfeMary L. Woodbridge LottAnna WoollisTrina Wyatt & Sasha VishdehiJustine & Kevin WynnTiesta & Karan YadavYun H. YiPetrina J. YorkRobert YoungDavid & Samantha ZahringerZoe Nathan & Josh LoebJeffrey ZurofskyWillem Zwart

My wife, Meredy, and I chose to dedicate ourselves to teaching in our careers…not the most lucrative choice, but a rewarding one. Not getting any younger, we recently sat down and created a trust document for our children and the causes in which we believe. Oak Grove School is included in our bequests. We did this in gratitude for all that Oak Grove has given our children and our family in hope that our small contribution might sustain others in the future. As you create your own wills, please join us in remembering Oak Grove by leaving a legacy gift to this special school.

To learn how to include Oak Grove in your personal legacy, please contact Jodi Grass, Head of School, or email [email protected].

Remembering Oak Grove by Leaving a Legacy Gift

Dennice Rice, Development Committee Chair

44

ofCircleFriends

Extraordinary L ife2019– 2020

Brian D. Abbott

Stafford Acher

The AG Educational Trust

Anonymous

Richa and Ankash Badami

Dayna and Robert Baer

Chris Bailey

Alben and Rebecca Barkley

Rachael and Griffin Barkley

Donna Hemmert Baumann and Kurt Baumann

Meredy Benson Rice and Dennis Rice

John and Vicki Bortolussi

Dana and Ron Boutain

Daniel and Victoria Breen

Brian Calvin and Siobhan McDevitt

Robert M. Dautch and Elizabeth Pretzinger

Alexis and Thomas Davis

Saskia de Vries and David Trauberman

Paul Del Signore and Michele Murdoch

Raj and Veena Doddakashi

Lila and Dines Francese

Frank Castro and Jenny Castro

Alix and Goffredo Marcaccini

Gary and Kristina Duncan

Gerard Linsmeier and Zhena Muzyka

Erin Gerken and Zeb Stewart

David and Trupti Glaubman

Sriya Gorugantu and Subramanyam Kattamuri

Jodi Grass and Kevin Doss

Logan and Misty Hagege

Gordon and Terry Hanusek

Trudy Happ-Frohlich

Greg and Penny Herring

Karen Hesli and Jeff Welch

Lawren Howell and Kristopher Moller

Erik Huberman

Nikolette Huberman

Justine and Kevin Wynn

Daniel L. and Debra Kilpatrick

Tyler Labine and Carrie Ruscheinsky

Jim Larsen

Ken and Carol Leandro

Dottie Loebl

Cathleen Lynch and Kevin Reed

David Lynch and Heather McDougle

John M. Marchi

Sanders Marvin

Jane Mathews

Edmund G. McCurtain

Stuart Meiklejohn

Paul and Margaret Mistele

Michael Montano and Tanya Smith-Montano

Ronald D. Morrison

Eliza and William Moses

Tom and Nicole Murphy

Simone Noble

Theresa Ortega-Simpson and Melvin Simpson

Anna and Scott Oster

Matthew Paprocki and Amanda Coplan

Patagonia

The Extraordinary Life Circle of Friends is a group of multi-year

donors who have pledged to donate $1,000 or more for five consecutive

years. We are grateful for the strength this group is bringing to

Oak Grove School.

Bill Prather

Deepa and Vasudev Pulipati

Tiffany Rochelle and Paul Hibler

Bianca and Channon Roe

Erin Russ and Johnny Kreitman

Ajay Sahgal

Brittany Sanders and Robert Polidori

Jeanne Schmitt

Ryan Shields and Sarah Grunewald

Dmitri Siegel and Woodwyn Koons

Claudia Soto and Warren Petersen

Mary Steenburgen and Ted Danson

Tiffany Stone and Myles Nestel

Molly Supple and Duke Stump

Janice Thomas and Brian Stafford

Jennifer Thompson and Andrew Story

Jacqueline Valle and Greg Romey

Yolanda Vega and Martin Tirado

Nathan and Rebecca Wallace

Patricia Waltcher

Lilly and Charlie Walton

Mark Warshaw and Tracy Bellomo-Warshaw

Leone Webster

Trina Wyatt and Sasha Vishdehi

Tiesta and Karan Yadav

David and Samantha Zahringer

Willem Zwart

45

Oak Grove School Board Development Committee• Dennis Rice (Chair)

• Kristy Duncan

• Jodi Grass

• Lawren Howell

• Raj Doddakashi

"By supporting Oak Grove you are making a statement that this kind of education is valued

and needed in our world."

• Tanya Smith-Monteno

• Ajaj Sahgal

• Jacqueline Valle

• Lilly Walton

2019 Fundraiser Tea speaker Jay Jayanati with fellow alumni Lilly Walton & Jen Keeler, Class of 1998

46

Peaceout)It is wIth Profound gratitude that we say good-bye to Carole Sylvester-Gray and Darcy Gray as they retire from Oak Grove. Their stories parallel that of our beloved school, with details that may surprise readers!

47

As a young man of 23 attempting to make sense of what appeared to be a very chaotic world, Darcy came across “Beginnings of Learning” by Krishnamurti. In that book K suggested that one consider looking at thought as a tool and that, like any tool, thought has a right purpose and may not be well suited for some uses. This for Darcy was a significant insight, as all he’d ever heard assumed that we take our thought process for granted as true. A few years later, in 1978, just three years after its founding, he found himself at what was then called Arya Vihara talking with Mark Lee about joining the school.

Meanwhile, when Carole was in high school she read “The Only Revolution” by, as she says, a fellow named Krishnamurti who lived in a place called Ojai. She had no idea that many years later, in 1981, she would move to Ojai, that her daughter Tina would join the school at age seven, and that she would spend her career at Oak Grove.

48

2018 Parent Ed in Student Center led by high school History teacher, Will Hornblower.

No one prepares us to be a parent!

Oak Grove's Parent Education

Program

CaRoLe“It is hard to put into words what this experience of my life at Oak Grove means to me. It is beyond words, and I know it has something to do with love. I have been so lucky to work with so many families and explore together what living and learning really means.”

49

darcy )It is almost embarrassing talking about and considering a life that is based on the dissolution of the self in this culture, as all revolves in one way or another around the enhancement of the self. Krishnamurti suggested that there is an action (awareness) that doesn’t involve thought – the thought/feeling which is the cornerstone of the self. In his letters to the schools, he brings up the importance of the teachers inquiring into this possibility amongst themselves and with the older students. Krishnamurti also said something along the lines of – once you seriously start looking into this, there is no turning back.

For many years, before there were high school buildings, Carole provided childcare during Krishnamurti’s talks, which were held annually in the oak grove. As a young Montessori teacher, she began teaching Group A (ages 3 1/2-7) in Besant House, while the high school and PK/K classrooms were being built. Carole brought the children over to the new building complex, where they swept the floors and helped out in simple ways to be a part of creating this new structure.

As a new school, Oak Grove’s teachers and parents met with Krishnamurti and attended his talks. Carole reflects, “Having K alive at that time was inspiring, as he always kept us on our toes, and one could sense his passionate concern for the intention of this newly created place. The atmosphere was filled with wonder. A place was being built that would have the intention for the people there to be in relationship, to be aware of their beautiful campus surroundings,

and to consider their thought processes and conditionings. I knew I was in a unique educational setting in which relationship was paramount, and this was a match for me.”

Darcy and Carole met at Oak Grove. For one year, they team-taught in Group C (7- and 8-year-olds), then they started dating, and Darcy became the math teacher. They married a few years later when Carole was teaching Group B (5- and 6-year-olds). Darcy’s roles over the years embraced many of his skills – woodshop teacher, caretaker, director of maintenance, high school director, administrative director (business manager), math and physics teacher, math coordinator for the school, houseparent, India trip chaperone, and IT specialist. Many alums describe the creative ways Darcy taught math and physics, most notably rigging a giant pendulum in the high school atrium for hands-on experiences with the force of gravity. Chaperoning the seniors to India

50

&watCh Carole's

tea sPeech!& "

" ""

just after 9/11, Darcy brought his calm presence to an anxious time for international travel. Darcy took short sabbaticals here and there but worked at Oak Grove for 34 years.

Carole taught more than 475 kindergarten, first, second, and third graders, bringing her consummate skill in the art of learning. Spending time outdoors and camping with young students for 30-odd years inspired her, along with students, to discover a different kind of learning away from academics. Several of those students have returned to Oak Grove as parents and teachers themselves. Carole has reassured hundreds of worried parents with her serene presence and enjoyed “helping (students) to pause before reacting and to think for themselves.” Colleagues have counted on her for support, integrity, and inspiration based on her “life-long learning” ethic. Over the years, Carole has taken time away from Oak Grove, earning her M.A. in Dance Movement Therapy at Antioch in New Hampshire, and working as a children’s counselor for a year in Alaska.

As Carole and Darcy move into retirement, it is important to both of them that people know the radically revolutionary intention of the school’s founder. In Carole’s words, “I found that it takes mature self-reflection to be aware of my conditioning and how it affects my life and those around me. I can look back and see how young I was in the beginning and how I have grown up here at Oak Grove. I have spent half of my life here and most affectionately remember my relationship with students, parents, and teachers on this very special campus. Working here in some ways has not been easy, as truly understanding K's intention for the place sometimes seems a daunting task. It has always been a challenge for staff and parents to understand what K said about our thinking process. I have always looked for the non-thinking, sacred moments in my work here at Oak Grove. Lucky for me, being with children who are less conditioned than adults has always blessed me with a sense of wonder in the moment.”

oakgrovesChool . com/caroLeoakgrovesChool . com/caroLe

Peace Out

I reveL in the awareness that the intention of the sChool wILl LIve on in me as we are no dIfferent. My heart wILl never Leave th is sChool and camPus.”

watCh Carole'stea sPeech!

carole“

Both Darcy and Carole express gratitude for their years at Oak Grove. Darcy says,“I feel fortunate to have come across the teachings of Krishnamurti at a relatively young age and to have had the opportunity to work at a school he founded for young people to explore the questions he posed in his teachings. Over my career at the school, I have had many different roles. In fact, the only role that I can think of that I didn’t have was that of chef, but I did plenty of cooking on camping trips and as a houseparent! So I sincerely don’t feel I am going anywhere, just changing my role again to one I haven’t played yet, that of ‘retired volunteer.’”

Carole shares, “I am grateful to have been lucky enough to find my calling with young children and to work in such a unique place as Oak Grove. I am content. My cup runneth over. I have found love in my livelihood and continue to feel amazed by the opportunity we have here together. My work is my life. Now it will continue away from the campus and daily interactions with students, parents, and my colleagues. I revel in the awareness that the intention of the school will live on in me as we are no different. My heart will never leave this school and campus.”

Carole and Darcy are an integral part of the Oak Grove story. We honor their profound contributions and will miss seeing them daily, but both promise to continue being an active part of the school. We are happy for them both to be taking this next step in life together.

& ""

Idon’t know if I can do this letter justice, since my head is filled with so many happy memories, mixed with a true sorrow that we are leaving, and the tears running down my face – some of happiness and some of heartbreak. So why are we leaving? To be near family and friends. Then why is it so hard to leave? Because we are leaving our Oak

Grove family as well. Notice I didn’t say Oak Grove friends. Why? We don’t have many friends, they’re all family – close family.

In 2009 my wife Dana and I adopted an amazing, beautiful three-year-old child from Ethiopia – Dinkinesh (Dinki). She came home without a language and with no knowledge of our culture. We were fortunate to find a Montessori school where the head of the school trained under the direction of Maria Montessori herself. Our little girl thrived in this environ-

7With a Heavy HeartOutgoing Family by Ron Boutain

ment. Our experience could not have been more loving and respectful, but the school only went on to third grade. The search for a new school began.

For over a year we visited schools all over Ventura County and just could not find the right fit. Being a retired public school teacher myself, I knew I didn’t want the current teach-to-the-test practice being exhibited by our local school districts. I also thought that because of her background and her emerging cultural awareness she might be lost in the number of students in public schools. And then it happened! Someone told us about a school called Oak Grove School, and it just so happened there was an open house coming up in a few weeks. It was love at first sight! Literally!

77With a Heavy Heart

Being an old YMCA camp assistant, the environment brought back how much a “camp”-type feel meant in my life. My daughter was really excited when she learned about the forts the kids could build. That there’s an openness she could explore. Oh yes! The food was terrific! My wife and I were really excited, since we had finally found a school where the total student experience was more important than an academic experience only.

Well, Dinki did enter OGS in the third grade, and now after completing eighth grade, she’ll be leaving as a confident, loved, academically prepared individual who is ready to take on the challenge of life. I’m not exaggerating. And to top it off, I can honestly say the same thing for every student that I’ve had the pleasure to meet through OGS. It wasn’t an overnight experience. It was years of committed, planned, purposeful, loving teachers, administrators, and every member of the support staff that achieved what I consider a miracle, but to the members of this extraordinary team of individu-als, it’s just another year at OGS.

Thank you, OGS, for the beginning of the year team-building the students experience. Family volunteer day before school starts. Thank you for the campouts and hiking experiences. Thank you for letting our kids run to class because they are so excited to share something with their teacher. Unbelievable – thank you for nearly every faculty member knowing the name of nearly every student as they welcome them in the morning or send them home with a compliment or some sort of encouraging word.

Thank you for the inward calmness and confidence generated through countless class experiences – from moments of silence and gardening to public speaking and performing. Thank you for encouraging the thought that attempting to do something is just as important as completing something successfully. Thank you for being a support to the children and the family as well in times of need. Thank you for the hugs and pats on the back when they were appropriate. Thank you for chasing my child around the campus or having a water fight in the parking lot. And thanks for carrying on Krishnamurti’s philosophy of silencing oneself to listen to your surroundings.

Yes! OGS will always be about family. We, as a family, are more equipped to deal with life because of this wonderful place of peace, instruction, and awareness. To everyone we are leaving, you are not being left behind. You will always be in our hearts, our minds, and our prayers. To those entering the school, get ready for one of the best experiences of your life – something you will cherish forever.

"To those entering the school, get ready for one of the best experiences of your life – something you will cherish forever."

Geometry on the eighth grade deck.

Third grade class picture.

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Covid Poemby Tess Schlachte '22

COVID-19, quarantined,Watching a small candle, a burning flame,only beautiful if contained

I watch people from the window of the car,They go into stores, places that suddenly seem far,Far from the tightly sealed bubbles we have grown.Grown to know in such a short time.So quickly a timer flips its sand,This is how it is with the world in which we used to stand,

We are scared, and yet we live, we breathe,The recycled air of a cloth mask, hot,And yet somehow not, not because everything has a bit of both sides in it

Walking comes with ease, and so the rest follows,The rest follows when I watch the evolution of everything,

The evolution of the isolation,the words of kindness, written on small scraps, a bit of cardstock, chalk swirled out over cement

I see a small flower, a bright yellow chunk of sunshine,Sprouting from a planter as I pass in the car, back from the stores,In time we will see many things fade,and this too,like a summer’s breezeWill pass,pass as everything else in humanity has, and eventually will,With ease, I can take a deep breath, loving my healthy lungs, and think, withconfidence,Of words like those in chalk and pen,that it will be ok,even if it’s not it somehow will be,Because that is the way, in the end, that has somehow always been the way.

““What does it mean to be sensitively aware?””

55

““What does it mean to be sensitively aware?””

56

220 West Lomita Avenue Ojai, California 93023

(805) 646-8236oakgroveschool.org

[email protected]

Oak Grove School is a Pre-K through 12th grade,progressive day and boarding school in Ojai, California.

The mission of Oak Grove School is to assist students in developing those qualities of mind, heart, and body that will enable them to function with excellence, care, and responsibility in the modern

world. In addition, it is the intention of the school to offer a place where the whole community can inquire together into the perennial

questions of humankind and explore an approach to life that is whole, mindful and intelligent.

F O U N D E D B Y J . K R I S H N A M U R T I

PRINTED RESPONSIBLY

This publication is made with FSC®-certified 100% postconsumer

recycled paper. In an effort to minimize our footprint, Oak Grove School

prints a set quantity of this report. View or share the digital version at:

oakgroveschool.org/annual-report

To view the KFA Annual Report please visitkfa.org/annual-reports

OAK GROVE SCHOOLThe Art of Living and Learning

oak grove school 2019-20 annual report

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