At Ojai Valley School, we strive to develop the intellectual and personal growth of all of our students – and Outdoor Education is a core part of that experience.

From the top of Ojai’s Topa Topa Mountains to the depths of the Grand Canyon, the Outdoor Education program introduces all students to the stunning mountains, canyons, deserts, and beaches in the West — while teaching students how to respect and care for our fragile environment. 

Click here to learn more about the OVS Outdoor Education program.

Our spring sports schedules may have been disrupted, but our Spud spirit remains strong at both the Upper and Lower Campuses.

Upper Campus baseball players have “practice” with coach Doug Colborn via Google Meet.

The Athletic program is a vital component of life at OVS. We believe that physical fitness is essential to the overall health and vitality of our students, as well as the development of character, teamwork, and other life skills. OVS middle and high school students participate in athletics each season. They have the opportunity to choose from a range of sports options in the fall, winter, and spring, and all elementary and primary students have physical fitness classes as part of the curriculum.

Learn more about sports at Ojai Valley School here.

Spuds top Cate, 9-0

Ojai Valley School’s baseball team came out even this week, opening the season with a 11-7 loss to Nordhoff in the teams’ first battle in more than two decades. Two days later, the OVS Spuds topped rival Cate, 9-0.

OVS coach Doug Colborn said despite the loss to the NHS Rangers, he was proud of his team’s ability to hold their own against a school seven times larger than OVS. “We only had three seniors playing yesterday, and for three other kids, it was their first high school baseball game ever,” Colborn said. “We progressed by leaps and bounds as the game progressed.”

OVS saw a strong performance from junior Derek Mendoza, who had two hits (including a triple) and two RBIs and gave up no earned runs in his two and two-thirds innings on the mound. Other highlights included two scored runs from sophomore Ryan Farrell, and two hits and a run scored for senior Tyler Davis. Freshman Hyun Ung Choi was a force offensively, Colborn added, with two hits and two RBIs.

Added Colborn: “Shout-out to Nordhoff’s Junior Patino and Carlos Bautista. They both had solid games at the plate. And Roman Mahler had a strong performance on the mound.”

Against Cate, the Spuds came out in a big way, blanking the Rams, 9-0. Leading the charge was Farrell on the mound. “Ryan Farrell beat Cate,” said a proud Coach Colborn. Farrell had 11 strikeouts and allowed only two hits, pitching the entire game.

Offensively, Mendoza went two for three with an RBI and two runs scored, while junior Adrian Ortiz contributed a two-RBI double.

“It was nice to get that first win out of the way, especially against a solid program like Cate,” said Colborn. “This was a big one for us.”

The Spuds are off next week for their Winter Break, but return to face Valley Christian at home on March 3 at 3:30 p.m. A day later, they’ll host Villanova Prep, at 3:30 p.m.

To see more photos, click here.

The team huddles after the game – their first playing in CIF. Photo by senior Megan Manion

By Olivia Brown

The OVS boys soccer squad showed a lot of heart Wednesday in its CIF playoff game against Vasquez High, losing 2-0 in a hard-fought contest on the road.

The match — the first-ever CIF playoff game for an OVS boys soccer team — showcased strong defensive efforts from juniors Gabe Weisiger (L17) and Andrew Thacher (L17), as well as seniors Sebastian Wayman-Dalo (L16) and Corbin Muller.

Junior goalie and co-captain Adam Pepper-Macias (L17) had several great saves and was working hard for the entirety of the game, displaying his best performance of the season.  In fact, the game was 1-0 late into the contest, with Vasquez scoring a second security goal in the final minutes.

For seniors Corbin and Sebastian, this was their last soccer game of their high school careers. But for the rest of the team, they are ready to get back on the field next year. 

“This year, we are a great team but we are young and squirrelly,” said Adam. “With another year of practice under our belts, we will see a very strong squad next year. I am very excited to see our progress next season.”

Read more in a news story by senior Olivia Brown (L16) on the student journalism website, On The Hill.

Freshman Logan Wallace (left) and senior captain Sebastian Wayman-Dalo (right) after the game. Photo by senior Megan Manion

The Sage Foundation has pledged a lead gift of $2 million in support of Ojai Valley School and its plans to rebuild after the devastating Thomas Fire. It is the largest gift in school history and is designated to support construction of the new Student Commons dining and library complex at the high school campus.

The contribution will be given over a two-year period and comes with an added challenge from alumnus and foundation president Ed Littlefield Jr.

“The Sage Foundation is offering a dollar-for-dollar matching challenge grant, up to $1 million, to inspire your network of supporters,” Littlefield wrote in a letter to school President/CEO Michael Hall-Mounsey – who accepted the challenge while announcing the gift during the school’s fall Family Weekend.

“Ed, we accept your challenge!” he said to applause from more than 300 students, parents, faculty and friends gathered under a canopy of lights Friday evening on the field at the Upper Campus. “We can raise $1 million in the coming year, and Ed, through his Foundation, will match that amount. That will complete our campaign. So tonight, the clock starts ticking!”

Click here to make a contribution to the RESTORE RENEW REBUILD campaign!

The gift is especially timely as Ojai Valley School is poised to begin construction on the most ambitious building project in school history – a $16-million improvement plan that replaces buildings lost in the Thomas Fire with new classrooms, science and technology labs, a makerspace for engineering and robotics, a new girls’ dormitory, and the Student Commons.

The Commons, a two-story dining hall, library, and student center, will create for the first time a place for the entire student body to gather for meals and special events. The Commons will include a kitchen and servery, indoor and outdoor dining areas, and a mezzanine student lounge. It will also include a second-story library and business center with expansive views of the Ojai Valley.

The rebuild will provide students with spacious academic and residential facilities that will support a burgeoning science and technology curriculum. It will also feature environmental sustainability features, including solar power and a lithium-battery energy storage system, that will dramatically eliminate CO2 emissions and ensure the campus can function in the event of power outages.

The buildings are all designed by Los Angeles architect Frederick Fisher and Partners, whose work is featured at USC, Caltech, Princeton, LACMA and other academic and arts institutions. The designs are architecturally aligned with the rest of the mid-century campus and feature stunning west-facing views of the Ojai Valley.

The 195-acre Upper Campus, located in the east end of the Ojai Valley at the end of Reeves Road, was severely damaged during the December 2017 Thomas Fire. The Lucila Arango Science and Technology Center and the Grace Hobson Smith Girl’s Dorm were completely destroyed. Damage to the headmaster’s residence and adjacent ceramics studio forced both to be torn down.

Littlefield was among the first alumni to offer support after the fire.

A philanthropist and musician, Littlefield hosted a benefit concert last fall with his band, Marley’s Ghost at the Upper Campus. His family established an endowment for the school many years ago and he has been a generous donor to OVS and arts institutions near his home in Washington over many years.

“Ed was an early leader in support of the Student Commons,” Hall-Mounsey said. “His contributions then and now will directly benefit students for years to come. We are deeply grateful of his support and generosity.”

The Lower Campus resident students decked the halls and decorated the tree-house as part of their pre-holiday celebrations.

By Mike Mahon, Assistant Head of School, Lower Campus

The weeks before the Holiday break play a critical role in shaping the culture of our community. Academics are busy and challenging, fine arts classes are putting their culminating projects together, sports seasons are in full effect, and we are all preparing for Campus Lighting and our well-earned vacations with family. In times of high activity, we get ample time to interact with each other in diverse environments and through the medium of shared purpose. I couldn’t be more proud of the manner in which the student body has juggled these activities while maintaining their care for each other and the community.

This year, we are celebrating the holidays a little differently, while at the same time reviving community traditions from the past. For years, we celebrated our final day of school with grade-level holiday parties and a Secret Pals gift-sharing activity. Fun was had by all, but our student leaders identified the sustainability of Secret Pal gifts as being outside our ideals of environmental sustainability. They also felt the effort spent on finding a viable gift for under $5 was missing the higher purpose of the holidays: connecting with family and community. This year, they have decided to take donations and raise funds to create care packages for the homeless population in and around Ojai. All students are participating in creating the care packages in this school-wide community service project. The selflessness of these students reminds me of the true spirit of the holidays and gives me great hope for their role in shaping a sustainable future.

We also revived a tradition in the resident program by recreating the first Campus Lighting at OVS. Prior to the performing arts extravaganza we all have come to know as Campus Lighting, this evening was once a resident-only celebration of the holidays. This year we revisited this simple yet meaningful tradition. We had a beautiful dinner, enjoyed student readings related to the holiday season, and decorated our very own OVS treehouse. Students observed the moon and stars with our telescope, and we all enjoyed each other’s company. It always surprises me that with all the high-tech distractions our modern students have to navigate, how quickly they can switch gears and enjoy a wholesome, traditional activity just like we did when we were kids.

On behalf of the entire faculty and staff, we wish you and your family a relaxing and joyful holiday vacation. I can’t think of a better way to launch the season than by attending Campus Lighting on Thursday, December 19, at 6:30 p.m. in the Greenberg Activity Center. We have some special surprises for you to enjoy this year, and I have a feeling this will be a Campus Lighting to remember.

I hope to see you there!

High school students from our Upper Campus read holiday-themed books to kindergarteners and first graders, as part of the Storytelling elective.