Biography

Mr. Inman has performed numerous roles during his 33 years at Ojai Valley School, including middle school science teacher, boys soccer coach, and, his current role, Outdoor Education coordinator at the Lower Campus. Mr. Inman earned degrees in environmental studies and law and society from UC Santa Barbara. He joined the faculty in 1990. He recently retired from the science classroom and now exclusively spends his time teaching in the outdoors by leading dozens of trips across Southern and Central California. Weekends often find Mr. Inman with students backpacking, mountain biking, rock climbing, surfing, kayaking or canyoneering. He and his wife, Ann, live on a pixie tangerine ranch in Ojai. Their sons, Jay and Scott, are both graduates of the Lower Campus.

When not in the classroom, I can be found

Sharing the joy of outdoor adventures with OVS students. One of my favorite traditions is taking the eighth graders to White Rocks, 10′ Hole, and Boney Bean waterfall the day before graduation. It is a chance for them to run, play, swim, bond, and reflect on their experiences at the Lower Campus.

One thing students don’t know about me

I spend so much time with my students that I think they really know everything about me! Maybe they don’t know that I can’t stand pickled beets – or that I collect sea glass?

Favorite place at the Lower Campus

There are two places at OVS that I absolutely love. One is the Outdoor Ed office, which is filled with all of the equipment necessary to have amazing adventures in the wilderness. The other is our beautiful soccer field that I spent 27 years coaching on.

Best part of my job

For me, the best part of working at OVS is teaching students with their own unique educational experiences that learning can be fun, should be fun, must be fun, and that they are far more capable than they ever thought possible.