March 2 – OVS students have been greeted with record rain this winter, then patches of sun. They have been able to see how those conditions have nurtured their winter garden beds and pushed the seeds planted in October into budding little seedlings.
At the Lower Campus, grades PK-8, students in each class maintain a raised garden bed in the center of campus. The beds were constructed by students in the woodshop and produce grown by students will eventually make its way into the campus kitchen. Last fall, students planted cauliflower, peas, kale, radishes, carrots, chard, beets, herbs, lettuces, sweet peas, sunflowers, and, of course, Spuds as they are the school’s mascot!
Outdoor Adventures
It was windy. It was cold. And, oh yeah, it snowed.
But for a group of eight seasoned Ojai Valley School students – all alums of the Lower Campus, known for its vigorous outdoor education program – none of that mattered.
Boldly setting out to conquer the eastern Sierra Nevada, the students traveled up Highway 395 to Rock Creek and then hiked nearly a dozen miles to Gem Lake, elevation nearly 10,000 feet. After setting up camp, some hiked even higher. And they all soothed their sore muscles in hot springs just south of Mammoth.
All in all, it was a memorable outing and an excellent example of the reinvigorated Outdoor Education program at the Upper Campus, now under the direction of new history teacher and outdoor education coordinator Zach Byars. Read more in a story by sophomore Caroline Morrow (L15) on the student journalism website, On The Hill, and click here to see a gallery of photos from the trip.
OVS Awarded Grant for Environmental Education
December 6 – For a second consecutive year, Ojai Valley School, in partnership with the Channel Islands National Park, has been awarded a federal grant that will allow 60-100 students to access the islands for environmental education and restoration projects.
The $3,500 Hands on the Land grant is part of a national effort to connect students, teachers, and volunteers with public lands and waterways. As proposed by the school and the National Parks Service, OVS will use the funds to access the islands and use them as living laboratories for environmental monitoring and restoration, broadening the school’s focus on place-based environmental education and STEM programs.
“Through this HOL grant, the OVS students experience hands-on learning about restoration ecology and island biology. They are able to understand and gain an appreciation of the challenges and rewards of restoring an island ecosystem,” said OVS parent Annie Little, a biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service who helped write the grant request. “By restoring native habitat, the OVS students provide direct benefits to the whole ecosystem, including nesting seabirds, pollinators, resident and migratory birds, and a whole host of unique species endemic to the Channel Islands.”
The grant award, funded by the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Environmental Education Foundation, was announced December 2 and continues collaborative efforts between OVS and the National Park Service. Last year, 68 students in grades 5-12 benefitted from the Hands on the Land grant, which paid for travel costs to and from Anacapa and Santa Cruz Islands. Once there, students worked on-site in nurseries, planted native species, removed invasive vegetation, and gathered and compiled plant restoration data.
“In addition to hands-on learning, stewardship of our environment is a key feature of an OVS education,” said AP Environmental Science teacher John Wickenhaeuser, whose students have participated in the restoration efforts at Anacapa and Santa Cruz. “Through our partnership with Channel Islands National Park, we have the opportunity to work directly with top wildlife biologists, like Annie Little, from the Department of Fish and Wildlife while participating in important, achievable habitat restoration efforts on the incredible Channel Islands.”
Students Prep for Final Exams
Final exams for high school students are scheduled to begin on Monday, December 12. Students are encouraged to prepare well in advance for these tests, which end the first semester. To assist students, teachers hold review sessions before and during finals week. Click the PDF link below to see the schedule of review sessions:
Visiting Artist Guides Middle Schoolers
In a generation of kids who don’t rely on classic clocks to tell the time, Ojai Valley School Lower Campus and guest artist Chuck Burright are bringing clocks back into the lives of students. Read more in a story on the OVS student journalism website, On The Hill.
In the saddle
OVS equestrians concluded a great month of riding and outdoor adventures in October. Demonstrations at Family Weekend on both campuses came on the heels of a 4-day camping trip in the mountains above Santa Barbara. This year’s equestrian program is full to capacity, with almost 50 riders split between the middle school and high school. This is in addition to our younger riders, who get in the saddle regularly as part of the Pre-K to 3rd grade curriculum.
OVS welcomes riders of all levels and offers students opportunities to practice dressage, jumping, trail riding and more, all within steps of their classrooms. OVS equestrians can also take advantage of clinics and join Pony Club.
Cross Country Running Strong
Cross Country Runners Headed to League Finals
November 2 – Twenty three cross country runners from the Upper Campus are traveling to Midland School today to take part in the Condor League championship race. Both the boys’ and girls’ teams have been training since the start of the school year for the league final, and many of the runners have been logging their best training and racing times in recent weeks. The league final will feature nearly 100 runners on the boys’ side, and about 50 running in the girls’ race. “A lot of these runners are peaking at just the right time,” coach Fred Alvarez said. “I’m expecting all of my runners to have a good day out on the course.” Stay tuned for results!
Outdoor Adventures
At OVS, we offer an Outdoor Education program that rivals any independent school in the nation. Our mild weather provides ample opportunities for students to venture into the mountains, deserts and beaches of California throughout the academic year.
In the fall, high school and middle school students venture out for multi-day base camping trips and weekend trips for mountain biking, surfing, rock climbing, mountaineering, horseback riding, and kayaking.
See more photos of our recent outdoor adventures:
Click the PDFs below to see the list of upcoming 2016/17 outdoor trips:
Falls Sports Heat Up
September 30 – The OVS middle and high school fall sports season began this past week with our soccer, volleyball, and cross country teams competing against other schools in the region.
At Lower, the middle school boys’ soccer team opened the season with a win over Santa Barbara Middle School 3-1. Eighth-grader Henry Fisher scored all three OVS goals and earned a celebratory ice bath after the game. The girls’ volleyball team also won 3-1 against SBMS, led by strong performances by Grace McHale and Sophia Valenzuela. The girls lost 0-2 against St. Raphael School, but are showing great potential as their skills develop. There are six more games this season following the fall camping trips. All future games start at 4:00 p.m. Please check the schedule for details.
At Upper, the high school girls traveled to Oak Grove for their first volleyball match of the season. The JV team won in 2 sets and varsity won in 3 sets. Meanwhile, the boys’ cross country team traveled to Cate School for a meet on September 28. They were joined by solo runner Gilim Bae, a member of last year’s CIF qualifying girls’ cross country team, who placed 19th in the field of 61 girls on the Cate’s three-mile course. The boys, led by juniors Jacob Tadlock (L14) and Erick Liang, show strong potential and are running hard in preparation for a tough fall schedule. The Spuds host the opening Condor League meet on Wednesday, October 5, at 3 p.m. on the always-tough Pi course at Upper Campus.
Equestrian Welcomes New Riders
The Ojai Valley School equestrian program gives students in grades 4-12 the opportunity to ride horses as their sport and compete as members of a school team. Our program welcomes riders of all levels, from experienced competitors to beginners and purely recreational riders. Our instructors have experience in hunters, jumpers, equitation, dressage and combined training. Students also have the unique opportunity to work with guest instructors, including jumping coach Don Sachey, dressage instructor Paul Belasik, and our own OVS alumna Tiana Coudray, who visited after her appearance in the 2012 London Olympics.
At OVS, riding is among our most popular middle school and high school sports. Ojai Valley School is one of the few equestrian boarding schools in California with stables on campus, allowing students to walk from class to the barn to ride nearly every afternoon in place of sports or P.E. classes.
