Choices, Choices, Choices

As my family begins to look at High School options for my 8^th Grade son Brady, I enter each tour, each visit, and each discussion with a whole new perspective on the admissions process. Instead of Head of School, I am parent, educator, consumer… this gives me a different set of eyes and a new way to look at what “the right fit” truly is!

The independent private school admissions office is always evolving… at Oakhill, in the Midwest, and across the Nation. Although each school differs in recruitment methods and admissions processes, our goals remain the same – to attract great students, great families, and true partners in education.

Our Admissions office at Oakhill is a busy one. Leah, our Admissions Director is busy fielding phone calls, walk-in and scheduled tours, student visits, and more... all to gear up for Oakhill's Open House on November 23^rd from 10:00 a.m. - Noon. Last year’s Open House was our first one-day, weekend Open House event and was a huge success – more families than guides to show all of the anxious prospective families around! Now that's a wonderful problem to have. This year, we anticipate another successful event. Our four 8^th grade Ambassadors, along with many additional administrators and Oakhill parents, will lead tours throughout day. Prospective families will enjoy traversing through the campus, meeting teachers, asking questions, hearing how Oakhill stands apart from its competition. Most importantly, we hope that everyone will see/feel what our school is all about because deciding on a school for your child is one of the most important decisions you'll make!

We are doing our very best to promote this event, an event we consider the kick off to the admissions season… through a billboard, postcards, advertisements, and more. We hope you will take a look at your friends, neighbors, business colleagues, and the like to see who you know that would benefit from an Oakhill education. Invite them to our Open House, let us know you are talking with them, help us share the Oakhill Story!

Tis the Season… for Oakhill admissions! Together, we grow!

Suzanne

Let's Get to Know Mrs. Holloway!

Who is ready for another Q & A? Let's get to know Mrs. Holloway!

Q: what do you do at Oakhill? 

I am Mrs. Tenner's assistant in pre-k.

Q: what educational institution did you come from or what is your background? Last teaching experiences? What made you drawn to Oakhill? 

I received my Bachelor's Degree in Psychology from UMKC and worked as an in-home daycare throughout high school and college.  This is my first year as a teacher but my  seventh year at Oakhill as a parent.  Both of my daughters (Lauren, age 8 and Allie age 6) have attended Oakhill since they were 2 years old.  Oakhill has been such an important part of our family for the past six years.  I've spent a lot of time volunteering here and now I am thrilled to get the opportunity to work here.

Q: what are your "other" gifts, talents, interests that you bring to Oakhill? 
I have a big heart.  I genuinely care about each of the students and I want them to feel special and loved when they walk through the doors of our school.

Q: what are you enjoying most about your new position and Oakhill? 

I am enjoying being a part of an amazing faculty with people from all different backgrounds, interests and talents who all have a common goal: to love, teach and help their students be all that they can be! 

Q: What have the students taught you so far? 

The students have taught me how to laugh, have fun and about being flexible!

Q: What do you want parents to know about you?  

I believe so much in our school.  There is no better place to drop your children off for the day in such a loving, nurturing environment where they are given the opportunity to grow and succeed.

Q: what do you like to do in your spare time? 

I love going to the gym to workout, running, and spending time with my family.

It's Another Q & A Day!

Meet Mrs. Leah Hyatt

Q: Welcome to Oakhill Leah! Can you tell me a little about your educational journey?

A:  Sure! After graduating from UMKC,  I became a teaching  assistant at Pembroke Hill, teaching Prekindergarten.  The next year, I was hired at Oakhill Day School as a five day Prekindergarten teacher. After getting married, and having our first daughter I went to a three day Prekindergarten position. I finished my teaching career at Oakhill in 2000 after the birth of our second child.  It was a bittersweet parting.  I was sad to say good-bye to all the students, parents, and staff who had been so close to me for the last six years, but happy to become a stay at home Mom.  For the last fourteen years that has been my “job.” Staying at home was a blast and I loved every minute of it! I loved helping at our children’s elementary school and spent several years as hospitality chair, where I made sure the teachers were treated to fabulous lunches and treats! Our oldest daughter is two years away from heading off to college (Ole Miss anyone?) and I felt it was the right time to head back to my teaching career. How lucky was I that Oakhill had an opening (and that they wanted me back)!  It is strange to walk through the halls of this school and almost feel as if I have never been gone. Although the technology has changed, the children are just as smart, cute, and enthusiastic as ever. The school has never looked better, and I am thrilled to be a part of Oakhill Day School again!

It's Q & A TIme!

There are so many new faces at the start of a new school year... Students, Parents, and Faculty. This year, I thought it would be fun to do a little Q & A with Mrs. McCanles to introduce our community to some of the new faculty faces.

Meet Mrs. Elaine Scheidecker

Q: What is your role at Oakhill? 

A: What I do at Oakhill is a variety of different things.  I help out with Coach Ziegler in PE.  I also help Coach Speer with 3rd grade PE. Another activity I do is teaching Preschool and Prekindergarten computer skills.  Another wonderful thing is working with the middle-school age with enrichment activities, and  in the Panther Power Place.  Lastly, I help in Kids' Club by opening every morning and working some afternoons after school. 

Q: What is your educational background? Last teaching experiences? What drew you to Oakhill? 

A: I have  a B.S. degree from Northwest Missouri State University and obtained my Master’s Degree from Baker University.  I also have gifted certification received from UMKC and Drury University.  I spent the last twenty-six years in Smithville teaching fourth grade, gifted education, and first grade.  I also helped with many clubs and activities.  I was drawn to Oakhill because of its amazing reputation for quality teaching.  I also heard wonderful things about the students and parents.  Everyone is so welcoming!

Q: What are your “other” gifts, talents, interests that you bring to Oakhill?  

A: I enjoy playing the piano and singing.  I have been the accompanist for school choir for many years. I have coached Fourth and Fifth graders in Math Contests... and I really enjoy sports.  

Q: What are you enjoying most about your new position at Oakhill?  

A: The best thing about being at Oakhill this year is getting to know all ages of students.  I am not just with one grade level, but working with two year olds all the way up to eighth graders.  It is a joy to be around all these ages.   One of the things I am enjoying at Oakhill is meeting all these new students, parents, and colleagues.  Everyone has been great.

Q: What have the students taught you so far?  

A: What I have learned from the students so far this year is that we are all a child at heart.  Also I have learned that the students at Oakhill are so polite. 

Q: What do you want parents to know about you?  

A: I want parents to know that I hope your students enjoy learning new things from me.  I have taught every grade from kindergarten through sixth grade.  I also want them to know that I am always approachable with new ideas or suggestions.  I will lend an ear or open the door to anyone.

Q: what do you like to do in your spare time?  

A: I fill my spare time with hanging out with my husband and sons (whenever my sons are home from college).  I also like attending any sporting activities they are involved in when they are close to home.    I also am on a worship team along with several other activities at church.  I love being with my friends and helping out other people.  

What is a signature event?

There are many things students look forward to in a given school year, but we have a few events that are truly signature! Our goal is for each school year to have SOMETHING the students really, really, really look forward to! The event has a reputation that precedes it!

In Kindergarten, it is the hatching of the chicks! They learned so much before the eggs arrived, during the week long wait in the incubator, and after the hatch! This is truly something special and an event no child will forget. Our older students still make the journey to the Kindergarten rooms during the hatching “season” to see the chicks!

What are some of Oakhill’s signature events? Here is a sampling…

Early Learners – Ms. Ferris and Mrs. Ely made sure the camping unit came to life with tents, flashlights, roasted hot dogs, and smores!

First Grade – Mrs. Manley and Mrs. Parrack bring Hawaii to Oakhill each winter – hula dancing, Hawaiian delights, and lava cakes!

Sixth Grade – Mrs. Newhouse leads the 6^th grade in the design and creation of a haunted house for all ages.

Eighth Grade – Mr. Feagles joins the newly graduated 8^th graders the last day of school on an afternoon adventure!

I haven’t listed all of our signature events – what do you believe are Oakhill’s signature events each year? I would love to have you share your thoughts… ask your students… see what stands out to you... each and every year!

Suzanne

What Makes a Teacher Great...

When an alumna walks through the doors at Oakhill, I know he or she will make a teacher's day! Not only will the past student reconnect with his or her teachers, but, most likely, the student will share a story or articulate a specific instance showcasing how that teacher made a difference or left a lasting mark! These moments make a teacher remember exactly why he or she went into such a demanding profession. We are all here for the children...to make an impact...to make a difference!

As many a wise person said, "Teaching is the profession that makes all other professions possible" — including ours.

-Pat Bassett

I ran across the most recent article by Pat Bassett, President of NAIS, titled Twenty-Five Factors Great Teachers Have in Common. I have encouraged the faculty to use the article to reflect, grow, and converse! 

Aloha!

It is wonderful to watch our first graders present their PowerPoints! They display such confidence and pride...speaking on front of a crowd of about 75 people! This is just one example of the emphasis we place on communication, creativity, and collaboration. I am so proud of their work!

Are we a 21st Century School?

The Oakhill Day School faculty and administration had an opportunity to share, grow, and connect on Monday, January 28^th.

My colleagues – other heads of school in the KC area – from St. Paul’s, Pembroke Hill, The Barstow School, Bishop Seabury, Topeka Collegiate, St. Teresa’s Academy, Notre Dame de Sion, Rockhurst High School, Kansas City Academy, Horizon Academy, Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy, and Cristo Rey of Kansas City strive to bring professional development opportunities to our schools.

Although the Heads of Schools get together each month to chat, discuss, and share, our communities had not gotten together for the past five years. We were excited to meet at St. Paul’s Episcopal Day School on January 28^th. We began by hearing from Pat Bassett, President of the NAIS (National Association of Independent Schools). His presentation focused on 21^st Century Schools – what needs to be taught and emphasized. The skills needed in today’s world and beyond are: creativity, character, communication, critical thinking, collaboration and cultural knowledge. 

As Pat discussed each of these skills, of course, my reaction was to say to myself… is Oakhill cultivating these skills as well? And, the answer is yes! These skills can be hard to measure, yet our “products” – our graduates and alumni truly “measure up”! If you came to Fly Up Night, you were able to hear from a few of our alumni – their confidence and presence in front of a large crowd were amazing!

Our teachers then went to breakout sessions with their divisions. For instance, the Early Childhood teachers were able to share and interact with other Early Childhood teachers…the Lower school…the Middle School…and, the Specialists. Pat Bassett did a second presentation for the school administration. This presentation focused on the importance of managing and leading a school to greatness. As he pointed out, a strong community is essential to a school’s overall success.

Finally, Mr. Bassett presented to the Board of Trustees from the various schools. He focused on the commonalities of great independent schools – it was exciting to see how well Oakhill “scored” according to his rubric!

I feel we are great…but, of course, there is ALWAYS room for improvement! We will continue to reach for the stars, to be better, to be stronger, to stay true to our mission! Being good is not enough – being great is expected!

Setting Us Apart

Each year, I watch the 8^th graders blossom and transform…from middle school students to high schoolers! There are many things they take with them – confidence, character, the ability to clearly communicate, written expression, mathematical abilities, the understanding of our past and present, the ability to hypothesize, and so much more. I know Oakhill provides a solid foundation for what is to come.

When I watched the 8^th grade perform at last month's Holiday Concert, I watched their unique personalities come out on stage. In many middle schools, there are a select few who choose to participate in drama and music…maybe they choose this as an elective and maybe they don’t! Maybe they are chosen by the music and drama teacher, and maybe they aren't! At Oakhill all of our 8^th graders have the opportunity to shine on stage…to share their talent in front of family and friends…to let their confidence grow even more. Those moments are important to me as an administrator…we are producing students who believe in themselves and know who they are!

Of course, hard evidence is just as important. As parents, I know you are always looking for evidence of value…and, you should be!

I want to take this opportunity to share with you some remarkable statistics. On Wednesday, November 7^th the eighth grade students took the EXPLORE test, which is part of the ACT family.  It is written for the 8^th or 9^th grade level with a goal of getting a head start on ACT testing and making sure students are on track for high school.  Via an inventory, it also suggests careers and course direction that match the student’s interest.  The test consists of a section in English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science with a high score of 25.  The English section has two components, usage/mechanics and rhetorical skills with a high score of 12.  Each student also received a composite score with 25 being the highest.  The charts below show how our students at Oakhill compared to the national norm group. Quite impressive AND expected!

Some interesting points: (For each of the following the high composite score is 25.)

In English our students average composite score was 21.6 compared to a national average of 14.7.

In Mathematics our students average composite score was 20.8 compared to a national average of 15.5.

In Reading our students average composite score was 21.1 compared to a national average of 14.6.

In Science our students average composite score was 20.8 compared to a national average of 16.6.

Overall composite:  our students averaged 21.2 compared to a national average of 15.5!  100% of our students scored ABOVE the national average!

We are excited to share our results with the entire community.  We understand that Oakhill is an investment.  The performance of our 8^th grade students on the EXPLORE is just one of many way we can show you the dividends.

Suzanne