Where Does The Time Go?

There are events each year that truly symbolize the "movement" of time... Carnival signifies the new school year, Red Barn Farm symbolizes the beauty of fall, the winter musicals kick off the holiday season, the auction lets us know spring is around the corner, Acorn Day celebrates spring and field day helps bring another school year to an end!

But, there is simply no event like graduation! For our 8th graders, some have been here for a few years and some have spent as many as 14 years at Oakhill... This is their home... Their family... Their safe place. And, for all of us, the 8th graders are part of our family... We are so proud of them, yet we are very sad to see them go. 

We strive to make the night memorable for the students and their families... From the legacy videos, to the speeches and the music for the reception. The boys wear black suits and Oakhill ties while the girls wear beautiful white dresses. Mrs. Ganaden and I address the class with personal stories and recollections, while two student speakers from the 8th grade class bring both laughs and tears from their classmates and faculty. Mrs. Hill and Mrs. Ely add their special touches showcasing the 8th graders one last time. After the ceremony, the 7th grade parents host a beautiful reception for the graduates and their families. 

The graduates return to Oakhill the next day for a Kindergarten/8th grade brunch followed by one last memory to be made. The entire school lines the hallways for the final "walk"! Finally, the graduates are greeted by a Limo in the Center Drive - after lots of pictures, hugs, tears, and cheers, they are off for an afternoon adventure together! 

And, the cycle continues... Our 7th graders prepare themselves to be the new 8th grade leaders... they head back into the school... Pick out their lockers for the coming year... And smile! Now it is their time... And, they, too, will enjoy this tradition next year - same time/same place!

 

Although our graduates "leave", they do come back often... They will forever be a part of Oakhill - our pride... Our alumni!

Tick tick,
Suzanne

Friendly sports competitions (and trophies) always bring our alumni back to visit (and play)!
2014 Alumni/Faculty Volleyball Game

What Does Spring Break Really Mean?

Spring is in the air… these warm temperatures are bringing on the highly contagious “spring fever”! During my 23 years in education, there is nothing that can be done about this fever… no remedy strong enough… no lesson engaging enough to keep the symptoms at bay! The best medicine is time away – from routine, from instruction, and from the indoors.

With Spring Break upon us, what shall you do for two weeks? 16 days? 384 hours?

I encourage you to take all you have learned (so far) this year and apply these skills in real life situations! Incorporate all the math you have learned (coins, time, numbers, measurement), all the books and stories you have read, the writing processes practiced, the scientific knowledge you have learned, the history and map skills you have been immersed in, the music, the art, the Spanish, the technology, and all of the physical activity you partake in daily AND put these skills into practice!

Whether you go for a walk in the park, plan a small adventure nearby, or embark on a fabulous vacation, use your skills and knowledge to make the family time even more meaningful. Break your routine, try out some new restaurants, and play outside. I encourage your family to “unplug” a little bit… find a way to use your technological devices as tools to help with your adventures… mapping a trail run or bike ride, using your phone or device to take pictures to capture the memories, or search for a nearby park. Simply take a break from the normal routine!

When you return from break, your “spring fever” should be manageable! Your symptoms should subside a bit, and you should be ready for a 4^th quarter of learning and fun!

Make some memories,

Suzanne 

The First Day is the Best Day

How the first days of school
have changed. This is me in my
First days of school!

I absolutely LOVE the first day of school! As an educator, this is my 23^rd first day (I won’t tell you how many first days I have had if I go back and count Kindergarten through college)! Each first day brings high energy, anticipation, and a fresh beginning! The entire faculty and staff has been working around the clock the past few days and weeks preparing for this important day… and, it is HERE! My,  how all of the children have grown and changed!

This is me on this year's
 First day of school!

I spent my morning watching parents and students take pictures and celebrate a new beginning. First day of school pictures are so impactful – you visually see the children grow year over year! I have a composite frame where I place all of the first day pictures. Many years ago I had so many spaces left to fill – the frame was so empty! But, after today, my daughter only has 6 spaces to fill and my son only has 3 more to fill! That is truly unbelievable! It almost brings me to tears!

So, here is my advice after 23 first days of school, and, after watching my own children grow… hold on to the moments! Enjoy each and every day… not just the first! Don’t countdown to some event or the “end” of a grade… make each day count! That little Preschooler will soon be a big Eighth Grader – time will fly, but please enjoy the view!

Here’s to another “first” day,

Suzanne 

And... They're Off!

Goodbye Graduates!

The 8th grade graduation is always bittersweet… we have taught them, watched them grow up right before our eyes, and have become quite attached! On graduation night those 8th graders who used to be little Toddlers and Preschoolers and Kindergartners are all grown up, ready to spread their wings and fly! Although we are so very proud, we are also so very sad to see them go… and, for me, personally, this year was extra hard… my own son was a graduate!

I only wish each and every family could come to graduation… to see the handsome young men in their black suits and teal and black Oakhill ties and the beautiful young women in their gorgeous white dresses… to hear their speeches… to watch their heartfelt legacy videos where they thank their teachers for all they have learned. Graduation is such a special night for the students, the families, and the faculty – a night none of the graduates will ever forget.

The student speeches always bring many laughs and many tears! The message they deliver is one we should use for marketing on our website – straight from the heart - reminiscing about the good times at Oakhill and preparing for life beyond these walls. This year’s message can be seen in the following excerpts:

Brady McCanles

We came into the (basketball) season fresh off a championship, so you'd think that would make the other teams worry. But for some reason, they didn't. They just looked at us and saw that we had lost four key players, that we had new and inexperienced kids, and they wrote us off. And that was true for the most part, we did lose some key members of our team, we did have new kids, but they forgot one thing about us, they forgot we fight, they forgot we don't give up just because the odds are stacked against us. So when tournament time came around, we had a low number six seed, and no one paid any attention to us, but that was their mistake. We had become a true team by that point, and no one could stop us. We beat the number two, number three, and number one teams on our way to our Championship win. And that was because we have formed a bond that was beyond a group of athletes, we had become brothers. I think that's what Oakhill is about, it creates lasting bonds that will withstand the test of time, and are almost impossible to break. More friends will be added along the line, but we will all always be here for each other. We will go on to our respective high schools, but this, this building on the little street of North Cherry, will always be home. Oakhill has become a school that will never be overlooked again. Everything we succeed in will come back to the knowledge and lessons we have learned here, and for that, I will be forever grateful. Each and every one of us came here separately as kids, but we leave here, a family.

Darcy Bond

Tonight we’re leaving the place we’ve grown up in and leaving the people who are more than just friends. All these people, the students, teachers, and staff, are my extended family. Just like Oakhill is my other home. High school is a place where each of us will go our separate ways to make new families. But I can guarantee that none of us will forget the memories we’ve made at Oakhill as well as the relationships we’ve formed with each other. I’d like to end with a quote that I feel fits tonight’s situation. The quote is from a famous poet whom most of you know, his name is Dr. Seuss. “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.” 

On our final day of school, our Kindergarten students graduated and joined our 8th grade graduates and families for a wonderful brunch. After the celebration, our 8th graders walked through the hallways for a final time, handed the “torch” to the 7th grade, boarded a limo with Mrs. Ganaden, our Middle School Division Head, traveled to their respective high schools, and enjoyed a final afternoon together at Schlitterbahn water park. Mrs. Ganaden focused her graduation message on “home" by quoting Alexander Hemon, "Home is where somebody notices when you are no longer there." Oakhill will always be home to our alumni – we will always welcome them with open arms and cannot wait to see the places they go. The "Graduating" Moms & Dads - Moving on it hard for us too!

Are field trips and experiential trips really meaningful?

Pony Express Museum (In the Old Days)

When I think back to my elementary, middle, and high school days, I don’t truly remember the day-to-day academics, the units studied, or the tests taken… but, what I do remember are the field trips I experienced. I remember my trip to the zoo in first grade, the journey to Fort Osage in 3^rd Grade, the Pony Express Museum in 7^th Grade, and our Senior Trip in High School. When I compare what Oakhill’s students experience to my experiences, there is NO comparison! From the time our students are in Preschool, we strive to create experiences off campus that will tie in with our curriculum – bringing various aspects of the curriculum to life.

2014 Omaha Zoo Fieldtrip

Since Spring Break, our students have been afforded the opportunity to be enriched with various trips. Our 3^rd Grade students spent an entire day (7:00 am – 5:45 pm) at the Omaha Zoo. Each and every minute of the trip was scheduled to allow ample time to explore what the students had been studying! Our Kindergarten students spent last Friday at the Paul Mesner Puppet Show. Our 7^th and 8^th Graders left at 5:45 am on Monday, April 14^th to spend the day in Northern Arkansas at the Crystal Bridges Art Museum. When they returned at 7:30 pm that night, they had enjoyed more than “just” the art museum, but had enjoyed one another.

In another week, our 5^th and 6^th Grade students head to Washington D.C. for a 4 day/3 night adventure while our 7^th and 8^th Graders travel to the Florida Keys for a 5 day/4 night excursion! I have been on both trips… and, I cannot say enough about how the students benefit from this travel – the independence, the responsibility, the learning, the exposure… they truly “grow up” on this trip! The Washington, D.C. group experiences all the great things the city has to offer: monuments, memorials, museums, Arlington Cemetery, the White House, the Capitol Building, Mt. Vernon, and so much more! The Florida Keys group experiences the Keys from Miami to Key West, all the great sites of Key West including the southernmost point, the Hemingway Home, and Smather’s Beach, the turtle hospital, and the main attraction – SeaCamp! SeaCamp is like nothing I have ever experienced – on the boat, snorkeling, wading, dissecting squid, swimming with sharks, and so much more! When the students return from the trips, they have truly changed, AND, they have memories that will last a lifetime!

Oakhill Takes on Hermann, MO

From pumpkin patches to Kaleidoscope; from 18^th and Vine to Hermann, MO; from Discovery Center to Union Station; and from the Zoo to Steamboat Arabia – each and every trip is impactful! Our students are truly lucky!

Check out this link... It gives more information about the Heifer Experience, our Middle School trip this coming October – Senora is taking the group back to Heifer International’s Overnight experience in Perry, Arkansas. 

Check out photos from our last trip to Heifer!

Travel makes one wiser and more appreciative!

All Snow and No Play?

Snow days… what do you visualize when you hear the words snow day?

Here on the Oakhill snow day has multiple meanings. It can mean the inability to have a normal school day due to inclement weather OR it can mean a great day for sledding! As you can see in some of these pictures, our students truly enjoy a “snow day”! I do love a great snow… finding the right hill, grabbing a fast sled, and hitting the slopes!

We have been fortunate to have a PE coach who appreciates the snow. Coach Speer is actually unhappy when I call a true snow day… she likes being here, on the hill, watching the children’s eyes light up as they race down the snow on their sleds. She and Coach Scheidecker and Coach Beckham had a fun-filled few days on the Oakhill slope!

Sledding is just one reason we look forward to winter at Oakhill Day School!
(Click on the link to see more photos of winter fun!)

There aren’t many great sledding snows in a given season, so when we do have one, we HAVE to take advantage of it! And, there is nothing better than sledding with all your friends! 

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

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

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!