Welcome to Ojai Valley Upper School

A Message From Our Headmaster

My education at Ojai Valley School began at age five and has given me almost a lifetime to live the school philosophy. Back then, as now, many of the most important lessons were taught outside the classroom, and learning was reinforced by the examples my teachers set and the experiences in which I was a participant.

Today, OVS continues to uphold the philosophy of educating the whole child.  Our students learn to participate, to be respectful, to work independently, to love challenges, to reach beyond limits, to strive for excellence, to try again if they fail and, ultimately, to value themselves.  They graduate with character and a sense of responsibility, but even more so, a feeling of pride that they can make a positive difference in our world.

There have been many changes since I was a student at our upper campus, including new classrooms, athletic facilities, a broadened curriculum and, most recently, construction of our state-of-the-art Science and Technology Center.  But the sense of family that pervades our campus remains unchanged, as does our belief that every student we take into OVS has potential – and in our environment that potential can be realized.

I hope that after exploring our web site you will want to visit our campus, and see for yourself the energy, spirit and love of learning that thrives in our community on The Hill.

Carl S. Cooper
Headmaster
Member, Class of 1968 

To view our 2008/2009 academic calendar, please click here.