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Ojai Valley School is located on two campuses in Ojai, CA.
- The Lower Campus (grades PK-8) is located at 723 El Paseo Road.
- The Upper Campus (grades 9-12) is located at 10820 Reeves Road.
- The school also has a Business Office located at 510 Country Club Drive. Please call (805) 646-1423 for information or access the staff directory below.
Mr. Almanza serves as the Resident Coordinator for the boarding program at the Lower Campus, overseeing the youngest residents in grades 3-8. He also served as an Associate Director of Admissions, introducing boarding and day students to the primary, elementary and middle school divisions of the school. Mr. Almanza received his education from Eastern Illinois University and recently completed an advanced degree at USC in enrollment management.…
Mr. Alvarez performs many roles at the Upper Campus, including College Counselor, teacher of Humanities, World History and Journalism, and coach of Cross Country. Before joining the OVS faculty in 2007, he worked as a professional journalist for a number of California newspapers. His last stint was with the Los Angeles Times, where he worked as a metro reporter for 14 years covering immigration, agriculture, social issues, and government.…
Mrs. Bailey started her OVS career as an elementary student. She adored her years growing up at the Lower Campus and graduated from eighth grade in 1998. Since she was a young student, Mrs. Bailey had always wanted to work at OVS. She started as a teacher’s aide, taught in Summer Camp, served as a resident counselor for girls, and taught in the Learning Center before becoming the Pre-Kindergarten teacher.…
Ms. Belgum leads the Animal Science and Barnyard program for students in grades PK-3 and in 2025-26 will also teach a new Land & Climate curriculum for students in grades 4-5. Her interest in animals, horses especially, started when her grandfather brought her to see his racehorses at the age of 4. Since then she has had a variety of riding experience.…
Mr. Benson joined the OVS faculty and staff in November 2022 and comes with extensive experience in technology and problem-solving, including cyber security. He plays a leading role in advancing the school’s technology initiatives on its two campuses.
Mr. Brunelle joined the OVS faculty in August 2023 in the role of School Counselor. He previously served as the Middle School Counselor at The Harley School in Rochester, NY. Mr. Brunelle plays a central role at OVS in monitoring and supporting the social-emotional well-being of boarding and day students across the grade levels. Among his duties, he helps students in the transition to boarding school and supports them throughout the year in developing healthy self-management, coping, and decision-making skills.…
Mr. Byars serves as the Coordinator of the Upper Campus Outdoor Education program. He earned his Bachelor’s degree from Trinity University in Texas and has taught World History and Geology. Beyond his academic pursuits, he has applied his teaching talents to instruction in outdoor activities, including swift water rescue and wilderness medicine. He has taught skiing in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and led ropes course activities.…
Mrs. Campbell has taught primary, elementary and middle school art at the Lower Campus for nearly a decade. She has also run the art program for OVS Summer Camp and she is a working artist herself, frequently collaborating with other Ojai artists who often support the program as visiting instructors. Mrs. Campbell lives in Ojai with her husband, Scott.…
Mrs. Carver joined the high school faculty as a Learning Center teacher in August 2024. She assisted in the Learning Center during the previous school year and now brings her skills full time as an instructor for students with diagnosed learning differences and those who need help with organization, time management and general academic support. Mrs.…
A lifelong resident of Ventura County, Mrs. Colborn received her undergraduate degree in history from UC Santa Barbara. Thereafter, she entered Southwestern University School of Law in Los Angeles earning her juris doctor degree. She passed the California State Bar Exam and joined the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office before leaving to practice civil litigation in Santa Barbara.…
Ms. Cosio teaches Elementary Spanish at the Lower Campus. She holds a BA in Spanish and Linguistics from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Ms. Cuccio has been a teacher’s assistant in the primary program since 2001. She enjoys working with our youngest students in the PreKindergarten class, and also helps with the school’s plays. She has also worked during Summer Camp and assisted with after-school care. She enjoys getting to know students of all ages and feels a part of the whole Lower Campus.…
Mr. Cvetich joined the high school faculty in August 2024. He will teach three advanced placement courses – AP World History, AP United States History and AP Psychology. He will also coach basketball and baseball. Mr. Cvetich earned his BA in General Psychology from UC Merced. He previously worked as a teacher, the history department chair and coach at Sage Ridge School in Reno, NV and at Nantucket Lighthouse School in Nantucket, MA, after getting his start in education as a technology integration specialist at his former high school, Sacramento Country Day School.…
Ms. Davis stepped into a new role as Director of High School in August 2025. She has spent more than 30 years teaching at the Upper Campus, primarily in the English and Social Studies departments where she taught all levels of English and developed the Humanities curriculum. She also served as the Assistant Head of Upper Campus, overseeing Student Affairs.…
Mr. Driscoll teaches AP Chemistry, Chemistry, and serves as resident counselor living in the Hermes Hall dormitory for boys. Mr. Driscoll joined the Upper Campus faculty in August 2023. He previously taught Honors Environmental Science at Lick Wilmerding High School in San Francisco and served as a tutor for students who required additional support in math and science.…
Mrs. Emanuel joined the OVS family in 2008, shortly after moving to the U.S. from Ukraine. Over the years, she has worked on both campuses in a variety of roles, including Weekend Coordinator, Dorm Parent, ESL Teacher, and English Language Program Coordinator. After taking a short break, she returned to OVS several years ago as an ESL Teacher and Advisor.…
Mrs. English attended UC Santa Barbara, where she played tennis and earned a BA in English. She spent more than a decade teaching elementary school in the Ventura Unified School District before joining OVS as a fourth grade and later fifth grade teacher. She and her husband, Scott, celebrated the graduation of their twin daughters, Anna and Frances, from the Upper Campus in spring 2024.…
Mrs. Ferro serves as the Director of Primary & Elementary School, overseeing the academic and co-curricular programs for grades PK-5. She also teaches First Grade. Mrs. Ferro completed her undergraduate work at San Diego State University and completed her credential at Cal State University, Channel Islands. Mrs. Ferro has spent most of her life at Ojai Valley School as either a student, summer camp instructor or teacher.…
Mr. Floyd stepped into the role as Interim Head of School in August 2025. He previously served as the Head of Upper Campus, starting in June 2017, as well as the Assistant Head of School for Student Affairs, Director of Development, Director of Summer Programs, and Director of Athletics. A graduate of the Upper Campus in 1983, Mr.…
Mrs. Floyd serves as the Director of Student Services and Curriculum at the Lower Campus. In this role, she oversees curriculum development for grades PK-8, coordinates teacher mentoring programs, assists with student assessments, liaises with different departments and manages disciplinary issues. Mrs. Floyd has held various teaching and administrative roles over her years as an educator.…
Mr. Fulton serves as the Dean of Student Life and teaches Biology and AP Environmental Science. He previously taught Environmental Science, Biology, and Culinary Arts at a school in Oregon and developed curriculum emphasizing conservation, community engagement and ecological restoration. He also coached Cross Country and Track. Prior to working in Oregon, Mr. Fulton taught at the Besant Hill School in Ojai, where he served as the Coordinator of Experiential & Outdoor Education and taught science.…
Ms. Funk joined Ojai Valley School three years ago, first as a substitute teacher, then as the Lower Campus librarian and in 2025-26 is stepping into her own classroom teaching Fourth Grade. She has an AS degree in Child Development and a BA in Early Childhood Studies from California State University Channel Islands (CSUCI). Outside of the classroom, she loves spending time outdoors – especially camping, going to the beach, and hiking.…
Ms. Goodenough joined the faculty and staff in August 2023 as a nurse in the OVS Health Center. She lives locally in Ojai and her three children attend the Lower Campus.
Ms. Gross began working at OVS in 2021 as a Resident Counselor, first in Frost Dorm for boys and in the past two years in Reed Dorm for girls. Her role includes working with the resident students, helping with Aftercare for day students in grades PK-5, and participating in camping and hiking activities. She also works with our youngest Junior Campers during the summer session.…
A fifth-generation Ojai resident, Ms. Hall joined the Ojai Valley School staff as Associate Director of Admissions following a career in journalism. She grew up camping and roaming the mountains around Ojai, giving her a profound love and respect for nature. Prior OVS, she worked as Managing Editor for the Ojai Valley News and Visitors Guide Magazine.…
Ms. Hardy is excited to start the 2025-26 year at OVS! This will be her fourth year teaching Fourth Grade at Ojai Valley School. Prior to joining the faculty, she taught Reading Literacy at Frank Middle School in Oxnard, CA. She earned my Multiple Subjects Teaching Credential in Elementary Education at California State University Channel Islands (CSUCI) in 2022.…
Mrs. Harris provides a wealth of experience in her role as Admission Coordinator after spending nearly 30 years working with families during the admission process. She is most often the first contact for families interested in learning more about the OVS community, and she supports parents in completing new and returning academic year enrollments, Summer Camp enrollments, and financial aid requests.…
Ms. Hersk teaches Drawing, Advanced Studio Art & AP Art. She is an alumnus of both the Upper and Lower campuses. Her mother taught Art at Ojai Valley School for more than 30 years, and Ms. Hersk has followed in her footsteps. For six years she was also the head of the Upper Campus girl’s dorm, then took a break to become certified as a crime and intelligence analyst with the California Department of Justice.…
Mr. Inman has performed numerous roles at OVS Lower Campus during his career, including teaching biology, physics and chemistry to middle school students and serving as the boys’ soccer coach. But starting in the 2021-22 school year, he began to focus exclusively on leading the Outdoor Education program. Mr. Inman earned degrees in Environmental Studies and Law and Society from UC Santa Barbara before entering the teaching profession.…
Mrs. Kocijan serves as the Administrative Assistant to the Director of High School, the AP Testing Coordinator, and she supports the leadership team at the Upper Campus. She joined the faculty and staff in August 2023. Mrs. Kocijan earned a BA in Spanish at California State University Channel Islands and worked in the Conejo Unified School District supporting English language learners.…
Mr. Lang teaches woodshop to students in grades PK-8 and serves as the Fine Arts Coordinator at the Lower Campus. Born and raised in the Ojai Valley, Mr. Lang brings local knowledge of the environment into the classroom. His parents were both long-term faculty members at OVS, so his experience at the school is deeply rooted throughout his entire life.…
Mr. Mini started working at OVS in fall 2024, supporting middle school students in the Learning Center. He returns to that role for the 2025-26 academic year and will also be teaching 6th grade Social Studies and 8th grade Math 3. Mr. Mini has lived in the Ojai Valley since he was twelve years old. He graduated from UC Santa Cruz in 2016 with a BA in history.…
Mr. O’Brien joined the high school faculty in August 2024, bringing his extensive math experience, and passion for track and field to the Upper Campus. This fall he will be teaching AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC, and Algebra 2. He is also serving as a resident counselor living in Tower House. Mr. O’Brien earned his BA in Mathematics from Emmanuel College in Boston, MA and obtained his Connecticut teaching certification in mathematics.…
Ms. Reyes joined the high school faculty in August 2024. She is teaching Geometry and Math IV. She previously taught high school math in Alakanuk, Alaska. Ms. Reyes earned her Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics Secondary Teaching from Millikin University in Illinois and went on to earn a Master’s degree in Mathematics, with an emphasis in instruction, from Texas A&M University.…
Ms. Reynolds serves as the librarian at the JB Close Memorial Library at Upper Campus. She also teaches AP Seminar, English 10 and works with students in the high school ESL program. She holds a Masters from San Jose State and a BA from the University of Redlands. She joined OVS in 2018 after working in Dallas, Texas, for Mountain View College.…
Mr. Risser left his hometown of San Diego to attend UC Santa Barbara and graduated with a BA in Environmental Studies in 1994. After college he served in the Peace Corps in Costa Rica. As a Peace Corps volunteer, he spent two years teaching environmental education, developing his Spanish skills, and exercising his love for adventure and the outdoors.…
After earning his bachelor’s degree in Texas, John moved to the temperate rainforests of Southeast Alaska. His first teaching position was as the high school teacher in a small logging community. John migrated south to OVS, where he teaches seventh-grade and eighth-grade history classes. He also advises the Student Council, leads the eighth-grade trip to Washington, D.C.…
Ms. Ruby joined the high school faculty in August 2024. She will be teaching AP Statistics, Business Math, Math Intensive, and a section of Algebra 1. She will also serve as a resident counselor in the Girls Dorm and as the volleyball coach for both the boys and girls team. Ms. Ruby earned her BS in Health & Wellness with a minor in Strength & Conditioning from Canisius College in Buffalo, NY, where she also played on the women’s indoor volleyball team.…
Ms. Sandoval rejoined the OVS faculty in August 2023 as Weekend Coordinator, a Resident Counselor, and the girls soccer coach. She lives in the Grace Hobson Smith House dorm with her family. Ms. Sandoval previously worked in the Health Center. She is an alumna of both campuses (L02, U06) and attended the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising after graduation from OVS.…
Mr. Schude joined the high school faculty in August 2024. He will teach Photography I, Photography II, and Digital Design. Mr. Schude comes to OVS with more than two decades of experience as a professional photographer, having worked in the fields of advertising, editorial and fine art with prestigious clients that include Apple, Vanity Fair, Esquire, Smithsonian and SFMOMA.…
Ms. Shepherd joined the high school faculty in August 2024 and will be teaching AP Biology, AP Physics1, AP Physics C, and Astronomy. She will also serve as a resident counselor for boys, living in Hermes Hall. Ms. Shepherd earned her BA in Biology from the University of Toledo, Ohio and her Masters in Education from the University of St.…
Ms. Shilo joined the Lower Campus faculty in August 2023. She previously taught 6th grade English, Science, and Drama at Matilija Middle School in Ojai. She also taught at Meiners Oaks Elementary School and San Antonio Elementary School in Ojai, and worked as a Special Education Instructional Assistant. Ms. Shilo has BA in Liberal Arts with an emphasis in Spanish language from Pepperdine University.
Mrs. Smith has been part of the Ojai Valley School community since 2021 and currently teaches Second Grade. At OVS, she has held positions as a Kindergarten aide and Lower Campus librarian. A lifelong learner, Mrs. Smith holds four associate degrees in Early Childhood Education, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Liberal Arts, and Humanities. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Studies from California State University Channel Islands and a PK-3 Early Childhood Education Specialist Instruction Credential.…
Born in England, Andy Street began playing music as a young child; by the age of 12, he was composing and performing professionally. Andy received his formal education in music at Cambridge University, where he earned his M.A. in musical composition at Emmanuel College. He studied piano with Gordon Green and Doreen Clemes of the Royal Academy of Music in London.…
Ms. Sullivan teaches Language Arts in grades 7 and 8 and serves as an 8th-grade advisor. A poet, essayist, and longtime writing and classroom teacher, she holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Goddard College, a Master of Arts in Teaching from Brown University, and a BA in Literature, also from Brown. When she’s not working with kids, she likes to swim, hike, travel, do word puzzles, spend time with family, and play with her Labradoodle, Bear.
Mrs. Tremiti serves as the Executive Assistant to the Interim Head of School and as a liaison to the Board of Trustees. She previously served as Alumni Relations Coordinator and continues to play an active role in communicating with alumni and planning community events on both campuses. Mrs. Tremiti is the parent of four boys at the Lower Campus.
Mrs. Vanetti was born and raised in Ojai and attended local schools before earning her BA in Spanish and Music from Drew University in Madison, New Jersey. She then earned her M.Ed and Multiple Subject Teaching Credential with BCLAD and additional subject authorizations in Spanish and Music from UCSB. She spent the first nine years of her teaching career in Santa Barbara charter and independent schools, where she taught sixth grade and first grade.…
Mr. Wallace teaches math and serves as the Director of Middle School, overseeing the academic and co-curricular program for students in grades 6-8. Since coming to OVS in 1996, Mr. Wallace has taught mathematics, supervised the boys dorm as a resident counselor, and he continues to lead trips as the Assistant Outdoor Education Coordinator and the Mammoth Mountain Ski & Snowboard Trip leader.…
Mr. Weidlich was drawn to California when the lacrosse coach at Whittier College called him at his boarding school in Connecticut during a snowstorm and mentioned sunshine, palm trees and the ocean. He graduated from Whittier with a BA in English and moved to Seal Beach and began his teaching career. Brad spent five years teaching special education before he found Ojai Valley School.…
In search of a healthier environment to teach and raise his children, Mr. Westcott moved to Ojai Valley School in 2015 after spending 12 years as an educator in China. For seven of those years, he taught computer science and coached robotics at the Yew Chung International School in Shanghai. His experience with technology and mathematics were a perfect match for OVS, which has been broadening it STEM curriculum in the middle and high school.…
Ms. Whipple grew up in the Ojai Valley School family. She attended OVS starting in Pre-K and graduated from the Upper Campus in 2006. Her father, uncle, siblings and brother-in-law also attended OVS. Ms. Whipple graduated with honors from National University with a Bachelor’s degree in English and then completed her Master’s degree in English while working as the weekend coordinator at Upper Campus.…
Ms. Whithorn started at OVS in August 2024 and serves as a Resident Counselor at the Lower Campus. She earned her BA in Sociology with a concentration in Social Problems & Public Policy at UC Irvine in 2022, graduating Cum Laude. Ms. Whithorn comes to the resident program with her own personal experience. She attended Webb, another private college prep boarding high school in So Cal, as a day student and graduated in 2018.…
Mrs. Wilson graduated from UC Berkeley with a dual major in English/Speech and History. After teaching for eleven years, first at Las Lomas High School in Walnut Creek and then at Castilija School in Palo Alto, she left the classroom to have a family and raise horses. After accumulating too many equines for her Portola Valley property, she brought them to her family citrus ranch in Ojai in 1986.…
Ms. Wilson has served as Admissions Director at Ojai Valley School for 19 years. She has traveled extensively around the world to meet prospective students and enjoys introducing families to the unique programs and close community at OVS. Ms. Wilson graduated from the University of Southern California with a degree in English and previously worked as a news reporter for the Los Angeles Times.…
Mr. Woll teaches music and coaches soccer at the Upper Campus. His classes include Piano, Music Theory, and Introduction to Music Making: Composition, Mixing and Production. A talented pianist, Mr. Woll studied music with an emphasis on jazz piano performance at UC San Diego. He enjoys teaching at OVS to give students the opportunity to learn and grow and to appreciate the art and skill of expressing themselves through music.…
Mrs. Woll serves as the Athletic Coordinator and P.E. teacher for the Lower Campus. She has both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Physical Education, years of experience working with children, and a passion for wellness and disease prevention. Having the opportunity to impact children and create fun habits is what excites her most about this role.…