Middle School Faculty
Mrs. Belgum leads the Animal Science classes for students in grades PK-3 as well as our 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. 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.…
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. 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. 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.…
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.…
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. 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.…
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.…
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.…