The following are Frequently Asked Questions about resident life:
Q: Where do boarding students live?
A: All residents live in school dormitories on campus and are supervised by Resident Counselors, also known as Dorm Parents.
Q: Where do the Resident Counselors live and what are their responsibilities?
A: Resident Counselors live in faculty apartments attached to each dorm building. Resident Counselors provide not only supervision and structure, but also help guide resident students in their daily lives — much in the way a parent or guardian would do. These fun, compassionate adults assist with everything from homework to homesickness, wake-up to weekend activities.
Q: How many students share a dorm room? What is provided and what do I need to bring?
A: There are typically two students per room. Each student is provided with a twin bed, a desk, small closet, and a chest of drawers. Resident students are responsible for keeping their rooms tidy and washing their own laundry. See more about Resident Pack List on the Resources page.
Q: Is there a uniform? What is the dress code?
A: There are no uniforms. At the Lower Campus, all students must wear collared shirts or OVS spirit wear. The dress code is more casual at the Upper Campus, where collared shirts are not required but students are expected to follow rules for appropriate attire. Day and boarding students are also expected to wear semi-formal attire, such as a jacket and tie or a dress, for weekly Dress Dinners and special events. See more about the dress code in the Student Handbooks, found on the Resources page.
Q: What do students do after school?
A: At the Lower Campus, there are numerous activities after school from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. These include academic tutoring, music lessons, sports games, play rehearsals, skateboarding, and free play. At the Upper Campus, classes end on most days at 3:30 p.m. followed by sports until 5:00 p.m. Students have free time in the dorms until dinner at 6 p.m., and often use this time to shower or relax in their rooms.
Q: What is Study Hall like?
A: At the Lower Campus, residents typically study in their dorm rooms or common rooms during study hall, which is 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Resident Counselors supervise study hall and provide homework help as needed. Resident students do have filtered WiFi access in the dorms. At the Upper Campus, most high school students study in their dorm rooms. Teachers are available for tutoring, and the library is available for study and group work. High school students have WiFi access in their dorm rooms for research and academic work during study hall from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Many students continue to study quietly in their rooms after study hall.
Q: What happens on the weekends?
A: Weekends are a combination of rest, play and study. Friday and Saturday nights are often times for movies or games in the dorms. Residents have the opportunity to sleep in. We often serve a late breakfast or brunch on the weekends. For Lower Campus students, this is typically followed by a visit to downtown Ojai or relaxing on campus with friends. On Sundays, Lower Campus residents typically take a group trip off campus and then return for evening study hall. Roller-skating, bowling, beach trips, as well as ventures to historic or cultural sites in Los Angeles or Santa Barbara are often on the schedule. For Upper Campus students, there are a variety of on- and off-campus activities during the weekend. These include robotics competitions, sporting events, movie marathons, baking in the lounge, hiking or climbing trips, or shopping excursions. Student input on weekend activities is encouraged and welcomed.
Q: Can I go home on the weekends? Can I have sleepovers with friends?
A: If a resident students’ family lives nearby, he or she may go home on the weekends. Boarding students may have sleepovers with their friends; arrangements and parental permission must be emailed in advance and the host family must arrange transportation to and from campus.
Q: How connected are the day and boarding students?
A: There is a positive and meaningful connection between boarding and day students, fostered by shared experiences of school life. Across the divisions, resident and day students interact regularly with one another in all aspects of school life: advisory meetings, academic classes, group projects, meals, and co-curricular activities such as athletics, drama and music, equestrian, and community service projects. Often day student families will reciprocate by inviting resident students into their homes for weekends or vacations.
Q: Can I bring my laptop and cell phone?
A: Yes. However, rules for laptops and cell phone use vary by campus. For example, all high school students are required to bring their own laptops for academic work, while middle school students are provided a Chromebook. Lower Campus resident students can only have their cell phones after school during designated times and must turn them in to their Resident Counselors before bedtime. Read the Student Handbooks, found on the Resources page, for detailed information about the use of electronics.
Q: What happens if a boarding student gets homesick, stressed, or is struggling emotionally?
A: Most students transition fairly quickly into the routines of dorm life. Every faculty member and our student Health Center team are actively involved in supporting health and wellness. Across the grade levels, there is a network in place to identify and support students who get homesick, feel stressed by academics, or who are struggling socially or emotionally. A student’s advisor, peers, or resident counselors are often the first to notice a student is struggling. Depending on the situation, a student may be asked to attend after-school tutoring to ease academic stress or teachers may be asked to provide weekly reports on the student’s progress. If necessary, there are professional therapists who come to campus and meet with students to support their emotional needs.
Q: What happens if a boarding student gets sick, or needs to see a doctor, dentist, etc.?
A: The OVS Health Center has offices on both campuses and an infirmary at the Lower Campus. Although parents are encouraged to schedule routine appointments for their students during holiday breaks, the OVS Health Center can also provide transportation for health care appointments in the Ojai area. There are beds in the infirmary if an ill student needs monitoring. Ojai Valley Community Hospital is close by should a more serious situation occur.
Q: I have my driver’s license. Can I bring my car to campus?
A: Sorry, resident students may not bring cars. OVS provides transportation for resident students for all school activities and events.