Thank you to all our families, past and present, who attended this year’s Family Weekend! Festivities included events at both our Lower and Upper Campuses — pumpkin and scarecrow contests, the elementary school play “Josie and the Beanstalk,” and a dinner and talent show.
During the dinner, OVS President/CEO Michael Hall-Mounsey made an exciting announcement: The Sage Foundation has pledged a gift of $2 million in support of Ojai Valley School and its plans to rebuild after the devastating Thomas Fire. It is the largest gift in school history, and comes with an added challenge from alumnus and Sage Foundation president, Ed Littlefield Jr.
“The Sage Foundation is offering a dollar-for-dollar matching challenge grant, up to $1 million, to inspire your network of supporters,” Littlefield wrote in a letter to Hall-Mounsey.
“Ed, we accept your challenge!” Hall-Mounsey said to applause from more than 300 students, parents, faculty and friends gathered under a canopy of lights on the Dok Smith Sports Field. “We can raise $1 million in the coming year and Ed, through his foundation, will match that amount. That will complete our campaign. So tonight, the clock starts ticking!”
The gift is especially timely as Ojai Valley School is poised to begin construction on the most ambitious building project in school history – a $16 million improvement plan with new classrooms, science and technology labs, a makerspace for engineering and robotics, a new girls’ dormitory, and the Student Commons.
For more information on the RESTORE RENEW REBUILD campaign, to view renderings, and make a donation which will be matched dollar-for-dollar, please visit campaign.ovs.org.