ovs Archives - Ojai Valley School - Private College Prep Day and Boarding School in Ojai, California

This Month at OVS

Posted on February 15, 2019 //

Trail rides at the Upper Campus!

February – Happy trails from Ojai Valley School! This month might have the fewest days — but it’s loaded with events in athletics, performing arts, equestrian, outdoor education, and academics.

The high school winter sports season has concluded, which means on February 4 students will begin training for the upcoming spring baseball, track, tennis, and lacrosse seasons. Students will also have the opportunity to participate in swimming, beach volleyball and equestrian.

Resident students will celebrate the Lunar New Year with a Chinese-inspired One School dinner at the Lower Campus on February 6.

The Admission Office will host a Middle School Open House on February 13 for families interested in learning more about the curriculum in grades 6 to 8. This event will be held between 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. at the Lower Campus.

In performing arts, the middle school will continue rehearsals for the spring musical, The Sound of Music, on March 22-23 and the high school will prepare to stage the winter musical, Mamma Mia, on February 14-15.

After commanding performances at their initial winter events, the high school robotics teams will advance February 16 to a regional competition at Palmdale Aerospace Academy. The two OVS teams enter the event ranked #1 and #6 based on their cumulative scores from previous events.

In the outdoors, middle and high school students will enjoy winter ski and snow-boarding trips to Mammoth Mountain. We also have an equestrian trail ride, a mountain biking excursion, and more outdoor adventures planned for February!

To learn more, and for specific dates and times of upcoming events, visit the website calendar.

Performing Arts

Posted on February 15, 2019 //

The high school winter musical Mamma Mia! is coming to the Greenberg Activities Center on February 14-15. The Upper Campus students have been rehearsing this fun, romantic comedy and musical production featuring the songs of ABBA. The production will begin at 7:00 p.m. at the Lower Campus.

Next month, middle school students will stage The Sound of Music on Family Weekend, tackling a classic from the Rogers & Hammerstein playbook.

Outdoor Education

Posted on February 10, 2019 //

Students in grades PK-8 participated in class hikes to end of the first semester. For sixth graders, the hikes presented another opportunity to continue their year-long study of the Ventura River watershed. As part of an integrated lab science and social science curriculum, OVS sixth graders learn about the natural history and ecology of the watershed. They begin the year venturing to the top of Reyes Peak in the Los Padres National Forest and, after multiple field trips, hikes and explorations, conclude at the mouth of the Ventura River. The project is unique to OVS and was developed to give students a deeper understanding of their local natural environment.

Summer Camp Enrollment Open!

Posted on February 6, 2019 //

Since 1943, Ojai Valley School offers one of the top summer camps in Southern California for day and resident campers. Whether you enroll for two, four, or six weeks, campers develop meaningful friendships and learn skills in fields that ignite their curiosity and lay the ground work for future learning adventures and leadership opportunities. Camp at OVS blends the best of fun, hands-on learning, and exploration. Learn more at summer.ovs.org.

The Freshmen Experience

Posted on February 2, 2019 //

Ninth graders spent the past week exploring California history, literature, and marine science during a rainy adventure along the Central Coast. Head of School Craig Floyd reflects on the lessons learned.

By Craig Floyd, Head of School

This past week, I had the opportunity to lead the 9th graders on a camping adventure. It was a blend of outdoor education mixed with environmental studies, as well as a deeper exploration of author John Steinbeck, whose work is studied in our freshmen English curriculum.

The trip, also led by English teacher Brad Weidlich and French teacher Helena Pasquarella, left Ojai on a rainy Monday morning and soon escaped the clouds north of Santa Barbara. An easy drive allowed us to arrive in Salinas to tour the John Steinbeck Museum, where Mr. Weidlich gave the students a great introduction to Steinbeck and his contributions to literature. Through this introduction, the students also learned about Ed Ricketts, a good friend of Steinbeck’s, who they would learn more about on Tuesday. We then headed to Monterey to set up camp before the rains came.

Tuesday was spent visiting the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Cannery Row, and Pacific Biological Lab, the former home and lab of Ed Ricketts. The students were able to see first hand the locations from the novel “Cannery Row,” which they will read later this semester. As with any outdoor trip, flexibility is key. We had planned to leave Monterey and camp along the Big Sur coast. But due to the weather forecast of heavy rain and wind, and the probability of Highway 1 in Big Sur being closed, we decided to remain in Monterey to weather the storm.

We spent Wednesday exploring the Carmel coastline at Monastery Beach and Carmel Beach before we headed back to camp to prepare for the storm. Based upon the forecast, we were able to eat and clean up dinner before hunkering down in our tents. No one got much sleep that night until the winds subsided.

On Thursday, we were initially met by sunny skies before the clouds turned gray again. By now, the freshmen had shown their resilience and we adapted the itinerary to visit the Carmel Mission and then spend time hiking along the Pacific Coast and watching the waves batter the local beaches. The afternoon was spent back at camp, playing soccer and football, laughing with friends, and resting from the previous night. (We greatly appreciated the sports gear, and pizza, that freshman Ryan Farrell (L18)’s family in Monterey brought to our campsite!)

Returning to campus on Friday, the students came away with a better understanding of Steinbeck’s California and an appreciation for the comforts of home. The trip provided the 9th graders an opportunity to bond and experience a trip that will not be forgotten. The group maintained tremendous spirit and grit in weathering the storm.

For me, this group of 27 freshmen left a lasting impression. They were outgoing, engaging, adventurous, playful, and inquisitive. They also demonstrated their growing camaraderie as a tight-knit class. They definitely experienced their education, and I’m certain they will have stories to tell for years to come.

Astronomy: New Course Offering

Posted on January 31, 2019 //

Mr. Sittig will teach about the history of astronomy, aspects of the universe, its major figures, the different types of telescopes, and more in the new Astronomy course offering for 2019-20.

By Jaclyn Sersland (U19)

Next year, Ojai Valley School students will be shooting for the stars.

Astronomy is becoming the newest high school course offering at Ojai Valley School. Starting in September, 2019, students will have the opportunity to launch into learning about stars, planets, and galaxies.

Astronomy has been on the fence of becoming a new science course for the past couple years. It’s been a widely popular subject amongst students, especially for those who participate in the biannual Mt. Pinos trip, but the course has never taken off.
Until now.

Upper Campus Head of School Craig Floyd knew OVS needed an astronomy class when he went to Austin, Texas, to participate in a meeting that happened to include astronomy classes and an observatory. After seeing the cool things – like viewing Mars through a telescope – that were going on, Mr. Floyd decided that an astronomy course would diversify the school’s science program.

“I got to see what cool things the students in that class were doing,” Mr. Floyd said. “That inspired me to come back and push through this idea of having astronomy as a class and make it happen.”

Wondering who would teach the course next year, Mr. Floyd immediately thought Micah Sittig — current teacher of conceptual chemistry and physics — would be the perfect fit.

When Mr. Sittig was approached and asked if he’d be interested in teaching the new class, he thought it was a great idea and was immediately on board.

“I’ve always wanted to teach astronomy,” Mr. Sitting said. “Then Mr. Floyd approached me and said that a few students have come to him with idea and that’s when I agreed. I’m excited because it’s something I’ve thought about teaching all the time.”

Mr. Sittig already has some ideas for how the class will be laid out. He will teach about the history of astronomy and its major figures, the different types of telescopes, and study the universe.

“We added this course to expand our science offerings,” Mr. Floyd said. “We have the basics of Biology, Chemistry and Physics, and we added Marine Science this year, so we were looking to do this to give another offer for our students, and it seems that a fair number of students have that interest.”

Stargazing is just part of the OVS outdoor education experience, including overnight excursions to Mt. Pinos and camping trips to the eastern Sierras, which offer amazing dark skies and bright stars. Photo by Corbin Muller (U20)

Winter Sports

Posted on January 27, 2019 //

By Avery Colborn (L16, U20 )

January 3 – The boys and girls soccer and basketball teams will resume their competitive schedules when the second semester opens next week. Here’s the full winter sports schedule:

Wed 11/28	at Oak Grove, 3:00 p.m.
Wed 12/5	vs Oak Grove, 3:00 p.m.
Thur 1/10	vs Thacher JV, 3:30 p.m.
Fri 1/11	vs Coast Union, 3:00 p.m. at Lower Campus
Sat 1/12	vs Dunn, 2:00 p.m.
Wed 1/16	at Oak Grove, 3:00 p.m.
Wed 1/23	vs Oak Grove, 3:00 p.m.
Sat 1/26	at Thacher JV, 2:00 p.m.
Sat 2/2	vs Alumni, 2:00 p.m.

Sat 12/1	vs Oak Grove, 2:00 p.m.
Wed 12/5	at Besant Hill, 3:00 p.m.
Sat 12/8	vs Midland, 3:30 p.m.
Fri 1/11	vs Coast Union, 3:00 p.m.
Sat 1/12	vs Dunn, 3:30 p.m.
Wed 1/16	vs Besant Hill, 3:00 p.m.
Thur 1/17	vs Newbury Park Adventist, 3:00 p.m.
Sat 1/19	at Midland, 3:30 p.m.
Wed 1/23	at Oak Grove, 3:00 p.m.
Sat 1/26	at Thacher JV, 2:00 p.m.
Sat 1/30	vs Thacher JV, 3:30 p.m.
Sat 2/2	vs Alumni, 2:00 p.m.

Robotics

Posted on January 26, 2019 //

By Bella Slosberg (L17) (U21)

Hunched over a large gray Lenovo laptop in the Ojai Valley School robotics lab on a recent afternoon, senior Leo Liang banged out a line of crucial code: PathSegment .generateTurn. Angle: -20. Power 0.7.

To a person with limited knowledge of engineering and robotics, the code most likely would be incomprehensible. But to Leo and his fellow tech fanatics, it’s the driving force behind one of the robotics team’s greatest achievements: a six-wheeled, silver-plated, 24-pound robot that goes by the name of Spudnik.

Spudnik is the product of years of hard work and dedication by Ojai Valley School Robotics Team, which was launched four years ago and has this year emerged as a mighty force on the Southern California robotics scene.

In its first three years, the robotics program at the Upper Campus earned just one victory — and that was in a preliminary “Meet Zero” last year, which doesn’t count as an official contest.

This year, however, OVS robotics is on a roll.

Read more in a story on the OVS student journalism website, On The Hill.

Class Hikes are Coming

Posted on January 18, 2019 //

Students in grades PK-8 will embark on Class Hikes on Friday, January 25. Read more about this school tradition in an article written by science teacher Matt Inman, who also serves as the Outdoor Education Coordinator at Lower Campus.

By Matt Inman

The history of class hikes at Ojai Valley School is a long and storied one. Beginning more than 40 years ago, early Spuds at the Upper Campus were charged with traveling out of the valley from their newly constructed campus, over the mountains near the shoulder of Hines Peak, hiking throughout the night by flashlight, to arrive at the Middle Lions campground just as the sun was rising. Amazed hikers arrived to find a massive breakfast feast staged by their teachers awaiting them. This bonding experience was a memorable challenge called the “Topa Topper.” It was a legendary event that fostered the students’ sense of unity, and caused them to coalesce into one interdependent team.

Gradually, throughout the years, the Lower Campus absorbed and built on this tradition. First came a spring hike for the eighth graders, with an annual route up to Nordhoff Peak, where a fire lookout tower used to exist. Students back on campus wished their departing role models well, and then trained the school telescope at the peak where they would eventually see their mentors and peers waving at them with excitement.

In the early 1990’s, the value of this experience was recognized and expanded into younger grades. Class by class, additional destinations were added that were unique to each group. After several years of exploration, the seventh graders settled on a hike up Howard Creek to the ridge overlooking town, and down the Gridley Trail. With the help of science and woodshop teacher Ryan Lang, sixth graders established a class hike near the confluence of the two Matilija Creek forks that was integrated into their Watershed Program.

With a middle school program firmly in place, fifth graders began walking downstream from the decommissioned Beaver Camp on the Middle Sespe Trail, arriving at the old Lions camp/Piedra Blanca trailhead. Fourth graders now visit a favorite destination of former school president Mike Hermes (L54) known as Turtle Pond, while the third graders get their first look at the legendary OVS swimming spot known as the 10’ Hole. Second graders now hike a short distance to the famous White Rocks formations where they have lunch and scramble on the Chief, Big Elephant and Little Elephant formations.

In recent years, Kindergarten and First grade students joined together to tour the Ventura River Preserve, a local trail system managed by the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy. Even our youngest students in the Pre-K have jumped in to explore the Ojai Meadow Preserve just several blocks from school!

One of the biggest changes throughout the years was the formation of an iconic All-School Class Hikes Day. This his much-loved event is the culminating day of our first semester. Students arrive at school in their outdoor gear, make their own sack lunch at the Wallace Burr Pergola, and join the logistical migration of loading into buses and vans for transport to their trailhead. It’s an exciting way to end the semester, and one that symbolizes the strength and unity of all that OVS has to offer.

Class Hikes are just part of the Adventure!

At Ojai Valley School, we offer one of the most comprehensive outdoor education programs of any independent school. We engage students in environmental studies and exploration of the mountains, canyons, deserts, and beaches in the West. Students in grades 6 to 12 have the opportunity to go on camping trips and weekend adventures that include rock climbing, mountaineering, surfing, skiing and snowboarding, horseback riding, and much more. As we strive to develop the intellectual and personal growth of all of our students, Outdoor Education is a core part of that experience as they learn to overcome real challenges that may be physical, social, organizational, and personal. (It’s also super fun.)

Check out the Calendars below to learn more about Upcoming Trips!

• Lower Campus Outdoor Education Calendar

• Middle School (grades 6-8) Weekend Adventures Calendar

• Upper Campus (grades 9-12) Weekend Adventures Calendar

Equestrian

Posted on January 2, 2019 //

Ojai Valley School welcomes riders of all levels, from experienced competitors to beginners and purely recreational riders. Our instructors have experience in hunters, jumpers, equitation, dressage and combined training. At OVS, riding is among our most popular middle school and high school sports. Ojai Valley School is one of the few equestrian boarding schools in California with stables on campus, allowing students to walk from class to the barn to ride nearly every afternoon in place of sports or P.E. classes. Students also have the unique opportunity to participate on equestrian camping trips to ride trails and cross streams in the stunning Santa Barbara back-country.

Students find numerous opportunities to improve their riding skills in a program that emphasizes athleticism, horsemanship, patience, compassion, perseverance, and hard work. Students learn to care for their horses, and enjoy time spent in the barn with close friends — both human and equine.

Learn more by visiting our equestrian overview page.