April 10, 2020

Dear Oakridge Community,

Greetings from beautiful Oakridge; spring has sprung. The shining stars of our school, however, are currently missing: the people. I wish I could properly express how much I miss seeing you all, face to face.

I have done a lot of reflecting lately. After attending a National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) Conference in 2009, I returned to campus inspired by NAIS's forward-thinking president, Patrick Bassett. Soon thereafter, our team began casting a strategic vision, guided by Bassett's wisdom. Of significance, he shared, "If you want to be a school in the future, you must become a school of the future." Specifically, Bassett explained, schools of the future will differentiate by focusing on 6 C's: creativity, communication, collaboration, critical thinking, character, and cosmopolitanism. Clearly, Oakridge adjusted, and evidence of our successful vision work is on display today.

Over the last several weeks, we have all talked with neighbors, friends, and family who have children in other schools. Some of their experiences with virtual schooling may resemble ours at Oakridge; many, however, are not as fortunate. I have even heard of schools that have yet to launch. We are grateful to our faculty for their hard work and dedication, but we also owe a debt of gratitude to our friend, Pat Bassett, for his leadership. Becoming a school of the future has helped us weather this crisis.

After taking just one week to design our model, Oakridge teachers and students have now completed three weeks of distance learning…an amazing accomplishment. Congratulations! Today, on this school holiday, I encourage all Owls to pause and celebrate. "The more you praise and celebrate life, the more there is in life to celebrate." -Oprah Winfrey.

As you rest this weekend and prepare for the weeks ahead, I want to remind you that we are here to serve you. If at any time we can assist, or if there is something we should know about your family, please reach out to anyone on our team.

I am pleased to share that we have posted two additional sources on the Coronavirus webpage – a Frequently Asked Questions section and Oakridge Cares. Oakridge Cares is our hope to lend a hand to Owls in need.

Best wishes for a peaceful weekend,

Jon Kellam