Ashley Read '05, Head of Early Childhood

Dear ECC Families,

This week, students have been practicing the art of active listening. Active listening means children are paying close attention and responding, while passive listening is just hearing the words without fully engaging. Students have been paying attention to their body language and making sure that their eyes are focused on the speaker and that their ears are listening. “Where the eyes go… the brain follows.” 

January 26 - 30: Oakridge Book Fair:

“Calling all Bibliosauruses!” We hope you can join us for our Annual Book Fair events that begin next week. The week of the Book Fair is one of our students' most anticipated weeks of the year. Book Fair is about fostering the love of books and reading and we hope that parents will come to Family Night to enjoy the Jurassic transformation. During Family Night, we will have Story Time readers reading books aloud to children as well as snacks. Mark your calendars for this exciting event! Please be sure to check your child’s Seesaw for a message from the teacher that shares the day and time your child will attend the Book Fair with his/her class. Additionally, Mrs. DeWinter and her fabulous Book Fair representatives are seeking volunteers. Please see the link below to sign-up to serve. 

Check out the OPC Book Fair website!

OPC Book Fair Sign- up Genius
 

January 29: Inside Today’s College Admissions: College Colloquium 2026

Oakridge parents, guardians, and students are invited to College Colloquium, College Advising’s signature annual event. Hear directly from senior admission leaders from USC, Trinity University, and The Ohio State University as they share insights on today’s college admissions landscape. Families will gain clarity, confidence, and perspective through a dynamic panel and interactive breakout sessions. Join us on Thursday, January 29, 2026, from 6:00–8:00 PM in the Flavin Fine Arts Performance Hall. This program is made possible through the generous support of Oakridge Parent Club.

January 30: STEM Showcase and All-School College T-Shirt/Sweatshirt Day 

You are invited to attend our annual STEM Showcase on January 30. This event takes place from 8:00 - 9:15 a.m. in the Student Activity Center (SAC) on main campus. Students in grades 5 - 8 will be presenting on a variety of STEM topics and will have hands-on presentations to share with you and our students. Additionally, students are invited to wear college t-shirts/sweatshirts and casual bottoms (skirts, shorts, jeans) on January 30 to lean into the portion of our mission statement that centers around being a college preparatory school. Tennis shoes, only.

February 11: Guest Author Visit

We are thrilled to announce that beloved children's author, Jerry Pallotta, will be visiting The Oakridge School on February 11.

Mr. Pallotta will present to students in Kindergarten through fifth grade. He is a favorite among our students, and his popular Who Would Win series is always in high circulation at the Oakridge Library! Jerry Pallotta has been writing children's books for over 30 years and has published over 90 titles.

Students may have any of Jerry Pallotta's books autographed. To ensure this, please send the books to the Oakridge Library by February 9. Please affix a note to each book with your child’s full name and teacher's name. This will help us ensure the autographed books are returned to the correct students. If you have any questions, please contact Patricia deWinter.

Warm regards,

Ashley Read, Oakridge Class of 2005
Head of Early Childhood