School News

The Oakwood High School Class of 2022 received their graduation caps and gowns and in celebration, took part in the Fourth Annual Oakwood Senior Walk during the last week of school. Seniors proudly walked through the Oakwood campus while students, families, faculty, and staff enthusiastically cheered them on and celebrated their achievements. This was a special moment for graduating seniors and the younger students who look up to them. We are all very proud of our senior class!

Second-grade students at Oakwood School learned that it's not easy to immigrate to America. In their last history unit of the year, students learned about Ellis Island and immigration. Each student selected a country of origin from their ancestry and participated in an Ellis Island immigration simulation to learn more about this historic time.

Congratulations to Mikaela Minoza and Thomas Kouwenhoven, who were the First and Second Place winners in the AP CSP category in the Spring 2022 Creative Task Challenge organized by Carnegie Mellon University!

Oakwood School celebrated diversity and community at its first-ever OakFest, a week-long festival that showcased the school's diverse and dynamic community through fun and educational activities.

Last Friday, April 22, the Oakwood High School 1st and 3rd Jazz Ensemble, Vocal Ensemble, Guitar Performance Class, and Songwriting Club/Class held their Spring Concert and Songwriters Showcase. All the groups did a stellar job. High School Music teacher Mr. Sam Sotelo comments, "I would like to thank Michelle Helvey, Colleen Blanchard, and Mark Newton for their continuous support and all the behind-the-scenes folks that made the concert a success. It was a fun evening of great music."

Oakwood School's second grade students had a very special day of learning this week. The classes dressed up like pioneer children and participated in a variety of activities that helped them learn about life in the 1800s. They learned a sewing stitch, sang songs from the pioneer times, square danced, participated in pioneer arts and crafts, churned butter, and had a pioneer-style lunch that did not include modern materials or processed food. It was a day of learning, but it was also a fun-filled day that will be very memorable to the second-grade students.

The Oakwood High School Performing Arts musical production of Stephen Sondheim's "Into the Woods" was nothing short of magical. The show tells the story of a baker and his wife who, with help from a witch, venture into the woods to find ingredients that will break a curse set upon them by the witch. Along their journey, they encounter many famous fairy tale characters, including Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, and Rapunzel. Directed by Mrs. Colleen Blanchard, the cast and crew did an incredible job bringing this beloved story to life. Audience members were transported into a world of fairytale characters and enchanted forests from the moment they entered the theater. Amidst swirling pinks and purples, audiences were transported as they watched characters sing their way through difficult dilemmas, all in stunning costumes. In addition to the actors on stage, many student and adult volunteers were working behind the scenes to help create a truly immersive experience for both performers and audience members alike.

Congratulations to all Oakwood School students for participating in this year's Fund Run! We couldn't have asked for a better time at the event and are grateful for the overwhelming support of the Oakwood community that made this event a huge success. It was a beautiful day; we are so proud of our students running their hearts out. We saw incredible athleticism on the obstacle course and relays as we celebrated the joyous return of one of Oakwood's favorite annual events!

Congratulations to Oakwood High School sophomore Jullea Powell for winning 1st place in the Rotary's Richard D. King Annual Youth Speech Contest for both club-level and area-level competitions. This year's theme is "Serve to Change Lives." We wish Jullea the best of luck when she competes at the regional level.

Last week, Oakwood School's second grade students wowed audiences in their musical production of Stone Soup. Written by Sally K. Albrecht and Jay Althouse, Stone Soup is a well-known fable about the nature of happiness and the value of sharing, especially with those less fortunate. The students were excited to entertain friends, family, and teachers with upbeat music and fun choreographed dances. We are so proud of our second grade class for their hard work in developing and exhibiting confident self-expression in their heart-warming performances!