Oakwood Way Assembly: Michelle Helvey's Remarks

Students, faculty, and staff, welcome to the 2025-2026 school year. We’ve had a wonderful beginning, and it’s such a pleasure and privilege for all of us to be gathered together in the Athletic Center today for this very special all-school Oakwood Way Assembly. Whether you are in Preschool, JrK, Elementary School, Middle School, or High School, this assembly is for you. It’s for all of us. 

We hold assemblies at Oakwood so that we can come together as a school community, enjoy each other’s company, learn from each other, and make meaningful memories. Sometimes assemblies celebrate school spirit in an atmosphere that is very energetic and even loud. We’ll participate in one of those this Friday afternoon at the Spirit Cup Kick-up. 

Today’s assembly, though, is different. We’re coming together at the beginning of this new school year to pause and reflect on “The Oakwood Way.” What is the Oakwood Way? What does it mean to be an Oakwood student? What responsibilities come with being part of the Oakwood Community? You’ve all spent a little time with your teacher or advisor talking about these ideas, and I thank you for having those discussions. They are important. 

There was always something special about this place we now call Oakwood School. The first time I came to this campus 27 years ago, there was only a parking lot. There were no permanent buildings, and only portable classrooms on the land where we now have overflow parking. The campus as we know it now did not exist at all. Now look at us! The first building phase included the Main Office and Library, the Elementary and Middle School Buildings, and the buildings you can see out those big windows. A new school culture was just beginning, and that culture has been growing very intentionally since then, just as the campus has, with the Upper School Building being completed in 2007 and the beautiful and spacious Liberal Arts Center and Athletic Center in 2019. The student population has doubled in size, and has happily attracted a diverse group of people who represent different backgrounds, races, religions, and ideas. 

When we talk about our school culture, we’re talking about shared beliefs, shared values, shared practices, and shared behaviors. Discussing these ideas as a school community is critical if we want Oakwood to be a safe place where everyone can learn

and grow, even, and especially, amidst our shortfalls and failures. How people feel about themselves and the school has always been extremely important to me. It’s one of the reasons we talk so much about one of our five tenets, confident self-expression, which begins with developing confidence in yourself. This is a life-long skill that will make a difference to you for many years to come. At Oakwood, we care deeply that you feel valued and important–because every single one of you really does matter. Here, you are challenged, you are cherished, and you are known. 

When Oakwood School’s culture is at its best, it provides a sense of belonging for everyone. 

But sometimes things don’t go as planned. People get upset, or there are misunderstandings. Sometimes hurtful things happen, and sometimes there are disappointments. This is just part of the human experience. None of us is perfect, and we all make mistakes. Learning how to navigate tricky relationships and situations is also a life-long skill. It’s why we learn how to “Talk It Out” and how to have "Crucial Conversations.” As humans, we have the ability and privilege to choose how we will act, what we will do, and what we will say. Choosing to honor our own and others’ dignity is at the heart of our conversation about Oakwood’s culture. 

Oakwood School is a unique and special place. This is not by accident. At Oakwood, decisions are made with great intention, centered on “what is best for the students.” In preparation for this assembly, we’ve asked all of you to carefully consider your individual commitment to the Oakwood Way, which begins with personal integrity and the decision to uphold what we stand for. 

We’ve also asked you to consider our shared, collective commitment. The strength of the Oakwood Way comes from all of us choosing to live it, united as classrooms, advisories, teams, and a school family. 

Thank you, everyone, for taking this special assembly about our school culture seriously. It’s a privilege for all of us to be part of this community. And with privilege comes great responsibility. By calling out and paying attention to the values that define us and are important to us, we are further shaping the Oakwood School culture with purpose and intentionality.