Drink the Oakhill Water!

One of the healthiest routines I have ever adopted for myself was drinking more water each day. By more, I mean I started drinking at least a gallon of water per day. I do it by mindfully filling up a water bottle throughout the day and drinking when I’m thirsty, unlike Mrs. Robertson, our South Building Office Coordinator, who carries around a gallon-sized jug each day … Hey, whatever works! I’ve been focusing on drinking more water since my early 20s, and since then, I’ve seen improvements in the way my body functions. Better skin, digestion, energy, strength, and less health ailments. When I was playing sports, it really helped me perform to the best of my abilities. You’re probably wondering why I’m going on and on about drinking more water … Don’t worry, there is more of a message coming!

The metaphor of drinking more water came to me when I was reflecting on my 16 years of experience at Oakhill. Over the years, I have seen students leave Oakhill after early childhood, many stay, and some come back after leaving for a year. A common phrase I’ve heard from families that leave is, “we have good public schools in our neighborhood.” Instead of focusing on public schools though, I’d like to reflect on the many benefits of staying at Oakhill. 

The parallel of drinking the right amount of water made sense when thinking about all of the advantages of staying at Oakhill. We all know how important it is to drink water. The healthy amount of water is up for debate, but in my experience, the gallon per day strategy has seemed to really provide a lot of benefits! When I was drinking less water, I survived, but I noticed a big difference in my overall health when I started drinking the right amount. That made me think of what it’s like for our students to stay at Oakhill for Lower School and beyond. Being at Oakhill allows our students to “drink the optimal amount of water.” Each drink of water theoretically adds up to a gallon. Below, I’m going to list all of the “drinks of water” your student(s) gets by attending Oakhill.

• Optimal class sizes means students are well known, understood, valued and individually challenged.
• All K-8th grade students have PE every day.
• A balanced approach to technology.
• Healthy lunch and breakfast options every day.
• Vast in-house athletics and clubs offerings.
• Plenty of public speaking opportunities for students.
• Parents are invited and welcomed into the building.
• A challenging curriculum written and revised annually by our faculty and staff.
• There is no red tape, and we have the flexibility to make the best decision for our school.
• We partner with parents and provide quick and easy access to faculty and staff.
• Our students get to celebrate fun holidays and events throughout the year.
• PT-8th grade students spend scheduled time together in class creating leadership opportunities for our older students.
• There are a plethora of school events allowing for opportunities to build relationships with other families.
• Truthfully our students, especially in middle school, aren’t dealing with major issues that you hear about in other bigger schools.

I know there are more reasons than this, these are just some of the thoughts I’ve heard from families within the Oakhill community. Please send me a message with any reasons I’ve missed! If you are on the fence about returning next year, I also encourage you to talk with a family who made the decision to stay to hear from their perspective. I would be happy to connect you with someone if you’d like!

All of those items listed above are “drinks” or advantages of being at Oakhill for the long haul. Each one of them helps optimize your child’s potential to succeed. With that success comes confidence, and confidence is one of the most important things for students to become their best selves. 

 To summarize this article, your student will be okay if they go to another school, just the same way as they’ll be okay if they drink a little water. The question is do you want them to be okay, or do you want to optimize their potential! I understand how big of a commitment it is to stay at Oakhill. I can also tell you that it’s not one that you will not regret. I’m not asking you to drink the Oakhill Kool Aid, just a few sips of the water! 😀

Send me an email if you’d like to schedule a meeting or learn more about Oakhill in Lower School and beyond!