Our mission is to provide a Montessori environment that inspires students to reach their potential through meaningful work.
CEEB Code: 150031 | 502 Lemper Road, Avilla, IN 46710 | 260-897-4270 | www.oakfarm.org
2023-2024 SCHOOL PROFILE COMMUNITY:
Candice Holbrook Head of School cholbrook@oakfarmschool.com
Oak Farm Montessori High School (OFMHS) is an academically integrated, rigorous, and individualized program that supports adolescent inquisitive minds prepare for life’s opportunities. OFMHS educates young people in accordance with the Montessori principles of purposeful work, respectful community, personal self-expression and practical life skills; in addition to exceeding Indiana State Core 40 graduation requirements. At OFMHS, adolescents have motivation for gaining expertise and truly working toward their own futures.
Bridget Wallace York Director of Curriculm and Student Services byork@oakfarmschool.com Rikki Colon College and Careers Counselor rcolon@oakfarmschool.com
SCHOOL:
Oak Farm Montessori School’s original property, consisting of twenty-two acres, opened in January, 2000. The school was created to give families in Northeast Indiana choice in education, apart from traditional public or parochial schools in the area. It was established as a Montessori school in order to educate the whole child; supporting each child’s ability to make choices in their learning and to fulfill their individual potential. Today, Oak Farm Montessori School is made up of over 150 topographically diverse acres with multiple buildings across the spacious campus. There are also classrooms, an animal barn, greenhouse, bike shop, wellness center and two art centers. The ten distinct biomes represented allow students to explore and research a variety of native and invasive species of plants and animals. In the fall of 2017, the OFMHS program began. An additional grade was added each year, until 2020, when all four grades were represented. The student population of Oak Farm Montessori School is demographically a representation of its location in rural Northeast Indiana. The diversity of our community is celebrated in its vast range of thought, socio-economic status, religion and cultural heritage. Today, OFMS is the only dual accredited birth through high school Montessori program in the country. Since its founding, an implicit mission of Oak Farm Montessori School is to be available to any family regardless of financial means. A large, annual operating grant from the Dekko Foundation allows OFMS to have significantly reduced tuition for all students and additional financial assistace available for families demonstrating a need.
Jon Agler High School Administrator jagler@oakfarmschool.com •
•
Accreditations: Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS) through 12th grade American Montessori Society, 6 weeks to 18 years Memberships:
•
American Montessori Society Full Member School
•
Great Lakes Montessori Consortium
•
United Montessori Schools of Indiana
•
National Association for College Admissions Counseling
•
Positive Discipline Association Member School
ENROLLMENT:
FACULTY:
Total School: 391 Secondary Program (7th-12th): 84 High School: 46
Total School Faculty: 74 Total Secondary Faculty: 12 Secondary Faculty with Bachelor’s degrees: 3 Secondary Faculty with Master’s degrees: 9
GRADING:
Oak Farm Montessori High School grade point system is based on a 4-point scale. Honors and AP classes are weighted by 0.5. Oak Farm Montessori High School grades on a numerical scale. 90-100 A 80-89 B 70-79 C Note: 70% is minimum required for HS credit 60-69 D RANK: OFMHS does not rank students.
ACADEMIC DIPLOMA COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
The OFMHS program offers all the core academics of a conventional high school program through integrated, individualized work. Our team of talented teacher mentors provide a developmentally appropriate environment for our students. Graduates earn credits that exceed the Indiana State Core 40 requirements through rigorous and relevant coursework. SCIENCE*
HUMANITIES*
DIRECTED ELECTIVES*
ELECTIVES
ADVISORY*
BUSINESS/ PATHWAYS
WORLD LANGUAGE*
English I
Algebra I & II
Biology
World Geography
AP Computer Science Principles
Fitness
Advisory
Entrepreneurial Pathways
Spanish I
English II
Geometry
Environ. Science & Earth Science
World Cultures
AP Computer Science A
Fine Arts: (Art, Drama & Music)
Capstone Project
Introduction to Business
Spanish II
English III
Pre-Calculus
Chemistry
US History *Required if not Academic & US taking Second Independent Language Government Study
College & Careers
Personal Finance
Spanish III
English IV
AP Calculus AB & AP Calculus BC
Anatomy & Physiology
Pyschology
AP Coursework
6 CREDITS
Global Economics
Spanish IV
Physics
History of Civilizations/ Economics
6 CREDITS
7 CREDITS
ENGLISH*
MATH*
Finite Match/ 8 CREDITS Probabilities/ Statistics
6 CREDITS
*A/P Honors Option
4 CREDITS
8 CREDITS
Pathways with Advanced Business
6 CREDITS
4 CREDITS
PE & HEALTH EDUCATION
Physial Education: On and off campus choices for real world fitness
HS Health: Indiana State health standards
2 CREDITS
MINIMUM: 54 CREDITS
OFMHS HONORS DIPLOMA COURSE REQUIREMENTS: In addition to the requirements above: Complete 2 additional credits of Math, 6 credits of Foreign Language; 8 credits of AP/Honors level coursework; and, 2 credits in Fine Arts while achieving a GPA of 3.0 or better.
SCHEDULE/ ACADEMIC PROGRAM:
The school year is two semesters; each lasting 18 weeks. School begins at 8:30 A.M. and ends at 3:30 P.M. Course work is integrated with each core class averaging four hours per week in a blocked schedule. OFMHS students need a minimum of 54 credits to graduate. Students are regularly assessed through a variety of methods. Teachers clearly communicate objectives to students with the intent of more active student engagement; taking personal responsibility to achieve the grades they choose to receive in each class.
ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS: SENIOR CAPSTONE The Senior Capstone focuses on the student’s long-term commitment to a personal passion. OFMHS students must move outside the walls of the school and engage with the community. Two year environmental or socialimmersions in a community activity are an integral part of the curriculum. Each student keeps a portfolio of these community projects and gives two presentations of learning to the wider community. The first is in May of their Sophomore year and then a more in depth presentation in May of their Senior year. Projects may take place on the Oak Farm Montessori campus, in the broader community, or in a digital context. ENTREPRENEURSHIP: PATHWAYS This course offers incoming students a quarterly rotation through four of the high school’s hands-on application areas. Students develop entry level skills in each of these areas through expert faculty instruction, experiential learning and mentorship from older students. This sampling of the special programs offered at Oak Farm Montessori High School allows students to choose courses as they progress through the program which best meet their individual interests. Starting their sophomore year, students will choose a pathway to gain mastery in that area. The four areas include: Bike Shop: Introduction to mechanic skills in an industry standard environment. Coffee Shop: Hospitality, Event Planning and Customer Relations in a fast paced industry. InnoLab: Introduction to design and operational skills with 3D printer, large format printer, design computers, and other high tech equipment. Using Graphic Design expertise to create and sell products. Farm, Animal Sciences & Land Management: For students who are interested in agriculture, plant and animal sciences or FFA, they can participate in this program on the farm. INTERSESSIONS Twice a year the regular curriculum stops for Intersession; when students participate in two immersion studies lasting one to two weeks. Each fall there is an Intersession based on grade levels, and each spring, students choose and plan the excursions based on themes connected to curriculum. These field studies can involve travel to other countries, other cities, or just locations in northeast Indiana; they likely will include day trips or one overnight. Fall Spring
9th - 12th - Ecoliteracy & Community Trip 9th/10th -Ecological Focus: Rivers, Canyons, Mountains, th 11 - College Application Process – Essays, Interviews, School Selection and Sociological Focus: Big City. 11th - Cultural Immersion 12th - Capstone Work & Preparation for Graduation
JOB SHADOWING AND INTERNSHIPS OFMHS’ program is able to provide a rigorous curriculum to every student while still responding to individual interests and learning needs through our small student/faculty ratio. Each student’s learning style is supported throughout their high school experience by staff members who are both experts in their fields, and gifted Montessori guides. In addition to our core faculty, our students are given the means to work with inspiring adults outside of Oak Farm Montessori through service learning, internships and the Capstone program. Community partnerships provide students opportunities to job shadow and intern in careers they find interesting. Students will work with mentors and meet experts in a variety of fields throughout their high school years.
COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES ATTENDED BY OAK FARM MONTESSORI SCHOOL ALUMNI:
Oak Farm Montessori High School graduated its first class in 2021. Our High School graduates and alumni have attended the following four year institutions: Albion College Ball State University Cedarville University College of Charleston Dickinson College Eugene Lang College at the New School, New York City Franklin College Huntington University Indiana State University Indiana University Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis Ivy Tech Kenyon College Knox College
LaSalle University Manchester University Newcastle University, Newcastle, England Notre Dame University Ohio Northern University Parson’s School of Design Purdue University St. Francis University Trine University United States Naval Academy University of Alabama University of Dayton University of Oklahoma Wabash College Young Americans College
The OFMHS Class of 2021, 2022 and 2023 had a graduation rate of 100 percent with all graduates accepted to their first choice college, university or post secondary program. Since 2020, OFMHS graduates have been awarded, and accepted, $1,035,000; including a Platinum ACT Scholar, a competitive Chapman Scholarship award recipient and two Bepko Scholarship recipients.
CEEB Code: 150031 | 502 Lemper Road, Avilla, IN 46710 | 260-897-4270 | www.oakfarm.org