OJAI VALLEY SCHOOL Strategic Plan
Authentically OVS
Rooted in our past, focused on our future
In 1923, OVS founder Edward Yeomans took a one-room schoolhouse with a dozen pupils and transformed it into a thriving boarding and day school serving hundreds of students from around the world. He constructed a new campus rimmed with oak trees, infused with music and art, and included a wood shop for the “hand work” taught alongside the “head work” of history, literature, and mathematics. Into this school, Yeomans recruited a team of educators focused on the best practices of progressive education, and thus established OVS as a child-centered school focused on Integer Vitae: the wholeness, symmetry, and soundness of life.
One hundred years later, we continue to embrace and support a community of inspiring educators and curious learners, focusing on engaging students as active,
independent thinkers. We remain committed to pursuing a field-studies approach to academics – one that is focused on critical, careful observation and hands-on experiences. We also remain committed to a program deeply invested in the arts – performing, visual, and manual – as well as outdoor experiences that promote a “Leave No Trace” ethos where students and adults are deeply engaged in the outdoor world, the care of animals, and stewardship of our environmental resources.
As we look to the next century of Yeoman’s legacy, these are the endearing values which must be kept at the center of an authentically OVS education – one that is rooted in our past, yet focused on our future, one that takes “the head” and combines it with “the hand,” and one that is challenging, empowering, and ultimately, transformative.
“Authentically OVS” is the central theme of our Strategic Plan, a document that will serve as a guide or roadmap as we chart a course for the School’s future.
The plan includes five key components:
• Teaching and Learning
• Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds
• Land and Climate
• Finance, Operations and Governance
• Community and Belonging
The goals and priorities identified in the Plan were formed through an in-depth and inclusive process over a twoyear period with contributions from trustees, parents, alumni, faculty, and students, as well as through our accreditation process and other planning sessions. The Board of Trustees updated and reaffirmed the central tenets of the plan in June 2023 and the document was
finalized in the months that followed in collaboration with key stakeholders.
At its core, the Plan reflects the School’s mission and guiding principles as we strive to be innovative in our curriculum, creative in our approach to learning, and bold in our vision for the future. The clarity of our mission is as relevant and lived today as it was a century ago, and our success in continuing it will be achieved through the support of those willing to safeguard Yeomans’ legacy and build upon his guiding vision to provide a safe and inspiring space for children to become their best true selves. We invite you to read on to learn more and invite you to join in this effort.
Craig Floyd Interim Head of School
Mission
By the time Ojai Valley School students are ready to graduate they will have developed the academic strength, the character, and the self-confidence to meet life’s future challenges and contribute to an ever-changing world.
Philosophy
Ojai Valley School’s philosophy is contained in the words Integer Vitae, meaning wholeness of life, symmetry of life, soundness of life, and, therefore, poise and strength of life. To accommodate the school philosophy, every effort is made to create an atmosphere for students and staff that is conducive to learning and growing through the framework of a warm family environment.
Guided by this stated philosophy, Ojai Valley School has as its goals and objectives the development of each student’s character through the advantageous use of Ojai’s natural surroundings, diverse educational community and a strong, professional staff. More specifically, the goals and objectives for each student are outlined in the school philosophy as follows:
• Wholeness of life – Ojai Valley School students are presented with a wide variety of experiences through college preparatory studies, campus life, educational field trips, student activities, athletic programs, and outdoor education. These activities allow students to explore the extent of their interests and abilities, to know themselves, and to develop an appreciation and respect for other people on a global scale.
• Symmetry of life – Ojai Valley School students are exposed to a well-balanced program, both academic and social, with consistent standards set for each discipline and activity.
• Soundness of life – Towards the development of character, Ojai Valley School students are given responsibilities, which relate to their personal lives and to school affairs. Students have an opportunity to learn, perhaps to fail and to try again. With staff support and guidance, students begin to develop the knowledge and strength needed to make sound judgments.
Portrait of a Graduate
Ojai Valley School students are encouraged to explore their interests, know themselves, and develop an appreciation and respect for others on a global scale. By the time they graduate, they will have developed the academic strength, the character, and the self-confidence to meet life’s future challenges and contribute to an ever-changing world.
Specifically, an Ojai Valley School graduate:
• Exercises Resilience: Pursues a healthy and balanced lifestyle; Confidently meets life’s future challenges; Adapts to evolving learning environments to maintain a lifelong investment in education
• Thinks Critically: Resourcefully and creatively solves problems; Explores interests, develops deep core knowledge, and succeeds academically; Appreciates and understands multiple perspectives
• Embraces Community: Acts with kindness, empathy and inclusiveness; Honors and advocates for cultural and global diversity; Collaborates in ways that contribute to the greater good
• Champions the Environment: Develops a deep appreciation for the outdoors; Works to protect, preserve and restore the natural environment; Applies eco-conscious practices, including “leave no trace” habits
• Acts with Integrity: Appreciates and respects others; Values honesty and acts ethically; Takes responsibility and accountability for actions
• Contributes With Sincerity: Communicates powerfully and effectively; Serves the community through leadership and shares a joy for learning; Exhibits independent thinking and a commitment to active, constructive citizenship
Teaching & Learning
The school tries to develop any particular talent in which a pupil is gifted and at the same time tries to develop the things in which he is not so talented. Sometimes it is not so much developing as it is opening up something which has been locked in. This all rounds out a child.”
- Rodney Hobson Smith (L32), OVS Alumnus
Teaching & Learning
Ojai Valley School offers a distinctive place for learning. It is a boarding and day school serving students from preschool through high school on two campuses. It is a home-away-from-home for students from around the world, a place where students make life-long friendships. And academically, it is a place in which the curriculum is intellectually challenging and intentional with its focus on hands-on learning experiences. Through those experiences, students learn to participate, to be respectful, to work both collaboratively and independently, to love challenges, to reach beyond limits, to strive for excellence, to try again if they fail and, ultimately, to value themselves. They graduate with character and a sense of responsibility, but even more so, with a feeling of confidence that they can make a positive difference in a rapidly changing world.
As we look to the future, and identify ways to enhance teaching and learning, it is imperative that we continue to build on these areas of academic excellence.
We will pursue the following goals:
• Articulate a challenging, vertically aligned curriculum which fully embodies our philosophy of “Integer Vitae”
• Create a robust professional growth and enrichment program
• Make an informed investment in our faculty and staff
We have already begun to articulate a challenging, vertically aligned curriculum by updating the Portrait of a Graduate statement. This effort began in spring 2023 with a faculty-led effort on both campuses to audit the statement and make adjustments as needed. We will continue this process of self-assessment to ensure that the curriculum across the grade levels is distinctive and mission-aligned and meets or exceeds California standards. At the same time, we will review our course offerings and identify areas which need expanding or strengthening. This review process will be ongoing and led by the administrative teams on both campuses. An example of this effort now underway includes the addition of new interdisciplinary courses in Environmental Justice and Environmental History at the Upper Campus that support a new Land & Climate graduation requirement. Looking ahead, we will identify new ways to celebrate the accomplishments of our soon-to-be graduates by creating a culminating honors student experience, the “Yeomans Distinguished Scholars,” a designation to recognize juniors and seniors whose character and scholarship embody our philosophy. The Yeomans Scholars will honor students who demonstrate a depth of scholarship and application beyond the OVS classroom.
Academically, the School provides a challenging program balanced by offerings in fine and performing arts, athletics, outdoor education, and equestrian. Students thrive in a small community led by dedicated teachers – who we
must support through a robust professional growth and enrichment program. This commitment is well underway. The school raised funding at the 2023 Gala and Auction specifically to support enrichment, which in turn allowed more teachers and staff members to immediately attend conferences and training opportunities to develop their own expertise in technology and the subjects or grade levels they teach. Looking ahead, the school will continue to identify ways to provide professional development and support current best practices for learning standards, curriculum, instruction, and assessment. We will also strive to better refine our teacher mentoring programs.
Finally, our goal to make an informed investment in our faculty and staff is also well underway. The School in 2023 hired an outside firm to complete a compensation study to establish a compensation philosophy, identify a set of benchmark schools, and target employee compensation and benefit levels to remain competitive in the marketplace. The Board has committed to offer competitive salaries and excellent benefits with
mission-driven work and opportunities for professional development and growth.
One area of notable concern focuses on providing affordable housing. The School’s ability to attract and retain top teachers could be jeopardized by soaring housing costs in Ojai and surrounding communities, making the development of workforce housing a key factor in the Strategic Plan. Making an informed investment in our faculty and staff will include setting new goals and policies regarding employee housing.
Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds
One of the most essential of the lessons of life is this: What to do with leisure time so that it shall always be re-creative, so that it shall always renew a right spirit within you.”
- Edward Yeomans, OVS Founder
Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds
Ojai Valley School is committed to providing a safe and nurturing environment for all of its students. This includes nearly 80 boarding students in grades 3-12 who come predominantly from California but also from out of state and overseas. It also includes about 240 day students from Ojai and surrounding communities in western Ventura County. Meeting the health and wellness needs of this diverse community of boarding and day students is the responsibility of a team of well-informed, compassionate residential staff members, advisors, teachers, coaches, administrators, food service workers, and health care professionals.
Among the most critical issues facing schools nationally are providing strong campus security systems and managing student stress, anxiety, and depression. At
OVS, actions have been taken in the past year to address these issues. These actions include implementing a crosscampus security notification system and regular training of employees on how to effectively use the system. They also include hiring a highly qualified full-time School Counselor to support students’ mental health. The Counselor now guides advisory programs, provides resources to families, and works directly with elementary, middle and high school students to improve social skills and focus on conflict resolution and stress management.
We will pursue the following goals:
• Reinforce student safety and security
• Enhance programs and facilities in Outdoor Education and Adventure Sports, Equestrian, and Athletics
• Provide age-appropriate programs and support to foster student mental health and wellness
We will reinforce our student safety and security practices in the years ahead by updating our safety policies and increasing our security monitoring capabilities. We will also continue steps taken this year to enhance our Food Services, including allergen labeling and signage, while providing healthy meals with locally-sourced ingredients where possible.
The Outdoor Education, Equestrian, and Athletic programs are pillars of the OVS experience. They provide
unique, authentic opportunities for students to challenge themselves, take risks, and develop their confidence and character. In the years ahead we will continue to enhance these programs with a renewed investment in both programming and facilities.
Short-term plans also include pursuing donor support for enhancements to the Outdoor Education program and a partnership with the Outdoor Alliance for Kids. Long-term plans include building a gymnasium and wellness center at the Upper Campus to benefit the entire School by providing an indoor athletic venue that could be used by students on both campuses. As envisioned, this center would become a hub of student life, providing a place for competitive athletics, recreation, performing arts, summer programs, and more. As part of the modifications to the current Master Plan, the School has begun the initial planning for a gymnasium, including site location and considering the key features of the building. Adventure Sports is another area the School plans to pursue in the coming years. These could include competitive rock climbing, mountain biking, skateboarding, and other interests that will distinguish OVS in the landscape of independent schools.
Finally, we will continue to provide age-appropriate programs and support to foster student mental health and wellness. Social-emotional learning is part of the advisory curriculum in the middle and high school divisions. We have provided training to all PK-8 teachers
in the Responsive Classroom method and will consider other professional development opportunities in the future. We will also step up our efforts to provide parent education regarding student mental health and wellness, and enhance training of our residential staff to meet the needs of our boarding community.
Land & Climate
There’s something powerful about sticking your hands in the dirt and feeling the earth, and now more than ever, kids need to be more connected to the land we live on.”
- Tony Thacher (L55), OVS Alumnus, Past Parent and Current Grandparent
Land & Climate
In recent years, Ojai Valley School has emerged as a leader in the independent school community with its distinctive Outdoor Education programming, its hands-on field studies, and its pursuit of environmental sustainability and conservation initiatives. These include dramatically reducing water usage, pursuing energy efficiency improvements on both campuses, incorporating green-building practices in new building projects, and embracing solar technology. Although the commitment
to sustainability is well underway, there is more that can be done regarding energy and resource conservation, as well as teaching students how to be good stewards of the environment – a key component of our Mission and Philosophy.
We know our students are part of a generation that will play a pivotal role in addressing the climate crisis. As such, the School has taken steps in the past year to augment and strengthen the Land & Climate curriculum, as well as to add a new graduation requirement at the high school to give students a solid foundation in environmental literacy taught through courses in the sciences and the humanities. All students will now graduate with the knowledge, skills and resilience to be part of the solution to the challenges we face in an ever-changing world.
We will pursue the following goals:
• Create and implement a pragmatic Climate Action Plan
• Infuse all areas of our educational program with a commitment to Land & Climate education and a field studies approach
• Establish a Land & Climate Institute to connect OVS’ unique approach to the larger educational world
To accomplish these goals, we will create and implement a pragmatic Climate Action Plan and convene a group to
lead these efforts and gather the data needed to measure our impact. We will also establish partnerships with local community organizations that share our commitment to educate students on how to be good stewards of the environment. We will also take continued steps to reduce our environmental impact by pursuing a solar installation at the Lower Campus, reducing our food waste on both campuses, continuing composting and recycling initiatives, and enhancing our agricultural education and animal husbandry programming. Significantly, OVS has created a water use roadmap for the future, in partnership with Watershed Progressive, an Ojai-based environmental consulting firm.
We will infuse all areas of our educational program with a commitment to Land & Climate education and a field studies approach. We will document current practices as a part of the School’s curriculum articulation and create or revive Land & Climate units in PK-8 grades to complement efforts already underway at the Upper Campus. We have already taken steps to deepen our relationships and increase student experiences with local environmental organizations. The next step will be to hire a Sustainability Director to lead our environmental initiatives, research and pursue grant opportunities, and monitor our progress. We will establish an institute to share the School’s unique approach to Land & Climate with the larger educational world. We will pilot a summer institute for educators and committed students from like-minded schools,
and we will look for ways to bring Outdoor Education and climate education programs to disadvantaged youth from the region. In launching these new initiatives, we will enhance and pursue new leadership opportunities for our students in the areas of Outdoor Education and climate education. One way to build these leadership skills will be to join the Outdoor Alliance for Kids and other national organizations committed to connecting youth with nature and the outdoors. The School should also consider the possibility of offering a semester program like Whitman College’s Semester in the West, a semester-long interdisciplinary field studies program.
In conclusion, these goals are the next bold steps for a school that for generations has promoted a “Leave No Trace” ethos and taught students to discover the restorative elements found in nature. The idea of sustainable use, the concepts of stewardship, conservation, restoration and caring for the land around us are deeply rooted in the OVS experience, and we will continue these commitments in the years to come.
Finance, Operations & Governance
OVS is us, the people. We hear this often; constantly, we are reminded of the strength of our community — every hammer blow and tile saw scream is proof that OVS is more than just stone and steel.”
- Adam Pepper-Macias (L17, U21), OVS Alumnus
Finance, Operations & Governance
Among its unique features, Ojai Valley School maintains two distinct campuses with residential, academic, athletic, and equestrian facilities, as well as separate parcels for faculty housing. The School has completed major building projects in recent years and envisions a series of future projects and fundraising priorities that will modernize our campuses, preserve our history, and improve the educational experience for boarding and day students in years to come.
We will pursue the following goals:
• Enhance our financial sustainability via enhanced enrollment and development efforts, modeling, risk-management, and reporting
• Enhance and modernize our operations, facilities, marketing and public relations, and student information systems
• Engage in transformative critical reflection to better align ourselves with the NAIS Principles of Good Practice for Boards of Trustees
We will enhance our financial sustainability primarily through enrollment growth and fundraising, and we recognize these goals are closely aligned. Our high school enrollment dropped following the devastating Thomas Fire, yet we are now nearing capacity at the Upper Campus following the rebuilding of the Grace Hobson Smith House dorm, the Aramont Science & Technology Center and the addition of the Littlefield
Student Commons – projects made possible through the generous support of our families and alumni.
Although OVS has outwardly recovered from the devastating impacts of the Thomas Fire, it continues to grapple with insurance increases, programmatic needs, and facility maintenance. Expenses related to insurance and debt service now comprise 22% of the school’s operating expenses — costs unique to its location in California. Financial aid targeted at hard-working, mission-appropriate students comprises nearly 20% of the operating budget, while employee compensation and benefits comprise the largest portion. OVS recently engaged a consulting firm to complete a compensation and benefits analysis. While the study found Ojai Valley School’s compensation to be in line with peer schools, it revealed that independent schools nationwide face headwinds in attracting and retaining high-quality educators, especially in light of rapidly increasing housing costs. As such, the School’s financial priorities must include investing in the people who make the OVS community great by offering competitive wages and exceptional benefits and providing workforce housing. We risk losing our greatest asset – our dedicated teachers and staff members – if we cannot deliver on these goals.
We must also modernize our facilities. We’ve recently added a new classroom building and administrative suite at the Lower Campus. Future plans include the historic
preservation of Frost Hall at Lower Campus, which was designed by Wallace Neff in the 1920s. We intend to expand dorm rooms, to add high-efficiency heating and air conditioning, and to expand and remodel the Dining Hall. These improvements will allow us to better meet the needs of a thriving day population and attract more residents to our junior boarding program.
We will continue to rebuild and market our competitive Equestrian Program to ensure that we recruit the talented boarding students who will thrive in this distinctive program. And, we will pursue construction of a new gymnasium and wellness center at the Upper Campus. By adding a gym OVS will enhance the student experience in myriad ways. Student participation in sports will increase as both players and spectators have a home court. Middle school students and their families would be introduced to the Upper Campus in a positive way as their games would also be played there.
Longterm investments are also needed to build our endowment, which will allow the school, over time, to increase faculty compensation, reduce debt, and increase access for hard-working students. To guide us confidently into the next century, OVS has identified the transformative power of a $150 million endowment. An endowment of this size would allow the School to more fully address the headwinds facing many independent schools and put it on par with national leaders. Our immediate goal is to increase our endowment by a factor of 10, from $7,500 per student to $75,000 per student.
Finally, we will engage in a transformative reflection to better align ourselves with the NAIS Principles of Good Practice for Boards of Trustees. The OVS Board has grown from 11 to 16 dedicated members whose skills and experiences provide the necessary financial and strategic oversight.
Community & Belonging
Being at OVS has allowed me to become whoever I wanted to be. During my time in high school, I could become a runner, a writer, a musician, and an environmentalist. And the people supporting me taught me to be the best version of all those things that I possibly could be.”
- Avery Colborn (L16, U20), OVS Alumna
Community & Belonging
The animating spirit of OVS traces to its progressive roots in the early 20th century, and to the uniquely rustic character of Ojai and its surrounding wilderness. Then and now, students describe a community that provides a home away from home, a community anchored by teachers who care, challenge and inspire them to tackle any obstacles in the world; a place from which students graduate with qualities that don’t show up on a high school transcript – a strong work ethic, a sense of integrity, and an appreciation for cultural diversity and the natural world. As we chart a course for the future, the School is committed to perpetuating this exceptional boarding and day school experience by strengthening the academic, co-curricular, and residential life programs while increasing enrollment to build a healthy and strong community.
We will pursue the following goals:
• Continue to build a committed, engaged community of boarding and day students
• Strengthen the connectivity among our parents, alumni, and school
• Involve students and faculty beyond our campus boundaries in partnership with local organizations
• Promote the recognition and appreciation of our cultural similarities and differences as members of a shared global community
We will continue to build an engaged community of boarding and day students by growing our enrollment and enhancing the resident experience. The School has implemented an enrollment management plan to recruit students locally, nationally and internationally. After experiencing an enrollment decline during the pandemic, the School is now thriving and welcoming students from around the world again. In the past year, OVS has introduced an English Language Development program to accommodate the growth of international boarding students at the Lower Campus and reinvigorated the English as a Second Language program at the Upper Campus. The School added a Junior Boarding Residential Coordinator and Admissions Associate who will play a key role in recruitment and retention of our youngest residents in grades 3-8. Plans to remodel Frost Hall boarding and dining areas and Reed Hall dorm will further enhance the boarding experience at Lower Campus.
The OVS community is comprised of many individuals who support the mission and enable the school to grow and thrive. Looking ahead, we will strengthen the connectivity among our parents and alumni through social events, parent educational series by academic division, and with increased alumni gatherings locally, regionally, and globally.
We will also focus on caring for the community beyond
our campuses. This work is well underway. Upper Campus students frequently sort and package produce with Food Share of Ventura County to combat food insecurity. Our elementary, middle and high school students also participate in restoration work with the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy (OVLC) and the Channel Islands National Park. In October 2023, more than 140 OVS students, faculty and parents volunteered at the Ventura River Preserve to assist in restoring a former orchard to its natural state. It was the largest work group the OVLC has ever hosted. More efforts such as these are on the horizon as we deepen our commitment to serving our community and caring for our environment.
Finally, we will promote the recognition and appreciation of our cultural similarities and differences as members of a shared global community. Guided by a knowledgeable consultant, work is now underway to support our staff regarding cultural competencies, equitable lesson and event planning, and to better define our institutional philosophy around community and belonging. A strong community that embraces every individual is vital to a healthy school. We will continue to strive to enroll students from all backgrounds whose cultures, life experiences, talents, and interests will enrich the entire community. And once enrolled, we will ensure that students are provided a safe environment in which to be their true selves and to develop the confidence to speak up for what is right.
Areas of Focus, Goals, KPIs
Strategic Plan Components
Our Areas of Focus
Future Goals
What We Will Accomplish in the Next 5 Years
• Articulate a challenging, vertically aligned curriculum which fully embodies our philosophy of “Integer Vitae”
Teaching & Learning
Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds
• Create a robust professional growth and enrichment program
• Make an informed investment in our faculty and staff
• Reinforce student safety and security
• Enhance programs and facilities in outdoor education & adventure sports, equestrian, and athletics
• Provide age-appropriate programs and support to foster student mental health and wellness
• Create and implement a pragmatic Climate Action Plan
Land & Climate
• Infuse all areas of our educational program with a commitment to Land & Climate education and a field studies approach
• Establish a Land & Climate Institute to connect OVS’ unique approach to the larger educational world
Key Performance Indicators
How We Meet Our Goals and Measure our Progress
• Revisit and update the Portrait of a Graduate
• Review the PK-12 curriculum and identify areas that can be strengthened while continuing to build on the school’s areas of academic excellence
• Create a culminating honors student experience with Yeomans Distinguished Scholars designation
• Support ongoing professional development
• Refine our teacher mentoring programs
• Refine compensation and benefits targets
• Pursue new opportunities for workforce housing
• Review and update safety practices and health policies, including school counseling program
• Provide parent education regarding student mental health and wellness
• Enhance training of residential staff to support student mental health and wellness
• Strengthen competitive sports; develop adventure sports
• Form a group to lead efforts on the climate action plan
• Establish partnership with Watershed Progressive and other groups to gather data and develop a plan to reduce our water use
• Complete solar installation at Lower Campus
• Develop Land & Climate units for PK-8 classes
• Develop field studies partnerships with local organizations
• Strengthen Land & Climate offerings at Upper Campus
• Gather students, faculty, and community partners to develop framework for a Land & Climate Institute
• Pilot a summer institute for educators and committed students from like-minded schools
• Pursue grant opportunities
Strategic Plan Components
Our Areas of Focus
Finance, Operations & Governance
Future Goals
What We Will Accomplish in the Next 5 Years
• Enhance our financial sustainability via enhanced enrollment and development efforts, modeling, risk-management, and reporting
• Enhance and modernize our operations, facilities, marketing and public relations, and student information systems
• Engage in transformative critical reflection to better align ourselves with the NAIS Principles of Good Practice for Boards of Trustees
• Continue to build a committed, engaged community of boarding and day students
Community & Belonging
• Strengthen the connectivity among our parents, alumni, and school
• Involve students and faculty beyond our campus boundaries in partnership with local organizations
• Promote the recognition and appreciation of our cultural similarities and differences as members of a shared global community
Key Performance Indicators
How We Meet Our Goals and Measure our Progress
• Create and meet enrollment and development goals
• Develop fundraising strategies to support Strategic Plan goals
• Increase endowment
• Initiate building plans for dorm improvements and workforce housing
• Evaluate effectiveness of campus technology, information systems, and the end-user experience
• Evaluate the need to increase membership of Board of Trustees
• Ensure that we are aligned with the NAIS Principles of Good Practice for Boards of Trustees
• Develop plans to remodel Frost Hall boarding and dining areas as well as Reed Hall improvements to improve the boarding experience at Lower Campus
• Identify facility and program enhancements to improve resident life at the Upper Campus
• Evaluate the number and nature of parent and alumni social events to improve connectivity and engagement
• Consider expanding a parent educational series
• Evaluate current partnerships with local organizations
• Identify new or additional volunteer opportunities
• Provide staff workshops regarding cultural competencies and equitable lesson planning
• Involve students and faculty in programming offered regionally and nationally
• Provide additional opportunities for global travel and immersive experiences
Strategic Plan Participants
We wish to thank the following leadership volunteers who contributed their time and talents to this Strategic Plan, Authentically OVS: Rooted in Our Past, Focused on Our Future.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Sally M. Dyer (L87, U91), Chair
Patricia H. Farber, Treasurer
Andrew Helman, Secretary
James Casey (L95)
Kimberly Cluff (L83)
Robert G. Cooper Jr. (L61)
John B. De Nault III
Craig Floyd, Interim Head of School
Ousmane Fofana (U09)
Craig Marcus
Vahagan Nahabedian
Gail Ordway (U78)
Gretchen Schuette
Katharine Wang
Hongyang “Bob” Zheng (U09)
CURRENT PARENTS, ALUMNI, AND FRIENDS
Administration, Faculty and Staff
Lower Campus Student Officers
Upper Campus Student Officers
Lucila Arango (U84)
Emily Thacher Ayala (L86) and Tony Ayala
Kendra and Chris Bollenbach
Parris and John Collins
Spencer Garrett (L62, U65)
Cooper Hefner (U09)
Katie Jeffrey (L99, U03)
Lars Kuelling
Mary Wallace and Ed Littlefield (U67)
Hilary Walsh and Emmett Malloy
Andrea and Ted Manning
Lauren Cerre and Tyler Manson
Tara Mortenson
Uche Nwokidu-Aderibigbe
Erin van Otterloo
Mia Rondinella and Rich Singer
Nicholas Thacher (L60)
Tony Thacher (L55)
Rebecca and Josh Tickell
We welcome your input and contributions!
The Strategic Plan is a work in progress that continues to evolve. We welcome and value the input of community members, including our trustees, alumni, current and former parents, students, faculty and staff members. There is much work to be done as we pursue our future goals. Please reach out to us with any questions or if you are interested in supporting the programs and facility improvements identified in this report.
