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Academics

High School

Welcome to the High School—the final step of the Oakwood journey, where our students truly learn to become themselves. In this diverse and dynamic environment, we strive to constantly expand the possibilities of what becoming yourself means. Our graduates may differ in their passions but they all share the incredible gift of having found their voice, of emerging into the world with a sense of purpose and deep-seated confidence in their capacity to pursue it.
Through a carefully composed balance of constructivist pedagogy, individualized instruction, and intellectual rigor, classes at Oakwood go beyond the limiting notion of “college preparatory.” The academic experience at Oakwood builds a foundation that allows students to excel in any future pursuit. But more importantly, we strive to ensure that the daily experience of life at school is rich, inspiring, and, above all, joyful. Whether they are building a 3D printer in our STEAM lab, playing trumpet in our Brass Band, running cross country, arguing before the Supreme Court in a Social Studies simulation, or revisiting the march of civil rights leaders through Immersion—there is a palpable energy around campus as students and faculty engage in passionate exchange.

It is this very exchange that truly defines what our school is: a community.  The authentic, trusting relationships that our students build with faculty foster a nurturing environment where teenagers can safely take measured intellectual risks and grow as unique individuals. And, in the process, they become aware of their role in our community and the world at large. 

Course Descriptions by Academic Department

    • William Perkins Tift, High School Principal

Our Integrated Curriculum

At Oakwood School, our innovative and rigorous curriculum is foundational to teaching and learning. Each day, students move through college preparatory courses that meet high academic standards and inspire students to take charge of their intellectual pursuits.

Oakwood students deeply engage in a relevant and challenging academic curriculum and explore their creativity in a wide array of visual and performing arts. Through our Advisory, physical education, and wellness programs, they further develop skills to understand their changing selves.

INTELLECTUAL CHALLENGE

List of 8 items.

  • Advanced Studies (11th & 12th Grade)

    Oakwood’s Advanced Studies (OAS) program offers high school students in eleventh and twelfth grades the opportunity to engage in the academic disciplines at significant levels of rigor, inquiry, and depth. Developed and delivered by Oakwood’s remarkable faculty, and recognized as UC Honors-approved classes, Advanced Studies courses all afford students the opportunity to:

    • Advance toward mastery in specific or interconnected disciplines.
    • Demonstrate high levels of engagement and performance in response to complex questions and challenges.
    • Plan and carry out deep inquiry, investigation, or research that reflects their individual interests.
    • Develop and execute culminating work that extend their learning beyond the classroom.
    • Self-reflect and respond constructively to their own work and that of their fellow students.

    SAMPLE OAKWOOD ADVANCED STUDIES (OAS) COURSES:
    • Art History
    • Calculus A & B
    • Civil Right & Civil Liberties
    • Computer Science
    • Language and Composition
    • Music Composition and Analysis
    • Physics: Electricity and Magnetism
    • Social Philosophy

  • Class Trips

    The goal is to encourage socialization and class cohesion while giving students the opportunities to make curricular connections beyond the classroom:

    • 9th Grade Trip — Kern River
    • 11th Grade Trip — Russian River
    • 12th Grade Trip — Camp Gilmore

  • College Counseling

    An Oakwood education is intended to guide students in their academic, artistic, and athletic pursuits; to spark passion, and to help students gain self-knowledge. Through our personalized approach, we seek to connect with every student by encouraging them to lead their own unique college search with parents and counselors in a supporting role. We believe in the importance of acknowledging and stimulating an authentic sense of self in our students, which will allow them to find the college that matches their academic and personal pursuits. Learn more about College Counseling at Oakwood here.

  • Cultivating Belonging

    ADVISORY: Advisors serve as a caring guide and support through the academic, social, and emotional landscape of school life. Secondary campus students meet in Advisory twice per week in groups of 12.
     
    WELLNESS: The following programs aim to provide appropriate
    support, insight, and strategies to help students succeed
    in and out of the classroom:


    AFFINITY GROUPS    : Affinity Groups provide a space for people who have an identifier in common (e.g. race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, family status, etc.) and can speak to the experience of being a member of a group from the “I” perspective. Current student affinity groups:

    • Adopted Affinity Group
    • RepresentAsian (Asian, Asian Pacific Islander Affinity Group)
    • BMORE (Black/Brown Men at Oakwood Representing Excellence)
    • CAAMASO (Connecting African, African American, and Multiracial African American Students at Oakwood)
    • DIVAS (Daughters for Inclusive Values and Social Justice) of Color
    • Jewish Affinity Group
    • Greater Middle Eastern Affinity Group
    • Multiracial Affinity Group
    • Somos Unidos (LatinX Affinity Group)
    • Learn more about DEI&B at Oakwood here

    ALLIANCE GROUPS    : Alliance Groups bring together people who have common commitments to an identifier group and are for individuals who identify as members of the group and/or as people
    who support and stand in solidarity with that group. This category includes groups such as:

    • The Rainbow Alliance
    • Gender Equality Coalition
    • Oakwood School for Progressive Reform (OSPR)
    • Cultural Awareness and Solidarity Alliance (caSa)
    • White Anti-Racist Alliance
    • Learn more about DEI&B at Oakwood here

    CAMPUS EVENTS:
    • Arts Festival
    • Fall Family Fair
    • Halloween Event
    • IDEAS Summit
    • JustArt/Glove Affair
    • Oakwood Olympics
    • Prom
    • Senior Weekend
    • Semi-Formal Dance
    • Spirit Night
    • Town Meeting
    • Spirit Night
    • Town Meeting

  • Discovering Passion

    DEBATE: Middle School Debate competes in multiple Parliament Style debate tournaments. This course introduces advanced forms of argumentation including topicality, counterplans, disadvantages, weighing mechanisms, and frameworks.

    STEAM:  STEAM intertwines the multiple disciplines of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math into one curriculum. Through experimentation and problem solving, students encounter real world applications of design. If students can dream the idea, STEAM possesses all the technology and tools to bring their visions to fruition. The Engineering Lab features one-to-one 3D printers, CNC Routers, Waterjet and laser cutters, design stations, and numerous power tools. Learn more about our STEAM curriculum here.

    VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS:     We emphasize art as a form of communication within a cultural and historical context, with a strong focus on helping students discover their passion. By mastering technical skills, students can express their unique perspectives, while learning the vocabulary needed to articulate their vision and appreciate the visions of others. Our mission is to foster a lifelong passion for art, seeing it as a powerful means of personal and cultural representation. Learn more about arts at the secondary campus here.

  • Immersion

    Oakwood’s Immersion program provides an intense two-week period in the academic year for students to be fully engaged in rich and challenging learning experiences. Immersion courses are experiential—learning is hands-on, exploratory, and unrestricted by the boundaries of the regular classroom. Learn more about Immersion here.

  • Independent Studies & Special Topics

    Independent Studies and Special Topics offer an opportunity for in-depth study of particular topics not offered in the regular curriculum. These rigorous courses collaborated by a recruited faculty member and a student or small group of students take place during free periods or other designated times and appear on a student’s transcript. Sample classes include:

    • Multivariable Calculus
    • Recording and Engineering
    • Architecture & Design
    • Quantum Mechanics
    • Jane Eyre Through a Feminist Lens
    • Race and Class in 19th Century America

  • Schedule & Academic Requirements

    Oakwood operates on a rotating block schedule with 70-minute classes. These longer periods give students and teachers additional time to build academic skills, explore content in greater depth, and work collaboratively:

    • English (4 credits)
    • Social Studies (3 credits)
    • Mathematics (3 credits including 1 credit beyond Algebra II)
    • Science (3 credits of laboratory science)
    • World Language (3 credits of one language completed through level III)
    • Arts (3 credits) in: Visual Arts, Theatre Arts, Music, Dance 
    • Athletics, Physical Education and Wellness (2 credits)
    • Computer Science (No requirement)
    • Immersion (4 years)

STEAM

PERFORMING ARTS

SOCIAL STUDIES

VISUAL ARTS

MATH

World Languages

DISCOVER OAKWOOD

Secondary Campus

11600 Magnolia Blvd 
North Hollywood, CA 91601-3015 
818-732-3000

Elementary Campus

11230 Moorpark Street
North Hollywood, CA 91602-2602
818-732-3500

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