Oaks Christian School (OCS) is a
co-educational
Mixed-sex education, also known as mixed-gender education, co-education, or coeducation (abbreviated to co-ed or coed), is a system of education where males and females are educated together. Whereas single-sex education was more common up to ...
,
college-preparatory,
non-denominational Christian school
A Christian school is a school run on Christian principles or by a Christian organization.
The nature of Christian schools varies enormously from country to country, according to the religious, educational, and political cultures. In some count ...
serving grades 5–12. Oaks Christian School is located on in
Westlake Village,
Los Angeles County, California
Los Angeles County, officially the County of Los Angeles, and sometimes abbreviated as L.A. County, is the most populous county in the United States and in the U.S. state of California, with 9,861,224 residents estimated as of 2022. It is th ...
. The school was established in 2000.
As of the 2019–20 school year, total student enrollment is approximately 1,400 students. Approximately three-quarters of these students are enrolled in high school (grades ), while the remainder comprise the middle school population (grades 5–8).
History
In 1997, in a Westlake Village industrial park were purchased for the original campus. Oaks Christian School opened in 2000 to approximately 160
high school
A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...
students and 40
middle school
A middle school (also known as intermediate school, junior high school, junior secondary school, or lower secondary school) is an educational stage which exists in some countries, providing education between primary school and secondary school ...
students. By the year 2002, most of the school and campus infrastructure had been completed, with the exception of the Bedrosian Pavilion, a performing arts facility completed in 2007. Surrounded by the
Four Seasons Hotel and the
Dole Food Company headquarters to the east, the
Ventura Freeway to the south, and a large industrial park to the north, only one property lies contiguous to the campus. That seven-acre property became available in 2007, allowing for expansion.
In the 2009–10 school year, Oaks Christian opened its new middle school facility on the adjacent property. In 2014-15, the Academy V program for fifth grade students was launched.
As of the 2019–20 school year, Oaks Christian was scheduled to open a new on-site student dormitory to offer both 5- and 7-day/week boarding options. Additionally, the opening of the Idea Lab (Innovation Design Engineering and Aeronautics) will offer students a jump start into careers focused on STEM career paths. Admission is competitive (59% acceptance rate), based on a variety of criteria ranging from primary school grades,
Independent School Entrance Examination (ISEE) score, a personal interview, essays, and extracurricular interests.
Academics
Oaks Christian School is accredited by the
Western Association of Schools and Colleges
The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) was an organization providing accreditation of public and private universities, colleges, secondary and elementary schools in California and Hawaii, the territories of Guam, American Sam ...
, the
National Association of Independent Schools, as well as the
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) is an educational accreditor recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. This agency accredits over 13,000 public and priv ...
. The average class size is 17 students. Fifty-one percent of the faculty hold advanced degrees, and 100% of the student body is admitted to colleges and universities. Among first-year students admitted to the
University of Southern California
, mottoeng = "Let whoever earns the palm bear it"
, religious_affiliation = Nonsectarian—historically Methodist
, established =
, accreditation = WSCUC
, type = Private research university
, academic_affiliations =
, endowment = $8. ...
, OCS is one of most-represented independent high schools.
Athletics
Oaks Christian School teams are nicknamed the Lions. The school is a member of the
CIF Southern Section (CIF-SS) and competes in the
Marmonte League. OCS sponsors 48 athletic teams across 26 sports. As of the 2019–20 school year, OCS holds a total of 49 CIF-SS championships (including six consecutive section titles in football in the 2000s), five
CIF-State titles, 165 league championships, two Gatorade State Players of the Year, and one Gatorade National Player of the Year.
Since its inception, Oaks Christian has gained national prominence with its
football team. The football program has developed numerous players who have been recruited for NCAA Division I programs and have played in the National Football League.
The Lions boys' and girls' track and field teams combined for five CIF-SS championships between 2014 and 2019.
Oaks Christian girls' water polo won its first CIF-SS championship in 2019 under Jack Kocur, who at the time also coached the
Pepperdine Waves men's water polo team and was an assistant with the
U.S. men's national team.
Notable alumni
*
Alex Bachman, professional football player
*
Phil Bickford, professional baseball player
*
Maya Brady
Maya Ann Brady-Timmons is an American college softball player for the UCLA Bruins. As a freshman in 2020, she was named Softball America Freshman of the Year.
High school career
Brady attended Oaks Christian School in Westlake Village, Californ ...
, college softball player
*
Zach Charbonnet, college football player
*
Jimmy Clausen, professional football player
*
Colin Ford (born 1996), actor
*
Max Heidegger (born 1997), American-Israeli professional basketball player
*
Dree Hemingway (born 1987), model
*
Malcolm Jones, professional football player
*
Cameron Judge, professional football player
*
Cassius Marsh
Cassius Lee Marsh Sr. (born July 7, 1992) is an American football outside linebacker who is a free agent. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the fourth round of the 2014 NFL Draft. He played college football at UCLA. He has also playe ...
, professional football player
*
Casey Matthews
Casey Christopher Matthews (born January 16, 1989) is a former American football linebacker. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the fourth round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He played college football at Oregon. He is the brother of Clay Matt ...
, professional football player
*
Nick Montana
Nicholas Alexander Montana (born April 28, 1992) is an American former football quarterback. He began his college football career at the University of Washington before transferring to Mt. San Antonio College. After one season at the junior col ...
, college football player
*
Chris Owusu
Christopher Lloyd Owusu (born January 6, 1990) is a former American football wide receiver. He played college football at Stanford. He was signed by the San Francisco 49ers after going undrafted in the 2012 NFL Draft.
He has also played for ...
, professional football player
*
Francis Owusu
Francis Taaloga Owusu (born December 27, 1994) is a former American football wide receiver. He played college football at Stanford.
High school
Owusu attended Oaks Christian high school in California, where he was a four star prospect ranked a ...
, professional football player
*
Colby Parkinson
Colby John Parkinson (born January 8, 1999) is an American football tight end for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Stanford.
Early years
Parkinson attended Oaks Christian School in Westla ...
, professional football player
*
Jordan Payton, professional football player
*
Michael Pittman Jr., professional football player
*
Sofia Richie, model and fashion designer
*
Preston Strother, actor
*
Kayvon Thibodeaux, professional football player
*
Marc Tyler, professional football player
*
Peter Weber, television personality
References
External links
*
2007 Oaks Christian High School Educator of Distinction (National Society of High School Scholars)
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Christian schools in California
Private high schools in Los Angeles County, California
Private middle schools in Los Angeles County, California
Private preparatory schools in California
Westlake Village, California
Schools accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges
Educational institutions established in 2000
2000 establishments in California