Oakwood School is a

private Private or privates may refer to: Music * " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...

non-sectarian Nonsectarian institutions are secular institutions or other organizations not affiliated with or restricted to a particular religious group. Academic sphere Examples of US universities that identify themselves as being nonsectarian include Adelp ...

college preparatory A college-preparatory school (usually shortened to preparatory school or prep school) is a type of secondary school. The term refers to public, private independent or parochial schools primarily designed to prepare students for higher education ...

school in the south

Silicon Valley Silicon Valley is a region in Northern California that serves as a global center for high technology and innovation. Located in the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area, it corresponds roughly to the geographical areas San Mateo County ...

community of

Morgan Hill Morgan Hill is a city in Santa Clara County, California, at the southern tip of Silicon Valley, in the San Francisco Bay Area. Morgan Hill is an affluent residential community, the seat of several high-tech companies, and a dining, entertainmen ...

, in

Santa Clara County, California Santa Clara County, officially the County of Santa Clara, is the sixth-most populous county in the U.S. state of California, with a population of 1,936,259, as of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. Santa Clara County and neighboring Sa ...

History

Oakwood was founded in 1998 as the ''Morgan Hill Country School''. Michelle Riches Helvey and her husband Ted Helvey purchased the school and reestablished the school as Oakwood School. In 2005, the high school grades began and in 2009, Oakwood graduated its first senior class. Oakwood is the sister school of

Pinewood School, Los Altos Pinewood School is a private, non-sectarian college preparatory school in the affluent Silicon Valley communities of Los Altos and Los Altos Hills, in Santa Clara County, California. History Founded in 1959, by Gwen Riches, the school began as a ...

, which was founded by Gwen Riches (mother of Michelle Riches Helvey), in 1959.

Academics

Oakwood's high school is one of the best ranked college-prep schools in the

San Francisco Bay Area The San Francisco Bay Area, often referred to as simply the Bay Area, is a populous region surrounding the San Francisco, San Pablo, and Suisun Bay estuaries in Northern California. The Bay Area is defined by the Association of Bay Area Go ...

(ranked 5th in 2016 in

Niche Niche may refer to: Science *Developmental niche, a concept for understanding the cultural context of child development *Ecological niche, a term describing the relational position of an organism's species *Niche differentiation, in ecology, the ...

). Oakwood School is accredited by the

Western Association of Schools and Colleges The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) was an organization providing School accreditation, accreditation of public and private universities, colleges, secondary school, secondary and elementary schools in California and Hawaii, ...

and is a member of the

National Association of Independent Schools The National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) is a U.S.-based membership organization for private, nonprofit, K-12 schools. Founded in 1962, NAIS represents independent schools and associations in the United States, including day, boar ...

International studies

Oakwood is a member of the

Cambridge Network The Cambridge Network is a commercial business networking organisation for business people and academics working in technology fields in the Cambridge area of the UK. The businesses and organisations that make up its membership are typical of those ...

, an international academic organization, which allows Oakwood to utilize the Cambridge Network's international studies program, allowing Oakwood students to travel to other network schools around the world and similarly allowing Oakwood to host international exchange students from within the network.

Athletics

Oakwood offers Varsity and JV sports including Basketball, Volleyball, Soccer, Cross Country, Track and Field, Tennis, Golf, and Swimming, and participates in the Mission Trail Athletic League (MTAL). More than 70% of students are members of at least one sports team beginning in their freshman year. Oakwood plays competitively in several sports, and advances to the

Central Coast Section The Central Coast Section (CCS) is the governing body of public and private high school athletics in the portion of California encompassing San Mateo County, Santa Clara County, Monterey County, San Benito County, Santa Cruz County and a few pri ...

(CCS) playoffs.

Advanced Placement

Oakwood offers a large number of AP classes. The overwhelming majority of students take one or more AP classes a year (with the exception of freshmen). Such classes include AP Art (2D and 3D), AP Spanish, AP French, AP Environmental Science, AP Physics, AP Chemistry, AP Government, AP European History, AP US History, and AP Computer Science. These classes often qualify students for college credits at the college level.

College Admissions

Oakwood is a college preparatory school, and as such, all graduates go on to college. Graduates attend colleges all over the nation, with a few choosing international universities.

Stanford University Stanford University, officially Leland Stanford Junior University, is a private research university in Stanford, California. The campus occupies , among the largest in the United States, and enrolls over 17,000 students. Stanford is consider ...

University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn or UPenn) is a private research university in Philadelphia. It is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and is ranked among the highest-regarded universitie ...

Santa Clara University Santa Clara University is a private Jesuit university in Santa Clara, California. Established in 1851, Santa Clara University is the oldest operating institution of higher learning in California. The university's campus surrounds the historic Mis ...

UCLA The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. UCLA's academic roots were established in 1881 as a teachers college then known as the southern branch of the California St ...

University of California, Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California) is a public land-grant research university in Berkeley, California. Established in 1868 as the University of California, it is the state's first land-grant u ...

University of Southern California The University of Southern California (USC, SC, or Southern Cal) is a Private university, private research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Founded in 1880 by Robert M. Widney, it is the oldest private research university in C ...

Pitzer Pitzer is a surname, and may refer to: *Alexander White Pitzer (1834–1927), American Presbyterian clergyman *Kenneth Sanborn Pitzer (1914–1997), American theoretical chemist *Russell Kelly Pitzer (1878–1978), American businessman and philanth ...

, Harvey Mudd,

Brigham Young University Brigham Young University (BYU, sometimes referred to colloquially as The Y) is a private research university in Provo, Utah. It was founded in 1875 by religious leader Brigham Young and is sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day ...

Boston University Boston University (BU) is a private research university in Boston, Massachusetts. The university is nonsectarian, but has a historical affiliation with the United Methodist Church. It was founded in 1839 by Methodists with its original campu ...

Colby College Colby College is a private liberal arts college in Waterville, Maine. It was founded in 1813 as the Maine Literary and Theological Institution, then renamed Waterville College after the city where it resides. The donations of Christian philanthr ...

Baylor University Baylor University is a private Baptist Christian research university in Waco, Texas. Baylor was chartered in 1845 by the last Congress of the Republic of Texas. Baylor is the oldest continuously operating university in Texas and one of the fir ...

Chapman University Chapman University is a private research university in Orange, California. It encompasses ten schools and colleges, including Fowler School of Engineering, Dodge College of Film and Media Arts, Fowler School of Law, and Schmid College of Scie ...

McGill University McGill University (french: link=no, Université McGill) is an English-language public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1821 by royal charter granted by King George IV,Frost, Stanley Brice. ''McGill Universit ...

and many others are among the many colleges where Oakwood students are enrolled or have attended.

Notable alumni

Romina Gupta Romina Gupta is an American acrobatic gymnast and a former member of the USA National Gymnastics Team. Career As a gymnast, Gupta won a gold medal at the 2015 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, as well as silver medals in 2014 and 201 ...

Team USA The United States national team or Team USA may refer to any of a number of sports team representing the United States in international competitions. Olympic teams Additionally, these teams may compete in other international competitions such as ...

gold medal gymnastics championIndia West - Romina Gupta Named to U.S. Acrobatic Gymnastics Team
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References

External links

Oakwood School official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Oakwood School (Morgan Hill, California) Preparatory schools in California High schools in Santa Clara County, California Educational institutions established in 1998 Morgan Hill, California Private high schools in California Private middle schools in California Private elementary schools in California 1998 establishments in California