Oakbrook Preparatory School
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| Oakbrook Preparatory School | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
 | |
| Information | |
| Type | Private school |
| Established | 1992 |
| Headmaster | Adair Hinds[1] |
| Faculty | 70 |
| Grades | K4–12 |
| Enrollment | 400+ |
| Color(s) | Navy and Silver |
| Athletics conference | SCISA |
| Mascot | Knights |
| Information | (864) 587-2060 |
| Student Body President | Charlotte Holbein |
| Website | http://www.Oakbrookprep.org |
Oakbrook Preparatory School is a private Christian based 4K–12 school, located in Spartanburg, South Carolina. It consists of a lower school for 4K-4th graders, a middle school for 5th–8th graders, and an upper school for 9th–12th graders.
History
The story of Oakbrook began in 1992 with a large vision and a small school called the Village School founded by Rosemary Moore with 18 students in the basement of a church. Her vision was to create a cross-cultural school where children from various denominations were united by their willingness to work and to learn. The Village School began with the purpose of teaching children ideas that matter. Children are thinkers who thrive on a diet of challenging ideas and questions. This philosophical approach has worked for over one hundred years in England and forms one of the cornerstones of Oakbrook Preparatory School.
The curriculum is primarily influenced by the work of the great English educator Charlotte Mason, who established village schools in England at the turn of the century. Her academic emphasis was to put children in touch with nature and classics in literature, art, and music. She offered a classical, broad-based curriculum to all children, regardless of economic or social background. The children of farmers and shopkeepers were taught the same wide curriculum as the young lords in the manor.
When Mrs. Moore founded the school, she never intended for the school to continue beyond grade five. Due to the tremendous support and insistence from parents, it was decided that the Village School would become a true college preparatory school and continue through grade 12. Changing the structure of the school brought about a need to change the name of the school as well. The 2001-2002 school year was a year of transition. The Village School remained the name used for the preschool through fifth grade students, while the middle school students adopted the name Oakbrook. Beginning in August 2002, the name Oakbrook Preparatory School was adopted for all students in grades one through 12 at the main campus, and Oakbrook Preschool was adopted for K-4 through K-5 at the Covenant campus.
The year 2005 brought many changes to Oakbrook. Six outstanding students became Oakbrook's first graduating class. The group averaged 1230 on their SAT's, received scholarship offers in excess of $150,000, and participated in independent study projects that kindled their imaginations and provided them with the motivation, leadership skills, and discipline to be successful in college and in life. Among them were a National Merit Scholar, A National Commended Scholar, and two Palmetto Scholarship recipients. Trips to Ireland, Charleston, or local retreats to Windy Gap and Awanita were other highlights of a year filled with enrichment opportunities. At the end of 2005, Oakbrook's founder, Rosemary Moore, retired and was given the honorary title of Director Emeritus.
Today Oakbrook continues, built on a foundation of Christian faith and in the Charlotte Mason tradition, to educate students to be independent learners in a changing world. Due to the generous support of the Unification Project by school families and donors, the entire Oakbrook family is housed on a beautiful 33 acre campus on the west side of Spartanburg. Oakbrook alumni matriculate to top universities, play collegiate sports and serve in their communities. The core values of academic excellence, creativity, character, community and diversity guide Oakbrook Preparatory School's vision to be one of our nation's premier Christ-centered, college preparatory schools.
Athletics
Oakbrook Prep offers cross country, volleyball, soccer, physical education, basketball, swimming, cheerleading, and golf.
Oakbrook Prep's recent athletic success includes 2008 Girls Varsity Soccer State Championship, 2010 Boys Varsity Golf State Championship, and 2010 Boys Varsity Soccer State Championship.
Oakbrook Prep varsity teams are members of the South Carolina Independent School Association (SCISA) conference and will participate in tournaments at the end of the year. Middle school volleyball and basketball will compete against the same schools that high school teams compete and will have an end of the year tournament. Middle school for soccer and golf will participate in the CMSC conference.
Clubs
Spartanburg Day School provides various clubs that students can join. Some are more educational in nature, while others do not require anything but the student's interest.
Upper School:
- Book Club
- Garden Club
- Fitness Club
- Drama Club
- Glee Club
- Sign Language Club
- Photography Club
- Guitar Club
- Debate Club
- Scrapbooking Club
- MUSE Machine (Fine Arts Club)
- Fellowship of Christian Athletes
- Junior & Senior Beta Club
- MATHCOUNTS
- Battle of the Brains
- Academic Quiz Bowl Team (Middle & High)
- Middle & High School Math Competitors
- Leadership Institute
- Middle School Newspaper
- Yearbook (Equites Christi)
- Newspaper Staff (Silver Scroll)
- Schools for Schools
Drama
Students can choose drama as their elective beginning in the 5th grade. They can continue to study drama through the 12th grade.
Drama gives the student an increased appreciation of and additional experience in theater as an art form. The students act, direct, or are technically involved in scenes, one-act plays or full length production. They read, write, and evaluate plays as well as view and critique electronic and live performances. History, culture and technology of theater are examined and explored. Through creating theater, students grow in their ability to comprehend the world and to communicate with others.
Students have the opportunity to attend theater competitions and present smaller productions. Out of the past two years, Oakbrook's drama team won first place in the SCISA State One-Act Play competition and won the regional title in both years. Students have the opportunity to audition for the annual school musical each spring. Students do not have to be enrolled in a drama class to audition. Past musical performances include: The Wizard of Oz, The Music Man, Bye Bye Birdie, Into the Woods and Beauty, and the Beast
Drama Club is also available to students interested in Drama. This club meets once per month for upper school students, and membership is not eexclusive to those in drama class.
Dance
Oakbrook’s dance program began three years ago and has grown significantly each semester. Students begin dance classes in the lower school and may continue through middle school, where they explore the basic levels of a variety of dance genres, including ballet, jazz, modern, and ballroom.
Dance is an interactive and innovative class designed to provide students with the opportunity to learn and appreciate the art form of dance. One of the main standards explored is dance technique, which enables the students to become literate in dance fundamentals, in a variety of genres, such as ballet, jazz, modern, and tap, and to be engaged in activities involving body awareness, movement exploration, and the understanding of the dance elements-body, time, space, and energy. Emphasis is also put on understanding choreographic principles, processes, and structures while acquiring the skills to create and interpret ideas and feelings through dance. Students will use critical and creative thinking skills, learn history and culture, connect dance with healthy living, and relate dance with other disciplines.
Advanced Dance course, offered to students by audition, is designed to emphasize and refine all main technique areas and master specific dance vocabulary related to the efficient and artful use of the body as an instrument.
Creative Movement is an option that 1st-5th grade teachers can choose and sign up for this first semester. Creative Movement provides the students with opportunities for noncompetitive, success-oriented and creative experiences. Through movement, children learn about their bodies, the space around them, and each other.
Bands
Band students begin with Beginner Band in grade five, designed for students interested in learning to play a musical instrument, understanding musical notation, and performing in public and continue through middle school. Each year the students learn fundamentals that increase expertise on their instruments.
The high school program is dedicated to the advancement of good band literature. The band is made up of a select number of students based on specific instrumentation. The band will begin to learn how to sight read difficult music and make mature musical decisions. Participation in band classes allows opportunities to participate in concerts, solo and ensemble festival, region and all-state auditions, parades, pep rallies and community events. Besides several concerts and clinics throughout the year, these students are strongly encouraged to participate in Region and State wide auditions/competitions. This group of students marches in the city-wide Christmas parade each year.
Seniors
Seniors at Oakbrook Preparatory School special privileges include a special room that only seniors can enter, called The Senior Commons. The Senior Commons is equipted with wifi.