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Oak Knoll School Blog

The Myth: I Make Too Much to Qualify for Tuition Assistance

Posted by Chris Starr on Mar 2, 2023 11:54:11 AM

It is not surprising that the tuition page on many private school websites has a large “bounce” or exit rate. Private schools provide a high value education, customized curriculum, signature experiences, and individualized attention—which has led to annual tuition fees that can seem daunting to many.

Many families believe in the value proposition of private school, and may even have the means to afford 40-60% of tuition but never apply thinking their household income, while too little to pay full tuition, is too high to qualify for aid. These families are unaware how valuable they might be to the private school community and the incentive a school might have to meet them part-way.


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Topics: education, admissions, private school, tuition

Podcast: A Vision for Community Impact

Posted by Chris Starr on Mar 1, 2023 12:50:53 PM

During a recent three-day Community Impact Symposium in Washington DC, four Oak Knoll High School students gathered with students from across the country to share ideas on how they could make more positive and systemic changes in their school and local communities.

The goal was to work in teams to identify various approaches taken to local, state, and national levels and work with their schoolmates to draft a vision statement and action strategy to take back home to Oak Knoll.

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Topics: community service, building confidence, growth mindset, diversity, equity, inclusion and justice, podcast, social justice, Community, leadership

5 Young Adult Books by Black Authors

Posted by Chris Starr on Feb 24, 2023 11:49:20 AM

Oak Knoll's Upper School Librarian, Elinor Takenaga, has curated a short list of literary fiction and non-fiction this February to encourage our young readers to read not only books about Black History but also books by Black authors who write about a variety of topics/storylines. Here are a few of her suggestions:

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Topics: reading, tips, diversity, equity, inclusion and justice, Black History Month

Podcast: James and the Giant Peach Spotlights Creative Arts at Oak Knoll

Posted by Chris Starr on Feb 22, 2023 4:18:49 PM

With the addition of two new full-time faculty in the Upper School, the Creative Arts Department at Oak Knoll is spreading it’s wings. Music teacher Teresa Gotanco and Theater Teacher Lisa Bodollo joined the team for the 2022-2023 school year and they are collaborating with an ensemble of students to stage a particularly challenging musical, James and the Giant Peach. Here is Teresa Gotanco with some highlights including a sneak peak at the performance.

Tickets and information can be found here,


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Topics: ensemble, performing arts, the arts, activities with kids, family, podcast, creative arts

Podcast: MLK Jr. — A Rhetorical Analysis

Posted by Chris Starr on Feb 15, 2023 4:10:53 PM

Rhetoric. For many it sounds like a negative word. And yes, rhetoric can be used to persuade people to do very bad things. But on the flip side, Mr. Ben Oxford’s 11th grade AP Literature and Composition students are learning that rhetoric can often be deployed in very good and nuanced ways to bring about positive change.

Though Mr. Oxford applies rhetorical analysis to many of his students projects, during Black History Month, he is asking his students to break down some famous works by Martin Luther King Jr.

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Topics: education, reading, academics, podcast, Black History Month

Support the Vulnerable in Turkey and Syria

Posted by Chris Starr on Feb 13, 2023 2:58:08 PM

Earthquakes are perhaps the world’s most terrifying natural disasters. They trigger the fight or flight mechanism yet neither is possible and aftershocks can continue for days. On February 6, while most people were fast asleep in the area, a massive quake occurred devastating vast sections of Eastern Turkey and Northern Syria. So far the death toll exceeds 35,000 souls and is expected to reach 50,000 or more. Millions have been left without shelter, belongings, and utilities. The cold winter weather is expected to kill many more of the unsheltered. The best way you can help the victims is by contributing financially.

One of the seven themes of Catholic Social Teaching is the Option for the Poor and Vulnerable. It states, “A basic moral test is how our most vulnerable members are faring.” From the comfort of our suburban homes, so many miles from the devastating quake, it is not likely we can physically lend a hand in the rescue and recovery effort, but we can certainly give of our financial resources. Donating cash, rather than sending food, clothing, and other goods, helps organizations on the ground purchase locally, respond more rapidly, and jump start the economy in the process.

Here are some reputable charities that have hit the ground in both nations and could use your financial support.

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Topics: community service, mission, faith, religion, giving, social justice, Community

10 Ways to Find and Support Black-Owned Businesses Near You

Posted by Chris Starr on Feb 9, 2023 1:26:44 PM

According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, from 2002 to 2017, the number of Black-owned businesses with employees increased by 31.2%. While this is something to celebrate, the pandemic has disproportionately affected Black-owned businesses. A higher percentage of Black-owned companies shuttered during the pandemic, and of those that did survive, only 10% described their business as “profitable and growing.”

By intentionally seeking out and supporting Black-owned businesses, we can help to reverse this trend, inject more equity into equality, and do our part to combat structural inequities that have plagued Black business owners for centuries.

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Topics: Summit NJ, entrepreneurship, things to do, diversity, equity, inclusion and justice, Black History Month, social justice, Community

5 Steps Towards Safe Social Media Behavior and Improved Online Mental Health

Posted by Chris Starr on Jan 24, 2023 1:54:20 PM

Is social media bad for teen health? It doesn’t have to be. That was the key takeaway following a talk with Upper School students by social media expert Bailey Parnell. Parnell is the founder of #SafeSocial and CEO of Skills Camp – a company that offers soft skills training to businesses and educational institutions. She presented students with some very compelling risks of social media addiction and its effects on mental health – especially with young women – but also offered advice on bringing balance to your online self by maintaining balance with your offline self.

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Topics: health, wellness, social and emotional learning, success skills, building confidence, growth mindset, family, online, safety, executive functioning, life lessons

Podcast: Physics First – Why Oak Knoll Students Learn Physics in 9th Grade

Posted by Chris Starr on Jan 18, 2023 2:15:07 PM
It seems that school’s have been teaching the sciences in a certain order dating back to the launching of Sputnik and the cold war period, but Oak Knoll has decided to re-order that sequence in a way that makes more sense for students of today. We sat down with Upper School science teacher Jeff Yuhas to learn the rationale behind this decision. Mr. Yuhas also explains the benefits of teaching science in an all-girls school.
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Topics: teaching, education, all-girls, STEM, science, building confidence, academics, podcast

I Asked ChatGPT What Parents Need to Know About ChatGPT

Posted by Chris Starr on Jan 13, 2023 1:32:51 PM

New York City Schools have just blocked access to ChatGPT for all students and faculty. If you aren’t a technical person, you may be asking, “What’s ChatGPT?” If you are a tech person, skim over the next paragraph because you’ve probably been hearing about nothing but ChatGPT since last November when it was released.

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Topics: technology, robots, engineering, teaching, education, computer science, high school, parenting, internet safety, academics, writing skills, Artificial Intelligence

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