Gina and I are fortunate to have three children in Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child's coed pre-K to grade 6 Lower School. We were drawn to the school originally because of its focus on the whole child; we think it is very important, particularly in these times, that children are given the opportunity to be children – have fun, make friends, live a stress-free life, and become educated in mind and spirit in the Catholic tradition.
The experience we have had as a family, and our children have had as students, stands in contrast to that of many of our friends where the focus is either entirely on academics or fitting to a standardized outcome, and we consider ourselves lucky to have found OKS and to have become so ingrained in the community. In fact, our third just started kindergarten and on his first day, he knew half the class because they were siblings of children in higher grades and many of the teachers because of his two summers with Oak Knoll's day camp, Summer Adventures. His warm welcome was both indicative and reflective of all the reasons we chose Oak Knoll.
We give back to Oak Knoll because we care about two goals: first, ensuring that Oak Knoll continues to provide a completely immersive educational and growth experience for our children (mind, body and spirit); and second, ensuring that an Oak Knoll education remains attainable for the diverse student body that is needed to accomplish the first goal.
With three children already attending OKS (and two more on deck), it is true that we have already made a significant financial commitment to our children’s education. However, the truth is that tuition alone is not sufficient for the school to operate at the level that the OKS community expects; additional financial support is necessary for it to thrive. This is why our family undertakes a multi-strategy effort to support the school:
- We contribute to the Annual Fund
- We donate our time to support school events
- We participate in school fundraisers such as the Royal Boutique, Fashion Show and Spring Gala.
Of these, we prioritize our contribution to the Annual Fund because it affords the school maximum flexibility in achieving its goals and therefore the return on investment is the highest. In choosing OKS and contributing to the Annual Fund, we have made an investment in the faculty and staff to steward the school in the best way possible, and it is our intention to continue supporting them in their mission, which ultimately results in a direct benefit to the students and their families (including our own).
