October Newsletter

Oak Crest Academy Monthly Newsletter

Welcome Back One and All!
With freshly unpacked books and smiling faces, our Oak Crest Academy is brimming with the promise of a terrific school year! In the month of September alone, we added a second campus in Tarzana; adopted premier gifted education resources; hosted the largest Parent Orientation in OCA history; and added to our already outstanding instructional line-up.

As we bring in the 2016-2017 school year, we welcome your children and their journey to the Oak Crest community.

[line] Making a Difference with Individualized Learning Plans
Under Dr. Dolan’s leadership, OCA is launching a well-researched instructional practice: the Individualized Learning Plans (ILP). New to OCA but foundational in gifted education, the ILP helps teachers tailor instruction to each student’s interests and abilities while fostering a love of learning.

Currently, OCA’s attentive faculty are in the process of formulating ILP’s to guide our year-long differentiated instruction. Here are just a few of the benefits of an ILP:

• ILP’s allow students and teachers to have authentic conversations about learning, thereby promoting mutual respect and academic ownership.
• Setting healthy goals helps children add to their toolkits for building confidence and success.
• In alignment with the OCA mission statement, ILP’s show children that we believe in maximizing their learning potential.

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SPOTLIGHT ON:
Jeannie Gudith, OCA Founder and President

You are such a passionate educational leader. To what experiences do you attribute this?

My experience of living abroad (Japan) after college is what first sparked my passion for education. I have always felt this intrinsic desire to help people, but I wasn’t sure exactly what that looked like when I was younger. Once I had my own children and realized that they didn’t fit into the traditional education “box”, I found the direction I was looking for. Now I am always looking for ways to connect with the world around me. I believe that finding what interests me, with profound curiosity and the openness to learn, translates into passion. It’s a desire to serve others and do the best work you can in the process.

OCA has grown so much in just a few years. Can you tell us a bit about your vision?

My vision is to provide a stimulating and nurturing environment fostering academic excellence and serving the diverse population of gifted and talented students. I hope to continue this vision by opening up multiple small schools so we can help as many families as possible. I know the feeling of not finding the right school that meets the needs of your child. I don’t want other families to go through what I went through with my child.
When you look back at this time in your professional life, what do you think you will most appreciate about your contributions to the world of education?

I hope that when I look back on this time I will appreciate my tenacity to never give up on my vision of helping children by creating a safe place for them to learn, grow and thrive. Anything is possible!

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OCA Parent Association October Announcements

• In honor of your child’s birthday, we encourage you to donate a book to his / her Classroom Library.
• OCAPA’s “Toys For Our Playground” Donation Drive is going strong with great excitement and enthusiasm!