Safety

"The dangers of life are infinite, and among them is safety." – Goethe

Independent schools provide a safe and nurturing environment for children to learn and grow.  We value safety on two levels: the physical safety of Oak Hill’s grounds and the personal safety students experience as they take the personal risks that are essential to learning.

Environment

Our 72-acre campus is an enclosed space with two gated entries.  We are inspected annually by the Fire Marshall, and adhere to strict plant expectations as outlined in the PNAIS reaccreditation process.  Every member of our faculty and staff received first aid and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) training.  We also have an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) on campus, comprehensive established emergency procedures, and regular drills to ensure every individual on campus is comfortable simulating them.

Although our large campus offers ample space for students to stretch their legs and their minds, they remain in certain boundaries during the school day so we can always see them in grades K-8 and know where to find them in grades 9-12.  (We offer increased independence to high school students in strong academic standing as a component of their college preparation.)  We all know one another and can identify who is a part of the Oak Hill community and who is not; therefore, if there is a new face on campus, they are always met and identified by a member of our staff.

Personal Safety
"Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly." - JFK

Failure is oftentimes an indispensable component of success. Oak Hill students dare to learn; therefore, they dare to fail. The Oak Hill faculty not only challenges students to stretch themselves academically and personally, but they also encourage students to try again if at first she does not succeed. Most importantly, when students do succeed, Oak Hill’s teachers and classmates are there to celebrate every triumph. Faculty members encourage a safe learning environment for this process to occur. We are proud that this learning process can occur in our classrooms thanks to selective admissions, careful hiring, and detailed school policies that address issues that could interfere with our safe culture of inquiry.

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