Shows
Oakcrest School"Happiness Happens" with Dr. Arthur Brooks and Ester Munt-BrooksListen to this powerful and inspiring conversation recorded live at Oakcrest School. In this special episode, you’ll hear from Ester Munt-Brooks and Dr. Arthur Brooks as they share their talk titled “Happiness Happens.”
To guide us in learning how to live that joy here and now, Oakcrest welcomed two incredible speakers, a husband and wife duo: Dr. Arthur Brooks—a Harvard professor, Ph.D., bestselling author, and renowned social scientist—and Mrs. Ester Munt Brooks—a Catholic educator and speaker with a passion for helping people deepen their faith and live it intentionally.
Together, they explore...2025-04-1155 min
Oakcrest SchoolCoffee with the Head of School: MentoringIn this podcast, Head of School Christie Keuchel is joined by the Upper School Director of Mentoring, Mary Ann Messenger, and the Middle School Director of Mentoring, Jeannie Herrick. They discuss the Oakcrest mentoring program, which is the cornerstone of an Oakcrest education.
2024-05-3030 min
Oakcrest School“Helping our Girls Thrive: Fostering Well-Being and Growth” with Laura O’NeillLaura O’Neill, Oakcrest Class of 1996 and psychotherapist at the Alpha Omega Clinic, discusses ways to foster well-being and growth in helping young girls thrive. In particular, she explores the current generation of children and offers tangible tips on how parents can support their child’s development.
2024-03-1337 min
Oakcrest School"Physical fitness and the formation of young women" with Margaret SweatmanIn this podcast, Margaret Sweatman, Director of Middle School Athletics, discusses the role that physical fitness plays in the formation of young women.
2024-03-0704 min
Oakcrest School“Instilling the Virtue of Hope in a Time of Contradiction” with Austin RuseIn this podcast, Oakcrest dad and author Austin Ruse shares his insights on how to confront an often daunting cultural environment with joy and optimism for the benefit of our daughters, our families, and our community. Mr. Ruse is the author of Under Siege: No Finer Time to be Catholic which he discusses in this talk.
2024-02-2130 min
Oakcrest School“Pursuing a Free Heart: From Temperament to Character” with Alexandre HavardIn this podcast, Alexandre Havard, the founder of the Virtuous Leadership Institute and author of several books on virtuous leadership, shares his insights about temperament and character, while also discussing the harmony of the heart, the will, and the mind.
2024-01-041h 06
Oakcrest SchoolThe Moral Development of Middle and Upper School Girls with Holly SallsTheology teacher Holly Salls shares her insights about helping parents guide their daughters to navigate and thrive in our current culture. She provides practical tips to help parents cultivate peace and joy alongside the skills that are necessary for their daughters to stand strong.
2023-11-1728 min
Oakcrest SchoolJudging a Book (Perhaps by its Cover): Vigilance in Showering your Children with Good Reading with Stephanie Passero In this podcast, English teacher Stephanie Passero shares her insights about the importance of guiding young people toward good literature while providing practical tips on how to do so within your own family.
2023-09-1518 min
Underground Sports PhiladelphiaGuzman's Gridiron Episode 1: Week 0 2023 vs OakcrestKB is BACK and joined by Coach Jose Guzman, the NEW Head Coach of Vineland High School Football! The two get everyone caught up to speed on who is joining Coach on his staff this season, the energy and vibe around the team this summer as we get set for the 2023 season, and the expectations for Week 0 against Oakcrest. They also touch on some alumni and what they've been up to and how their accomplishments are inspiring so many around Vineland and Cumberland County! Welcome to the Underground, Coach Guz!
Follow Us!
Twitter: @UndergroundPHI
Kyle: @KBizzl311
Vineland Football: @VinelandFB
Instagram...2023-08-241h 01
Oakcrest School”Helping Our Children Foster Healthy Friendships” with Laura O’Neill ’96Laura O’Neill '96 discusses how to help your daughters form healthy friendships. She explains the role that parents can play in guiding their daughters to learn how to develop healthy friendships that will help her along the road of virtue. Laura is a Licensed Professional Counselor at Alpha Omega Clinic in Virginia.
2023-05-2552 min
Oakcrest School”What is Beauty? Encountering God in Art” with Elisa TorresOakcrest art teacher Elisa Torres presents “What is Beauty? Encountering God in Art.” She shares how she has encountered beauty in her own life as an artist both studying in Italy and at The Catholic University of America, and how people can intentionally incorporate beauty into their own lives.
2023-05-1824 min
Oakcrest School”Why Read Memoir” with Dr. Taryn OkumaDr. Taryn Okuma, an associate English professor at The Catholic University of America, shares her reflections on the popularity of memoir writing and what it is about memoir as a genre that makes it appealing to readers. This lecture was held as the 8th annual O’Donovan Humanities Lecture.
2023-05-1138 min
Oakcrest SchoolDr. Ana Samuel on Talking to Our Kids About Identity Dr. Ana Samuel, academic director of the pro-marriage organization CanaVox, speaks about talking to our kids about identity. She provides insights into some key parenting principles to uplift family life and explores how to form our children in their identity and help our children have a true sense of self-worth.
2023-04-0444 min
Oakcrest SchoolFr. Gerry Kolf on How Dads Can Inspire Faithful Daughters
In this podcast, Oakcrest Chaplain Fr. Gerry Kolf speaks to fathers about how Dads can inspire faithful daughters through their own unity of life. He discusses the necessity of destroying negativity and pessimism as a step toward developing a relationship with God and also shares how a father’s spiritual life can influence that of his children.
2023-03-3052 min
Oakcrest SchoolCoffee with the Head of School: Working WellHead of School Emerita Dr. Mary T. Ortiz shares a recent message that she delivered both to faculty and parents. She discusses the school’s love for St. Joseph and his message about inspiring good work among men and women that ultimately allows for the development of one’s gifts and talents that are in turn used to serve God and others.
2023-03-2335 min
Oakcrest SchoolCoffee with the Head of School: On Parent LeadershipIn this podcast, Head of School Emerita Dr. Mary T. Ortiz speaks about parent leadership. She draws upon authors and the wisdom of parents, encouraging parents as they become the leaders in their families, intentionally working to cultivate the good habits and virtues that leadership demands.
2023-01-1945 min
Oakcrest SchoolA Well-Formed Conscience through Literature and the ImaginationIn this podcast, English teacher and eighth grade dean Mrs. Ines Gruschow shares how the eighth grade curriculum at Oakcrest uses literature and the imagination to inspire our students. She explores the characters that the students encounter in the classroom and discusses how imaginative fiction shapes our consciences.
2023-01-1035 min
Oakcrest SchoolOakcrest Students share their experiencesIn this podcast episode, three Oakcrest students, Madie '27, Mariana '23, and Rima '23 share their Oakcrest experiences.
2022-12-1412 min
Oakcrest SchoolBolstering your Relationship with your Daughter with Laura O’Neill, LPCIn this podcast, Laura O’Neill, Oakcrest Class of 1996, speaks to parents about how to bolster their relationship with their daughters. She is passionate about the fact that parents matter now more than ever in raising their daughters to thrive as women in today’s culture.
2022-12-061h 35
Oakcrest SchoolCoffee with the Head of School: On FriendshipHead of School Emerita Dr. Mary T. Ortiz speaks about the value and virtue of friendship and its critical role in a life lived to its fullness.
2022-12-0131 min
Oakcrest SchoolCoffee with the Head of School: On FortitudeIn this podcast, Head of School Emerita Dr. Mary T. Ortiz, shares insights on how to help your daughter grow in fortitude.
2022-11-1623 min
Oakcrest SchoolHow to help your daughter succeed in high schoolUpper School Director Christine Nussio shares her four tips for helping parents and students have a successful high school experience.
2022-11-0910 min
Oakcrest SchoolParent Partnership: Mutual Cooperation for your Daughter’s SuccessIn this episode, Middle School Director Cecelia Escobar discusses how parents and Oakcrest can work together in mutual cooperation for the overall success of each student.
2022-10-2715 min
Oakcrest SchoolHow parents play a pivotal role in helping Oakcrest support their daughtersOn today’s podcast, Dean of Students Meghan Hadley '06, continues the discussion of stewardship and Oakcrest’s partnership with parents in helping form their daughters.
2022-10-2014 min
Oakcrest SchoolRemarks at Orientation: Our History and StewardshipIn this podcast, Head of School Emerita Dr. Mary T. Ortiz discusses the history of Oakcrest School, our stewardship, and parent partnership.
2022-10-1318 min
Oakcrest Church of Christ SermonsThank You, Oakcrest2022-10-0900 min
Oakcrest SchoolTrends in social media and the reason to do without it this summerMary Ann Messenger, Oakcrest Theology teacher and Assistant to Parent Support, meets with Laura O'Neill, Oakcrest Class of 1996, to discuss adolescents and social media, diving into understanding how the brain works with and against social media and exploring how to limit time spent scrolling this summer.
2022-07-0541 min
Oakcrest SchoolSummer Coffee with the Head of School: The Oakcrest RecipeHead of School Emerita Dr. Mary T. Ortiz shares the Oakcrest recipe, what makes an Oakcrest student and forms the Oakcrest community. She digs into the mission of Oakcrest and illustrates how it all comes together to serve young women well.
2022-06-2930 min
Oakcrest SchoolPhysics for Contemplation: Leslie Kanuch discusses finding pathways to God in unimagined placesLeslie Kanuch, a science teacher at Oakcrest, presents Physics for Contemplation: finding pathways to God in unimagined places. In her discussion, she introduces both physicists and saints, explaining how their respective discoveries and insights reveal to us both God and the physical world.
2022-05-1949 min
Oakcrest SchoolCoffee with the Head of School: GratitudeHead of School Emerita Dr. Mary T. Ortiz speaks about the importance of gratitude, how to practice it in our daily lives, and how to cultivate it in our daughters.
2022-04-2742 min
Oakcrest SchoolFostering Resilience in Our DaughtersHistory teacher Ginny Boles speaks with Theology teacher Mary Ann Messenger and former Oakcrest Director of Mentoring Kate Hadley about how to cultivate resilience in our daughters. They chat about how parents can model resilience for their children, how to walk the fine line between empathy and helping your child put things in perspective, and much more.
2022-04-1250 min
Oakcrest SchoolCoffee with the Head of School: Your Daughter and SummerHead of School Emerita Dr. Mary T. Ortiz discusses the importance of making the most of the summer months and gives suggestions for how parents can help their daughters have a happy, fruitful, and fulfilling summer.
2022-03-1735 minOakcrest SchoolCoffee with the Head of School: ForgivenessHead of School Emerita Dr. Mary T. Ortiz reflects on forgiveness—what it is, why it’s important, and how we can practice it in our everyday lives.
2022-03-1744 min
Oakcrest School7th Annual O’Donovan Humanities Lecture—Ancient and Modern Grief: Presence and Absence
A pair of scholars, father and daughter, look at grief from two angles. The daughter, a classics scholar, takes up an ancient story of grief and anger from Homer’s Iliad. The father, a priest and theologian in the Episcopal church, ponders the loss of his wife at the end of a struggle with brain disease. Both find tension between absence and presence. Achilles undertakes many futile efforts to “restore” his broken life after he loses Patroklos, and the father finds another Presence precisely in the midst of his loss.
2022-03-1739 min
Oakcrest SchoolJanuary 8, 2022 Mary Rice Hasson PresentationAttorney and policy expert Mary Rice Hasson talks about the rapid increase in the promotion of gender ideology in movies, social media, and even in the medical community. With a compassionate and realistic approach she shares the understanding of the truth about the human person and urges us to take up our responsibility as parents to study the issue so as to provide guidance to our children.
2022-03-031h 54
Oakcrest SchoolHow to Help Your Daughter Form Her Moral Imagination Through Good BooksEnglish teacher Stephanie Passero talks about why good literature is so crucial in forming our daughters’ hearts and minds and how to encourage in them a love for reading good books.
2022-03-0338 min
Oakcrest SchoolHow the Oakcrest Grade Level Experiences Can Be a Resource for FathersDean of Students Meghan Hadley Oakcrest Class of 2006 shares how Grade Level Experiences form students throughout their journey from Middle School to graduation. Oakie dad Philip O’Beirne shares examples from his own experience of how to utilize elements of Oakcrest’s educational vision to promote curiosity, virtue, and wonder in the development of your daughters.
2022-03-0327 min
Oakcrest SchoolOur Academic ProgramMiddle School Director Cecilia Escobar, Upper School Director Christine Nussio, and Director of Academic Advising Catherine Courtney speak about the beauty of an Oakcrest education. They take a look at the big picture of our rich liberal arts curriculum, explaining what we teach, why we teach it, and how it follows the stages of intellectual development.
2022-03-0357 min
Oakcrest SchoolO'Donovan Humanities Lecture: Beauty, Piety and Fun in Medieval LiteratureDr. Evelyn Birge Vitz, Professor Emerita of French Literature, Thought and Culture at NYU, takes listeners on an exciting journey through seven of her favorite works of medieval literature. She explores some of the fascinating history and themes in these great and appealing Catholic works from the Middle Ages.
2021-03-2947 min
Oakcrest SchoolCoffee with the Head of School: Finishing the School Year WellHead of School Emerita Dr. Mary T. Ortiz considers ways that families can finish the school year well, highlighting the important role of parent leadership along the way.
2021-03-2934 min
Oakcrest SchoolThe Importance of MentoringOakcrest Director of Mentoring Jeannie Herrick talks about the importance of mentoring young women.
2021-03-1508 min
Oakcrest SchoolThe Oakcrest Difference: How Dads Can Contribute to Oakcrest's Current and Future SuccessHead of School Mary T. Ortiz, Director of Parent Support Terri Collins and Director of Institutional Advancement and Oakcrest dad Michael Barvick discuss the importance of fathers to the Oakcrest mission. They offer insights and advice on how fathers can support, encourage and guide their daughters during these middle and high school years.
2021-03-0447 min
Oakcrest SchoolAcademic Advising at OakcrestOakcrest's Director of Academic Advising and Head Librarian Catherine Courtney describes how Oakcrest works with students and parents to provide the best educational experience possible and prepare them for college.
2021-03-0110 min
Oakcrest SchoolCoffee with the Head of School: February 2021Head of School Emerita Dr. Mary T. Ortiz looks ahead to the summer and discusses how it can be a fruitful time for students and their families.
2021-03-0130 min
Oakcrest SchoolOakcrest's College Counseling VisionDirector of College Counseling Miranda Johnson dives into Oakcrest's College Counseling mission and describes how we assist students throughout the college application process.
2021-01-0727 min
Oakcrest SchoolCoffee with the Head of School: December 4, 2020Head of School Emerita Dr. Mary T. Ortiz offers some thoughts on making the best use of our time and gifts, especially during this season of Advent and Christmas.
2020-12-0435 min
Oakcrest SchoolDr. Leonard Sax: Evidence-Based Parenting: Raising Daughters in the 21st CenturyPsychologist and family physician Dr. Leonard Sax discusses best parenting practices for raising daughters in the 21st century, especially with regards to social media and phone use.
2020-11-231h 52
Oakcrest SchoolBut It's Not the Real World: Answers to Common Questions about an All-Girls EducationPsychologist and family physician Dr. Leonard Sax draws upon his 26 years of clinical experience, as well as his visits to more than 400 schools over the past 17 years, to provide evidence-based answers to some of the most common questions about all-girls education, beginning with "The real world is coed; school should prepare kids for the real world; so shouldn't school also be coed?"
2020-11-231h 01
Oakcrest SchoolHow the C&O Canal brought about the United States ConstitutionHistory teacher Ginny Boles delves into how the C&O Canal was a catalyst for bringing about the United States Constitution.
2020-11-1224 min
Oakcrest SchoolCoffee with the Head of School: November 6, 2020Head of School Emerita Dr. Mary T. Ortiz offers some thoughts on "raising heirloom flowers" and the Oakcrest mission, as well as positive COVID lessons she has learned that can help in the education of young women.
2020-11-0635 min
Oakcrest SchoolCoffee with the Head of School: October 2, 2020Head of School Emerita Dr. Mary T. Ortiz reflects on the value and impact of mentoring young women.
2020-10-1322 min
Oakcrest SchoolCoffee with the Head of School: September 11, 2020Head of School Emerita Dr. Mary T. Ortiz shares some reflections on the upcoming school year with parents in the first Coffee with the Head of the 2020 fall semester.
2020-09-1625 minOakcrest SchoolAn Inconvenience Rightly Considered Series: Everyday Practical Skills in Five Easy LessonsAn Inconvenience Rightly Considered is a series produced by the Parent Partnership team to inspire and to provide practical advice for parents during quarantine. In this fifth and final episode, Director of Parent Support Terri Collins and Director of Mentoring Kate Hadley talk about the most important practical life skills to teach your children before they enter adulthood.
2020-06-2324 minOakcrest SchoolAn Inconvenience Rightly Considered Series: 10 Tips for the Best Social Skills You Can Teach Your Child Before She Goes Off to CollegeAn Inconvenience Rightly Considered is a series produced by the Parent Partnership team to inspire and to provide practical advice for parents during quarantine. Director of Parent Support Terri Collins and Director of Mentoring Kate Hadley are back, this time with a discussion on important social skills that will serve your child well as she becomes an adult.
2020-06-1830 minOakcrest SchoolAn Inconvenience Rightly Considered Series: The 10 Best Chores to Teach Your ChildrenAn Inconvenience Rightly Considered is a series produced by the Parent Partnership team to inspire and to provide practical advice for parents during quarantine. Director of Mentoring Kate Hadley and members of her family discuss the value of chores in family life and the best ones to teach your children.
2020-06-1720 minOakcrest SchoolAn Inconvenience Rightly Considered Series: How to Make the Most of Family Dinner ConversationsAn Inconvenience Rightly Considered is a series produced by the Parent Partnership team to inspire and to provide practical advice for parents during quarantine. Director of Parent Support Terri Collins talks with her daughters, who are Oakcrest alumnae, about the value of family dinner conversations and ways that families can make dinnertime conversations fun and meaningful.
2020-06-1723 minOakcrest SchoolAn Inconvenience Rightly Considered Series: The 10 Best Fun Things to Do with Family and Friends During QuarantineAn Inconvenience Rightly Considered is a series produced by the Parent Partnership team to inspire and to provide practical advice for parents during quarantine. In Episode 1, Director of Parent Support Terri Collins and Director of Mentoring Kate Hadley discuss fun and creative activities that friends and families can do when spending time together, whether in person or virtually.
2020-06-1523 min
Oakcrest SchoolBig Battles in Small Spaces: The Balance Between Viruses, the Immune System, and the UnknownOakcrest science teacher Dr. Kat Hussmann takes listeners on an exploration of the history of viruses, what viruses are, what they do to our bodies, and the cutting-edge technology available to scientists.
2020-03-021h 00
Oakcrest SchoolWhat Does It Mean to Be Human? Moral ActionDr. Edwina Maksym continues this series with a look at moral action—the idea of right and wrong and how morality reflects God's love and mercy.
2020-02-2644 min
Lost Legends: Tales of Thurne10-Lost Legends- Bluebank and Elder OakcrestWith the fallout of the events at the City Of Coins, BigBoots has a crisis of conscience. Also our heroes discover what Elder Oakcrest has been doing in the town of Bluebank. We now have an Instagram! Be sure to follow us at Roll4DamagePod.2020-02-261h 14
Oakcrest SchoolThe Human Person: Rational, Free, RelationalDr. Edwina Maksym examines human rationality and how it sets us apart from the rest of creation in this second episode of a 7-part series on what it means to be human.
2020-02-2541 min
Oakcrest SchoolHow Strong Fathers Form Strong DaughtersA discussion of the important role that fathers play in the lives of their daughters. Oakcrest Dean of Students Meghan Hadley and faculty member Ginny Boles share memories and anecdotes about how their fathers helped form them into the women they are today.
2020-02-2539 min
Oakcrest SchoolCollege 'Fit'ness: Admission to GraduationOakcrest's College Counseling department hosted a discussion of what students and parents can do to prepare for the college application process, and how to find the school that's the best fit for them. Featuring:
Mary Ann Thompson, Director of College Counseling
Catherine Courtney, Director of Academic Advising
Will Stratton, University of Lynchburg
Greta Haussman, Assistant Director for Campus Events, Catholic University of America
2020-02-0700 min
Oakcrest SchoolWhat Does It Mean to Be Human? Freedom and Ethical ChoiceDr. Edwina Maksym discusses freedom, virtue, conscience and much more in this fourth installment of the What Does It Mean to Be Human series.
2020-01-3037 min
Oakcrest School19th Century Art from Classical Revival to Modernism: A Brief OverviewAP Art History teacher Victoria Bigliano traces the history of the transition from classical portraiture and art technique to the Impressionists and the birth of modernism.
2020-01-2948 min
Oakcrest SchoolCharged with Grandeur: How Music Theory Unlocks the Harmony of God's CreationIf you're interested in how composers use the physics of sound to create the music you love, and why they write music the way they do, this podcast by Instrumental Music Director Alix Baldwin is for you!
2019-12-1631 min
Oakcrest SchoolThe Path to Academic SuccessThis year's Adventures in Parenting event featured five faculty who shared Oakcrest's vision of academic success. Topics covered include Oakcrest's vision of a liberal arts education; fostering the joy of learning; order and prioritizing; and grades and assessments.
2019-12-061h 07Oakcrest SchoolWhat Does It Mean to Be Human? An IntroductionThe first in a series of classes and discussion with Theology teacher Dr. Edwina Maksym. She presents a positive exploration of the human person, emotions, freedom, relationality, and more.
2019-11-2152 min
Oakcrest SchoolMaking It Happen Together: Affording an Oakcrest EducationOakcrest is committed to providing access to this excellent program of education and formation to as many young women as possible. To that end, we have consistently provided generous levels of tuition assistance to families whose financial circumstances make it difficult for them to pay full tuition.
Our CFO, Matt Buonocore, makes the case! With over 25 years of experience serving private schools in Northern Virginia, Matt shares that parents can and should consider this major investment - an Oakcrest education.
As CFO, Matt is responsible for overseeing all financial, human resource, facility, technology, risk management, tr...2019-11-2015 min
Oakcrest SchoolLogic & Rhetoric 101Dean of Faculty and Curriculum, Elizabeth Black, gives Oakcrest parents their very own mini-class in Logic & Rhetoric, an essential class in our liberal arts curriculum.
2019-10-2035 min
Oakcrest SchoolA Father's Role in DatingOakcrest alumna parent Michael Moynihan (Theresa, '18) shares his perspective on the awesome task of raising daughters and sons who embrace God's plan for human love and marriage. He includes thoughts about the complementary roles of both fathers and mothers. Your daughter can benefit tremendously from her father's strength and confidence. You can help raise her so that she judges any man who would aspire to date her by the standard of the gentleman she knows her father to be.
2019-10-1157 min
Oakcrest SchoolConfident Parent LeadershipParent partnership is foundational to the mission and philosophy of Oakcrest School. We are committed to supporting parents as the primary educators of their daughters. By offering inspiring speakers, classes, and spiritual help to our parents and their friends we assist parents in their noble mission of forming their daughters to be passionate, confident, empathetic and service-oriented leaders. Director of Parent Support Terri Collins dives into the philosophy behind Oakcrest's Parent Support Program, and describes the many exciting opportunities the school offers for parents.
2019-09-2015 min
Oakcrest SchoolInspiring Faculty: A Hallmark of an Oakcrest EducationScience teacher Angela Fortunato, English and classical languages teacher Elizabeth Black, history teacher Ginny Boles and Theology teacher Holly Salls share how they tell the human story in each of their subject areas. They offer reflections on the many ways that a liberal arts education can tell the story of the human person and help students realize their own place in the narrative of human history. Discussion moderated by Paula Rondon-Burgos, Latin teacher.
2019-03-2118 min
Oakcrest SchoolThe Second Greatest Story Ever Told: The Life of Cicero, Roman Statesman, Politician, and FriendIn an address given for Oakcrest's Fifth Annual O'Donovan Humanities Lecture, Oakcrest Classical languages teacher Paula Rondon-Burgos discusses the life of Marcus Tullius Cicero, a first-century B.C. Roman statesman. He provides a much-needed mirror for our times, one which reflects back the truth of the human person, both in its inherent fallibility and in its capacity for greatness. Introduction given by Mary T. Ortiz, Head of School.
2019-03-2150 min
Oakcrest SchoolTesting and Trickery: Love and Marriage in Homer's The Odyssey and Shakespeare's Merchant of VeniceEnglish Master Teacher Lisa Kenna discusses what makes a comedy in literature. She delves into how both The Odyssey and The Merchant of Venice can be called comedies and some of the qualities both stories share.
2019-02-2151 min
Oakcrest SchoolHow to Parent Children with Their Temperaments in MindDean of Studies, Dr. Edwina Maksym, examines the four temperaments—choleric, phlegmatic, melancholic and sanguine. She discusses their strengths and weaknesses and how we can make the best of our particular personalities by growing in virtue.
2019-01-2854 minOakcrest SchoolLost and FoundOakcrest parent Amy Miller—mom to two current Oakies, one alumna and one future Oakie—talks about how she made the decision to send her daughters to Oakcrest and why she's so happy that she did.
2019-01-1607 min
Oakcrest SchoolEducating in FreedomDean of Students Ginny Boles speaks about the atmosphere of freedom that we cultivate at Oakcrest in everything we do. She delves into the crucial difference between training and educating and explains how our goal is to instill life principles in our students that they will carry with them when they graduate. The principles that they internalize here will ultimately help them choose the good from personal conviction, not a sense of forced obligation.
2019-01-1528 min
Oakcrest SchoolSophia Miller Open House SpeechSophia Miller ('23) speaks about her Oakcrest experience–what she loves about the school and how it has helped her grow as a person.
2018-12-2001 min
Oakcrest SchoolThe Awesome Power of Learning: A Conversation with Mary T. Ortiz, Head of School, and Kathleen Pacious, Oakcrest Class of 2004Head of School Emerita Dr. Mary T. Ortiz and alumna Kathleen Pacious ('04) discuss the power of a liberal arts education to form the whole person and how that education has played out in Kathleen's life as she moved to Ireland and received her doctorate. Kathleen currently serves as Head of Development at Rosemont School in Dublin.
2018-11-1012 min
Oakcrest SchoolHow to Make the Most of Open HouseOakcrest Head of School Dr. Mary T. Ortiz shares advice on how to make the most of your visit to a school's open house. She suggests that the entire visit should be seen in light of one central question: who do you want your daughter to be at graduation? And if you are a student, what kind of person do you want to be? Dr. Ortiz gives practical tips on what sort of questions to ask at an open house, who to talk to, and what to look for. She introduces Oakcrest's October 20 Open House and gives a taste...2018-10-1107 min
Oakcrest SchoolTransforming Values Into VirtueOakcrest Student Life Coordinator Holly Salls speaks on the moral development of teenagers and how parents can guide their daughters through the different stages of moral reasoning. She describes how high schoolers of different ages approach right and wrong in surprisingly different ways. Miss Salls gives concrete advice on how to cultivate empathy in your child and help her deal with self-consciousness, achieve a healthy balance between emotions and reason, and much more. Through it all she encourages parents to foster conversations with their daughters about important moral issues and to bring Christ into those conversations as well.
2018-09-0642 min
Oakcrest SchoolFinding Your WhistleOakcrest School was excited to host Mr. Christopher Ullman, father of Alydia, Class of 2020, as the keynote speaker of the 2018 Honor Society Induction. The four-time International Whistling Champion, Christopher Ullman, presented stories from his recently published book, Find Your Whistle, the heartwarming, hilarious, and outrageous journey of a Washington and Wall Street insider who uses his simple gift to touch hearts and change lives.
Chris started his puckered pursuits at age five, whistled incessantly while delivering newspapers as a teen, jammed with jazz bands in college, and worked the open mike circuit in his Washington, DC home in...2018-04-2925 min
Oakcrest SchoolThe Prayer of the ChildrenOn March 20, Oakcrest sophomores Falan Kifle, Grace Nolin, and Hope Partrick led an all-school memorial to honor the victims of the Stoneman Douglas shooting.
At the memorial, Oakcrest Chorus performed The Prayer of the Children by Kurt Bestor.
Photo credit: Klotography
2018-03-2905 min
Oakcrest School4th Annual O'Donovan Humanities Lecture featuring Dr. Glenn ArberyDr. Glenn Arbery, President of Wyoming Catholic College, provides insights on what woman essentially is by nature. He does this by examining the character of Eve and how she has been depicted in literature throughout the ages. Dr. Arbery will discuss contemporary secular views as well as the works of John Milton and C. S. Lewis building toward an image of what holy contemporary femininity can and does look like. The image he draws us toward is one of beauty, strength, intelligence and piety that leads one to thrive and contribute to the culture as trustees of humanity.
...2018-03-191h 13
Oakcrest SchoolMade to Last: Why the involvement of well-formed women is essential for the future of STEMIn the latest edition of Thursday Tea and Talk, sponsored by Oakcrest Parent Association, Dr. Kat Hussmann tackles the subject of careers in STEM. Dr. Hussmann shares her professional experience and highlights the Oakcrest science curriculum which prepares young women to thrive in the science and technology fields. Dr. Hussmann serves as a coach to the Oakcrest Science Olympiad team -- the only all-female team to compete in the rigorous regional science competition.
Dr. Hussmann holds a Ph.D. in Biology from the University of Maryland, College Park, and a B.S. in Biochemistry and B.A. in...2018-03-1743 min
Oakcrest SchoolVirtus et VeritasA good example has twice the value of good advice.
Senior, Makena Kiara, speaks at the 2018 Veritas Award reception and reflects upon her seven-year journey at Oakcrest. Makena highlights the virtues that are the cornerstone of the prestigious scholarship award -- leadership, selflessness and service to others.
2018-03-1704 min
Oakcrest SchoolEmpathy Through Ensemble: How Theatre Makes You A Better PersonDid you know that audience hearts beat as one during a live performance? Get behind-the-scenes access to Oakcrest's theatre program with Theatre Director and Theatre Arts Teacher, Camille Pozderac.
Camille has a B.A. in Journalism and Theatre Studies and an M.F.A. in Acting. She received the Award for Excellence in Creativity, Theatre Department, The Ohio State University, 2014 and a department award for production of her one-act play, Southern Cross the Dog. Camille has trained with the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Stand Up for Shakespeare Program in Stratford-upon-Avon, 2013. She is also trained in and practitioner of th...2018-02-1424 min
Oakcrest SchoolWhy an All-Girls Education MattersCecilia Márquez, Academic Dean, shares her personal reflections on her daughter's, Victoria (Harvard University, Class of 2020), high school journey.
Cecilia holds a M.Ed. of Education Leadership from Columbia University’s Teacher College Klingenstein Center, a M.A. in Applied Linguistics & Methodology from the University of Pittsburgh, and a B.A. in English as a Second Language from Instituto Nacional Superior del Profesorado en Lenguas Vivas, Buenos Aires. 2018-01-1700 min
Oakcrest SchoolCapping It Off: The Oakcrest Senior ThesisThe Senior Thesis is the cumulative, independent research project that all students undertake during their final year. With the guidance of a mentor faculty member, seniors embark on a seven-month intellectual journey as they delve into a topic of personal interest, write a 15-page college-level research project, and ultimately present their topic in front of the school. Join Mrs. Lisa Kenna, Master Teacher, English Literature and Senior Thesis Coordinator, as she leads you through the senior thesis journey.
2017-12-1427 min
Oakcrest SchoolThe Senior Thesis EffectMore than just a research paper, the Senior Thesis is the capstone of a student's senior year at Oakcrest and represents a culmination of her studies. It’s an opportunity for each senior to demonstrate all the skills she gained while at Oakcrest—critical thinking, organization, research, leadership, written and oral communication skills—and primes students for college-level thinking and writing.
Miss Elizabeth Black, Master Teacher, Classical Languages, shares the "backwards planning" leading Oakies to the senior thesis project as well as anecdotes from Oakcrest alumnae on how they were prepared for the rigor of college academics based...2017-12-1407 min
Oakcrest SchoolHow Reading and Writing Letters Promotes Character GrowthThe monthly Tea & Talk, brought to you by Oakcrest Parent Association, features Dr. Kathleen Sullivan, Upper School English Literature teacher and 10th grade Class Dean.
2017-11-1227 min
Oakcrest SchoolAdventures in Parenting Seminar with Julia and Martin BolesParties, Peer Pressure, Popularity (& Parenting)
An evening of conversation with Julia and Martin Boles, parents of Miss Ginny Boles, Oakcrest’s Dean of Students. As the parents of nine children ranging in age from 13 to 27, founding parents of St. Monica’s Academy in Montrose, CA, and Family Enrichment facilitators, they candidly shared their vision and strategies for raising children eager to embrace the adventure of life.
2017-11-091h 28
Oakcrest SchoolCoffee with the Head: Sentimentality - From Obstacle to AssetListen to our Head of School, Mary T. Ortiz, for a monthly informal lecture.
Our Coffees are intended to:
Foster the strong sense of trust and respect that exists between the school leadership and every parent in the school, integral to the girls’ thriving at Oakcrest.
Give parents an insight into why we do what we do at Oakcrest and how the decisions we make in the school are intending to grow, challenge and inspire each student to embody the characteristics of the Portrait of the Graduate.
Provide a relaxing and uplifting forum for parents to share...2017-11-0540 minOakcrest SchoolPortrait of OakcrestOakcrest was featured in an exclusive interview on WMET 1160 AM Guadalupe Radio. We heard from Mary T. Ortiz, Head of School; Cecilia Márquez, Academic Dean representing academic life; and Mrs. Kelly McGiffin, current parent speaking from a parents point of view and finally, Clare Meehan, Class of 2011 speaking on what it mean to be an Oakie and how it prepared her for life in and after college. We are proud to share this "Portrait of Oakcrest".
2017-11-0357 minOakcrest SchoolDr. Glenn Arbery Lecture: The Iliad: “Achilles and the Truth of Poetry”Dr. Arbery was invited to speak at Oakcrest by Mrs. Lisa Kenna, Oakcrest Master Teacher, English Literature. He was Mrs. Kenna's professor for three degrees: Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy at Thomas More, Masters in English and Masters in Humanities at University of Dallas.
Dr. Arbery came to Wyoming Catholic in 2013 primarily to teach in the Humanities track, but he was drawn to the whole curriculum, the excellent faculty, and the strong Catholic character of the College, all of which he hopes to further in his tenure as President. Dr. Arbery and his wife Virginia, who teaches Hu...2017-10-1550 min
Oakcrest SchoolUSA Women's Rugby Olympian Alev KelterUSA Rugby Olympian Alev Kelter spoke to Oakcrest School students on May 8, 2017 as part of Oakcrest’s leadership workshop series. Kelter shared her inspiring story with girls about how to tackle emotional disappointment and push through the tough times in life. Click here to view photos, watch the video, and learn more about Alev Kelter.
2017-05-2450 min
Oakcrest SchoolIt’s NOT the Real World: The Argument for Single-Sex EducationFamily physician and child psychologist Dr. Leonard Sax debunks critics who argue that all-boys and all-girls schools don’t prepare children for the “real world.” He addresses the growing gender gap in academic achievement and reveals how both boys and girls benefit from single-sex education in mind, body, and spirit. He cites many international studies which show a lower risk of drug and alcohol abuse in girls who attend single-sex schools versus co-ed schools.
2017-03-231h 11Oakcrest SchoolInstagram Ate My Daughter with Dr. Leonard SaxFamily physician and psychologist Dr. Leonard Sax spoke to Oakcrest School on March 10, 2017 as part of our Parent Enrichment Lecture series. In his lecture, Dr. Sax discusses the cultural pressures children face in 2017, how girls perceive their feminine identity, the phenomena of addictions and obsessions, and the dangerous effects of social media on girls in particular.
Dr. Sax has authored many books, including The Collapse of Parenting, Girls on the Edge, and Boys Adrift. He has appeared on the TODAY Show, CNN, National Public Radio, PBS, Fox News, Fox Business, CBC, BBC, and many other national and inte...2017-03-151h 36
Oakcrest SchoolLife Lessons from the World’s Greatest Composers with Dr. Arthur BrooksDr. Arthur C. Brooks spoke to Oakcrest School on February 13, 2017 on Life Lessons from the World’s Greatest Composers as part of our annual O’Donovan Humanities Lecture Series.
Dr. Brooks is president of the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank in Washington, DC. Before his work in academia and public policy, he spent 12 years as a classical musician in the United States and Spain. A professional French hornist, he played with groups including the Annapolis Brass Quintet in Baltimore and the City Orchestra of Barcelona.
Watch the video on YouTube here.
2017-03-1549 min