We would like to invite you to join us for a special event featuring author and Montessorian, Paula Lillard Preschlack. This event will be held at Holly Tree Country Club on February 1 at 6 pm. She will dive into child development and explore why Montessori is the ideal investment for education today.

Paula was a teacher and the head of school at Forest Bluff School for over 25 years. Paula attended Hampshire College and holds a Master’s Degree in Education from Loyola College in Maryland. Paula has Montessori diplomas from the Association Montessori Internationale for teaching ages birth through twelve, and she audited the NAMTA/AMI Orientation to Adolescent Studies. Paula is married to Jim Preschlack and has two college-aged children.

Reserve your free tickets today. There will also be a reception/book signing that starts at 5:30 pm on February 1st. We look forward to seeing you there!

If you are interested in ordering one of Paula’s books, “The Montessori Potential, How to Foster Independence, Respect and Joy in Every Child” you can purchase it online.

Looking back, no one could have predicted what Five Oaks Academy, a Montessori School opened in the fall of 2003 on a quiet road in Simpsonville, SC, would become. Not its founder and owner, Laura Baur. Not its founding Executive Director, Kathleen Trewhella-Grant. And certainly not the five teachers and a couple of dozen parents who sent their 37 young children to the big white farmhouse, the welcoming centerpiece of what would become an 11-acre indoor/outdoor campus.

Fast forward to 2023 and Five Oaks Academy is an award-winning, deeply innovative Montessori school serving 250 students from toddlers to eighth graders. With its motto of “Minds Opened Here,” its razor sharp focus on continuous improvement, and its ongoing commitment to serving both its internal and external communities, Five Oaks has been recognized as a leader even beyond the Montessori world.

Proof of that came in November 2020 when Five Oaks was recognized by the nearly 60-year-old South Carolina Independent School Association (SCISA) with its prestigious W. Keller Kissam School of Honor Award.  Representing more than 120 independent schools in South Carolina, SCISA recognized Five Oaks for its “cutting edge” interactive academic programs, its commitment to STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics) education initiatives and its overall focus on parental involvement and community centered outreach education.

“When you look at the caliber of schools that were nominated, and to be recognized not by a Montessori organization, but by an independent school organization recognizing best practices no matter what pedagogy you’re using, and to say that yes, your community is happy and thriving and yes your children are learning…well that was a very big moment,” says Trewhella-Grant of the award.

Five Oaks Academy received its initial accreditation from SCISA in 2017, also becoming that same year the first South Carolina Montessori school to receive SCISA’s dual accreditation in Montessori and STEAM.

Up and Running in Less Than a Year

So how did Five Oaks go from start-up to state-wide award winner?  Enter Baur, a previously successful entrepreneur with no educational or Montessori experience at the time, but a determined mother driven to find a better educational option for her and her husband’s two young sons – even if she had to build it herself.

“Overconfidence can be a wonderful thing,” says Baur with a laugh as she reminisces on how she got a Montessori school up and running in less than a year.

She recalls that 2002 was somewhat of a perfect personal storm in that she had sold her business and was at home with her two boys, the oldest of whom would be starting first grade the next year. She wasn’t thrilled with the choices. And in the back of her mind she also was thinking that she was happiest when working.

After having her son Ben tested for consideration at a private school and being told he would be “fine” in the first grade but as a typical energetic boy probably wouldn’t love it, she started asking questions about Montessori and was told it was considered the best way to learn. That was all she needed to hear and she enrolled him in a Montessori school in Spartanburg. (Today, scientific studies of how the brain learns support Dr. Maria Montessori’s findings and approach.)

But as fate would have it, one day on the way home from church Baur spotted the ‘for sale’ sign for the property on Jonesville Road known as Five Oaks Farm. And she never looked back.

In record-setting speed, Baur walked and fell in love with the property and bought it; worked with neighbors, some of whom were unsure about having a school in their midst; and hired Trewhella-Grant, initially as a consultant. She also had to recruit parents to entrust their children to the brand new entity, which was a bit of a muddy construction zone as new classroom and outdoor areas were being built.  (Ironically, those outdoor extensions of the school would prove a particular godsend almost 20 years later when they were a big part of why Five Oaks never closed its doors during Covid.)

“I had the good sense to find my team and hire Kathleen, who moved from consultant to founding Executive Director.  I learned how little I knew about Montessori, but she was able to bring talented educators with her and I knew we could hit the ground running,” says Baur.

On the Fast Track

What made Five Oaks unique from the start, says Trewhella-Grant, was that Baur had passion and a clear vision, and she chose to start primary and lower elementary classes at the same time, which was not the norm. Typically a Montessorri school might add one grade level at a time.

“Our business model was ‘build it, and they will come.’ So we had 600% enrollment growth in the first 10 years and 30% in the second. And from a business model perspective, that’s astounding to me,” says Trewhella-Grant.

Following that trajectory, Five Oaks opened a middle school in year five with less than 10 students. And then a year or so later opened a toddler program, meaning the school could serve two-year-olds to eighth graders. That was a rare thing for any school in the state of South Carolina.

Baur never initially envisioned a middle school, but later felt that the school’s job was not finished at the transition to sixth grade. “There are so many uncertainties and changes for young people in that age group. And studies report that by the eighth grade a child has decided if he or she is good in school or not. Obviously, if a student decides the latter, it will impact so many decisions; it’s such a critical crossroads,” she says.

Trewhella-Grant, a native South Carolinian, agrees and has found the growth stimulating. The Executive Director started her Montessori training in London (finishing in the United States), and worked as both a Montessori teacher and director before coming to Five Oaks. She says in the beginning she was drawn to the school because she saw so much potential in the environment, and it also was very appealing to partner with someone like Baur, “who was and is so dedicated and forward thinking about education.”

Moreover, adds Trewhella-Grant, “Laura was open to creative ideas in the running of the school and to evaluating ourselves on an ongoing basis, which led us to add so many programs over the years and made us progressive in areas including the arts, sciences, music, leadership, and the cultivating strengths movement.”

Guest Artists and Programs and Festivals Oh My!

Indeed, it’s hard to think about Five Oaks Academy without envisioning all the special activities that take place on its campus. Its peaceful environment, which features multiple and varied outdoor class areas and green spaces, including a lush nature trail, carefully cultivated flower and vegetable gardens, a labyrinth, an art mural and even a chicken coop, is the perfect backdrop for a special program or event.

Through the years students have looked forward to Fall Festivals, International Festivals (morphing into a World’s Fair this year), and International Day of Peace celebrations. Other traditions include Holiday Peace Performances, the Annual Student Art Show, Spirit Week, Strengths Shows (where students showcase their strengths and practice their public speaking skills in front of their peers), and STEAM Shows.

Students also routinely take their strengths on the road, participating in statewide spelling bees, music festivals, book battles and robotic competitions. Field trips are favorites too, with eighth graders planning a special days-long getaway before graduation each year.

Another highly anticipated tradition is the Guest-Artist-in-Residence Program.  And no artist’s visit drew more excitement for the campus than South Carolina’s own internationally-renowned Jonathan Green, who is considered one of the most important contemporary painters of the Southern experience and whose critically acclaimed works have been showcased in museum collections and exhibitions throughout the world.

Five Oaks’ Assistant Director Jill Plumley, who started at the school in its first year as a teacher and moved into leading the art program full time in 2006, and then into administration roles starting in 2012, remembers the thrill of Green’s 2009 visit well.

“Green’s visit was a huge, huge deal,” says Plumley, who also is Directress of the Art History Program, “and it tied in so perfectly with our art history program. Now when we teach about his works, I tell the students, ‘This artist is a bit different. Not only is he still alive, but he’s from South Carolina.’ And the students gasp.

And then I say, ‘and he came to our school!’ And the students gasp even louder and about fall off their seats when I tell them he brought his paintings to Five Oaks for us to touch and pass around as he discussed his process.”

Other special events have tied into student giving projects. None stands out more prominently  than the Tutudesk Campaign, a charity that aims to address the shortage of more than 90 million desks in sub-Saharan Africa.  In November 2018, Thandi Tutu-Gxashe, the daughter of Desmond Tutu, South Africa’s highly influential leader of the anti-apartheid movement and a Nobel Peace Prize winner, visited Five Oaks to speak to Upper Elementary and Middle School students about the campaign’s goal at that time to provide 20 million portable Tutudesks to 20 million students by 2020.

Five Oaks’ students at all levels embraced the mission and that fall raised several thousand dollars through lemonade and bake sales, special parking passes for school events, and other creative efforts. Today, Five Oaks’ students continue to support a variety of charities, including Wells of Love, which provides clean water wells to communities in Africa to improve nutrition and help prevent disease associated with contaminated water supplies. In the case of Wells of Love, the Lower Elementary students have raised more than $60,ooo.

Community Ties That Bind

Another original and purposeful goal at Fives Oaks from the start was to draw students and families representing the international community.  Events such as the International Festival supported that goal, and corporate nods from firms such as BMW also enhanced its reputation. BMW recognizes Five Oaks as a partner school that has been vetted by its relocation teams; this is especially important to its employees coming from Germany, where Montessori is extremely prevalent.

Today, more than 38 countries are represented at Five Oaks through families and faculty.

Trewhella-Grant explains that yet another aspect of the original mission was to be a community leader for education.

“Montessori role models lifelong learning and we wanted to offer that to the public without charge. For example, we did an educational series at the public library on ADHD with Dr. Caitlin McLear.  Those types of programs have set Five Oaks apart for modeling adult learning.”

Five Oaks has sponsored many distinguished speakers for the community at large, including, among others:

• Dr. Yong Zhao, distinguished professor and author focused on the implications of globalization and technology for education;
• Dr. Derrick Gay, a renowned diversity and inclusion strategist and consultant;
• Dr. Paul Epstein, international speaker, author and Montessori educational consultant; and
• Dr. Jane Bluestein, award-winning author, speaker and expert on parent-child communication.

While such aforementioned programs have been complimentary to the public, their sponsorship of course requires funding. And so, with no income beyond tuition, but wanting to strive for the ability to both be self-sustaining and an organization that would deliver program, faculty and staff excellence, in 2008 Five Oaks established its Annual Fund.

The Annual Fund, thanks to the overwhelming support of parents, faculty, staff, businesses and others, has raised more than $1.75 million  since its inception. The money has helpedFive Oaks send teachers and staff to educational conferences and funded the completion of Montessori certifications and in some cases Masters’ degrees. It’s also provided student scholarships and made innumerable campus and community events possible.

Teachers Make the School Go Round

As Baur reflects on two decades of success, she’s quick to admit that while she had the vision and drive to create the school, Trewhella-Grant is “what made the difference.”

Kathleen has an eye for excellence and such high standards and expectations. She taught me that Montessori teachers have to be extraordinary and be happily balanced themselves. She attracts the best people from all over; and let’s face it: no matter how lovely the environment is, it’s all about the faculty.”

“We’ve always focused first on recruiting the best candidate, regardless of Montessori or teaching certification background,” notes Trewhella-Grant. “We look for somewhat of a Renaissance person with many skills … we look for problem solvers, collaborative community leaders, an enthusiasm and joy for children. We want them to be passionate about education and individual student growth. It’s not an easy job so you really have to enjoy it.”

Trewhella-Grant and Baur both agree that creating leadership opportunities for their teachers is key.

“We developed a Curriculum Council and governing bodies that would help us grow and be consistent in delivering the educational models that we promised,” says Trewhella-Grant. “It would be one thing if you just had one classroom and one teacher at each level, but when you start duplicating models and you want that consistency, you’re not just depending on a few good teachers.”

Also of paramount importance is exposing teachers to innovative thinking on learning. For example, Trewhella-Grant has been a member of Learning in the Brain (a members only organization for educators and scientists dedicated to studying how the brain learns) for more than 25 years and has used its resources and conferences to strengthen her team.

Faculty members also have attended SCISA conferences and events of the South Carolina Montessori Alliance, of which Trewhella-Grant is an inaugural Board of Directors member.

Through the years teachers also have been encouraged to bring their own projects to campus with them, such as building a stone oven pizza or putting up a zipline. As another example, Five Oaks’ Comfort and Therapy Dog program got its start and is supported by faculty members who bring their own dogs to school. And new in 2023 is a cooking project for first through third graders made possible via a private grant that will eventually grow to include other age students.

The Road Ahead

Indeed, there’s much to celebrate in Five Oaks Academy’s first 20 years and much more about which to look forward.  A number of special events have already happened, some of which will be held annually.

Baur is always thinking about improvements for the school, and has considered expansion, but no type of expansion would include adding high school grades.

“There is a sweet spot of how big you can be before you lose the feeling of what you have created,” emphasizes Baur. “I don’t want to lose that.”

But it’s not unusual to see high school students on campus. In fact, Baur says her favorite event of the year is the Middle School Alumni Workshop, when former students come back to discuss their high school experiences with current students.

“A dream of mine has been to see that first group of students head off to high school and then hear feedback of how prepared they are. And we do get excellent feedback from principals and admission directors on how well prepared our students are. It makes me super happy,” says Baur.

Trewhella-Grant concurs, adding: “From a philosophical standpoint we want them to go into high school being confident in themselves and their decision making skills, and to have skills to study well and meet people well … If Montesorri’s goal is to prepare you for life, then the next obvious step is to have a larger pool in high school where they can practice their skills.”

Internships play an important role in this preparation; students have opportunities to be mentored both on and off campus in a variety of fields and get to practice interview skills, job etiquette and so much more.

“It can be very interesting for our students,” says Trewhella-Grant. “We had a young lady who thought she wanted to be a veterinarian. But she fainted while watching a procedure, and ultimately decided on a different direction.”

While all of the staff at Five Oaks can take pride in the ongoing achievements of current and former students, Baur is especially excited about a future student coming to Five Oaks. As it turns out, her son Will and daughter-in-law are expecting a baby and are moving north to be closer to the child’s maternal grandmother. “But the good news, Mom,” Will Baur told his mother, “is we’re moving back in time for our child to start at Five Oaks.”
That, without a doubt, is one thing Laura Baur could never have imagined in 2002.

Shaping Citizens of the World

When you talk to teachers and others at Five Oaks Academy who interact with the students,  you hear familiar refrains about the joys of teaching, the highs of witnessing a child truly learn and the rewards of shaping well-rounded and well-intended individuals.

Jennifer Amick, who has been with Five Oaks from the start and serves as Lead Primary Program Directress, says the school is unique because it isn’t only focused on the child’s academic ability.

“We also concentrate on real-life skills, such as teaching children to sit with those sitting alone, and to think about others. Skills such as being kind, befriending those who are lonely, giving encouragement, and seeing the good in others are modeled at the youngest level. To me, this is how you change the world – not by focusing solely on someone’s academic strengths, but by focusing on the skills it takes to be a good citizen of the world.”

Echoing those sentiments is Bonnie Benthall, a 16-year Five Oaks veteran who is currently Lead Lower Elementary Program Directress and says she is lucky to call Five Oaks Academy home.

“I am proud to be a part of such an amazing school that values kindness, individuality, respect, innovation, and passion for knowledge.  It has been so rewarding to work in an environment that is not only beautiful but also dedicated to collaborative teaching and learning to support the whole child.”

Assistant Director Jill Plumley finds reward in seeing the pride on a child’s face when he or she  is exposed to how art is taught at Five Oaks, especially after believing they weren’t artistic.

“They tend to think they can’t do art. But I always say ‘We teach art a little bit differently here and I think you’re going to be surprised.’”

Plumley also cherishes eighth grade graduation day. “We have parents cry and say we’ll never have what we had here and thank you so much for what you’ve done for our child and our family. We have worked together to grow that child and it’s so rewarding. And we have the privilege of seeing a child who might have started out so shy, and by middle school they are leaders in our community. To see that metamorphosis is wonderful.”

For founder Laura Baur, she takes joy in hearing that a child who wasn’t reading well progresses to reading all the time, even in the bathtub. Or seeing a child coming onto the school’s campus and immediately skipping down the sidewalk. Or visiting with a former student who is thriving in high school and beyond.

Combined with all the other highs she’s experienced at Five Oaks, Baur says she feels “embarrassingly rewarded.”

Milestones To Grow On at Five Oaks Academy

• 2003               School Founded.
• 2003-2013   Enrollment grows 600%.
• 2004              First Fall Festival.
• 2004              First International Festival.
• 2005              Opening of a second building on campus.
• 2007              Acquisition of five additional acres for trail creation/expansion.
• 2007              School Team wins 2nd Place in the South Carolina State Championship Robotics Competition
• 2008              Opening of Five Oaks Middle School.
• 2008              Creation of The Annual Fund.
• 2008              Development of Curriculum Council.
• 2009              World-renown contemporary artist Jonathan Green visits Five Oaks.
• 2010              Toddler Program added.
• 2013              Internationally acclaimed Dr. Yong Zhao headlines Five Oak sponsored community event.
• 2017              Initial accreditation from SCISA*.
• 2018              Student Council created.
• 2018              Thandi Tutu-Gxashe, CEO of Desmond Tutu’s Tutudesk Campaign,   visited FOA
• 2019              STEM accreditation granted from SCISA.
• 2020-2021  Perseverance through Covid Pandemic with no classroom shutdown
• 2020             Awarded the SCISA W. Keller Kissam School of Honor Award.
• 2021              First Participation in National Spanish Exam 2021.
• 2023              First World’s Fair.
• 2023              Twentieth Anniversary Celebration.

* South Carolina Independent School Association

One of our Lower Elementary parents, Kelly Barnhardt,  has shared her experience with FOA’s  Art Program and Annual Art Show on her blog.  Her blogs are wonderfully written and this particular blog post, “Heart and Soul”,  is a testament to our art program. You can read more of her blogs posts at http://peekawhoo.com .

“On Thursday after the Boston Marathon, the kids’ school hosted its annual art show, where all the students proudly display the work they’ve created under the tutelage of Jill, the school’s amazingly talented and energetic art teacher. It’s always such a lovely event, with art displayed all over the campus in the classrooms, in the office, on the walkways. Jill, an artist herself, is one of those remarkable teachers who is able to convey fact, technique, and fun, instilling a love and appreciation for the process and study of art.

Jill teaches the kids about the great artists, the great works-Degas, Monet, Van Gogh this year, Picasso and Leonardo da Vinci in years past. They listen, they learn, they emulate, they experiment, they create. They learn the rules so that one day, they can break them, they can move beyond and outside the lines and make their own magic.

These are good things, these paintings. The kids were proud to see their work displayed, to see their investments admired. Though kids may not feel the anxiety as acutely as adults, it’s often difficult to release something you’ve made out into the world for fear of its critique or misunderstanding or that people just flat out won’t like it. You’re putting a piece of yourself out there-writing, painting, drawing, dancing, singing-these forms of creativity allow us to express ourselves in ways different from our typical greetings and correspondences; they bring beauty and perspective and form to emotion, to feeling.

In our home, we have lots of art. It’s not necessarily fine or expensive, but it covers our walls. As a former Art History minor, the daughter of an artist, and someone often billed as “creative”, I enjoy the study and history of art, its relationship to and critical foundation in the formation of culture.

And what I’ve also learned through the years about art is that I like art because you made it. Because it came from you. Because you went out on a limb and put some of yourself into it, because you shared with the rest of the world.”

        

The Five Oaks Academy Annual Fund Fall Fête will be held Friday, November 2 from 6:00PM until 9:00PM at The Loom at Cotton Mill Place in Simpsonville, SC.  Celebrating the fourth year of this annual event, the Fall Fête is the school’s largest adult social event of the year.  The Fall Fête provides a unique opportunity for faculty, parents and friends of Five Oaks Academy to come together and celebrate the past, present and future of our unique institution and the many wonderful contribution is has made to the Upstate of South Carolina.

Dinner and live music will be provided. Dress is fall casual attire. Childcare is provided upon advance request on campus at Five Oaks Academy.

All parents, adult family members, faculty and friends of Five Oaks Academy are encouraged to attend this once-a-year celebration.  Parents are requested to RSVP via the electronic invitation they received.  If you have questions, would like to RSVP or would like to confirm childcare for the evening, please contact the Five Oaks Academy front office.

        

Five Oaks Academy is thrilled to announce that Dr Steven J. Hughes, PhD will be speaking for our Parent Lecture Series on October 18th. Prior to his visit to Five Oaks Academy, Dr Huges will be keynoting at the upcoming conference for the South Carolina Montessori Alliance (SCMA). In March, He will be a speaker at the American Montessori Society (AMS) conference.

Based out of London, Dr Steven J. Hughes, PhD, LP, ABPdN is a board-certified pediatric neuropsychologist who specializes in assessment and treatment planning for persons who have problems with attention, concentration, organization, planning, and related executive functions. He also consults with organizations about educational program evaluation, and speaks to groups around the world about developmental education, neurocognitive disorders, parenting, and other topics of interest to parents and educators. Hughes completed his PhD in clinical psychology at the University of Minnesota and his post-doctoral fellowship in pediatric neuropsychology at the University of Minnesota Medical School, where he served as a member of the faculty of the Division of Pediatric Clinical Neurosciences from 2001 to 2011.

In his clinical work, he has specialized in neuropsychological assessment of children and adolescents with a wide range of learning, developmental, and medical disorders, and assisted in the supervision and training of future neuropsychologists. Himself a Montessori parent, Dr. Hughes has helped many families from the Twin Cities Montessori community understand their child’s special educational or developmental needs. He is a lecturer at the Maria Montessori Institute in London, England, and the Montessori Training Center of Minnesota. He is also a frequent speaker at Montessori schools, regional and national conferences, and other events around the world.

His research interests include measurement of attention and executive functioning in children and adults, the effects of living in poverty on child development, and the neurodevelopmental benefits of classical Montessori education.  You can learn more about Dr. Hughes and his research by visiting www.goodatdoingthings.com.

Please put this amazing opportunity on your calendar. You will not want to miss this!

This event will be held at:
The Fountain Inn Center for Visual & Performing Arts
315 North Main Street
Fountain Inn, SC 29644

“Montessori is like education designed by a gifted pediatric
neuropsychologist!”

-Steve Hughes, Ph.D.

As a reminder, all parents interested in exploring high school options for their students are invited to join us as Five Oaks Academy hosts representatives from local high schools this Thursday, September 13, from 6:00-7:00 p.m. to discuss their various programs. This event is designed to allow parents to interact one-on-one with these representatives and there will not be a formal presentation. The following high schools are currently scheduled to be in attendance:

Anderson Montessori
Christ Church
Greenville Classical Academy
Greenville County Fine Arts Center
Greenville Middle College- Brashier Campus (the charter school)
Greenville Middle College- Greer Campus (the charter school)
Greenville Middle College- Pleasantburg Campus (the charter school)
Palmetto E-cademy
Shannon Forest
Southside Christian
Southside IB Program
The Governor’s School

We look forward to seeing everyone there!

We would like to invite all of our parents at Five Oaks Academy to an International Coffee on September 12 from 8:30-10:00 to help us in welcoming our newest International families.

We are proud of the diverse families that make up our community. The students, teachers and parents on our campus represent at least 14 countries some of which include Germany, Italy, India, Mexico, England, France, Japan, China, Netherlands, South Africa, Chile, Guatemala, Belgium and the United States.

Please join us in celebrating our International community and help make these new families feel at home.

In recognition of Maria Montessori and her contributions to our global community, Google is honoring her today on her 142nd birthday as the featured “Google Doodle.”  For one day only, August 31, 2012, the Google homepage will display the Google logo built from common Montessori classroom materials.

It is widely known that Google has its own Montessori roots as Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin both attended a Montessori school as children. During an interview with Barbara Walters in 2004, Page and Brin credited their years as Montessori students as a major factor contributing to their success. They said that their Montessori education allowed them to learn to think for themselves, taught them to be self-directed and self-starters, and gave them freedom to pursue their own interests.

Everyone at Five Oaks Academy wishes Maria Montessori a happy 142nd birthday and thanks her for presenting the world with a living example of scientific theories of education!

Each year the Five Oaks Academy faculty choses a book to read and study in an effort to improve overall awareness on a topic and explore ways to improve the educational experience for its students.  This year, the faculty has chosen the book “Raising Happiness.”  The author, Christine Carter, Ph.D and executive director of UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center, recently did a keynote presentation at the “Learning and the Brain Conference” which was attended by Kathleen Trewhella-Grant, the Director of Five Oaks Academy.

In reference to the conference, Kathleen said, “The Learning and the Brain Conference was focused on educating attendees on how to use research-based brain science to nurture smarter, happier and healthier learners.  The conference further highlighted the importance of mental health in learning and achievement and presented research demonstrating that providing an environment where students are happy and content can no longer just be considered something “nice” to work towards but rather a crucial building block in the education of a student. Happiness and one’s state of mind are an essential part of successful learning.  At the conference, attendees learned about the connection between our brain’s ability to receive information and our emotional state. As a Montessori school, Five Oaks Academy has always put a huge emphasis on environmental comfort and teacher-student relationships to promote the happiness and educational success of our students.”

“True happiness comes from the joy of deeds well done, the zest of creating things new.”

– Antoine de Saint-Exupery

In the book “Raising Happiness,” Christine Carter draws on what psychology, sociology, and neuroscience have proven about confidence, gratefulness, and optimism, and using her own chaotic and often hilarious real-world adventures as a mom to demonstrate do’s and don’ts in action, she boils the process down to 10 simple happiness-inducing steps.

Five Oaks Academy invites all members of our community to join the faculty in this informative read as we look forward to having in-depth discussions about this book and the continue roll of happiness in the educational experience of our students.

Five Oaks Academy is pleased to welcome back students today for the first full day of the 2012-2013 academic year.  As we begin our tenth year at Five Oaks Academy, we are welcoming many new families from our area and from around the world. This year we are pleased to welcome families from Costa Rica, South Africa, England, Italy, France, Germany and China coming to join our international community.

New students to the school and students transitioning to a new classroom began their transition days on Wednesday. Transition days are a way that a Montessori education allows for students to adjust to their new academic surroundings without the added distraction of a full classroom. Five Oaks Academy offers transitions days across all of its programs.

We are looking forward to another year of engaging our students curiosity and creativity in the classrooms and wish each of our students a great start to the upcoming year!

“If you are planning for a year,
sow rice;

if you are planning for a decade,
plant trees;

if you are planning for a lifetime,
educate people”

– Chinese proverb