Head of School’s Welcome

Welcome to The Oakwood School’s website! I hope that the information contained on this site will help you catch the Oakwood spirit and understand the school’s purpose as you learn about the programs and activities we offer. This year, the thirteenth in the school’s history, is a celebratory year at The Oakwood School because we now span grades Pre-Kindergarten through grade 12, and we will graduate our first senior class this May. We are justifiably proud of our nine pioneering seniors who form the Class of 2009, and we look forward to recognizing their achievements when they receive their Oakwood diplomas this spring.

The Oakwood School provides a unique educational option for families in Pitt County. In the spring of 1995 forty-two Greenville families came together to dream of a new school for the area. Today, thirteen years later, the Founders’ vision has matured into a vibrant non-sectarian school of 333 students and 58 faculty/staff members situated on forty-one acres of land and housed in four classroom buildings. The mission of the school was developed thirteen years ago and remains the guiding compass of the school today: We seek to instill in our students the strength of character, the creativity, and the wisdom to make a difference in the world. We want our Oakwood students to use their skills and talents to make the world a better place, and our teachers are the caretakers of this vision. They develop a social awareness in our students by honoring diversity in culture, ethnicity, and individual strengths and interests and by encouraging students to look outside themselves and imagine possibilities.

The reasons for the success of the school are the constituents that make up the Oakwood community. Our talented faculty members bring experience and education with a sense of optimism and high expectations to Oakwood. The twelve-member Board of Trustees gives time, insight and guidance in building a vision of what Oakwood can become within the East Carolina region now and in the future. Our parents seek to have a challenging, enriching, and developmentally appropriate education for their children and support the school in its endeavors to do this. Finally, our students are curious, inquiring, and diligent in pursuit of their own learning and are eager to reach out to others. Small class size and access to state of the art technology are also valued assets of the Oakwood experience. Oakwood was one of the founding members of the Coalition of Lighthouse Schools, and all students grades 4-12 use Apple laptop computers as a learning tool.

Although I have been associated with Oakwood for only a short time, I have caught the spirit that is the essence of the school. The school has accomplished much in its short life, and the community is very proud of its roots and new growth. It has developed a cohesive sense of community and extends a warm welcome to new families. It is a very special place with an exciting future. I am deeply honored to be The Oakwood School’s Head of School, and I encourage you to visit our school so you can see first-hand what a very special place this is for children.

Sincerely,

Robert R. Peterson
Head of School