I am grateful for this opportunity to update our community on all the activity in the Student Services Department. This is, without a doubt, our busiest time of year as we prepare to welcome new Wildcats to Oxford and open our enrollment period! This season brings us the honor of interacting with parents—both new and returning—and the feedback we have heard in these dialogues brings incredible pride to our district.

The past school year of in-person learning has set us apart and once again Oxford is leading the way as innovators in education. Thank you for your support – it has been invaluable as we have faced unbelievable challenges together this year. Because of our commitment to stakeholders, we are attracting new families from all over the county and beyond as students continue to have great experiences with us. Many families have expressed gratitude for us staying open for face-to-face instruction while others have been thankful for our virtual options because they were not comfortable attending school. No matter how your family prefers to interact with our content and, more importantly, our dedicated staff: Oxford is here to serve you. As you prepare for your kindergartener’s first day of school or prepare yourself to order your senior’s cap and gown, Team Oxford wants to provide your family with the best experience possible.
We have a shared vision for all Oxford students as a result of their educational experiences in Oxford Community Schools. This “Portrait of a Graduate” outlines the many characteristics and competencies we believe our students will need to be successful in an ever-evolving, global society. As we reflect on the past year, we believe Oxford students and staff have truly lived into the Portrait of a Graduate in many remarkable ways. We have learned to balance our needs with the needs of others each day as we monitor our symptoms, wash our hands, and mask up to leave our homes. As new data has become available to us, we have revised our understanding based on new information and evidence, constantly making small adjustments to stay safe. Our ideal conditions for learning outlined in the Portrait of a Graduate supported us having a dynamic technology infrastructure with accessible devices which prepared us for periods of remote learning and for the influx of virtual students. Lastly, we have certainly used creative thinking to generate new ideas and inquiries and truly met the challenges of this year as risk-takers. Oxford, in all ways, walked the walk this school year.
Another condition for learning that we intently focused on this year was “learning is best in a safe and supported environment.” In my role, I believe service to our students is my primary responsibility and I take that duty very seriously. We have been inundated with the novel coronavirus and we hope it becomes a smaller part of our operations each day. My job is not only to mitigate COVID-19 but also to keep students safe. This includes students’ emotional wellness and mental health. As we slowly transition out of the pandemic and many aspects of our lives begin to return to “normal,” I am hopeful that our strong sense of community and renewed village approach endures the ordinary grind of life. We have seen proof positive of what this town can do together and we should proceed in a way that is mindful of all the uncertainty and trauma the pandemic has thrust upon us all. Encourage your children to reach out to their teachers, counselors, or other staff for help; and, let me personally invite you to reach out if your family is in need of support. Keep up the great work, Oxford!
Oxford Community Schools is now enrolling for the 2021-22 school year: Oxford Early Learning Center (6 weeks – 4 years old), GSRP, Extended Day Care, Summer Camp, and in-district Developmental Kindergarten – 12th grade. Also, Schools of Choice for Developmental Kindergarten – 9th grade (Unlimited), 10th and 11th grades (IB, Health Science, Engineering Academy, Dance Conservatory, and Early College), and Oxford Virtual Academy (DK-12th grade). Visit https://oxfordschools.org/enrollment2 to begin enrollment, for any questions call Oxford Student Services at (248) 969-5019.