Oakwood Friends School

This week, our dedicated faculty came together to reconnect as a community, share fresh visions, and plan for the upcoming school year. In addition to preparing classrooms, they also found time to enjoy some well-deserved fun! Our team is excited to welcome both our boarding and day students next week for the senior trip, orientations, icebreakers, and plenty of exciting activities. We look forward to an engaging and vibrant new year at Oakwood!

Calling all area alumni! Join us for a gathering with Director of Development and Alumni Affairs, Julie Okoniewski in Kingston, NY on September 13th! Catch up with friends and make some new ones!
E-mail Wendy Giangrasso at [email protected] to let us know you'll be there!

That's a wrap on our College Application Camp! Last week, Stephen Miller, History and Philosophy Teacher and Humanities Chair, and Karen Nichols, Upper School Humanities Teacher and Math and Science Department Chair, guided students through college essay drafts, offering valuable tips on crafting compelling narratives. The week concluded with a special visit from Chris Doyle, Director of Admissions at Marist College who shared his insights and highlighted key areas to focus on, along with common pitfalls to avoid. We're incredibly grateful for the time and invaluable energy our faculty and guest Chris Doyle contributed! Good luck to all of the seniors!

Stephen Miller's recent participation in the World Congress of Philosophy in Rome is a remarkable achievement. Presenting two talks, "Considerations about Diversifying Curricula" and "What-if: Children and the Development of Adult Moral Imagination," he made important contributions to the global philosophical discourse. Both talks are based on forthcoming articles in the Journal of Didactics of Philosophy and the Journal of Philosophy in Schools, showcasing his ongoing scholarly work. Additionally, Stephen moderated two roundtables, further highlighting his active role in the event, which attracts thousands of philosophers from around the world every five years. Congratulations to Stephen Miller! We are incredibly proud to have you as our Philosophy and History teacher and Humanities Chair at Oakwood!

Our College Application Camp kicked off this morning with our Director of College Counseling Haniya Mee leading rising seniors towards their future! Questionnaires to refine their interests, listing their activities, and prompts to begin their essay are all part of this important weeklong program designed to help students complete a good portion of their common app before senior year begins!

Oakwood athletes haven’t been taking the summer off! Our basketball players of all levels got better at Vassar College Men's Basketball camp last week. And we met up with an Oakwood soccer player in the dining hall who was attending Vassar College Men's Soccer elite camp! We are so proud, they are learning and striving to do great things this season! Way to go!

Many thanks to for supporting Oakwood’s summer youth advocacy program, VOTE (Voices of Tomorrow Empowered). This free program offers Hudson Valley youth the opportunity to explore civic engagement and community activism through the arts. We appreciate their support!

We are delighted to welcome back New York Yearly Meeting - NYYM for their annual Summer Sessions here at Oakwood! Head of School Chad Cianfrani welcomed Quakers, and members of Poughkeepsie Friends Quaker Meeting who have been attending sessions and taking part in many of the activities as they connect over important issues and support NYYM work. We are grateful to host such a gathering and share our campus with the larger Quaker community! NYYM is the gathering of Quaker meetings (congregations) in New York State, northern New Jersey, and southwestern Connecticut with a membership of 3,200 members! Summer Sessions are held as meetings for worship with a concern for the life of the meeting and include programs for youth, open meetings for worship, speakers, committee meetings, contra dancing and fellowship!

Our Community Event & BBQ was a hit! New and current families came together to meet Director of Community Inclusion and Social Justice, Nikki Winans along with Dean of Students and Director of Community Wellness, Willow Joffee for an overview of programming this year as well as an engaging activity in getting to know one another. Afterwards, nearly 100 folks enjoyed a beautiful summer evening, good food and warm connections. We are so grateful for opportunities like this and look forward to many more this upcoming year!

We're welcoming new and current families to campus for a special event on July 25th! Meet and greet our new Director of Community Inclusion and Social Justice, Nikki Winans along with Dean of Students and Director of Community Wellness, Willow Joffee. Childcare is available for this portion, check the box in the RSVP to reserve. Our all family BBQ begins following the workshop! You can attend all or part of the evening, siblings are welcome and if your child is away doing great things, please come anyway! This is a great opportunity to engage with new families, connect with familiar folks and enjoy an evening of good food and conversation. If you haven't already done so, please RSVP using the link in the email from the Head of School. We can't wait to hear how your summer is going!

It was lovely catching up with alumni and friends in Seattle last week! Many thanks to the Erlitz family, Joel ‘68 and Perri ‘05, for co-hosting and to attendees Henry Brecher ‘51 and John Yergan, whose father and two uncles attended Oakwood in the late 1930s/early 1940s. Director of Development and Alumni Affairs, Julie Okoniewski, also got to catch up with Hadi Daqiq ‘19 overlooking Seattle atop the Space Needle with her family including current student Sam Gutierrez ‘28. Looking forward to connecting with more of you at future regional gatherings!

We are so close! If you haven't already done so, there is still time to send a gift to support this year's Annual Fund! We could not do it without you! Our success is uplifted by your generous support! Follow https://www.oakwoodfriends.org/forms/donate-to-oakwood-friends-school/ to donate! Thank you to everyone who has helped us so far this year!

Each year, we celebrate donors who have generously supported Oakwood for ten consecutive years or more. These esteemed supporters are invited to our 10 Year Honor Roll Luncheon each spring, where they can connect with current students, see their contributions in action through a special presentation, and meet fellow supporters who are equally dedicated to the school's financial strength.

As we conclude our Annual Fund campaign this Sunday, we invite you to join this distinguished group with a monthly, annual, or matching donation to the fund for the next decade. Your commitment will ensure Oakwood's continued success and make a lasting impact on our community. Follow here to donate - https://www.oakwoodfriends.org/forms/donate-to-oakwood-friends-school/

We are deeply grateful to all our contributors for their unwavering support and look forward to honoring this special group. Thank you to everyone who helps make Oakwood possible for so many.
Donate by Sunday, June 30th!

There's still time to sign up for summer skills, training, college and fun! Check out these offerings from some of our wonderful faculty and staff at Oakwood! We hope to see you here!

We are just ONE WEEK away from meeting our Annual Fund goal! Throughout the year, Oakwood provides opportunities for students to try things they may have never expected from themselves. We pride ourselves on these experiences of challenge and discovery.

Help us continue to support these moments and our students' journey! Please consider a gift by June 30th! Click here to donate: https://www.oakwoodfriends.org/forms/donate-to-oakwood-friends-school/

To those who have already contributed, we extend our heartfelt gratitude. Together, we continue to flourish. THANK YOU!

We were delighted to welcome Juan Williams '72 back to Oakwood's campus to kick off Alumni Weekend with an engaging talk about Oakwood's historic role of leadership in welcoming students of color, ethnicity, differing religious beliefs, gender and LGBTQ+ when other schools would not. 'Oakwood's daring actions a half-century ago stands as eternal testimony to Quaker values of integrity and speaking truth.' ~Juan Williams
Our immense thanks to Juan for coming back and sharing this important history and the impact of Oakwood Friends not just on him, but on so many students who have passed through these doors! We are truly grateful!

Juan Williams is an Emmy Award winning author and journalist whose career in media spans decades including work at The Washington Post, NPR, as a political analyst for Fox News, and as a weekly columnist for The Hill. Juan has received numerous awards for his writing and investigative journalism.

Today we reflect on the significance of this day in American history. Juneteenth commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans in the United States and stands as a reminder of the ongoing journey toward freedom, equality, and justice. Join us today in celebration and solidarity!

In celebration of Juneteenth tomorrow, we invite you to join us in acknowledging this important milestone in our nation's history. To honor the spirit of Juneteenth and support our local community, here are some events taking place in the areas of Poughkeepsie, Beacon and Newburgh. We encourage you to come together to honor the African-American community's resilience, strength, and cultural heritage.

Calling all rising seniors! Join Oakwood's College Application Camp this August!
Students will work with directly with our Director of College Counseling, college admissions representatives, and Oakwood's Humanities faculty to complete their Common Application. They will learn tips on how best to fill out the activities section, as well as prepare their supplemental essay responses and complete a draft of their main personal essay. Essays will be reviewed one on one with important feedback to help you put your best foot forward! Space is limited to allow for individualized attention.
Contact Director of College Counseling Haniya Mee at [email protected] to register! We look forward to helping you shine!

Congratulations to the Class of 2024! We are so thrilled for you to have crossed this milestone and wish you all the best going forward with the wisdom, friendships and community to follow your dreams and exceed your expectations! We could not be prouder! Thank you to everyone who supported our graduates on their journey! Good luck and here's to a great future!
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Last week we celebrated our final sports awards of the year! Kudos were given to students in baseball, softball, girls and boys tennis and our HVAL winning ultimate frisbee team! We're so proud of the roll sports plays in all of our student's lives here at Oakwood, enabling everyone to participate and be a part of a team! Thank you to all of the coaches who put in many hours to support the students and congratulations to everyone who played this season!
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Please join us Friday, June 14th at 7:00pm, for an engaging presentation by Emmy Award winning author and journalist Juan Williams '72 focusing on the new phase of race relations in America. Reflecting on the Civil Rights movement through the lens of his books "Eyes on the Prize: America's Civil Rights Years, 1954-1965" and "Thurgood Marshall: American Revolutionary", Juan will connect this crucial period in history to the politics of today.
With a career in media spanning decades including work at The Washington Post, NPR, as a political analyst for Fox News, and as a weekly columnist for The Hill, Juan has received numerous awards for his writing and investigative journalism. He has also contributed to many national magazines, including: TIME, Fortune, The Atlantic, The New Republic, Ebony and GQ.
Juan's presentation will be followed by a Q & A and Book Signing in collaboration with local alumnus and bookstore owner Walter Effron ’65 from The Three Arts Bookstore.
We are thrilled to welcome Juan back to campus! The event will take place in the Spencer Family Theater and will be livestreamed and recorded. It is free and open to the public.
Please contact Wendy Giangrasso at [email protected] or (845) 462-4200 x230 to RSVP, receive the Livestream link or with questions.

This past Mother's Day was truly extraordinary as Oakwood became the backdrop for a wedding celebration! Kane Jessen '06 exchanged vows with Erin Bates in the serene ambiance of the Meeting Room, followed by the Quaker tradition of abundant blessings from friends and family in the room, including Quaker and Oakwood alumn Don Badgley '67. Virtually more than 60 well-wishers shared heartfelt remembrances and messages via Zoom. The wedding was followed by a delightful brunch in the Dining Hall prepared by our very own Chef Christina. It was a beautiful day, honoring the marriage of an Oakwood alumn and his cherished connection to Oakwood Friends School!

June is Pride month! And we're celebrating with ideas and practices to celebrate, support and inspire! Check out these ideas for making it a great month for friends in our community!
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Oh what a night! Students gathered last week for a new beginning in prom life - prom was held on campus! With a positive vibe, anything is possible! Thank you parents and staff whose tremendous efforts helped make a beautiful night memorable. And thanks to all those who came out!
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It's not every day we get to celebrate 25 years of dedicated service. Recently, we were delighted to honor Anna Bertucci's remarkable tenure at Oakwood! From her early days as a history teacher to raising a family, to her roles as Associate Head of School and Head of Upper School, Anna's life has been deeply intertwined with Oakwood in every way possible.

Friends, family, and colleagues gathered for a pictorial walk down memory lane, featuring heartfelt speeches and poems, to commemorate this exceptional milestone. Congratulations, Anna! Thank you for your unwavering service, leadership, and perseverance in guiding so many students through Oakwood!

A few weeks after Oakwood's campus beekeeper shared in Community Meeting.... a swarm hive stopped by for a rest! Sue immediately jumped into her bee suit and offered a home to the 10,000+ transient bees that took a rest by a newly planted campus maple tree!

We hope to add them to the Oakwood community with our other hives tonight or tomorrow.

Welcome to Oakwood 'new-bees' #1 through 10,000 :)

We're celebrating our seniors! By now you've seen a few videos of our wonderful students talking about their bright futures and where they are headed! We are so excited to see where their journey takes them! More videos to come! And remember, if you see a senior, congratulate them on their well-traveled road to this special time in their lives. Congratulations to our soon to be graduates!

A HUGE thank you to the parents of Oakwood who took Staff Appreciation to a whole new level! Last week they came together to set up a delicious array of snacks and sweets each day! Faculty and Staff were treated to everything from a beautiful tea party to donuts and desserts, to healthy snacks and ending with a delicious lunch from Rossi's! Everyone was so incredibly grateful for the love! What an inspiring community!