If you're looking for a private school that offers more attention and better class sizes, this is certainly not the place. Most OCS classes are larger than public school classes. Public schools cap their primary classes at 23. Most OCS classes are larger. The principal will only split classes if the numbers become unmanageably large. This is a recurring concern and complaint from families. One of his solutions was to hire a teacher and a board member's daughter and call her 'the assistant' in an effort to 'lower ratios'. It's a joke!
The school advertises 'an enrichment model' but that's really all it is-an ad. Children aren't focused on individually. If a child is excelling, nothing is done to further advance that. If a child is struggling, nothing extra is done to assist them. There are children who reach grade 2 and can't properly read. There's no support staff at the school to assist individual students' needs. The school doesn't have a nurse, social worker, child psychologist or counselor.
Recess supervision is despicable. There are around 200 kids roaming the yard at the same time-ages 3 to 14 (JK-gr 8). There are only 4 adults supervising this large property, often parent volunteers. It's impossible to keep an eye on all the children and keep them safe at recess. The property is heavily tree lined with bushes, paths and creeks throughout; it's open onto a public park and a public street on one side and open onto a parking lot on another side with a gated entrance, sometimes left open. Your child can be taken or run off on the road or run into the parking lot without notice. How could the teachers possibly keep track?! The recess practices are negligent at best and endanger the safety of these extremely vulnerable children. Many parents have complained to the teachers and principal about the parking lot gate being left open and about certain behaviors from the children that required attention. These concerns were ignored by staff and handled apathetically. Left unsupervised, children will naturally explore and a recent avoidable incident led to actual harm to 5yr olds. It's the duty of these entrusted to care for the kids; to do the bare minimum of protecting and watching them, let alone when paid thousands of dollars to do so. Shame on those teachers!
We were warned the principal has a single track of mind, doesn't cooperate with families and ignores concerns, is set in his ways, incompetent, can't compromise, unprofessional, can't deal with problems, lacks leadership, believes he's omniscient, etc. We assumed these were all exaggerations. We had the unfortunate luck of having to deal with him and boy were they right! He really is a simple man who for some crazy reason believes he's an expert in everything. He's merely a businessman keeping a business afloat under the supervision of the board of directors. The board is business driven and highly biased since it's mainly comprised of parents of children at the school and spouses of teachers there. They're making all decisions, so you can imagine the extent of bias. They'll do whatever it takes to protect the business, even at the expense of the children.
Claiming it's a Christian school proved to be a sales tactic. It's shameful and saddening to have seen first hand that while they may market and advertise Christianity as the core of their values, their actions speak volumes to the opposite. They have a pastor on the board who, sadly, turned out to be just another businessman.
When you pay tens of thousands of dollars to a school, it's a basic expectation that your child will receive advantageous education, above average supervision and individual enrichment. That's certainly NOT the case at OCS. Don't settle because you'll be disappointed. The happiest families there are the ones 'running' the school and are obviously biasedly well treated and favored. The rest are either disappointed in the academics, the attention or the level of care. Be weary and well informed prior to making any decisions.