From the Head of School

Welcome to Oldfields!!  I am entering my twenty-second year at  Oldfields, although my time spent has been over a span of forty years.  I have served  as a teacher, the assistant headmaster, and, for the last five years, as head of school.  Oldfields has a very special place in my heart.  What is so special about Oldfields is that it is mission-driven.  We know who we are and do what we say.  This is Oldfields’ 146th year and the school-wide theme we are focusing on during the 2012-2013 year is  “Respect and Civility: Our Common Threads.”  When you enter our campus you will be impressed by the importance we place on our history and the traditions that have grown out of it.  However, you will be equally impressed with our emphasis on technology, our innovative curriculum that includes a two-week experiential program in May and our first-rate-modern facilities. 

So, what makes the Oldfields learning experience so special? In many ways, we are hard to categorize. We are not a school for one particular kind of student. We are able to meet the academic needs of a variety of students because of our commitment to maximize the potential of each student. If a young woman is particularly gifted in one discipline or another there are honors classes using an advanced placement curriculum to stretch her. On the other hand, we have excellent support services for students with academic deficits or a learning difference. We see each Oldfields girl as unique with her own strengths to challenge and deficits to support. We are able to do this because of our small classes, a diverse curriculum and a dedicated group of talented teachers.

This commitment to individual growth colors everything we do at Oldfields. We are not just a school, but a learning community. Because we are a boarding school, our students' education does not stop when the final bell rings marking the end of the academic day. The self-assurance gained on the athletic field, on stage, through community service or in the show ring often leads to success in the classroom. Being part of a boarding school environment also enriches the experiences of our day students who take advantage of many of our evening and weekend activities and whose horizons are expanded by attending school with students from all over the world.

Oldfields is a great blend of tradition and innovation. In many ways Oldfields is the same school founded by Anna Austen McCulloch in 1867, a school where character counts and is reflected by the school motto of Courage, Humility and Largeness of Heart. However, the McCullochs were also educational innovators, preparing young women for college and the world beyond Oldfields.

I urge you to come spend a day at Oldfields. It will not take you long to sense what is so special about an Oldfields education.

Taylor Smith
Head of School