2021 Annual Report A Year of Accomplishments.
816.436.6228 | www.oakhilldayschool.org | 7019 N. Cherry Gladstone, MO 64118
TABLE OF CONTENTS Page 3. Mission Statement 4. Letter from Suzanne McCanles, Head of School 6. Letter from Kent Peterson, President of the Board of Trustees 7. The 2020/2021 Board of Trustees 8. Letter from Leslie Gasser, Director of Development 9. Letter from Maggie Newhouse, Director of Student Affairs and Alumni Relations 10. The Class of 2021 and the Class of 2029 11. 2020/2021 Financial Statement: a. Income b. Expenses 12. Development Report - Income 13. Mighty Oak Fund 14. Mighty Oak Fund Donors 16. Black & Teal Ball Revenue 20. Helen Wills Golf Tournament 21. Helen Wills Golf Tournament Sponsors and Volunteers 22. Helen Wills Golf Tournament Photos 23. Acorn Day Celebration 24. Acorn Day - In Honor of 25. Acorn Day - In Memoriam, Donors and Photos 26. Community Partners 28. Life at Oakhill 32. Letter from Mick Freyermuth, PTO President 33. PTO Committee 34. Focus on Alumni 39. On Cherry Street
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Oakhill Day School 2020-2021 Annual Report
THE MISSION OF OAKHILL DAY SCHOOL
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Oakhill Day School is a community where students are challenged, known, valued, and inspired to be their best self.
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LETTER FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL
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Going on my 15th year as Head of School at Oakhill, I have helped lead this community through some challenging times - the tornado of May, 2008; the security campaign of November, 2019; and the COVID hiatus/crisis of March, 2020. Although each of these events was daunting at the time, nothing compared to the events that unfolded from August 2020 throughout the fall of that same year. Prior to the COVID crisis in March 2020, enrollment was off the charts, and we were slated to start the school year with a strong, almost record breaking, student count. The uncertainties that the world faced between March 2020 and August 2020 created great fear, causing many families (91 students to be exact) to unenroll. Trying to find a balance between empathy, understanding, and financial stability, our decisions to help our community members created uncertainty and a significant deficit in the budget! We forged ahead, implemented immediate strategic plans for the fall, became even more innovative and flexible, and found great success. Although our approved 20/21 budget was irrelevant by the first day of school due to the COVID related setbacks, our team set out to reinvent and reimagine our enrollment timeline; we had to find a way to ensure sustainability for the coming months and beyond. Our ingenuity, creativity, and determination led the way. Our mitigation efforts with regards to COVID safety were strong resulting in few cases and no interruption to full-time, in-person learning as a school community. This led to enhanced trust which led to the reenrollment of students who had opted to leave in August. Our new enrollment timeline for the coming year moved from mid-January to early December which led to increased cash flow when we needed it the most.
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Oakhill Day School 2020-2021 Annual Report
With all of that said, we experienced strong philanthropic support from our community and beyond including a record setting Annual Fund (The Mighty Oak Fund) and a highly profitable auction, in spite of the hybrid format. We increased our number of major donors, and we welcomed new donors to the table. Our community truly stepped up which helped us surpass our Development goals for the fiscal year. As a school with no endowment or large cash reserves, we continue to find a way to survive and thrive. Our ability to quickly adapt and pivot will continue to be our strength. As we plan for the days, months, and years ahead, our 21/22 budget includes a PPRRSM (Provision for Plant Replacement, Renewal, and Special Maintenance) line; a certain amount of funds, although small, is earmarked for plant upgrades. We will continue to plan for the future while meeting the needs for today! Thank you for your continued support and trust in Oakhill. We will continue to make all of our decisions on behalf of the students and in the best interest of the school; to balance educating our children with running a 6 million dollar business. Grateful and humble, Suzanne
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LETTER FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL
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LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES Here at Oakhill, when times are hard, you find out who your friends are. That's never been more apparent than in the year we just experienced. The generosity and friendship that was extended to Oakhill was inspiring and proved that together, we can not only survive, but thrive through the hardest of times. As Covid continued through last summer, many schools decided to go hybrid or distance learning. Oakhill Day School decided to go in-person, five days, full time with athletics. When the going gets tough, here at Oakhill, the tough get going. With Suzanne leading the way, the administration, faculty and staff dug in and focused on the safety and well-being of the students. They ensured that we remained true to the values of Oakhill and our standards upheld. They also ensured that we could still have an Oakhill good time, celebrating together when safe to do so. Every Oakhill event - the Black and Teal Ball, the Helen Wills Golf Tournament - was first class. That is how Oakhill rolls. I have never been more proud to serve on the Oakhill Board of Trustees and as the President these last two years. It was a privilege to be a part of what makes this school special. Kent Peterson
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Oakhill Day School 2020-2021 Annual Report
2021
THE OAKHILL DAY SCHOOL 2020-2021 BOARD OF TRUSTEES Board Officers Kent Peterson, President An Le, Vice President Lindsey Carlson, Secretary Jason Rule, Treasurer Board Members Brian O’Bleness Dennis Carter Claudia Feaster Ron Gregg Jeanine Haistings Amy Harlin Cam Kirkpatrick Sharyl Kennedy Stephen Smith Jennifer Upton Leon Versfeld
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2021
LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT 2020-2021 was a year of great extremes. The Oakhill community experienced confusion and clarity, fear and faith, isolation and togetherness, and emotional lows and exhilarating highs.
Throughout all of this, a few things remained constant. Number one is the mission of Oakhill and our goal of providing the best possible educational experience for our students. Number two, in spite of the challenges going on in the world, the Oakhill community is strong and vibrant, compassionate and generous. The advancement team, together with the leadership and Board of Trustees, focused on achieving our fundraising goals, even though meeting you in person was impossible.
We got creative. We were able to reach out to you through alternative means and convey the significant impact of your support. You gave generously, many of you for the very first time; many of you more than once. You attended our events, virtually - and when safe to do so, in person. You donated to the Mighty Oak Fund. You came to the Black & Teal Ball. You played in the Helen Wills Golf Tournament. You celebrated Acorn Day. We broke fundraising records because you stepped up and helped Oakhill to remain strong and to thrive.
Because of you, we surpassed our fundraising goals -in a pandemic year! With deepest thanks and gratitude, Leslie Gasser Director of Development
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Oakhill Day School 2020-2021 Annual Report
2021
LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR OF STUDENT AFFAIRS I am excited to share that I just finished my 18th year in education and my 13th year at Oakhill. In this last year, I have transitioned into a new role, Director of Student Affairs. In this position, I have many opportunities to work with both current students and our former students (alumni). From overnight trips to the Florida Keys to leadership opportunities for students to working with our Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) and planning many of our events, I get to be a part of every student’s journey through the Oakhill education. I LOVE Oakhill and couldn't see myself leaving this family, but I was ready to challenge myself and try something different. Speaking of connections, it has been fun connecting with some of you on social media. I loved seeing your graduation pictures, getting your driver's license, celebrating your birthday and so much more. I love hearing from our alumni - stop by or send me an email. Maggie Newhouse Director of Student Affairs
Oakhill Day School 2020-2021 Annual Report
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The Class of 2021
The Class of 2029
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Oakhill Day School 2020-2021 Annual Report
2 0 2 0 /2 0 2 1 F I N A N C I A L R E P O R T
All financials are unaudited
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2 0 2 0 /2 0 2 1 D E V E L O P M E N T R E P O R T Development Income
$537,165 TOTAL REVENUE
Total cash and pledges from the Mighty Oak Fund, Community Partnerships, Black & Teal Ball Auction revenue, Global After Hours sponsorships, Acorn Day, major gifts and the Helen Wills Golf Tournament. Thanks to your generous gifts, Development surpassed our goal of $416,000 by $120,665, or 128%!
All numbers included in this report are unaudited.
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Oakhill Day School 2020-2021 Annual Report
2 0 2 0 /2 0 2 1 D E V E L O P M E N T R E P O R T Development Income
$237,417
MIGHTY OAK FUND
Launched in the fall of 2020, the Mighty Oak Fund was formerly known as the Annual Fund. Eighty percent of Oakhill's annual budget is covered by tuition. The school receives no other funding outside of tuition and donations. The Mighty Oak Fund takes us from a good school to a school of excellence. It enables us to be nimble, proactive, and responsive. It enables us to invest in programs and teachers and meet challenges head on. Thanks to your generous gifts, the Mighty Oak Fund surpassed its goal of $150,000.
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MIGHTY OAK FUND DONORS Head of School: $1,000 - $4,999
Anonymous
The O’Bleness Family
Dennis Curtin and Tamara Libbey
Josh and Brittany Perkins
Roderick and Jo Anne Cyr Foundation
Dr. Bob Peterson
Mike and Karen Morris
Kent and Heeok Peterson
Jeff and Ann Songer
Jason and Julie Rule
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Oakhill Platinum: $10,000 and above
Stephen Smith and Angela Tatum Smith
Circle of Excellence: $5,000 - $9,999
Dan and Mary Lee Sturdevant
Jeff and Janessa Hurst - Axiom Service
Jennifer and Casey Upton
Professionals, LLC
The Versfeld Family
Drs. Brian and Collin Lovitt
Tammy Wright
Jerry and Lynna McManus
Darrin Clawson and Dr. Robin Morris
1947 Club - $500 - $999
Eric and Ashley Seaton
The Allstate Foundation
Kevin and Michelle Shekleton
Brian and Amanda Baldwin
Josh and Shannon Smith
Ron and Carolyn Baldwin
Dr. Stephen Wiles and Mrs. Mandy Haslag-Wiles
Ben and Elinore Brown in honor of
Head of School: $1,000 - $4,999
Ron and Sandy Diven
Lily and Ian Hamilton
Pete and Elizabeth Anderson
Richard and Kathryn Dodson
Jim Bartholomew
Brad and Claudia Feaster
Brandon and Lindsey Carlson
Shari Fox
Tim and Leah Chapman
Leslie and Peter Gasser
Leecil and Kendall Culbertson
Matthew and Haley Haar
Sean and Haley Eisler
Jeanine Haistings
Ryan and Dr. Kay Gerstner
Jerry and Linda Hurst
Dr. Michelle Dew and Ron Gregg
Sharyl Kennedy and Robert Fritsch
Dina and Ryan Hamilton
Cam and Aimee Kirkpatrick
The Hessemyer Family
Shawn and Tondee Lutterman
Ken and Sara Honeck
Kevin and Suzanne McCanles
Jennifer Latier - Hot Mix Materials
Brett and Jessica Meyring
Gola and Bob MacDonald
The Niehaus Family
Drs. Elizabeth and Smith Manion
Christopher Onik and Molly Rothove
Janet and Dean Nash
Scott Parker
Dr. An Le and Mr. Tan Nguyen
Helen Saylor-Kimes
Northland Stor-All, LLC
Vijay and Sarah Somasegaran
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Oakhill Day School 2020-2021 Annual Report
MIGHTY OAK FUND DONORS Kerry and Steve Estes Terri Ferris John Filger in honor of Lucy and Luke Rule and Olivia Watts Amy Ganaden The Gerleman Family Ronald and Carol Giddens Andrew Harken and Stacie Cooley Chris and Jenny Henry Betty J. Loomis Peter and Maggie Newhouse Nick and Michaella Richmond Bren and Leslie Rose The Stanley Family The White Family
- $249 and below Friends of Oakhill Anonymous Jonas and Jude Beckham Ann and Forrest Bertoldie Larry and Sharon Blount Melanie Carter Larry and Sharon Chambers Quentin and Dena Cole The Conkling Family Steve and Paula Cooley Mary Kay Duensing Andrew and Sara Ennis Jeanette Fitzpatrick The Gruschka Family Amy and Jeff Harlin Daryl and Julie Hercules Jeff and Courtney Johnson
Friends of Oakhill - $249 and below Jay and Marta Kimball Edward and Judith Koza Linda Kramer Zhao Lin and Jian Liu R.D. and Toni Mallams Sue Martin Don and Deana Mason Michelle McDaniel Ronald McDonald The McNellis Family Ben and Cassie Musfeldt Dan and Barb Navarro Quynh Nguyen Darlene O'Dell Don and Sharon Phillips Amy Potts Binh Phung and Grace Chen Mary Rinaker Daniel and Kristin Smith Shelia and Ken Sommers Kathy Trager Eddie and Ellen Upton Marlene Walker Larraine Walters The Weindruch Family Barry Yantis
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Teal and White - $250 - $499
To make a gift to the Mighty Oak Fund, visit oakhilldayschool.org/support or call the Development Office at (816) 436-6228
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2 0 2 0 /2 0 2 1 D E V E L O P M E N T R E P O R T Development Income
$206,886
BLACK & TEAL BALL
The Black and Teal Ball was the first hybrid fundraising event produced by Oakhill. Through live streaming technology, dinners catered by Trezo Mare, charcuterie boxes from Blush Farms, J. Reiger & Co. whiskey and The Outlaw Cigar Co., the Oakhill community at home and traveling experienced first class watch parties near and far as the live auction was live streamed. Meanwhile, the in person party on the top floor at Hotel Kansas City was swinging and fingers flew on mobile devices to out bid one another. This year, the Fund-A-Need enabled us to purchase equipment to livestream all of our events to alumni, friends, and family from the Oakhill gymnasium.
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Oakhill Day School 2020-2021 Annual Report
FUND-A-NEED FUND DONORS $10,000 and above Mike and Karen Morris
$5,000 - $9,999 Peter and Elizabeth Anderson The Boyd Family Josh and Brittany Perkins The Rule Family
$2,500 - $4,999 Ryan and Dr. Kay Gerstner Drs. Smith and Elizabeth Manion Kevin and Michelle Shekleton
$1,000 - $2,499 Kendall and Leecil Culbertson Christopher and Elizabeth Cuzner Ron Gregg and Dr. Michelle Dew Dustin and Dr. Shelby Durand Ryan and Dina Hamilton Phillip and Jennifer Latier Eric Mangum and Miralda Moreno Tan Nguyen and Dr. An Le Kent and Heeok Peterson Stephen and Angie Tatum Smith
$500 - $999 TJ and Jill Brennan Chase and Susi Calvert Brad and Lisa Diven The Dodson Family Charlie and Mary Dooling Jason Draut and Amanda Ferrel Helen Saylor-Kimes Zach and Dr. Lori Kramer Mike and Jackie Meilink Vijay and Sarah Somasegaran William and Robin Spooner Frank and Michele Yager
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FUND-A-NEED FUND DONORS $250 - $499 Axiom Service Professionals Jonathan and Dr. Lisa Avery Brad and Claudia Feaster Matthew and Haley Haar Bruce and Tamiko Heinrich Dr. Brandi Roeber-Schmidt Lambert Tomeldan and Maria Nguyen Nicholas and Lena Rodriguez
$249 and below Brian and Amanda Baldwin Jonas Beckham Jared and Michelle Cole David and Jackie Conkling David and Marcy Driskill Steve and Kerry Estes Brad and Kristin Forsen Ben and Staci Hadel Justin and Michelle Kieslich Cam and Aimee Kirkpatrick Lance McDonald Adam and Lacey Meier Justin and Erica Niehaus Peter and Maggie Newhouse Domnick and Marianne Parretta Amy Potts Don and Sharon Phillips Derek and Kristen Ruth Elaine Scheidecker Patricia Ann Tholen Sara Verwers Michael and Courteney Williamson Tammy Wright
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Oakhill Day School 2020-2021 Annual Report
BLACK AND TEAL BALL
u! o y k Than
Join us next year for Havana Nights at Oakhill Day School on Saturday, March 5, 2022!
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2 0 2 0 /2 0 2 1 D E V E L O P M E N T R E P O R T Development Income
$55,539 THE HELEN WILLS GOLF TOURNAMENT
The first annual Helen Wills Golf Tournament was launched to honor Mrs. Wills, a very special teacher who taught at Oakhill Day School for over 30 years. Oakhill parents, alumni and friends spent the day golfing, reacquainting friendships, and enjoying cold beverages and delicious food. Tournament committee members Kent Peterson, Ron Gregg, Claudia Feaster, Kerry Estes, Justin Kieslich, and Lisa Manley provided their time, input and support to help make the event a record breaking success.
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Oakhill Day School 2020-2021 Annual Report
HELEN WILLS GOLF TOURNAMENT SPONSORS Husch Blackwell - Apparel Sponsor Cornerstone Law Firm - Banquet Sponsor AssuredPartners - Gold Sponsor Kansas City Credit Union - Gold Sponsor Axiom Service Professionals - Gold Sponsor Gregg Engineering - Swag Sponsor Clayton Apartments - Hole-in-One Sponsor Vaughan Mechanical - Diamond Sponsor CEK and Auto Owners Insurance - Diamond Sponsor Hollis & Miller - Diamond Sponsor Olympus Custom Homes - Diamond Sponsor Central Bank of the Midwest - Diamond Sponsor K & G Striping - Diamond Sponsor Jim Wagy - Diamond Sponsor Kevin McCanles - Beer Cart Hot Mix Materials - Beverage Cart Curry Real Estate - Beverage Cart you k n Wiles Eye Center - Silver Sponsor Tha ch! u Edward Jones - Hole Sponsor m very Security Bank - Hole Sponsor Broadway Butcher - Hole Sponsor ADS - Hole Sponsor Northwest Missouri State - Hole Sponsor Clay County EDC - Hole Sponsor Luke Draily Construction - Hole Sponsor Sharyl Kennedy and Bob Fritsch - Hole Sponsor The Oakhill Board of Trustees - Hole Sponsor Sumner One - Print Sponsor
Volunteers: Chris Beckham, Dorothy Beckham, Jude Beckham, Jackie Conkling, Alexandra DeHaemers, Kathryn Dodson, Blake and Chase Durand, Kerry Estes, Amy Ganaden, Tori Jones, Justin Kieslich, Stephanie Kuehn, An Le, Suzanne McCanles, Michelle McDaniel, Katerina McDonald, Karen Morris, Maggie Newhouse, Ainsley Pardon, Heeok Peterson, and Lucas Peterson
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2021
HELEN WILLS GOLF TOURNAMENT
ou! y k n T ha Join us next year at Shoal Creek on Thursday, June 9, 2022!
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Oakhill Day School 2020-2021 Annual Report
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2 0 2 0 /2 0 2 1 D E V E L O P M E N T R E P O R T Development Income
$4,680 ACORN DAY
Acorn Day, coinciding with Earth Day, is an annual event where a specific area on the Oakhill campus is selected for a beautification project. This year, the funds raised enabled us to install two shade structures and an electronic gate for entry to the Living Lab on the northeast corner of the main campus. Acorn Day was especially poignant this year. We celebrated the day with a special ceremony that included our 8th graders and Kindergartners who added additional wildflowers to the butterfly garden. They commemorated the project, walking hand and hand together. Donations included gifts made in memory of a loved one or in honor of a student or faculty member.
Oakhill Day School 2020-2021 Annual Report
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ACORN DAY IN HONOR OF The Baldwin Family Amanda and Brian Baldwin
Leo, Jett, Chaney Cassis Wayne and Judith Nickerson
Mikaela Copley Kimberly Ann Copley
Sydney Culbertson and Alumni Kaden Culbertson Kendall and Leecil Culbertson
Callie and Hudson Draut Daryl and Julie Hercules
Delaney Mordhorst Nana and Papa Gunderson
Huntley Harken Paula and Steve Cooley
Aleah and Tommy Kimbrough Cindy Head
Addison Korte Stan and Denise Korte
Evie and Hughes Manion Sandra Clarkson
Viet, Quynh and Thai Nguyen An Le and Tan Nguyen
All the teachers at Oakhill Mary Smith
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IN HONOR OF The faculty and staff at ODS Mark and Karen Mathes
The dedicated faculty and staff Suzanne McCanles
The dedicated faculty and staff Terri Ferris
Michael and Sophia Parretta Domnick and Marianne Parretta
Lucas and Lucia Peterson Kent and Heeok Peterson
Kai and Berke Somasegaran VJ and Sarah Somasegaran
Jacob Songer Anonymous
Chloe and Kaya Surber Nancy and Skip Surber
Avery and Brooke Upton Casey and Jennifer Upton
Emma and Bridget Williamson Bev Maupin
Mrs. Helen Wills and the Feaster Family Claudia Feaster
y ou ! k n Tha
Oakhill Day School 2020-2021 Annual Report
ACORN DAY IN MEMORY OF Doug Borgeson: Father-In-Law of Lauren Borgeson Oakhill Day School
Mary Lou Clark: Mother of Lisa Manley Oakhill Day School
Curtis Crough: Father of Lacey Meier Oakhill Day School
Nancy Jacobs, grandmother to Benedict & Kathryn Yager and former teacher at Oakhill Michele and Frank Yager
Mrs. Wanda Lee Kalsu Dr. Bob Peterson
Ron McDonald: Father of Amy Clevenger Oakhill Day School Donor Family Listing Amanda and Brian Baldwin Nancy Calvert Sandra Clarkson The Cole Family Paula and Steve Cooley Kimberly Ann Copley Kendall and Leecil Culberton Pat and Melinda Curnyn Ann Dill Brad and Lisa Diven The Dodson Family Kerry and Steve Estes Claudia Feaster Terri Ferris Papa and Nana Gunderson Cindy Head Daryl and Julie Hercules Kevin and Amanda Humiston Cathy Johnson Stan and Denise Korte Dr. An Le and Tan Nguyen Gola and Bob MacDonald Donald McPherson Mark and Karen Mathes
Bev Maupin Suzanne McCanles Michael and Jackie Meilink Michael and Karen Morris Peter and Maggie Newhouse Wayne and Judith Nickerson Paul and Mary Orf Domnick and Marianne Parretta Kent and Heeok Peterson Dr. Bob Peterson The Phillips Family Julie and Jason Rule Shannon Selby and Shannon Hessemyer Tina Shah and Sol Moinuddin Daniel and Kristin Smith Brett and Elaine Smith Mary Smith VJ and Sarah Somasegaran Richard and Janice Songer Nancy and Skip Surber Casey and Jennifer Upton Daniel and Jacque Weindruch Michele and Frank Yager
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2021
2 0 2 0 /2 0 2 1 D E V E L O P M E N T R E P O R T Development Income
$28,500 COMMUNITY PARTNERS
Through varying levels of sponsorships, the Oakhill Community Partnership program provides an opportunity for the business community to support the school and engage with the Oakhill community. Thanks for the amazing generosity of these Community Partners!
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Oakhill Day School 2020-2021 Annual Report
2021
COMMUNITY PARTNERS
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LIFE AT OAKHILL Life at Oakhill showcases the phenomenal students that we have. Whether you donated your time through volunteering, or through monetary gifts, the impact of your generosity is demonstrated through our outstanding students, their achievements, and experiences.
Middle School Awards and Achievements This year the leadership award was presented to 8th grader Gray Carter for modeling positive student leadership in the classroom, on the track, and beyond. He lead with kindness, respect, gratitude and the right attitude. Lucy Rule, 8th grader, was presented the Helen Wills Award for Citizenship for her great attitude, for helping others, for being responsible and for truly modeling Oakhill life skills. The Panther Pride Award was given to 8th graders Alyssa Hiegert and Ben Yager for their school spirit. This year the Sunshine Award was presented to 8th grader Ian Hamilton for his infectious smile and upbeat spirit. The Student Athlete award was presented to 8th graders Ella Brown and Aaron Ferrara for demonstrating the ability to maintain excellence in the classroom while positively contributing to their Oakhill Day School teams. The Top Scholar Award was presented to 8th graders Drew Clawson and Alexa Doumit for overall academic excellence. The Faculty Middle School Cup was awarded to 8th grader Kai Somasegaran for demonstrating solid character, for being the consummate ambassador for all things Oakhill, for his positive attitude, athletic fortitude and daily drive to excel academically. 6th Grader Andy Phung was awarded a Blue Ribbon for his project beating all other Computer Systems, Electronics, and Robotics projects in his division. Andy's project was also selected as a Broadcom Masters Award Winning Project, earning him the ability to continue on to compete against other STEM Projects at another competition this summer.
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Oakhill Day School 2020-2021 Annual Report
LIFE AT OAKHILL
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Service Projects
As part of Oakhill’s commitment to service learning, the National Junior Honor Society chose three organizations to focus our efforts. During the 2020-2021 school year, we donated over 300 toys to patients at Children’s Mercy Hospital, donated over 800 pounds of dog and cat food to the animals at KC Pet Project and raised over $1,000 during Penny Wars, donating the money to the Turtle Hospital during our 7th and 8th grade trip to the Florida Keys in May.
Overnight Trips
We continued the tradition of taking our 5th-8th grade students on overnight trips. It is hard to put into words how much these trips impact our students. Not only are they expanding their knowledge of our curriculum outside the school walls, these trips teach them lifeskills and life lessons that can’t be learned in a school setting, like getting along with a roommate in their hotel room. We took our 5th graders to Hutchinson, KS to experience the Cosmosphere and spend the night in the museum. Then we explored the Salt Mines 650 feet below the Earth’s surface. We finished up our 2-day trip with a visit to the Wichita Zoo.
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Overnight Trips
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LIFE AT OAKHILL
The sixth grade class took a 3-day, 2-night trip to Horseshoe Canyon Ranch in Jasper, Arkansas. This area of Arkansas is known for its beautiful scenery and ranches, as well as its rock formations for rock climbing and we took part several activities. We scaled mountains, rode horses, completed an adventure course, and ate some delicious family-style meals.
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Oakhill Day School 2020-2021 Annual Report
Overnight Trips
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LIFE AT OAKHILL
Our 7th and 8th graders continued the tradition of going to the Florida Keys for a week of snorkeling, kayaking, bike riding, visiting the Turtle Hospital, exploring the Dry Tortugas and so much more! This experience gets better every time we visit and is a favorite of the students.
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PTO
The PTO began the school year thankful for the fact that we were indeed back in school! We are so fortunate to have a Board of Trustees and Administration that understands how important an in-person classroom experience is to children and their families. We as the PTO, like everyone at Oakhill, had to reimagine what activities we promoted because some of the traditional events and programs needed to take on a new look. We started the year with the school Carnival, which traditionally has been our welcome back to school event. We decided to make it a food truck event in order to accommodate easier social distancing. PTO Coffees became virtual and Parent Connect Lunches were held at places with outdoor seating. Our traditional fall event, the Red Barn Farm picnic, was a great way to be outside with our friends again and the kids do love that place. Our holiday season shopping event, Holiday Hoopla, enjoyed its second year and continues to grow. The Mother/Son and Father/Daughter events were pushed back to the spring to take advantage of warmer weather so we could move them outside. The PTO continued to find meaningful ways to thank our teachers and staff for their dedication to our children through teacher appreciation lunches throughout the year. Through all of the successes and challenges of the past school year, one thing was for sure - our community is strong and resilient. The PTO is fortunate to represent the parent body in our partnership with the school. We will continue to look for new ways to partner with our school to support our children and community in 2021/2022. Mick Freyermuth - PTO President 20-21 School Year
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Oakhill Day School 2020-2021 Annual Report
PTO The PTO Committee President: Mick Freyermuth President-Elect: Michelle Shekleton Vice-President: Tammy Wright Secretary: Courtney Johnson Treasurer: Shari Fox Head of School: Suzanne McCanles Volunteer Coordinator: Terri Ferris Room Parent Coordinator: Ashley Williams
Teacher Appreciation Chairs: Eric Magnum and Miralda Moreno Parent Liaison Early Childhood: Jenny Julian Parent Liaison Lower School: Amanda Baldwin Parent Liaison Lower School: Ali Mordhorst Parent Liaison Intermediate Division: Natalie Amalani Parent Liaison Middle School: Michele Yager and Julie Rule
Thank you to the PTO Committee for your hard work and kindness! Your time and generosity made Oakhill fun for everyone in a very difficult year!
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2021 FOCUS ON ALUMNI
The class of 2021 was welcomed to our alumni family.
Ella Brown Liberty
Drew Clawson Liberty North
Elias Hutcheson Liberty
Cooper Riddle Rockhurst
Gray Carter Liberty North
Ian Hamilton Liberty North
Kai Somasegaran Rockhurst
Ijaz Kiani Moved to Texas (high school TBD)
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Lucy Rule St. Pius X
Julian From Smithville
Alexa Doumit MICDS (St. Louis)
Ben Yager Park Hill South
Oakhill Day School 2020-2021 Annual Report
2021
FOCUS ON ALUMNI The class of 2021 was welcomed to our alumni family.
Alyssa Hiegert Staley
Aaron Ferrara Staley
Viet Nguyen Staley
Jaiden Phung Staley
Yul Schneider North Kansas City
Riordan Nash Staley
Ava Wright Oak Park
Please keep up with us on social media. We love to share what our amazing Alumni are doing, and we are excited to stay in touch.
Follow @AlumniOakhill on Twitter Facebook, and Instagram.
Oakhill Day School 2020-2021 Annual Report
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ODS Class of 2013 Amy Gruschka graduated Summa Cum Laude from St. Louis University with a Bachelor degree in Nursing. She will be starting her nursing career in the Cardiac ICU at St. Luke's Hospital in Kansas City.
Max Gruschka graduated Magna Cum Laude from Washington University in St. Louis with a major in Chemistry and a minor in Mathemathics. He is headed to the University of California Santa Barbara to begin working on his PhD in Chemistry.
Kristin Johnson graduated Magna Cum Laude from Missouri State University with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. She has accepted a position at St. Luke's Hospital in Kansas City in the Pulmonary Progressive Care Unit.
Holly Hawkins graduated with Distinction from Kansas University with a degree in Marketing & Management, a Minor in Supply Chain, and a Certificate in Selling.
Alex Lee graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Missouri (Mizzou) with a Bachelor of Health Science and Pre-Medical School. He also minored in Spanish, Biology and Psychology. He was accepted to medical school at Mizzou and started in July 2021!
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2021
FOCUS ON ALUMNI
Daniel Miller graduated from Kansas State University with a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology and a Bachelor of Arts in Modern Languages (Spanish). He would like to get a research position where he can study CRISPR research, immunology and genetics.
Oakhill Day School 2020-2021 Annual Report
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FOCUS ON ALUMNI
ODS Class of 2013
Kayla Roesner graduated Magna Cum Laude from Tulane University with a Bachelor of Science in Management and Legal Studies. She is taking a couple of years to do volunteer work and hopefully an internship with the UN before applying to law school to study international human rights law.
Molly Soltis graduated from Park University with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics.
ODS Class of 2017
Jackson Brown Liberty North
Connor Carlson Northland Christian
Colin Cuzner Park Hill South
Ian Miller Park Hill South
Next Steps: U of Arkansas
Next Steps: UMKC
Next Steps: U of Colorado - Boulder
Next Steps: NWMS University
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Day SchoolReport 2020-2021 Annual Report Oakhill Day School Oakhill 2020-2021 Annual Page 37
2021 FOCUS ON ALUMNI
ODS Class of 2017
Morgan Ferrara Staley
Amy Graham Park Hill South
Madeline Gentry St. Teresa's
Isabel Holmes Kearney
Next Steps: Medical Aesthetician
Next Steps: Boston U
Next Steps: Rockhurst University
Next Steps: University of Central Missouri
Dylan Montes Platte County
Avery Spooner St. Teresa's
Reilly Nash North Kansas City - IB
Stuart Yantis Pembroke
Next Steps: Crowder College
Next Steps: U of Arkansas
Next Steps: Purdue
Next Steps: TCU
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Oakhill Day School 2020-2021 Annual Report
2021
ON CHERRY STREET
Sightings of Oakhill Alumni
Kylee Carlson Working in Summer Camp
Owen Riddle and Sophia Martin at Carnival 2021
Maggie Newhouse, Owen Riddle, Savannah Gentry, Madeline Gentry, and Kaden Culbertson at the Helen Wills Golf Tournament
Regan Miller and 8th grader Brady Fox at Carnival 2021
Colter, Caden, Camden and Jodi Egbert at Carnival 2021
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2021 Oakhill Day School 7019 N. Cherry St. Gladstone, MO 64118
816.436.6228 www.oakhilldayschool.org
