Two Campuses, One Mission

By JaeMi Pennington, class of 1995

 

Based on the title, many who know the history of Oxford Academy might rush to mistake this for an article comparing today’s Westbrook, Connecticut campus with the original one located in Pleasantville, New Jersey, but this is not the case. While two campuses will be compared, both occupying the same space in Westbrook, they are not separated by distance, but rather, time.

 

I graduated from Oxford Academy in June of 1995. The Connecticut boarding school I left then, and the one I see when I visit now, are very different. Oxford in 1995 had an adequate facility, built around the study hall and the classrooms. The dining room and kitchen were small, but Chef Dave, even back then, still managed to provide the students and faculty with three, nutritious meals every day, from scratch and with care – something I certainly did not appreciate at the time. The student center was… often left off the tour.

 

Today, when walking the campus, I marvel at what it has become. The academic facilities are modern and comfortable. Laboratories, whether for language study or chemistry, are state of the art and the environment just fosters learning, collaboration and innovation. The dining hall is spacious and inviting, complete with outdoor areas. The food remains excellent. Housing for both students and faculty have been enhanced and the student center is now a true centerpiece.

 

While the Westbrook campus has certainly changed over the years and transformed into a world class facility, the core service – a custom individualized education experience – has remained the same. Students still receive the same specialized, tailor-made program that makes Oxford truly one-of-a-kind and sets it apart from others. I pursued a science-heavy curriculum, including courses at the AP level, in preparation for undergraduate work and beyond. The school enabled me to reach my goal of going to college. Not only that, I was prepared. I had the tools I needed to succeed – also something I did not appreciate at the time.

 

I may not have graduated from the fancy preparatory school at which I started my high school career, but I do know I still received a top-tier educational experience, if not better. An education is only as strong as the faculty delivering it and the team at Oxford is second to none. My senior year english teacher, Mrs. White, now dean of studies, taught me to critique literature and nurtured my writing so that I could excel at the college level. I still remember lessons from my AP biology teacher, Mr. White (yes, related), to this day. We loved to talk science, and classes often went into double-overtime. More than just my teachers, they were my teammates and it was us, together, versus the exam at the end of the year. The faculty at Oxford still follows that mission of providing a first class education through collaboration and compassion. As a result, the school resiliently continues toward its goals while creating a unique atmosphere where students can exceed theirs. I’ve loved watching it grow.