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\nLachlan Markay<\/strong> is a political reporter for Axios covering money and influence in politics. He was previously an investigative reporter for The Daily Beast covering the White House.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n
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Fabien Cousteau<\/strong>, grandson of Jacques Cousteau, is an aquanaut, ocean conservationist, and documentary filmmaker. His Ted Talk, \u201cWhat I Learned from Spending 31 Days Underwater,\u201d has garnered 1.3 million views.<\/i><\/p>\n
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Frank Ball<\/strong> is a graduate of the Pratt School of Architecture and currently works as an architectural designer on the construction of supportive and affordable housing and the conversion of a boutique hotel into a homeless shelter for women.<\/i><\/p>\n
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These are just some of the remarkable alumni<\/a> of Oxford Academy who are making significant contributions to their professions and communities.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
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\u201cWhat alums share with me is how much Oxford Academy enabled them to nurture their passions, pursue their goals, and achieve success in college<\/a> and their careers,\u201d said Head of School Philip B. Cocchiola.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
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He attributes these success stories to Oxford\u2019s individualized approach to learning. One-to-one<\/span>, or \u201caccelerated learning<\/span>,\u201d he said, \u201cis the key to unlocking the full potential of every student.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
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The one-to-one<\/span> approach at Oxford encourages students to find their voice as partners in their own educational experience and curriculum. \u201cIt\u2019s the ideal way to learn,\u201d said Cocchiola. \u201cEach of our students has a team of educators who are highly skilled in their areas. They match the students\u2019 interests with projects, coursework, and reading lists, and develop schedules and test styles according to their learning needs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
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\u201cThat\u2019s why Oxford is so successful. We can demonstrate just how much a young man can accomplish here \u2013 it\u2019s truly a transformational experience.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Through accelerated learning<\/span>, students become responsible for their own classwork and progress. \u201cUnlike other schools, you can\u2019t hide in the classroom,\u201d he explained. \u201cAt Oxford, the coursework is based on self-directed learning<\/span>. The class does not advance unless you are present and active and doing the work you need to do, and it\u2019s very engaging and structured so that students must take accountability. Once you graduate from Oxford, you have a skillset that is advantageous because you\u2019re comfortable doing what you need to do in the classroom. You\u2019re also comfortable building relationships with your professors because you\u2019ve had that experience.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
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\u201cOne-to-one learning<\/a><\/span> also provides the opportunity for students to accelerate in some areas and spend more time in others. When they can move at a pace that is appropriate for them, they become motivated to push themselves harder than they normally would.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
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Teachers Making the Difference\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/h5>\n
Cocchiola credits the school\u2019s educators for individualizing the entire curriculum, which takes time, dedication, and innovation<\/a>. They create customized curricula and lessons targeted to each individual learner, taking into account struggles with attention, executive function, and learning differences<\/span>.\u00a0 <\/span>With the flexibility of one-to-one learning<\/span>, teachers can\u00a0 <\/span>create new approaches to coursework that is challenging for students.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
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For example, a former student who now works for a major sports<\/a> franchise was able to create his own \u201ccompany\u201d at Oxford to help him understand math concepts. Prior to coming to Oxford, said Cocchiola, \u201che was told he was a poor math student, but the reality is he didn\u2019t connect to the way it was being taught.\u201d The teacher took the concepts and learning goals of the student\u2019s math class and focused them on the task of running a professional sports franchise. Together, they created a hypothetical sports team in which they calculated salaries and determined what it cost to run a stadium and concession stands. To help the student improve in English, he wrote marketing proposals for the franchise.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
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\u201cWe embrace the idea that every individual learns differently. A student\u2019s ability to think differently or look at problems differently is celebrated here, whereas previously it was seen as a negative,\u201d he said. \u201cWhat others see as problems, our students see as opportunities that lead to solutions. This is one of the greatest strengths they take with them when they graduate.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
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One of Oxford\u2019s biggest differentiators, he added, \u201cis the fact that faculty and staff<\/a> stay here for a long time. While that\u2019s beneficial for the school, I think it\u2019s also a testament to the transformational experience that not only the students have but the teachers have as well. They love the fact they can make a difference, and our students have teachers who grow with them.\u201d \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
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Cocchiola is also proud to point out that 100 percent of their students are accepted into college. The school\u2019s director of college guidance works with students and their families to offer support and information, to help them find the school that is the best fit, and to help navigate the college admissions<\/a> process. Oxford graduates attend colleges across the country and around the world, and have built successful careers as entrepreneurs, lawyers, artists, teachers, therapists, environmental activists, software engineers, pilots, and more. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
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The Importance of Community Service, Leadership, and Diversity\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/h5>\n