River Oak holds Kindergarten-8th Grade open enrollment
It’s Enrollment Season 2020-2021 at River Oak Charter School, and the school will hold its annual enrollment lottery on Feb. 28, 2020. The school is a popular choice for parents looking at alternatives to traditional education in the Ukiah area.
River Oak is guided by the core principles of Waldorf education, and, concurrently meets California content standards. It challenges every child on intellectual, creative, artistic, and social levels at all stages of development. Every child has the ability to think creatively to solve problems; the school’s teachers try to protect and nurture that skill.
In kindergarten, the program focuses on a warm and nurturing experience. Teachers place great importance on the kindergarten environment so that each child feels an atmosphere of love and kindness each day. The emphasis is on learning by imitation— kindergarten teachers consciously model the behavior they wish their young students to follow. Children hear stories told and watch puppet plays to strengthen their imaginations and to develop good listening and concentration skills. A love of music and language is inspired through songs and verse. Free, imaginative play is at the heart of the program and is balanced with structured activities such as watercolor painting, baking, beeswax modeling, and handwork. The wide range of activities and strong structure aids the development of the child’s sensory integration, hand- eye coordination, sequencing, and other primary skills needed for first grade, when it is age-appropriate, to introduce the more abstract learning that includes reading, writing, and arithmetic.
From first grade through eighth, students have a core “main lesson” teacher who will stay with them for a number of years. During a two-hour block period each morning, there is movement, verse, and music, which accompanies the educational focus. Reading is approached through writing, with pictorial and phonetic introduction of letters in the first grade. The four operations of math are also introduced in grade one, with a progression that can include Algebra in the eighth grade.
Spanish begins in kindergarten and continues through eighth grade. Children who successfully complete their eighth grade Spanish coursework may apply for Spanish II as freshmen at Ukiah High. All children learn to play the pentatonic flute and then soprano recorder from 1st-8th grade. Fourth grade students learn to play the violin, and 5th8th grade students have the choice of continuing with strings, or playing a band instrument. Weekly art lessons and handwork are offered in all grades, and woodworking and other electives are offered to the middle school students.
Throughout the year, the school celebrates several festivals. These celebrations help the students reconnect with different aspects of life, such as courage and generosity; the students are encouraged to express gratitude for what nature gives us. Festivals are celebrated together as a community, and the children and parents all look forward to them every year.
River Oak strives to graduate self- confident, self- directed students, with the ability to identify their needs and ask for help. The school aims to instill a sense of wonder, respect, responsibility and compassion for the earth and all of its inhabitants, and to nurture life-long learners and critical thinkers.
Enrollment tours for adults are available by reservation on Jan. 11, Jan. 28, Feb. 11, and Feb. 25. The annual family Open House is Saturday, January 25. Enrollment Lottery Applications are due by February 27 and are available at www.riveroakcharterschool.org or from registrar Lucy Haynes. The school is centrally located at 555 Leslie Street next to the Ukiah Senior Center. Call (707) 467-1855 ext. 104 for more information.