News + Notes

The Oxbow School: Closure Announcement

05/25/24

Dear friends, families, and colleagues of The Oxbow School community,

In everything we do, we strive to embody openness, honesty, and true partnership with this community. In our 25th year, we reflect on the many challenges we have faced, and now, it is our duty to write to you in the spirit of partnership, albeit with difficult news.

The Board of Trustees made the difficult decision to close The Oxbow School following the 2024 Summer Art Institute session. In recent weeks, the Board has carefully and painstakingly considered the future of The Oxbow School and has been in touch with both its former and current Heads of School, Stephen Thomas and Jennifer Jordan, respectively. The headwinds against independent schools have been, and remain, quite strong, and the practical and financial realities of operating a small, arts-focused boarding school such as ours have dramatically evolved.

This was not a decision we took lightly, but it was one the Board was called to make. In the end, we simply could not adapt our unique and intimate school experience without losing the special character and identity that have defined Oxbow.

We recognize this news is heartbreaking for everyone in our community, past and present. Yet, we know our shared mission and the impact we have made extends far beyond the walls of this school, now and in the future.

Even after The Oxbow School closes, our students will continue to seek growth and knowledge in new ways. We know that education is fueled by passion, which burns deep within each student at The Oxbow School. We know that inspiration is found in every avenue of life and that transformative and innovative learning does not exist here alone.

We are deeply grateful to our dedicated and talented faculty, whose unshakeable belief in our students and the arts laid the foundation for many meaningful experiences. Importantly, school leaders will identify and share ways in which we can appropriately celebrate and honor the legacy of this school and the pioneering contributions of our founders, Ann Hatch and Robert and Margrit Mondavi, together while reflecting on the many lives we have touched.

We strongly believe, as we know you do too, in the power of the arts. We encourage our students, faculty, and alumni to continue seeking knowledge and inspiration, and we know you will continue honing your unique talents for years to come. We have forged lasting experiences, bonds, and memories here at Oxbow. We will collectively carry the achievements we have accomplished together.

Thank you for being a part of this exceptional community.

Sincerely,

Oxbow School, Board of Trustees

At Oxbow, I got to try inquiry-based learning for the first time. This allowed me to control the amount of rigor and the depth of research in my topic, as well as picking a topic that I found most interesting. From going through this new process of learning, I feel excited to go back to the rigor of my sending school to apply the inquiry-based perspective to my classes.

— Meave Cunningham, Fall, 2015

Oxbow School is one of the preeminent choices for creative high school students interested in the arts. Their project-based, integrated approach to learning mirrors the approach of many top art schools. At California College of the Arts, we are thrilled to see applicants who have attended Oxbow because we know they are well prepared for the rigors of college level work. I wish there had been an Oxbow School when I was a high school student!

— Stephen Beal, President, California College of the Arts

I want to thank you all for being so supportive and wonderful, thank you for running this incredible program. And half of my acceptance to RISD is because of Oxbow. (Especially thanks to Chris who wrote my letter of rec, to Jennifer who revised my essays, to the admissions team who helped me with my portfolio.

— Jeff Shen, Fall 2014

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