Oak Hill School (OHS) is a pre-Kindergarten through eighth grade independent school in Eugene, Oregon, United States.

Oak Hill School
Address
Map
86397 Eldon Schafer Drive

, ,
97405

Coordinates44°00′28″N 123°01′35″W / 44.007858°N 123.026442°W / 44.007858; -123.026442
Information
TypePrivate
Opened1994[2]
PrincipalPete Moore
GradesPre-K to 8th Grade [1]
Number of students158
Color(s)green and white   
Athletics conferenceOSAA Mountain West League 1A-3
MascotFalcons
AccreditationNWAIS (Northwest Association of Independent Schools)
Websitewww.oakhillschool.net

Offerings and costs edit

Founded in 1994 by Ed King of King Estate Winery,[3] Oak Hill School provides a college preparatory program for students and instructs pre-Kindergarten through eighth grade students.[4] Oak Hill School is accredited by the Northwest Association of Independent Schools.[5] The campus sits on 72 acres (29 ha) of former ranch and forestland overlooking the South Eugene Hills.[3]

K–8 students at OHS can learn Mandarin Chinese and Spanish languages.[6]

According to the 2022–2023 school year student tuition and fee schedule, pre-Kindergarten services are $8,000 USD annually, Kindergarten through fifth grade services are $18,500 USD annually, and sixth through eighth grade services are $19,000 USD.[7]

Dropping of high school program edit

In May 2020, the school's board decided to shut down its high school program (ninth through twelfth grades) to refocus on K–8 students.[3][7] The board's decision was heavily influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic, since the board members believed that distance learning will become a standard in secondary education.[8]

Bobcat incident edit

On October 15, 2019,[9] a bobcat kitten wandered onto OHS's campus. School administrators reportedly trapped it inside an office so that authorities can remove it once they arrive. An Oregon State trooper and an Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) biologist decided to kill the bobcat with "blunt force trauma to the head" after capturing it, believing that the bobcat acted with "abnormal" behavior, according to Eugene Weekly.[10] The cited behavior was that the bobcat entered a building on OHS's campus.[10] Oregon State Police (OSP) issued a statement saying that a swift blow to the bobcat's head rendered it deceased "instantly".[9]

Oregon veterinarians questioned the euthanization via blunt force trauma by OSP. The President of the Oregon Veterinary Medical Association, Constance N. White, inquired about the incident in a letter to the superintendent of OSP.[11] White called for an audit of the incident through OSP and ODFW.[11] 62 other veterinarians from across Oregon signed a letter asking Oregon governor Kate Brown to use state resources to investigate the incident.[12]

Oregon lawmakers, including Representative Brad Witt,[13] conducted a hearing through the Oregon House Interim Committee on Natural Resources[14] to investigate the euthanization, since some wildlife protection groups like Humane Society of the United States and Eugene-based Predator Defense did not have all inquiries answered (for example, Predator Defense and several news media outlets asked OSP what was used to inflict the blunt force trauma to the bobcat's head, which went unanswered).[15]

A second bobcat, potentially a sibling, was found near OHS's campus (but not in a building) on October 16, 2019.[9] It was released to the wild by ODFW authorities.[16]

References edit

  1. ^ "Oak Hill School - Private School".
  2. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on August 2, 2009. Retrieved July 19, 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. ^ a b c Richards, Karen (May 9, 2022). "Eugene's Oak Hill School gets a grade change". KLCC | NPR for Oregonians. Retrieved July 31, 2022.
  4. ^ "Oak Hill School". Oak Hill School. Retrieved July 31, 2022.
  5. ^ "FAQs". Oak Hill School. Retrieved July 31, 2022.
  6. ^ Atman, David. "The China Connection". Eugene Weekly. Archived from the original on February 17, 2010. Retrieved February 11, 2010.
  7. ^ a b Houston, Henry. "Elementary, My Dear Oak Hill – Eugene Weekly". Eugene Weekly. Retrieved July 31, 2022.
  8. ^ Desaulniers, Robert. "Oak Hill School drops high school program". KEZI 9 News. Retrieved July 31, 2022.
  9. ^ a b c News Staff (October 25, 2019). "State police on killing bobcat: 'A single strike rendered the animal deceased instantly'". KMTR. Retrieved July 31, 2022.
  10. ^ a b Morrison, Donald. "Curiosity Killed the Bobcat – Eugene Weekly". eugeneweekly.com. Retrieved July 31, 2022.
  11. ^ a b "Oregon Veterinary Medical Association questions killing of bobcat found in Eugene school". KATU. October 30, 2019. Retrieved July 31, 2022.
  12. ^ "62 veterinarians ask Oregon governor to probe killing of bobcat found in Eugene school". KATU. November 13, 2019. Retrieved July 31, 2022.
  13. ^ Clark, Cayla. "Bobcat Bludgeoning Raises Concerns". The Source Weekly - Bend. Retrieved July 31, 2022.
  14. ^ "Oregon House committee hears testimony on killing of bobcat found in Eugene school". KMTR. November 20, 2019. Retrieved July 31, 2022.
  15. ^ Ross, Erin. "Oregon Lawmakers Schedule Hearing On Controversial Bobcat Death". opb. Retrieved July 31, 2022.
  16. ^ "ODFW evaluating health of second juvenile bobcat found at school in Eugene: First bobcat euthanized after exhibiting abnormal behavior". www.dfw.state.or.us. Retrieved July 31, 2022.