Orangevale Open K-8 (OVO) has an instructional program designed to encourage students to explore their world. Learning activities are child-centered, creative, and authentic.  Students go on frequent field trips. Teachers and parents plan activities that nurture community involvement.  Visitors come to school to introduce students to varied influences and guest speakers provide presentations on topics of special interest.   Students interact with children of all ages and stages of development.  They are placed in active roles, and our curriculum is integrated and relevant. Time is flexible so that children learn at a pace that meets their needs. At OVO, students find freedom and acceptance to make mistakes and to learn from experience. The environment is rich with ample opportunities to develop knowledge and skills around a standards-based curriculum as well as to develop self-esteem, self-reliance, interpersonal relationships, and problem solving.

Our teachers are learners themselves. They facilitate lessons, monitor parent-run activities and teach directly. Teachers know their students very well in order to support their personal and intellectual growth. Teachers guide children to set goals for themselves, and to evaluate their individual performance. Students learn to value quality for its own sake.  Intrinsic motivation is fostered; competition is downplayed. 

Parents were the catalyst in the 1970’s that led to the founding of Orangevale Open, and their involvement is a cornerstone of the institution. Families who send their children to our school commit to making donations and to volunteering two hours each week in order to support the program.  They attend monthly meetings led by officers they have elected from class parents.  Parent participation is crucial to OVO.

Orangevale Open K-8's Mission is to ensure that our students

1) feel excited about their education

2) are prepared to meet new challenges positively

3)  consider themselves capable, caring members of society

To achieve this, we have a learning community that aims

• To develop a love of learning within each child
• To extend the learning environment beyond the classroom and to link instruction to real life through field trips and community resources
• To promote personal best rather than competition and to involve students in establishing their own goals
• To create an environment that strengthens self-confidence and that allows students to take risks and to learn from mistakes
• To appreciate and celebrate uniqueness and to develop respect for self and others
• To learn through hands-on activities and experiences and to emphasize process rather than product
• To foster developmentally appropriate learning environments that encourage responsible choices and that provide opportunities for students with all learning styles
• To be a strong, caring community that feels like family

Interested in learning more?  Please read on for a more in-depth explanation of our Mission, History, and how Open Philosophy shapes our students' experience:

OVO’s Mission

Learning by doing, together, the mission of the Orangevale Open K-8 Community is to cultivate in all students the curiosity that leads to creativity, lifelong learning, and responsible citizenship by connecting meaningful experiences to individual passions and motivation in a trusting, collaborative environment.

OVO’s Guiding Principles

• Develop a love of learning.

• Extend the learning environment beyond the classroom and link instruction to real life through field trips and other community resources.

• Promote personal best rather than competition and involve students in establishing their own goals.

• Create an environment that strengthens self-confidence and allows students to learn from mistakes and take risks.

• Appreciate and celebrate uniqueness and develop respect for self and others.

• Learn through hands-on activities and experiences and emphasize process rather than product.

• Foster developmentally appropriate learning environments that encourage responsible choices and provide opportunities for all learning styles.

• Create a caring community that feels like family.

History of the Orangevale Open Program

Orangevale Open began as a program within an existing traditional school. The “Open” program was started with one classroom in 1974 after parents held a Round Robin at the District Office to demonstrate the type of education they advocated for their children.  They envisioned education based on real life experiences (field trips) and community.  The education they envisioned also valued all students as learners, encouraged students to do their personal best, and provided rigorous and self-directed, non-competitive learning experiences.  They believed school should be based upon the understanding that learning is a process and not test preparation. As a part of this sensibility, everyone was seen as a learner; adults and children all went by their first names because they were all equal partners in the process.

The program grew, expanding to encompass the entire original physical location of Orangevale Open (in Orangevale at the corner of Filbert and Central Avenues). In 1993, a committee formed to research and gather information about changing from a K-6 school to a K-8 school. The committee recommended the change, and support was unanimous among the staff; about 97% of the parents agreed. The proposal to become a K-8 was presented to the SJUSD School Board. This was approved, but not funded. In April 1994, there was one 7th grade class.  In order to purchase portables for the next year, the dog-leg piece of land at the old site (Central and Filbert Avenues) was sold in July 1994 to Orangevale Park and Recreation.

The District had no other K-8 schools. Orangevale Open was a new kind of program that did not fall under the category of Elementary or Middle School. This made funding difficult to obtain. Books and materials were borrowed from a neighboring school. Since then, other K-8 schools have emerged within SJUSD and the K-8s are fully recognized and funded.

During the 2006-07 school year,  Orangevale Open was looking at ways to improve the MP Room in order to have room for larger groups to have assemblies and attend school plays.  The district came out to look at the possibilities and noted that the school was not ADA accessible.  The school had a ramp down to the playground that was too steep and none of the bathrooms were wheelchair accessible, so the district opted to move OVO to the Roberts site which had been a charter school. The move took place the summer of 2007.

Through the years, Orangevale Open has been a pioneer in developing innovative ways to instill a love of learning and to encourage all community members to have an active role in the process.

Our Academic Program / Philosophy

Orangevale Open K-8 (OVO) has an instructional program designed to encourage students to explore their world. Learning activities are child-centered, creative, and authentic. Students go on frequent field trips. Teachers and parents plan activities that nurture community involvement. Visitors come to school to introduce students to varied influences and guest speakers provide presentations on topics of special interest. Students interact with children of all ages and stages of development. They are placed in active roles, and our curriculum is integrated and relevant. Time is flexible so that children learn at a pace that meets their needs.

At OVO, students find freedom and acceptance to make mistakes and to learn from experience. The environment is rich with ample opportunities to develop knowledge and skills around a standards-based curriculum as well as self-esteem, self-reliance, interpersonal relationships, and problem solving.

Our teachers are learners themselves. They facilitate lessons, monitor parent-run activities and teach directly. Teachers know their students very well in order to support their personal and intellectual growth. Teachers guide children to set goals for themselves, and to evaluate their individual performance. Students learn to value quality for its own sake. Intrinsic motivation is fostered; competition is downplayed.

Parents were the catalyst in the 1970’s that led to the founding of Orangevale Open, and their involvement is a cornerstone of the institution. Families who send their children to our school are asked to volunteer two hours each week in order to support the program. Parent participation is crucial to OVO.

Program Philosophy as stated in our Site-Based Management Guidelines “Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.” - John Dewey. The philosophy of Orangevale Open recognizes that children are already immersed in their own learning and bring their individual strengths and interests to the school environment. 

The program structure and atmosphere encourages students to express their unique perspectives in collaborative projects so they may discover their roles as participants in society. These experiences engage students so that learning becomes meaningful and deep. At the center of the open program is the belief that the learning acquired within the process of doing is more important than the end product. Education is more than knowledge, and at Orangevale Open students are encouraged to develop their voice, confidence, interpersonal relationships, creative expression and problem solving skills with an emphasis on taking ownership of their learning. Lifelong learning extends beyond the walls of the classroom throughout our campus, into the local community and out into the world. Our community of teachers, staff, parents, and students works together to develop an inherent balance of freedom and responsibility so that children become experienced self-directed learners.

Orangevale Open K-8 is a “choice” public school within the San Juan Unified School District. It draws children and their families from throughout the community. Our goal is to be representative of the local population. The program was planned and designed to offer an alternative education experience within the public school system. Current residents of San Juan Unified School District are eligible to attend.

OVO Beliefs and Traditions

Orangevale Open K-8 takes its name from our original location in Orangevale (though now we are in Fair Oaks), and also from the Open School philosophy that blossomed in England during the 1930’s and here in the US in the 70’s. What that means is …

1. While we teach a standards-based curriculum, teachers are expected to vary their lessons and approaches to personalize learning activities, ensuring that their students’ developmental and learning needs are addressed

2. Our program is student-centered: teachers often act as facilitators, “guides on the side” in order to gradually release the responsibility for learning to students as they gain skills, knowledge and confidence

3. The lessons are designed by teachers who know their students well, they ensure that learning activities are appropriate for each child

4. The important thing to remember here is that a child's work can show how far they have come during the course of the year, but does not compare them to other students. There are no rewards singling out specific academic achievements. The emphasis is on personal best.

5. Teachers integrate their curriculum and are reflective about their work

6. The arrangement of the classroom supports varied learning styles and promotes independence

7. The selection of materials and strategies are all thoughtfully undertaken to ensure optimal learning for the children of the class

8. Students learn both on and off campus with community members as well as classmates completing authentic tasks that are hands-on

9. Materials are accessible; students initiate much of their activity and develop confidence and independence in doing so

10. They learn individually, in small groups, in multi-age pairs/groups as well as with their whole class 

11.  Parents and teachers have monthly class meetings to review developmental needs and to plan for educational support for the students

12.  At home, parents reinforce concepts and skills that align with the goals of the lessons at school

13.  Parents offer support and facilitate learning at school; they volunteer regularly in classrooms and coordinate special learning activities, and participate in monthly meetings

14.  When parents choose Orangevale Open they are investing in a caring educational community - their relationship to the school typically lasts for at least 9 years –

We all go by first names at OVO; this is a part of the culture. It is one of the ways we create our community and help students learn that interactions with adults can be a great experience! It also emphasises the belief we are all equals in learning together - one's growth never stops and students can learn from many different adults on campus.

Parents volunteer at OVO like they do at no other school! This is truly what makes us unique, what supports deep personalized learning, and what keeps our program strong. Parents drive on all of our field trips, and contribute by coordinating classroom activities, special speakers, fundraising and celebrations.