Our wonderful journey at Oakwood School unfolded as we closed the chapter on a life living abroad in the beautiful foothills of the Indian Himalayas. Our two daughters literally grew up in Mussoorie, India, where we lived and taught at an International boarding school for 7 years. My husband, Adam, taught fine art sculpture and painting and coached soccer, while I proctored for upper school, led afterschool enrichment classes, and offered teacher support for lower and middle school. We adored our lives there and marveled at mountainous wonders like majestic black and grey langurs, leopards, and pine martins. Mussoorie was green and lush, with a combination of jungle and forest. There were always black and blue butterflies flittering about and giant gumball moths the size of your hands that would land atop your head, or gladly allow you to hold it on a fingertip. The ladybugs were actually the size of a thumbnail and nothing compared to the showy red pompoms of the Rhododendron trees.
Our daughters thrived there at the Woodstock School. They developed a fierce independence and a love of community. They learned a tolerance of others who were different than themselves. They had batch mates from all around the world and were exposed to a myriad of cultures and people through their peer interaction and their teachers. As parents, this was exactly what we wanted for our children, and as an artist, my husband used the country of India as his muse for creating powerful works of vibrant, beautiful art.
Sadly we left the Himalayas to prepare our oldest daughter for college here in the States. Repatriation was hard for us all, and landing smack dab in the center of the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles was nothing short of a reverse culture shock. We missed the “Queen of The Hills”—what our city in Mussoorie was lovingly called, the wandering cows and beautiful lushness. We loved the comforts of this first world, but more than that we missed the close-knit community at our school there.
When we were invited to Oakwood in 2020, we had no idea that our journey here would be just as wonderful as our experience living abroad. We approached Oakwood with a slightly myopic view of schools because what we perceived as a beautiful progressive, new school in Los Angeles, fell short in many ways.
I exhaled—finally. Oakwood, with its majestic oaks and apple trees! Sweet little gardens and mountainous surroundings. This was a gorgeous school and it stirred up a familiar feeling in all of us. It was love at first sight for my daughters, and they were relieved to see the diversity in the student body. The school was not just any institution—it felt like a living, breathing reflection of the values we cherished.
I first started as a parent at Oakwood while my husband took on his role as the Art Department Chair. He raved about the upper school campus. It was a harmonious blend of modern design and nature. His new studio was in the Liberal Arts Center and was filled with sunlight and energy. He was thrilled to create a rich, new curriculum and was eager to work with passionate students and budding artists. The faculty and staff were welcoming, he was ready and eager to teach.
Our daughters were once again thriving academically and socially. They were developing close connections and on concrete paths to graduation and college entry. Academics at Oakwood were hard work, but the teaching staff offered support and guidance unmatched by any other school.
Oakwood leadership felt more like family, I know this because both my daughters felt comfortable and confident when interacting with mentors. They felt secure knowing that they had a voice, and were truly listened to and heard by their professors. It was clear that the school wasn't just a place of education, but a sanctuary for growth in all its forms—intellectual, emotional, and social.
As a parent and then a substitute at Oakwood, I first started working with the littles and I fell in love! I subbed in preschool and was sure that I would die from all the sweetness of those BIG-tiny personalities. These little ones were amazing! They were so eager to learn and share; their eyes were sparkling with curiosity, and I was impressed with the skills and values already being taught at Oakwood.
Shortly after subbing, I became a full-time Teacher’s Aide/permanent sub. It was then that I really got a taste of how special this school was. From preschool to graduation, Oakwood instills a sense of dignity into all students. Children learn healthy ways to communicate, are challenged academically, and are immersed in a community filled with love and learning. The high school students love up on the lower school students, and the lower school friends are big buddies to the littles. It is truly a community.
Oakwood has its own kind of magic. There are no towering peaks, monsoons, or monkeys but there is laughter, learning, and a sense of belonging that for my family, makes Oakwood just as grand and beautiful in it’s own way.
Thank you Oakwood, we are forever grateful.
Lexi and Adam Hubbard P ‘21, ‘23
