With the scoop of golden shovels, construction of Morgan
Hill
’s first private high school became official Friday.
With the scoop of golden shovels, construction of Morgan Hill’s first private high school became official Friday.
Approximately 50 people turned out to see the groundbreaking ceremony at Oakwood Country School on John Wilson Way in south Morgan Hill.
The school currently serves pre-kinder through eighth grade students.
Next year’s freshmen – current eighth graders – were the official groundbreakers during Friday’s ceremony, according to school owner Ted Helvey.
“The inaugural class will be doing the groundbreaking with hardhats and gold shovels,” he said. “Each of the students will get to keep a piece of dirt, the shovel and the hat.”
The new high school, when full, should be able to house up to 300 students; Helvey said the school will expect to have between 30-50 students per grade in its first few years. Only freshmen will be enrolled this fall.
While the school is under construction, the freshmen will use the current school facilities and portable classrooms.
The building is expected to be completed during the students’ first year at the school.
There will be an open house for those interested in learning more about the new high school or the elementary and middle programs on May 14 from 10am to noon at the school.
To attend the new school, students’ families must pay tuition of $10,200, which Helvey describes as “only slightly higher” than area Catholic high schools and lower than other independent private high schools in the area, including Harker in San Jose, Pinewood in Los Altos, Castilleja in Palo Alto, and Menlo in Menlo Park.
Students at the new Oakwood High School will have to follow a dress code but will not have to wear uniforms.
Enrollment in Oakwood’s elementary and middle school programs is up, Helvey said, citing an “unprecedented” jump in middle school and a 92 percent re-enrollment rate for the school as a whole.
Oakwood School is located at 105 John Wilson Way. Details: 782-7177.
