As Oakwood began another school year on Aug. 19, back on campus, a familiar face appeared on campus. As its inaugural Associate Head of School, the Oakwood community welcomes back Cameron Helvey, a former student—one who was there on the first day the Morgan Hill-based independent school opened its doors in 1998.
Now, celebrating the school’s 26th academic year, Helvey will help oversee the growing campus of nearly 700 students in preschool through 12th grade at a school that now has over 100 employees, says a press release from Oakwood School.
Helvey rejoins the Oakwood community as an award-winning teacher and experienced educational leader. Over the last decade, Helvey taught, coached and led at schools throughout the world, including Clifford International School in Guangzhou, China, The Hun School of Princeton in Princeton, New Jersey, and most recently, St. Andrew’s-Sewanee School outside of Nashville, Tenn., where he was the Dean of Students of the 6-12 independent school on a 550-acre campus.
He holds a B.S. in Teaching from Brigham Young University, an M.A. in Education from Columbia University, and will receive his Ed.D. (educational doctorate) in K-12 Educational Leadership and Policy from Vanderbilt University this May, says the press release.
In 2021, Helvey was also named a James Madison Senior Fellow at Georgetown University, a prestigious award for high school teachers, recognizing his expertise in constitutional history, government and politics.
Helvey moves back to his hometown of Morgan Hill with his wife and children, two of whom will begin as students at Oakwood this fall.
When asked what he is most looking forward to about being back at Oakwood, Helvey responded, “I know firsthand the incredible impact an Oakwood education can have on each and every individual student’s life and I feel honored to play a small part in that now, alongside our team of dedicated faculty, coaches, staff and administrators.”
Even though his administrative duties have taken Helvey out of the classroom full-time, he is planning on continuing to teach, including this fall where he will offer a new course to Oakwood 11th and 12th graders entitled Constitutional Law & American Society, the release continues.
