Built on a foundation of Christian Faith, Oakbrook educates students to be independent learners in a changing world.
Oakbrook began in 1992 with a large vision and a small school called the Village School founded by Rosemary Moore with 18 students in the basement of a church. Her vision was to create a cross-cultural school where children from various denominations were united by their willingness to work and to learn. The Village School began with the purpose of teaching children ideas that matter. Children are thinkers who thrive on a diet of challenging ideas and questions. This philosophical approach has worked for over one hundred years in England and forms one of the cornerstones of Oakbrook Preparatory School.
The curriculum is primarily influenced by the work of the great English educator Charlotte Mason, who established village schools in England at the turn of the century. Her academic emphasis was to put children in touch with nature and classics in literature, art, and music. She offered a classical, broad-based curriculum to all children, regardless of economic or social background. The children of farmers and shopkeepers were taught the same wide curriculum as the young lords in the manor.
When Mrs. Moore founded the school, she never intended for the school to continue beyond grade five. Due to the tremendous support and insistence from parents, it was decided that the Village School would become a true college preparatory school and continue through grade 12. Changing the structure of the school brought about a need to change the name of the school as well. The 2001-2002 school year was a year of transition. The Village School remained the name used for the preschool through fifth grade students, while the middle school students adopted the name Oakbrook. Beginning in August 2002, the name Oakbrook Preparatory School was adopted for all students in grades one through 12 at the main campus, and Oakbrook Preschool was adopted for K-4 through K-5 at the Covenant campus.
In 2005, six outstanding students became Oakbrook's first graduating class. The group averaged 1230 on their SAT's, received scholarship offers in excess of $150,000, and participated in independent study projects that kindled their imaginations and provided them with the motivation, leadership skills, and discipline to be successful in college and in life. Among them were a National Merit Scholar, A National Commended Scholar, and two Palmetto Scholarship recipients. Trips to Ireland, Charleston, or local retreats to Windy Gap and Awanita were other highlights of a year filled with enrichment opportunities. At the end of 2005, Oakbrook's founder, Rosemary Moore, retired and was given the honorary title of Director Emeritus.
Today Oakbrook continues to grow and thrive. Due to the generous support of school families and donors, the entire Oakbrook family is housed on a beautiful 33 acre campus on the west side of Spartanburg. Oakbrook alumni matriculate to top universities, play collegiate sports and serve in their communities. The core values of academic excellence, creativity, character, community and diversity guide Oakbrook Preparatory School's vision to be one of our nation's premier Christ-centered, college preparatory schools.
"Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers."
Psalm 1:1-3
Oakbrook Preparatory School is a nondenominational Christ-centered School. We seek to educate our students within the framework of the Christian faith, as revealed in the Holy Scriptures. We do not divide education into spiritual and secular components, but acknowledge that all truth is God's truth.
We believe in the sovereignty of God, the authority of Scripture, the Lordship of Christ. We affirm the creation of man by a direct act of God, the sinful nature of man, the virgin birth and incarnation of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We believe in Christ's atonement for our sins by his death on the cross, the resurrection of his body on the third day, His power to save man from sin, and the gift of eternal life by the grace of God.
Oakbrook seeks to complement the work of the family and church, and to establish a link between faith, service and learning. In matters of faith, we seek to unite our students around the person of Jesus Christ, allowing many issues of doctrine to take second place.
