Welcome to Ojai Independent School!
We are so pleased to be able to expand the options available to our students!
What is Ojai Independent School?
Ojai independent School is a non seat-based independent study school, serving students in grades 6 through 12. We are part of the Ojai Unified School District, as approved by the Board of Education in August 2019. Our curriculum is accessed through Edgenuity, an on-line platform. Teachers are fully credentialed; in some instances, if an appropriate teacher is not available on site, Edgenuity provides teacher support from California-credentialed teachers (for example, for foreign language). Our school has Learning Lab hours Monday through Friday from 2:30 -4:30, to provide support to students. Other hours are available by appointment. The Learning Lab is located in room 8 on the District Office/Chaparral campus.
Is Independent Study Right for Me?
Because students in independent study work closely with their teachers, in one-on-one meetings or small group instruction, independent study can be a highly personalized form of instruction. Independent study also offers a high degree of flexibility and individualization, so it can serve a wide range of students including:
Highly gifted students who are not challenged in their regular classrooms and wish to accelerate.
Students who face particular challenges—such as health issues or the need to work—that make classroom attendance difficult.
Students who, for a variety of reasons, have fallen behind in their studies and need an individualized approach to fill in gaps in their learning or make up credits.
Students who want an individualized approach that allows them to delve more deeply into areas of special interest.
Students who are at risk of dropping out of school. Some districts use independent study as a dropout prevention or recovery mechanism–they have found that for a subset of discouraged students who have very little connection with high school, independent study can sometimes facilitate a turn around in student engagement. This can happen when students develop close relationships with teachers in one-on-one and small group settings, and when they are able to take charge of their own learning through an individualized approach.
Independent study is not for all students—especially at the high school level. Independent study requires basic academic skills and a level of commitment, motivation, organizational skills, and self-direction not unlike the level required by college students.
Are you ready for an independent study?
Before you move towards arranging an independent study, be sure that you are up to the task by asking yourself these questions:
Do you learn well independently?
Do you have any history of pursuing your own interests without the support of classmates or a team?
Were you able to sustain that pursuit over time?
Will you get lonely or unmotivated without study partners?
Is this something you’re passionate about doing?
This Sounds Great! How do I Get Started?
Call (805) 640-4330, ext 1960 to schedule a placement meeting.
Contact Information
Principal: Becky Beckett: (805) 640-4330, extension 1910
bbeckett@ojaiusd.org
Office Manager: Leslie McCleary: (805) 640-4330, extension 1960
lmccleary@ojaiusd.org
