The Miami Valley School
Encyclopedia
The Miami Valley School is Dayton, Ohio
's only independent college-preparatory school for grades Pre-K through 12. A 9:1 student to teacher ratio and an experiential learning curriculum have created a unique learning environment. Approximately 190 students comprise grades 9 through 12. The Upper School is staffed by 28 faculty members, 23 of whom hold master's degrees and two of whom hold Ph.D.s. The school annually sends a few students to Ivy League universities. The student population represents 16 communities within a 35-mile radius of Dayton.
founded in 1964 by citizens of Dayton, Ohio
looking for a private school alternative to public education.
title. The Early Childhood through 5th grade unit is called the Lower School, instead of the more common Elementary School
. Similarly, the 9th through 12th grade unit is called the Upper School
, instead of the more common High School
.
At MVS, an environment of respect and tolerance prevails. In the Upper School, there are no study hall
s; instead, they are replaced by "free periods," where students have unscheduled time and thus are able to play chess, read the newspaper, talk, play outside, study in the gallery, listen to music, and play games in the Upper School Commons.
Immersion provides an alternative learning opportunity with many activities occurring off campus and even overseas. Astronomy
students might work with telescopes from 8:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m., out in the country, while theater students might study in New York City
. Traditionally, Immersion takes place during the last two weeks of February and the first two weeks of March. Alumni frequently describe Immersion as the most influential and informative program of their MVS experiences.
, established by martial arts expert Stephen K. Hayes
. Students also take one flight with an instructor at the Moraine Airpark
. The experience ends with a 3-day, 2-night trip to Hocking Hills
, an Ohio state park in Adams County. The freshmen hike in these forests for two days and learn more about themselves and their relationship to the community.
study in the Florida Everglades, building Habitat for Humanity houses, studying Civil Rights
, Southern American Literature, Indian Reservations and Literature, experiencing firsthand marine ecology in the Bahamas and Bermuda, or even engaging in creative writing in Vermont
and New York
. International programs have been held across most of Europe, Asia (including India
, China
, Japan
, Nepal
, and Turkey
), New Zealand
, Ethiopia
, as well as Central
and South America
(most recently Peru
and Costa Rica
). Students are immersed in the topics that they study, be they cultural, religious, linguistic, musical, or scientific.
winning scientists, and journeys through Outward Bound
and Earthwatch. Student proposals are usually geared towards perusing intellectual or artistic passions, or shadowing professionals in a career of interest.
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census...
's only independent college-preparatory school for grades Pre-K through 12. A 9:1 student to teacher ratio and an experiential learning curriculum have created a unique learning environment. Approximately 190 students comprise grades 9 through 12. The Upper School is staffed by 28 faculty members, 23 of whom hold master's degrees and two of whom hold Ph.D.s. The school annually sends a few students to Ivy League universities. The student population represents 16 communities within a 35-mile radius of Dayton.
Foundation
The Miami Valley School is an independent day schoolDay school
A day school—as opposed to a boarding school—is an institution where children are given educational instruction during the day and after which children/teens return to their homes...
founded in 1964 by citizens of Dayton, Ohio
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census...
looking for a private school alternative to public education.
Academic Units
Like many independent schools, MVS eschews traditional labels for two of its three academic units. Only the 6th through 8th-grade academic unit has the traditional Middle SchoolMiddle school
Middle School and Junior High School are levels of schooling between elementary and high schools. Most school systems use one term or the other, not both. The terms are not interchangeable...
title. The Early Childhood through 5th grade unit is called the Lower School, instead of the more common Elementary School
Elementary school
An elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar...
. Similarly, the 9th through 12th grade unit is called the Upper School
Upper school
Upper Schools tend to be schools within secondary education. Outside England, the term normally refers to a section of a larger school. There is some variation in the use of the term in England.-State Maintained Schools:...
, instead of the more common High School
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
.
At MVS, an environment of respect and tolerance prevails. In the Upper School, there are no study hall
Study Hall
Study hall or study period is a term for a place and/or time during the school day where students are assigned to study when they are not scheduled for an academic class. They are most commonly found in high schools and some middle schools, especially in the United States...
s; instead, they are replaced by "free periods," where students have unscheduled time and thus are able to play chess, read the newspaper, talk, play outside, study in the gallery, listen to music, and play games in the Upper School Commons.
Experiential Learning Programs
The Miami Valley School puts great emphasis on taking students out of traditional education environments in order to learn through experience.Experiential Program
In Lower School, students participate in a variety of experiential learning programs that vary in length, topic, and time of year.- Kindergarten — Study of nutrition, and food preparation.
- 1st Grade — Cave Study, simulated cave experience.
- 2nd Grade — GeographyGeographyGeography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
, Country-Specific Projects, Newport AquariumNewport Aquarium-External links:*...
and reef study. - 3rd Grade — AstronomyAstronomyAstronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
, overnight at The Boonshoft Museum of Discovery in Dayton, OhioDayton, OhioDayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census...
. - 4th Grade — PioneerSettlerA settler is a person who has migrated to an area and established permanent residence there, often to colonize the area. Settlers are generally people who take up residence on land and cultivate it, as opposed to nomads...
study, typical pioneer school day experience. Nature study, visit to Glen Helen Outdoor Education Center - 5th Grade — United States history, class trip to Colonial WilliamsburgColonial WilliamsburgColonial Williamsburg is the private foundation representing the historic district of the city of Williamsburg, Virginia, USA. The district includes buildings dating from 1699 to 1780 which made colonial Virginia's capital. The capital straddled the boundary of the original shires of Virginia —...
.
Project Period
In Middle School, students participate in experiential learning programs based on their grade levels. Traditionally, Project period takes place during the last two weeks of the academic year.- 6th Grade — Study of Ancient EgyptAncient EgyptAncient Egypt was an ancient civilization of Northeastern Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now the modern country of Egypt. Egyptian civilization coalesced around 3150 BC with the political unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the first pharaoh...
ian civilization at Miami UniversityMiami UniversityMiami University is a coeducational public research university located in Oxford, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1809, it is the 10th oldest public university in the United States and the second oldest university in Ohio, founded four years after Ohio University. In its 2012 edition, U.S...
. - 7th Grade — Study of Appalachian culture at Berea CollegeBerea CollegeBerea College is a liberal arts work college in Berea, Kentucky , founded in 1855. Current full-time enrollment is 1,514 students...
. - 8th Grade — Study of AmishAmishThe Amish , sometimes referred to as Amish Mennonites, are a group of Christian church fellowships that form a subgroup of the Mennonite churches...
and Quakers culminating in a trip to Gettysburg or Philadelphia.
Immersion
In the Immersion Program, students exclusively study one subject of their choice for an entire month. As differentiated from the Middle and Lower School curricula, in which students participate in experiential learning programs based on their grades, Upper School students in grades 10 through 12 split up into multi-grade experiential classes. During this month, students are free from the confines of the traditional 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Monday through Friday school schedule, as well as free from the school campus. This allows them to study their topics intensively.Immersion provides an alternative learning opportunity with many activities occurring off campus and even overseas. Astronomy
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
students might work with telescopes from 8:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m., out in the country, while theater students might study in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Traditionally, Immersion takes place during the last two weeks of February and the first two weeks of March. Alumni frequently describe Immersion as the most influential and informative program of their MVS experiences.
Freshmen
Freshmen have a pre-selected Immersion experience called "Stepping Out". It consists of various activities around the Dayton area. Freshman visit religious leaders to learn more about different cultures. They also learn a martial art called To-Shin DoTo-Shin Do
To-Shin Do is a martial art founded by Black Belt Hall of Fame instructor Stephen K. Hayes in 1997. It is a modernized version of ninjutsu, and differs from the traditional form taught by Masaaki Hatsumi’s Bujinkan organization. Instruction focuses on threats found in contemporary western society...
, established by martial arts expert Stephen K. Hayes
Stephen K. Hayes
Stephen K. Hayes is an American Bujinkan ninjutsu master, Buddhist priest and writer.-Life and martial arts:Stephen K. Hayes was born in Wilmington, Delaware and raised in Dayton, Ohio. He graduated from Fairmont West High School, Kettering, Ohio in 1967. He began formal training in the martial...
. Students also take one flight with an instructor at the Moraine Airpark
Moraine Airpark
Moraine Airpark is a public-use airport situated southwest of the city of Dayton in Montgomery County, Ohio, United States. It is located in the city of Moraine.- Facilities and aircraft :...
. The experience ends with a 3-day, 2-night trip to Hocking Hills
Hocking Hills
The Hocking Hills is a deeply dissected area of the Allegheny Plateau in Ohio, primarily in Hocking County, that features cliffs, gorges, rock shelters, and waterfalls...
, an Ohio state park in Adams County. The freshmen hike in these forests for two days and learn more about themselves and their relationship to the community.
Local
Students can learn to fly, study cooking, take a photography or theater class, learn how to build a computer, study criminal justice, or participate in one of many other programs that are offered.Travel
Travel programs include a swampSwamp
A swamp is a wetland with some flooding of large areas of land by shallow bodies of water. A swamp generally has a large number of hammocks, or dry-land protrusions, covered by aquatic vegetation, or vegetation that tolerates periodical inundation. The two main types of swamp are "true" or swamp...
study in the Florida Everglades, building Habitat for Humanity houses, studying Civil Rights
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
, Southern American Literature, Indian Reservations and Literature, experiencing firsthand marine ecology in the Bahamas and Bermuda, or even engaging in creative writing in Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
and New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. International programs have been held across most of Europe, Asia (including India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
, and Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
), New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
, as well as Central
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
and South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
(most recently Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
and Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
). Students are immersed in the topics that they study, be they cultural, religious, linguistic, musical, or scientific.
Independent
A student who wishes to pursue an Immersion outside the realm of the offered programs is welcome to create a proposal that is then evaluated by the Independent Immersion Committee. Past independent Immersions have included projects with high-ranking political figures and Nobel PrizeNobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
winning scientists, and journeys through Outward Bound
Outward Bound
Outward Bound is an international, non-profit, independent, outdoor educationorganization with approximately 40 schools around the world and 200,000 participants per year...
and Earthwatch. Student proposals are usually geared towards perusing intellectual or artistic passions, or shadowing professionals in a career of interest.
Notable alumni
- Ming TsaiMing TsaiMing Tsai is a Chinese-American fusion cuisine chef, restaurateur, and Emmy Award-winning television personality.Tsai currently hosts Ming's Quest, a cooking show featured on the Fine Living Network, and Simply Ming on American Public Television...
, Class of 1982, noted chef and Emmy Award–winning television personality, has been featured on the Food Network's The Next Iron ChefThe Next Iron ChefThe Next Iron Chef, is a limited-run series on the Food Network now in its fourth season. Each season is a stand-alone competition to select a chef to be designated an Iron Chef, who will appear on the Food Network program Iron Chef America....
, Bravo's Top ChefTop ChefTop Chef is an American reality competition show that airs on the cable television network Bravo, in which chefs compete against each other in culinary challenges. They are judged by a panel of professional chefs and other notables from the food and wine industry with one or more contestants...
as well as his own program on PBS entitled Simply MingSimply MingSimply Ming is a television cooking show hosted by chef Ming Tsai, and is produced by WGBH, Boston and Ming East-West, LLC. Simply Ming is presented by American Public Television.-Overview:...
. - Allison JanneyAllison JanneyAllison Brooks Janney is an American actress, best known for her role as C.J. Cregg on the television series The West Wing.- Personal life :...
, Class of 1977, Tony Award–nominated and four time Emmy Award–winning actress noted for her roles on television and in movies, especially in the top-rated TV series The West Wing. Some of Janney's notable films include Primary Colors, American BeautyAmerican Beauty (film)American Beauty is a 1999 American drama film directed by Sam Mendes and written by Alan Ball. Kevin Spacey stars as Lester Burnham, a middle-aged magazine writer who has a midlife crisis when he becomes infatuated with his teenage daughter's best friend, Angela...
, The HoursThe Hours (film)The Hours is a 2002 drama film directed by Stephen Daldry, and starring Nicole Kidman, Meryl Streep, Julianne Moore and Ed Harris. The screenplay by David Hare is based on the 1999 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same title by Michael Cunningham....
, Finding NemoFinding NemoFinding Nemo is a 2003 American comi-drama animated film written by Andrew Stanton, directed by Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich and produced by Pixar. It tells the story of the overly protective clownfish Marlin who, along with a regal tang called Dory , searches for his abducted son Nemo...
, and JunoJuno (film)Juno is a 2007 comedy-drama film directed by Jason Reitman and written by Diablo Cody. Ellen Page stars as the title character, an independent-minded teenager confronting an unplanned pregnancy and the subsequent events that put pressures of adult life onto her. Michael Cera, Olivia Thirlby, J. K....
. - Anson Montgomery, author, attended seventh and eighth grades, then went to the Groton School, Groton, MA
- Jeff Williams, member of Class of 1975 from The Miami Valley School was aboard Comair Flight 5191Comair Flight 5191Comair Flight 191, marketed as Delta Connection Flight 5191, was a scheduled United States domestic passenger flight from Lexington, Kentucky, to Atlanta, Georgia, operated on behalf of Delta Connection by Comair...
when it crashed in Lexington, KentuckyLexington, KentuckyLexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
. - Patricia Princehouse, evolutionary biology and history of philosophy professor at Case Western Reserve UniversityCase Western Reserve UniversityCase Western Reserve University is a private research university located in Cleveland, Ohio, USA...
; President of Ohio Citizens for Science. - Richard Taylor, Class of 1982, is Senior Vice President for External Affairs & Education for the Motion Picture Association of AmericaMotion Picture Association of AmericaThe Motion Picture Association of America, Inc. , originally the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America , was founded in 1922 and is designed to advance the business interests of its members...
(MPAA). - Daniel Beaty, Class of 1994, is an award-winning actor, opera singer, writer, and composer. He has been featured on HBO's Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry as well as NBC's Showtime at the ApolloShowtime at the ApolloShowtime at the Apollo is a syndicated music television show, first broadcast on September 12, 1987 to May 24, 2008 with 1093 episodes, and is produced by the Apollo Theater...
. He won the 2007 Obie Award for Excellence in Off-Broadway Theater for Writing and Performing. - Claudia Levin, Class of 1980, Managing Director of Claudius Films Ltd., an Israeli based film production company that specializes in documentary films.
- Talvin Wilks, Class of 1980, is an award-winning playwright, theater director, and dramaturg currently serving as Interim Artistic Director for New WORLD Theater, based at the University of Massachusetts AmherstUniversity of Massachusetts AmherstThe University of Massachusetts Amherst is a public research and land-grant university in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States and the flagship of the University of Massachusetts system...
. - Raymond J. McGuire, Class of 1975, is the Head of Global Banking at CitigroupCitigroupCitigroup Inc. or Citi is an American multinational financial services corporation headquartered in Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States. Citigroup was formed from one of the world's largest mergers in history by combining the banking giant Citicorp and financial conglomerate...
in New York City, having advised on transactions valued in the hundreds of billions of dollars. He has been featured on the cover of Black EnterpriseBlack EnterpriseBlack Enterprise is a monthly U.S. magazine which describes itself as "the premier business news and investment resource for African Americans" and claims a readership of 3.7 million. It was founded in 1970 by Earl G. Graves, Sr.. The publication is known for its annual listing of the largest...
magazine as one of the "100 Most Powerful Executives in Corporate America". McGuire is also a noted philanthropist and serves as a trustee for organizations such as The New York Public Library, Lincoln Center, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, and the Whitney Museum of American ArtWhitney Museum of American ArtThe Whitney Museum of American Art, often referred to simply as "the Whitney", is an art museum with a focus on 20th- and 21st-century American art. Located at 945 Madison Avenue at 75th Street in New York City, the Whitney's permanent collection contains more than 18,000 works in a wide variety of...
. - Roger Meike, Class of 1981, is Director of Operations for Sun Microsystems/Oracle.