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Home > School Directory > California > Besant Hill School (Formerly Happy Valley School)
Besant Hill School (Formerly Happy Valley School)
8585 Ojai Santa Paula Rd or PO Box 850, Ojai, CA 93023 - View a map of this school Map
tel: (800) 900-0487

"Besant Hill School is an accredited boarding school with an emphasis on creative expression. The school provides a small, safe and intimate community where students are able to explore and express both their intellectual and creative abilities through challenging academic classes, music, studio art, theater and photography. Outdoor education, community service and athletics are an important component of the educational experience..."

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Listed among the top 20 boarding schools (out of 247 schools) for:

Definition of Terms
Overview:
School Focus Pre-prof. Arts / College-prep College Preparatory
Grades Offered 9-12 9-12
School Type Co-ed Co-ed
Support for ADD/ADHD Students Yes Yes
Supports Learning Differences (LD) Yes Yes
Religious Affiliation Non-denominational Non-denominational
Year Founded 1946 1900
Campus Size 450 acres 140 acres
     
Student Body    
Enrollment 102 students 300 students
Percent Students of Color 10% 18%
Percent International Students 21% 16%
Percent Students Boarding 75% 70%
Average SAT Score 1800 *National Avg. » View
Offers Post-Grad Year No No
     
Academics and Faculty    
Saturday Classes No No
Classroom Dress Code Casual Formal
Average Class Size 10 12
*National School Avg. » 20
Teacher : Student Ratio 1:4 1:7
# of AP/Advanced Courses Offered 4 14
ESL Courses Offered Yes Yes
% Faculty with Advanced Degree 50% 60%
Summer Program Offered Yes Yes
     
Finances    
Endowment Size $2 million $15 million
Yearly Tuition (Boarding Students) $38,800 $38,890
Yearly Tuition (Day Students) $19,900 $21,990
Percent Students on Financial Aid 23% 30%
Average Financial Aid Grant $10,000 $17,000
Merit Scholarships Offered No No
     
Admission    
Application Deadline Feb. 20 / rolling Jan. 15
SSAT Required No Yes
Acceptance Rate 60% 60%
Director of Admissions Randy Bertin
Associate Director of Admissions Terra Furguiel
Course Listings:
List of Courses Offered Link to List of Courses
Sports:
Total Interscholastic Sports Offered 5 13


BaseballBasketball
Cross CountrySoccer
Volleyball 
Extracurricular:
Total Extracurricular Organizations 6 23
 
 
CeramicsDrama
MusicMusic
PhotographyStudio Art
College Matriculation:  
Year: 2006
Babson College
2
Beloit College
2
Berklee School of Music
2
Cal Arts
2
Chicago Institute of the Arts
2
UC Santa Cruz
2
Brooks Institute
1
Evergreen College
1
Seattle Unviersity
1
Smith College
1
School Notes:
  • Besant Hill School is an accredited boarding school with an emphasis on creative expression and Right-brained thinking. The school provides a small, safe and intimate community where students are able to explore and express both their intellectual and creative abilities through challenging academic classes, music, studio art, theater and photography. Outdoor education, community service and athletics are an important component of the educational experience. Besant Hill School sits atop 450 acres of beautiful land just outside of the town of Ojai. The school is 20 minutes from the ocean and 20 minutes from the mountains. The Besant Hill School campus offers boarding facilities for both boys and girls. The residents are housed 2 to a room in bedrooms that contain study and storage facilities for each student. Dorm parents live in each wing of the dormitories and supervise the boarding students with the help of student prefects.
  • Other facilities include a modern dining hall, tennis courts, volleyball court, basketball courts and soccer field, theater and music rooms in addition to a studio art center, ceramics room and large dark room.
  • LD types supported: Dyslexia / Language-based and Mild Learning Differences
  • School accreditations: Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS), The Association of Boarding Schools (TABS)
  • Profile last updated: 11/21/2008
1. Ojai Valley School - 325 students - 0.4 mi. away - view location
2. Villanova Preparatory School - 315 students - 0.8 mi. away - view location
3. The Thacher School - 250 students - 4.7 mi. away - view location
4. Cate School - 265 students - 14.8 mi. away - view location
5. Dunn School - 184 students - 52.6 mi. away - view location
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- Co-ed school
- Boys school
- Girls school
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