The boarding program at OES serves students in Grades 9-12. Boarders comprise nearly one-quarter of the Upper School student body, and about one-half of our boarders are international students. The dorms are supervised by the Director of Residence and a staff exceptionally well prepared to maintain a safe and inviting place for students who may be far from home. The adult/student ratio is about 1:5. While some of our boarding students come from within the state of Oregon, others come from Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America.

OES is a community of adults and students who respect and care about one another. In the dormitories, students from many walks of life and many countries work together to create an atmosphere conducive to learning and personal growth. Faculty encourage and promote such efforts and, in the process, learn themselves. In the same way that cooperative learning in a classroom involves a dynamic interaction between students and teacher, all the people involved in the residential program are working and learning together.

Boarding life can be both challenging and rewarding. The challenges lie in the effort involved in creating a caring and family-like community. The rewards lie in the personal growth that students experience and in the deep and abiding friendships that they develop. The OES boarding experience includes these opportunities and more.