ACADEMICS

Spark your curiosity.

Inquiry-based learning encourages students to ask questions, explore ideas, and think deeply about the world around them. Rather than simply memorizing answers, students learn how to observe, investigate, solve problems, and make connections across disciplines.

Inquiry at OES

Just like our mascot, the Aardvark, Oregon Episcopal School students learn to dig deep into whatever challenge is in front of them. Whether it’s exploring the wetlands in rainboots in Lower School, diving into a passion project in Middle School, or conducting original research for a science fair in the Upper School, our students build true agency by asking big questions, testing theories, questioning assumptions, and taking time to reflect.

Our Pre-K–12 inquiry-based approach equips students with the confidence and skills to take on any problem—preparing them not just for college, but to use their knowledge as a Power for Good in the world.

OES Academics at a Glance

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7:1

Student to Faculty Ratio

Faculty with Advanced Degrees

85%

100%

^{of lower school students participate in Art, Music, Science, P.E., & Spanish}

AP Spanish Average Test Score

4.69

^{National Average: 3.53.

Oregon Average: 3.41.}

The Arts

100%

^{of 6th grade students take band, choir, art, and theater.}

AP and Honors Courses

25+

In a true inquiry model, teachers act as coaches. They are helping kids make decisions about what to do with information, how to access it, and how to apply it. Asha AppelDirector of Faculty Growth and Development

Active Learning

At OES, learning from day one is active, not passive. Students don’t just study science, they do it. They don’t just read great writers, they write – and write, and write. They don’t just listen to teachers, they ask questions.

As students grow and move from grade to grade, Pre-K–12, they naturally seek and build connections based on where they have been, where they are, and where they are going. The OES program is designed to support and encourage students in this process. Each department has identified core understandings that students develop along a continuum as they work their way through the curriculum.

Success after OES

Graduates of OES attend an impressive array of colleges throughout the United States and internationally. The school has an excellent, well-established reputation with colleges across the country and hosts visits from over 120 college representatives each year who meet with interested students. Through campus visits and ongoing contact with college colleagues, the college counselors build their knowledge of various institutions, as well as trends in college admission.