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The Chalkboard

Military school to name new pres

Oak Ridge Military Academy will introduce its new school president today. The school has struggled in the last year financially and came close to closing. For a private school, the administration has been surprisingly open about its situation and even admitted earlier this month it had trouble making scheduled repayments of salary owed to employees from last year.

I would bet parents and employees appreciate that forthrightness.

The school brought in Reginald Ponder to serve as the acting president. Ponder has experience working with schools in financial trouble. Whether he’s done a good job or not is not for me to say but the doors did open this year and that missed payment earlier this month was said to have been made.

This new president – the board is withholding the name until the press conference today at 4 p.m. – will have no small task ahead of him (or her). One question I will ask is how the new president intends to attract new students?

I worked at ORMA for about a year back in 2003 if memory serves. The one struggle I often heard teachers and administrators talk about was the perception the school was a reform school, that only “bad kids” were sent to military schools. That’s a misconception but it’s one that’s hard to shake.

So I’m curious, who among you would send your child to ORMA and why or why not? Is it because it’s a private school, a military school, because you think it’s for bad kids or because you believe they would get a strong education and learn leadership skills?

And watch the site later today for the article about the new president.

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Posted by J. Brian Ewing on Tuesday, October 27, 2009 at 11:05 am

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ccook

October 28, 2009 - 10:16 am EDT

If I could afford the tuition costs, I would send my children to Oak Ridge Military Academy. I may be a little biased - I spent six years at ORMA, and so did my brother. The folks who I count as my closest friends went to Oak Ridge. Without ORMA, I would not be the person I am today.

But my decision on sending my children to ORMA would not be based solely because it is a private school, or because it is a military academy. There are many private schools in the Triad, and almost thirty or more military schools still left in the country.

I have visited some of these schools and seen what they offer first hand, and they offer some great opportunities and programs. Locally in the Triad, American Hebrew Academy hands down has the most impressive campus and overall program (and I am not Jewish, but would consider sending my kids to AHA if I could afford it). Across the country, there are some very impressive military schools with pristine facilities and larger student bodies. Some of these schools offer more programs for their cadets than what ORMA can provide, because ORMA is a small school.

But I can tell you that what Oak Ridge offers in terms of academics & character, levels all the other possible options for secondary education. The education I received at ORMA prepared me for college. I was ready for the challenges of college from day one in the classroom. One teacher that comes to mind that is still at ORMA, and that I can thank for that lesson, is Bobby Barbera.

In terms of character/integrity, leadership, teamwork, and friendship – ORMA taught all of these to me and I try to live my life today based on that. Because Oak Ridge is a small school (on average 190+ cadets) you really get to know people, and they get to know you. It is a total program, and while the school has had its ups and downs over the years, the focus on academics & character have always been there.

Sure, there are schools that have a nicer/larger campus, and more athletic/extra curricular activities. But the basics are what is most fundamental – academics & character. ORMA succeeds at that. There are lots of stereotypes and assumptions about Oak Ridge, since it is a military academy. If you knew the history of the school, you might be surprised to learn it was not always a military school, and the founders were Quakers. Don’t assume you know what ORMA is or is not – come to campus and find out. It may not be what you or your child are looking for, but then again it could be the perfect fit. It was for me and many others.

stafford5465

October 29, 2009 - 1:30 pm EDT

AHA does not admit non-jewish children. If you are one-half jewish and are raised like a jewish family would raise you, you may get in. People that are not jewish will not be admitted even if you can pay the tab.

ccook

October 30, 2009 - 8:00 am EDT

Did not know that - strike AHA off the list. Another reason ORMA is a great opportunity - does not matter what your religion, race, creed, or national origin is (well, you have to be legally in the US). Oak Ridge is non-sectarian, and I can tell you from experience that going to a school with kids from other countries, religions, and other walks of life opens your mind to other ideas and possibilities. It makes you more tolerant of other's differences, and appreciate the common factors that make us all human.