One of the defining aspects of Oak Hill Academy’s Residential Life program is our dedicated staff. We are unlike many (if not most) boarding schools across the country. Because at OHA, serving as a resident manager is our staff’s primary job – not just a secondary role behind teaching or coaching.
We believe that our residential life program, the experience of living together in a community, is central to our mission on “The Hill.” So much of our students’ growth happens outside the classroom, as we share our lives together in the dining hall, on the playing fields, in the dorms, and around campus after school hours. As such, we have a team of committed adults who live with our students in the dorms and provide supervision. But it’s much more than that: they serve as role models and mentors, operating in loco parentis while our students are away from home in a new environment.
The OHA Dean of Boys and Dean of Girls oversee our Residential Life program. Mr. Luke Peace, our Dean of Boys, joined the Oak Hill Academy community this past fall. Mr. Peace has a master’s degree from East Tennessee State University, and has substantial experience working in residential life programs. Mr. Peace is a phenomenal musician, and lends his talents to our youth group and weekly church services, playing the guitar and singing regularly. Mr. Peace is meticulous and hard-working, and dedicated to our student body.
Ms. Ashley Smith, our new Dean of Girls, joined the Oak Hill Academy community in late December. Ms. Smith is completing her MBA in Human Resources, and has a wide range of experience. She most recently worked for a non-profit housing organization in nearby Galax, Virginia. Ms. Smith is organized and professional, and we look forward to seeing her personal touch in the girls’ residential life program this spring.
At Oak Hill, the staff is blessed to have the opportunity to invest our lives in young people. Boarding school life can be a challenge for adolescents, and there are plenty of chances to learn from our mistakes, to challenge and push each other, and to grow through real-life experiences. We are fortunate to have devoted staff members who walk with our students through these formative years.
Mr. Aaron Butt
Director of Student Affairs
Oak Hill Academy