Behind the Lens

My name is Sam Fleming, and I'm the Director of Communications, Marketing, and Strategic Initiatives at Oakwood School. We are a school of non-traditional learners who develop strategies and launch enthusiastically into a future filled with potential. I like to say that I have the privilege of sharing our stories. If you asked a student, they would probably tell you that I take a lot of photos for Instagram. But sharing Oakwood's story isn't just about capturing images - it's about uncovering the magic that happens in classrooms and hallways every day. 

We are three months into the school year, which means we have officially passed the period when my appearance in a classroom is a novelty. I work hard to achieve this level of anonymity. Some of our small group classes only have four students and a teacher, so it can be easy to disrupt that level of focus and camaraderie. By November, my cloak of invisibility has been fully established. It's not just about blending in; it's about witnessing the authentic, unfiltered moments that make Oakwood extraordinary. 

These moments reveal themselves in every corner of our building, where both students and teachers create an environment rich with energy, curiosity, and resilience. 

• In a Team 1/2 small OG group, I always find joy in the enthusiasm with which our students volunteer. Every student in the classroom wants to be the one to demonstrate or show their work, even if they make mistakes. That positivity comes from their teacher, who treats mistakes with a graceful nonchalance that has most certainly impacted her students' ability to navigate challenges. 
• In Team 4, I stopped by and listened to Mr. Chambers read aloud. He paused intermittently to ask students for an explanation of an idiom or the definition of an uncommonly used word. The classroom was calm, with students listening attentively from comfortable positions throughout their learning space. These moments of engagement build vocabulary and critical thinking, sparking a love for literature. 
• Upstairs in Team 7, I watched executive function strategy building in action during Morning Meeting. A teacher led students through the task of organizing their agenda books. With a field trip planned for Friday, there was a conversation about the tasks required to be prepared for travel. Notes and action items were recorded in the Thursday afternoon slot, including packing a lunch, what to wear, and what to bring. It's a simple activity but it conveys a larger theme of equipping students with lifelong habits of planning ahead and responsibility for self. A hallmark of our middle school program is the independence developed and carried into high school. 
• In the middle school lobby, I walked through Team 10 and 11 students peer-reviewing personal essays highlighting their academic strengths. The informality of the space lent itself to an opportunity to listen to them interact with one another and speak candidly about the strengths they will carry with them when they graduate this spring. 

I see so many other meaningful moments throughout the school day. I watched as a student went out of his way to deliver a lost water bottle to its owner at their after-school activity - a small but significant act of kindness that reflects the community we try to cultivate. I listened to a Team 8 student candidly share his challenges with staying motivated while learning to type. He offered practical advice and encouragement to elementary students just starting their typing journey - a moment that demonstrated vulnerability, leadership, and willingness to help others grow. I read an email from a parent of a 2024 graduate who shared how their child earned a spot on the honor roll in her new high school. The parent wrote, "Oakwood has everything to do with her preparedness and ability to complete the work," a reminder of the impact of the skills and confidence built with these walls. 

Every classroom I visit, every conversation I overhear, and every story I tell affirms what I've learned about Oakwood: it's a place where students thrive because they are understood, supported, and empowered. It's a privilege to witness and share these moments, and I can't wait to see what stories the rest of the year will bring.