Oak Hall School


Oak Hall School is a private pre-K through 12th grade school in Gainesville, Florida founded in 1970.

History

Oak Hall was founded in 1970, the year Gainesville finished desegregating its high schools. Founded by Drs. Billy Brashear and Harry L. Walker, the school was open to all "without regard to race, creed or color", but had a $1,100 tuition. By January 1971, the school received IRS approval of its tax exemption because it announced and publicized a racially nondiscriminatory admissions policy.
Although technically a private school, the school was largely built with funds provided by industrial revenue bonds raised by Alachua County. Oak Hall's elementary school, or "Lower School", was originally a separate campus by the name of Martha Manson Academy. The Headmaster there gave the school to Oak Hall in 2001, creating the Pre-K through 12 campus that the school has today.
The school established a sister-school relationship with the Changzhou #2 Middle/High School in China.

Facilities

The school is sited on a campus and includes a 400-seat theater, art and photography center, media center, science labs, gymnasium, lighted soccer field, lighted football field, brand new tennis courts, an unlighted baseball field, a softball field, and as well as many other outdoor basketball, pickleball, tennis, and 4-square courts.

Athletics and extracurriculars

Oak Hall has a Spanish program and was placed first in Division 1A at the Florida State Spanish Conference in 2010. It also has a Latin program and was placed first in the Senior Division and first in the Junior Division at the 2010 FJCL State Forum held between April 14, 2010, and April 17, 2010. The Senior Division won again in 2012, 2014. 2015, and 2016. Its Certamen team has won state and collegiate-level tournaments.

Notable alumni