Oakwood Friends School

What Oakwood Friends School does

Oakwood Friends School is a private, nonprofit 501(c)(3) Quaker boarding and day school chartered by the New York State Board of Regents and operating from a 55-acre campus at 22 Spackenkill Road in Poughkeepsie, New York. Founded in 1796 as Nine Partners School and incorporated under its current name in 1986, it is the oldest co-educational boarding and day school in New York State, currently serving approximately 150 students in grades 6-12 with a 4:1 student-to-faculty ratio (per FAQ; homepage cites 1:1) and roughly 45+ faculty and staff across academics, administration, athletics, arts, and residential life. The school is under the care of the New York Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends and is accredited by NYSAIS, with memberships in NAIS and the Friends Council on Education.

The school's product portfolio centers on a Middle School Program (grades 6-8) and an Upper School Program (grades 9-12), supplemented by differentiated offerings: a two-tiered ESL and International Program, the Global Affairs Certificate, the Libby Moroff Leadership Program, an Academic Support Center (Focused Instruction and Learning Skills), a College Counseling program, and robust Arts (visual arts, photography with darkroom, music, theater) and Athletics (13 teams) programs. Notable infrastructure includes a 2,275-panel solar array offsetting 100% of campus electricity (720,000 kWh annually), a 1,200 sq ft four-season greenhouse, a 500,000-bee apiary producing ~75 lbs of honey per year, and over 120 varieties of fruits, vegetables, and flowers. Technology is conventional educational IT (Blackbaud Education and Tuition, Google Apps for Education, Adobe Creative Cloud, a digital art lab with 3D printing, web-based solar monitoring).

The business model is tuition-driven with philanthropic supplementation. Revenue is generated primarily through recurring annual tuition across day, 5-day boarding, and 7-day boarding tiers, with tuition amounts not publicly disclosed. The school distributes over $2.5 million in tuition assistance annually to approximately 60% of students, and tuition alone does not cover operating costs - the Annual Fund (a recurring development campaign accepting credit card, DAF, pledges, securities, IRA distributions, and corporate matching) bridges the gap. The go-to-market motion is traditional independent-school admissions: inquiry forms, campus visits (private, group, virtual), open houses, and a sales-led/event-driven funnel targeting families seeking a values-based college-preparatory education, with the international market layered on via direct international admissions. The customer base is intentionally diversified across day, boarding, domestic, and international families, and is not concentrated in any single account.

Name

Oakwood Friends School

Legal name

Oakwood Friends School

Website

https://oakwoodfriends.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1796

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Oakwood Friends School is a private, nonprofit Quaker boarding and day school serving approximately 150 students in grades 6-12 from a 55-acre campus in Poughkeepsie, New York. Founded in 1796, it is New York's oldest co-educational boarding school, funded by tuition and an Annual Fund, with over $2.5M in annual financial aid.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private K-12 Education (Boarding and Day School)

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Nonsectarian Independent Boarding Schools (EDAJABAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Nonsectarian Independent Day Schools (EDAJABAA)

Keywords

• Private boarding school
• College preparatory education
• Quaker education
• Middle school program
• International student ESL

Headquarters

HQ city

Poughkeepsie

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition Revenue: Oakwood Friends School operates primarily on tuition revenue from both boarding and day students. As a private Quaker boarding and day school, tuition covers academic programs, athletics, arts, and residential life. The Annual Fund supplements operating costs as tuition alone does not cover yearly expenses.
2. Annual Fund / Donations: The Annual Fund is Oakwood's yearly campaign raising funds to support students and the school mission. Donations support professional development for faculty, guest speakers, technology advancements, and tuition assistance. The school accepts donations via credit card, DAF, pledge, securities/stock, IRA distributions, corporate matching, and checks.
3. Tuition Assistance / Financial Aid: Oakwood provides over $2.5 million in tuition assistance annually to approximately 60% of students, supporting socioeconomic diversity.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Oakwood Friends School delivers a college-preparatory boarding and day school education for grades 6-12, combining a Quaker values-based curriculum with academic, arts, athletics, and residential programs. Core offerings include the Middle School and Upper School academic programs, an International ESL program, the Academic Support Center for learning differences, the Global Affairs Certificate, the Libby Moroff Leadership Program, College Counseling, and a sustainable agriculture program. Day, 5-day boarding, and 7-day boarding options are offered on a 55-acre campus in Poughkeepsie, NY.

Product overview

Oakwood Friends School is a Quaker college-preparatory boarding and day school serving grades 6-12. Its product portfolio centers on a unified educational program built around core academic divisions — the Middle School Program and Upper School Program — supplemented by specialized certificate and elective programs (Global Affairs Certificate, Libby Moroff Leadership Program, International/ESL Program) and a rich Arts Program. Learning support is delivered through the Academic Support Center with Focused Instruction and Learning Skills tiers. Student life encompasses both boarding and day pathways, athletics, clubs, and residential programming. The school also publishes the Oak Leaves newsletter and Oakword literary magazine, and operates a sustainable agriculture program with a greenhouse and apiary. The Academic Support Center, Global Affairs Certificate, and Libby Moroff Leadership Program function as integrated components of the core curriculum rather than standalone offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Global Affairs Certificate Program: An intensive certificate program for upper school students involving coursework with an international focus, advanced language courses (including Mandarin), and individualized capstone research projects in the spring of senior year.
• The Libby Moroff Leadership Program
• Academic Support Center (ASC)
• International ESL Program
• Solar Array and Sustainable Agriculture Program

Products and services

• Middle School Program College-preparatory program for grades 6-8 emphasizing hands-on, experiential learning in small, student-centered classrooms, covering academics, arts, PE, and after-school activities. Designed for students entering grades 6-8 seeking a supportive, values-based preparatory environment.
• Upper School Program College-preparatory program for grades 9-12 requiring critical thinking, analysis, and engagement across a wide breadth of courses, with extensive elective offerings bridging traditional and contemporary global issues. Includes 5-day and 7-day boarding options.
• Arts Program Comprehensive arts program covering visual arts (sculpture, drawing, painting, ceramics, graphic design, animation), an award-winning photography program with darkroom, music (theory, composition, performance), and theater (acting, directing, tech, dance).
• International Program and ESL Two-tiered ESL program with Core classes (reading, writing, grammar, conversation) and advanced ESL classes for students of intermediate language proficiency, providing English language support alongside the full academic curriculum. Serves international students from 9+ countries.
• Global Affairs Certificate Program Intensive certificate program for upper school students involving coursework in ethics, international relations, cultural anthropology, world religions, economics, philosophy, and globalization, with Mandarin Chinese as a language option and individualized senior capstone research projects.
• The Libby Moroff Leadership Program Leadership development program guiding students through hands-on exploration of leadership, social justice, civic engagement, and service learning, including guest speakers, discussions, project development, and advocacy with elected officials in Albany.
• College Counseling Program College counseling program focused on finding the best-fit college for every student, from small liberal arts colleges to highly selective universities, supporting alumni through diverse majors and college preparation.
• Academic Support Center (Focused Instruction and Learning Skills) Two-tiered student support program offering Focused Instruction for time management and organizational guidance (max 5 students per section) and the more prescriptive Learning Skills program (1:2 ratio) for students with documented learning differences, ADHD, or neurological impairments.
• Athletics Program Year-round sports options including soccer, volleyball, cross country, basketball, baseball, softball, tennis, and ultimate frisbee for Upper School, plus Middle School PE and co-ed basketball team, with life sports options such as yoga, martial arts, and fitness.
• Student Life (Boarding and Day) Residential and day student programming including dormitories with gender-inclusive options, dining services, health and wellness, student activities, and clubs such as Model UN, GSA, Ethics Bowl, Climate Club, and Yearbook.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% of campus electricity offset by solar array (720,000 kWh annual production)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Mohonk PreserveminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 July 2015Oakwood 9th graders perform trail maintenance at Mohonk Preserve as part of their community service learning.
• New York Yearly Meeting (NYYM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOakwood Friends School is under the care of New York Yearly Meeting, which has nurtured and supported the school since its founding in 1796. NYYM, founded in 1694, is the gathering of Quaker meetings in New York State, northern New Jersey, and southwestern Connecticut. Members of NYYM serve as stewards of the school, serving as board members and Friends.
• Friends Council on Education (FCE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFriends Council on Education provides leadership in drawing Friends schools together in unity of spirit and cooperative endeavors. It nurtures the Quaker life of schools, strengthens the network of support across schools, promotes Friends education, and helps maintain Quaker identity and ethos.
• Youth Service Opportunities Program (YSOP)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEach year Oakwood's 10th grade students participate in YSOP at Friends Seminary in NYC. YSOP engages students in meaningful service experiences through an innovative program combining orientation to issues, hands-on volunteer work, and reflection.
• Hudson River Sloop ClearwaterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOakwood's senior service projects have included volunteering with Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, connecting students to environmental stewardship of the Hudson River.
• Habitat for HumanityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOakwood seniors have completed independent service projects volunteering with Habitat for Humanity as part of their graduation requirement.
• United Nations Association-USA (Mid Hudson Valley)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOakwood students participate in Human Rights internships with the United Nations Association-Mid Hudson Valley. The school also co-hosted celebrations of the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights with UNA-USA.
• Food Bank of the Hudson ValleyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOakwood 10th graders visit the Food Bank of the Hudson Valley as part of their service learning on hunger in the Hudson Valley.
• New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS)coreOthersOakwood Friends School is accredited by NYSAIS, which provides accreditation, professional development, and advocacy for independent schools in New York State.
• National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS)coreOthersOakwood is a member of NAIS, the national association serving independent schools through advocacy, professional development, and networking.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Moorestown Friends School: Moorestown Friends School is a Quaker co-ed day school (PK-12) in Moorestown, NJ. Comparable Quaker identity, college-prep focus, and membership in the Friends Council on Education.
• Westtown School: Westtown School is a Quaker co-ed boarding and day school in West Chester, PA, serving grades K-12. Highly comparable in mission, governance (Friends Council on Education), and boarding/day college-prep model.
• Friends Central School: Friends Central is a Quaker day school (K-12) in Wynnewood, PA, on the outskirts of Philadelphia. Comparable Quaker pedagogy and college-prep curriculum; day-only model with similar progressive educational ethos.
• Friends Seminary: Friends Seminary is a Quaker-affiliated co-educational day school in New York City serving grades K-12. Most directly comparable as a Friends school in NY with overlapping pedagogy (Quaker values, college-prep, NYC access), though day-only vs. Oakwood's boarding/day model.
• Sidwell Friends School: Sidwell Friends is a prestigious Quaker day school (PK-12) in Washington, D.C. Comparable as a Quaker institution with emphasis on values-based education, social justice, and rigorous college-prep; day-only vs. Oakwood's boarding model.
• Germantown Friends School: Germantown Friends School is a Quaker co-ed day school (K-12) in Philadelphia, PA. Matches on Quaker values-based education, college-prep rigor, and Friends Council on Education affiliation.
• Indian Mountain School: Indian Mountain School is a co-ed boarding and day school in Lakeville, CT, serving grades 5-9. Similar in size (~150 students), boarding/day model, small-school character, and emphasis on individualized college-prep preparation.
• George School: George School is a Quaker co-educational boarding and day school in Newtown, PA, serving grades 9-12. Highly comparable as a Quaker boarding/day college-prep institution with similar philosophy, mission, and Friends Education Council membership.
• The Harvey School: The Harvey School is a co-ed boarding and day college-prep school in Katonah, NY, serving grades 6-12. Highly comparable on geography, scale, grade range, and boarding/day model — a direct regional competitor in the lower-Hudson Valley boarding market.

Regional players

• Friends Academy: Friends Academy is a Quaker day school on Long Island, NY, serving grades PK-12. Shares Quaker heritage and a New York State presence but is a day school at the primary/secondary level; secondary market position rather than direct boarding competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/oakwood-friends-school
• Facebookfacebook.com/oakwoodfriends

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Oakwood Friends School