Immersion
Immersion programs have been growing around the United States over the last three decades. Immersions began with language and moved to all other facets of education, from discovering what it is like to cook in a restaurant to sailing ships in the Caribbean. These programs go deeper than what can be provided through textbooks. Programs like this offer a broader perspective of the subject matter by giving students hands-on experience. The immersions are based on lessons given in the classroom and the interests of the students.
Our Immersion Program is based on the knowledge that learning is more than just what occurs in the classroom through books and lessons. Education is something that happens everywhere, and The Miami Valley School ensures that our students learn that lesson. Our staff and faculty collaborate with the students to help them pursue the information they are curious about. There is always the risk of failure when exploring a new subject. Not all ventures are successful, and that is a lesson for the students as well. This is part of the immersion process – learning to deal with the successes and failures as we go through life and moving on with the lessons they give us.
The Independent Curriculum Group endorses MVS’ work
as a leader in education.
“The national buzz is out there that The Miami Valley School is up to good things: taking a new approach to education based on what we now know about how kids’ brains actually learn. At MVS teachers are designing a curriculum that is not only focused on understanding but also on making things stick. Through the Immersion Method, they are connecting classroom experiences to real-world challenges and opportunities that matter to kids. The learning is serious.”
Peter Gow, Independent Curriculum Group
View the MVS webinar on the Immersion Method
Early Childhood School
Ages 3-5
At the Soin Early Childhood School, children learn by doing. Our teachers believe that a messy room is a sign of a great day in class. We start to develop their love of learning early, encouraging them to understand their world!
Lower School
Kindergarten – 5th Grade
Students begin to open their minds, learning about the world around them. We immerse them is local and global cultures, making them aware of their communities. This is where their exploration of the world begins.
Middle School
6th – 8th Grade
As students explore their world, they are going to encounter challenges. Middle school is typically a difficult time, but our dedicated staff encourages them to take intellectual risks and explore their own paths.
Upper School
9th-12th Grade
This is where our students begin to shine on their own, staking out their own educational path before graduation. This is where they begin their full Immersion, taking four weeks to travel to wherever their path leads them.
Learn More About
The Path To Immersion
Their journey begins at preschool, building over the years until they have immersed themselves in their own path. That path begins with a tour of the school, to better educate you in our process.
College
Counseling
Preparing for college
and beyond
At The Miami Valley School we believe that every one of our graduates will be prepared for the rigors of a competitive 4-year college upon graduation. But, we don’t believe that one-size-fits-all. Our unique blend of experiential education combined with challenging core academics makes our students ready for the challenges of college and beyond. However, we also believe that personalized attention to the process rather than just the product of finding the most selective college is integral to students success.
“MVS gave me the meaning of true friends and a supportive community to pursue my passion for music. Nurturing my passion at MVS helped me choose my college and shape my future.”
Adele Taylor, Class of 2017
MVS Library
LIBRARY MISSION – To guide inquiry and support free, open access to information and ideas that enrich an MVS education.
This happens through:
- SPACE : providing a welcoming library environment that supports the immersion method, through spaces where students feel safe to explore, connect, share, and reflect.
- RESOURCES : meeting the community’s ever-changing information needs through developing the library collection
- TEACHING : working with classroom teachers to provide effective research instruction
- COMMUNICATING : promoting library resources and services across the community
- INSPIRING : encouraging self-driven exploration of ideas and reading for pleasure
Library Numbers
320 boxes of books packed and moved in 2015
13,819 items in the library catalog
6,376 average number of library checkouts per year
21 formal research instruction sessions this year
8 different types of seating found throughout the library
7:45-4:30pm
Red days
1st (Krochmal)
1st (Ertsgaard)
K (Sever)
Green days
2nd (Evers)
Blue days
K (George)
Violet days
2nd (Dube)
ZLab
Green thumbs make for great minds
The Zorniger Environmental Lab is the heart of our campus, a learning space which celebrates the vital relationship between humans and the environment. Students in every division explore through this space, cultivating their minds and sharing the fruits of their harvest across the Miami Valley community.
“I want students to think about how to be good stewards to the earth. It’s more immersive to have the students learning directly from plants than reading about them in a book. It’s also a great opportunity for students to develop a greater level of responsibility beyond themselves.”
Patti DeLotell
Director of the Zorniger Environmental Lab
Patti holds an accreditation through the Environmental Education Council of Ohio.
In the spirit of our core value of kindness, the Z lab works with Five Rivers Metro Parks Community Garden programs to partner with the following organizations to help jump-start and/or sustain vital garden projects in designated food desert areas:
- Daybreak Youth Shelter Rooftop Gardens
- Montgomery County Juvenile Court Garden Project
- Muslim Sisters of Dayton Garden Project
- Kettering Fairmont High School Garden Project
- Scioto County Soil & Water Conservation District Community Garden
- Shawnee State Park ~ Pioneer Cabin Garden Project
- Vandalia Historical Society Food Pantry Garden Project
- One Bistro Restaurant
- South Community Behavioral Health Garden Project
- Dayton Foodbank Gardens Project
- West Minster Church/Eastmont Elem School (DPS) Garden Project
- Cleveland Elementary School (DPS) Garden Project
- Ruskin Elementary School (DPS) Garden Project
- Horace Mann School (DPS) Garden Project
- Stephenson Elementary (Mad River) Garden Project
- Southdale Elementary (Kettering) Garden Project
- West Carrollton Schools Garden Project
- Northridge Schools Garden Project
- Portage County Children’s Services Garden Project
- House of the People Refugee Garden Project
Student-grown heirloom vegetable plants started from tiny seeds during the winter months in the greenhouse ultimately feed countless individuals throughout the Greater Dayton area and beyond.
The Zorniger Environmental Laboratory serves as a setting for multidisciplinary, experiential, learning opportunities where our community can explore, dream, share, reflect, connect, and grow ideas for a more sustainable future.
Admissions
We are thrilled with your interest in The Miami Valley School and look forward to discussing how we foster a lifetime love of learning that ignites students’ curiosity and empowers them to make an impact. Our Admissions Office is dedicated to guiding you through the process, making it an individualized and personal experience.
The Miami Valley School invites students from all over the world to attend. Applicants are evaluated thoroughly to ensure that they have the greatest potential for success in the English speaking environment of a rigorous American academic institution.
The single most important factor when considering student candidates for admission to The Miami Valley School is “are they mission-appropriate?” Is the student a young person of promise? Does she possess the potential to develop into a self-sustaining learner? Is he ready to grow and develop in a community of compassionate global citizens?
Public school bus service to and from MVS is available to eligible students in the following school districts:
- Beavercreek
- Centerville
- Miamisburg
MVS notifies a public school district of a student’s enrollment for each school year. Parents are then contacted by the school district transportation office to arrange their child’s transportation. All routes and availability of transportation are subject to change or elimination by the public school district at any time. MVS is not responsible for changes or eliminations.
The value of an MVS education is priceless. The returns are lifelong. Our challenging academics and Immersion Method philosophy are unparalleled to any other educational opportunity in the Dayton area. At MVS, we stand for personal excellence, experiential learning, intellectual curiosity, leadership development, individuality, and community.
Virtual Information Session
On Tuesday, March 9, at 6:30 p.m., please join us for our next Virtual Information Session on Zoom! Participants will meet our awesome admissions team, learn about our enrollment and financial aid processes, and meet our division directors in special breakout rooms for Pre-K, Lower School, Middle School, and Upper School. Please register in advance using this link.