Traditions
Our school has rich history from which to draw, and our traditions, born of both our commitment to the arts and to enrichment through special subjects, make Monica Ros unique in the Ojai Valley. These signature traditions spur excited anticipation in current students and fond memories in graduates.
Fiesta
What began in the 1950’s with our community’s excitement to celebrate Mexican Independence Day has grown in size and form. Today Monica Ros School’s Fiesta celebration extends well beyond the culture and heritage of our neighboring Mexico to the more than 20 hispanic heritage countries and regions around the world. Both a fundraiser and FUN-raiser, Fiesta is organized by Monica Ros School parents, caregivers and teachers and open to the entire Ojai community. Set in early Fall, Fiesta combines all the elements of a county fair for children, right on campus. Kids and their families enjoy exciting, age-appropriate carnival games, a market of goodies, and a delicious dinner. From bouncy houses to dunk tanks to pony rides, Fiesta is a time-honored event that children and their adults remember for a lifetime.
Theme Week
Each year at Monica Ros the staff chooses a theme that frames the school year. On a magical day in mid-October, families and students arrive to campus to find it transformed. The gate itself becomes a pathway into a new reality, and the upper playground features a hive of activities related to that theme. Over the course of the week, school-wide activities unfold related to that theme. Recent themes have included construction, the old West, the ocean and communities.
Arts Month
Monica Ros students spend January immersed in Arts Month. Students are placed in multi-aged groups and then rotate through a series of art projects related to that school year’s theme. To accomplish this, all hands are on deck, as every teacher from preschool to grade school oversees a project.
Kindergarten Chicken Program
A visit to our kindergarten will reveal not only a vibrant classroom but also a chicken coop. At the right time of year, one would also find chickens pecking away. Each year our kindergarteners monitor an egg, watch it hatch, name their chick and watch it grow as it moves from the warming area in the classroom to the chicken coop outside. Additionally, each kindergartener will take home Pet Hen. The tradition of Pet Hen stretches back decades, and her journeys have been documented in an accompanying book. Any Monica Ros graduate will recall their time with Pet Hen.
Annual Auction
Every year Monica Ros supporters come together for a blow-out, wildly fun-themed, adults-only event raising funds for the school we love. Incredible live and silent auction items, food, drink and fun make for a very memorable evening — and to all to support our Monica Ros mission.
Mad Hatter’s Tea
Born out of our commitment to and celebration of reading, the annual Monica Ros Mad Hatter’s Tea Party is a decades-long, beloved tradition. Parents and caregivers volunteer to host a literary-themed party for their students’ classrooms bringing characters and wonder to life on our lower playground — complete with wildly fun hats of all kinds!
Field Day & Fun Day
Every spring Monica Ros students enjoy an incredible day of physical fun. Guided by our staff and our students’ parents & caregivers, our Grade School and Kindergarten students navigate through a variety of games and challenges leaving everyone (including the adults) breathless and exhilarated. Preschool students enjoy their own special Fun Day engaged in a series of thoughtfully designed fun-filled activities on campus.
