the students' guide

This leaflet, entitled The Students' Guide to OASIS, has been written for you in order to iron out any questions you might have about the program. If, after you read this, you still have queries, then please feel free to contact a staff member, and they will respond as soon as they can with an answer.

As you know, the OASIS program has been created in an attempt to reform, better and combine the schooling systems of the United Kingdom and America. The result is the premises upon which you are standing in - the OASIS campus. Students just like you, from all around the world, aged from thirteen to twenty-one, make up the student body for our trial 2012/2013 year.

SCHOOL HOUSES

Whether you're a day, week or semester boarder, you will be assigned a house upon admission to the program. However, your house allegiance is not chosen at random - the ten houses are governed by their faculties - the subjects that the students within them wish to achieve outstanding results in. Effectively, you are placed in an environment that allows your distinguished talent in a chosen subject to flourish, as each house has its own sleeping quarters, and each faculty its own lounge area. Teachers dedicated to your prioritized field of study will help you reach your full potential academically, and peers with similar interests and goals to you will spur you on with both camaraderie and rivalry. These houses, all named after notable people of Maine, are as follows:

FLAVIN

Flavin is the boys' house of visual and performing arts (VAPA). The house was named after James William Flavin Junior, who was a character actor with a career that spanned nearly half a century. The Flavin emblem is an eagle, and their motto is vita est vivendi.

– HEAD BOY: currently unassigned

NORDICA

Nordica is the girls' house of visual and performing arts (VAPA). The house was named after Lillian Nordica, who was a major opera singer in both Europe and America. The Nordica emblem is a phoenix, and their motto is cantare in astra.

– HEAD GIRL: currently unassigned

MORSE

Morse is the boys' house of science and mathematics (SAM). The house was named after Harold Calvin Marston Morse, who was a recognised mathematician and developed the Morse theory. The Morse emblem is a panther, and their motto is in attingibile honorem.

– HEAD BOY: currently unassigned

DIX

Dix is the girls' house of science and mathematics (SAM). The house was named after Dorothea Lynde Dix, who created America's first mental asylums and served as a nurse during the Civil War. The Dix emblem is a lioness, and their motto is fundamenta futuro.

– HEAD GIRL: currently unassigned

LOVEJOY

Lovejoy is the boys' house of literature and language (LAL). The house was named after Elijah Parish Lovejoy, who was a journalist/editor and abolitionist, brutally murdered by a pro-slavery mob. The Lovejoy emblem is a fox, and their motto is verba per momenti.

– HEAD BOY: currently unassigned

MILLAY

Millay is the girls' house of literature and language (LAL). The house was named after Edna St. Vincent Millay, who was a lyrical poet, playwright and feminist. The Millay emblem is a hare, and their motto is nostra lingua praevalet.

– HEAD GIRL: currently unassigned

SOCKALEXIS

Sockalexis is the boys' house of sports and vocational education (SAVE). The house was named after Louis Francis "Chief" Sockalexis, who played professional baseball in the national league 3 seasons running. The Sockalexis emblem is a stag, and their motto is e regione animos, venit fortitúdinem.

– HEAD BOY: currently unassigned

CROSBY

Crosby is the girls' house of sports and vocational education (SAVE). The house was named after Cornilia "Fly Rod" Thurza Crosby, who was Maine's first (America's first female) registered guide. The Crosby emblem is a steed, and their motto is fortitudo et ruditatis.

– HEAD GIRL: currently unassigned

QUIMBY

Quimby is the boys' house of technology and culture (TAC). The house was named after Phineas Parkhurst Quimby, who was a philosopher, magnetizer, mesmerist, healer and inventor. The Quimby emblem is a dragon, and their motto is maximi sunt futurorum.

– HEAD BOY: currently unassigned

SMITH

Smith is the girls' house of technology and culture (TAC). The house was named after Samantha Reed Smith, who was a peace activist schoolgirl, known as America's Youngest Ambassador. The Smith emblem is a griffin, and their motto is determinatio in agro.

– HEAD GIRL: currently unassigned

During the school semesters, you will compete on a monthly basis in your house for both the House and Faculty Awards. While the House Award involves students representing their own house against the other nine houses, the Faculty Award unites the two houses under the same faculty to compete against the other four faculties. You can earn house points by contributing significantly in lessons; attending school clubs; and looking out for your peers - just to name a few. These two competitions are monthly, but scores rollover from one month to the next - eventually determining which house and faculty performed the best overall that school year. So make sure you put your all in, and do your house and faculty justice!

OOC note: House points are the number of posts made on an account, and on this site, post count is only enabled on the role-playing boards. Therefore, you just need to role-play in order to get house points for your character(s)!

HEADS OF HOUSES

For each of our houses, we have heads of houses - head boy or girl, depending on whether the house caters for boys or girls. As well as this, we also have a housemaster/housemistress, teachers and mentors each dedicated to separate houses.

Head boys and girls are employed simply as role models for other students, and as prime representatives of both the school and their faculty. These students are nominated for the position by both teachers and students of the school, and (like all other students in the school) are required to achieve steady grades and maintain good behaviour at all times - as well as showing a flair for education and enjoyment in unison. If you are interested in running for your house's head boy/girl position, then please contact a staff member.

CLASSES AND CLUBS

If you would like to view a full list of the classes and clubs available at OASIS, then please see attached.

A common misconception made about our school housing system is students are confined to only take the classes/join the clubs associated the faculty that their house aligns with. This is, of course, not true! We strongly promote house and faculty pride in our students, and require your primary subject of study to be from the faculty that your house covers. However, we also encourage that you broaden your horizons, and take on any classes/clubs that interest you - regardless of the houses, faculties and/or stigmas attached to them.