 In the autumn of 1976, the founding families and educators of Oakcrest started a new all-girls, independent school in a large house on Idaho Avenue in Northwest Washington, D.C. intended to educate young women in mind, body, and soul and prepare them to be a force for good in society.The original school had 22 students and six teachers.Guided by the teachings of the Catholic Church and the spirituality of Opus Dei, the school focused on building a challenging liberal arts curriculum, one-on-one mentoring, a flourishing parent-school partnership, and a leadership development program grounded in service to others.