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Founded in 1982, Clark Fork School offers children a unique educational experience, combining a strong academic program and diverse experiential learning.
Clark Fork School is an independent parent cooperative, dedicated to nurturing the whole child and to furthering the vital role parents play in the education of their children.
Clark Fork School accommodates the interests, needs, and learning style of each child.
We maintain a low student-teacher ratio, which allows our teachers to know their students well and provide individualized instruction.
Clark Fork School focuses on experiential, or hands-on, learning, much of which takes place outdoors.
Our teachers use place-based curriculum to help our children discover their unique and important roles in the communities to which they belong: their school, their town, the natural environment, the nation, and the world.
Club or Organization: After Care, Before Care, Ski Program, Swim Program
School Notes
Since its inception, Clark Fork School's mission has remained
the same: to create a cooperative educational community in which a
sense of belonging fosters the unfolding of children's individual
abilities, interests, and gifts.
We help children to participate successfully, contribute
effectively, and to take delight in their community and their
world.
Our classes encourage each student to develop a strong sense of
self within a multicultural world, and we emphasize our connections
with the natural world through many outings and in-class
projects.
Our low student-teacher ratio and team-teaching approach allows
our teachers to know their students well and help each child
establish his or her own pace of learning.
Parents at Clark Fork School are involved in the important
decisions concerning their children's education and are essential
participants both in and out of the classroom.
Children enrolled in our Preschool program enjoy diverse
opportunities to explore independence and working with others,
building friendships and community, making choices, trying new
activities, and practicing skills that prepare them for future
learning.
Among our typical activities are: painting and drawing;
building with blocks; writing, dictating, and acting out
student-created stories; investigating natural materials; using
clay and dough; role-playing and dress-up; singing; looking at
books and listening to stories; running, jumping, and climbing; and
counting, measuring, and comparing. Students may attend two, three,
or five days a week, partial or full days.
Students in the Kindergarten and Primary programs enjoy an
integrated curriculum, combining traditional teaching with
thematic, real-life applications of science, language arts, social
studies, mathematics, and physical activity. Outside free-play,
movement, cooperative games, and hands-on learning are part of
every day. We participate in ski and swim programs. Fine arts, such
as music, drama, painting, sculpture, or visual arts are part of
our curriculum. Our school is equipped with computers and a
1500-volume library. Our students participate in frequent field
trips and receive classroom visits by members of Missoulas
community for an enriched learning experience.
We encourage our students to think of themselves as part of a
larger school community. We provide many opportunities for children
of all ages to interact with one another. These include everyday
activities, such as joint playground time and special school-wide
events in which older and younger children work on projects
collaboratively.
Our after-school programs are for students 2 years old through
5th grade. We offer pick-up at Rattlesnake School. All activities
focus on having fun in the out-of-doors and deepening students'
sense of place in the Missoula Valley.
Our summer program offers an opportunity to acclimate younger
children to our Preschool program during two four-week sessions.
Older children participate in theme-based adventure camps, each
lasting one week.
We seek families of all backgrounds who wish to participate in
our school. We maintain waiting lists when our classes become full.
We can offer limited scholarships to income-qualified applicants,
and we are a certified childcare provider for those receiving
state-pay assistance. All children must be fully immunized and
toilet trained to attend Clark Fork School.
Please contact us if you have any questions about the school.
Our phone number is (406) 728-3395 and you can find us on the
Internet at http://www.clarkforkschool.org.
The acceptance rate of Clark Fork School is 50%, which is lower than the national average of 86%. Clark Fork School's acceptance rate is ranked among the top private schools in Montana with low acceptance rates.
Does Clark Fork School offer a summer program?
Yes, Clark Fork School offers a summer program. Visit their summer school page for more information.
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