Q: Will Wildwood move into high school grades?
A: The hope is to move into high school grades in the future. We're considering starting slow and going to 9th grade and progressing to additional grades.
Q: How much is tuition?
A: Tuition is $10,500.00 for the 2019/20 school year. More can be found on our tuition page.
Q: Will Wildwood have mixed ages in each class (6th, 7th, and 8th)? Why?
A: Middle-level learners are inherently social creatures. They benefit from working with others and learn best when working in mixed ability groupings. When older students are given the opportunity to assist younger students in their learning, they engage in their work at a higher level. Similarly, when younger students are put in a classroom with older students, they will strive to achieve at a higher level. Additionally, grade level is a man-made construct and therefore does not adequately or equitably address the individual needs of students. Columnal learning environments such as ours have been modeled in many successful educational constructs, from Montessori to Waldorf.
Q: If there are mixed ages, how will you deal with slower kids as opposed to more advanced kids (6th graders studying fractions and 8th graders studying Algebra)?
A: Differentiation occurs at all levels in all classrooms. When there are multiple age groups working on a single subject, there are multiple levels of learning. This is what happens in a traditional classroom on a daily basis but, at Wildwood, those students are not only expected but fully supported by educators who are extensively trained in differentiation.
Q: Will Wildwood have grades?
A: Wildwood students are assessed on a progress-based continuum. Students are encouraged to continue to grow as they gather skills. All work is scored using rubrics that are available to both students and parents. Rubrics use a numerical system of 1 - 6 and are modeled on Oregon State, Advanced Placement, and IB scoring guides.
Q: How much art/music/pottery will students have in a given day/week?
A: At Wildwood, we believe that students should use their creativity on a daily basis. This means that art/music/or pottery are integrated into our regular studies and will happen almost every day.
Q: How much math and science will students have in a given day/week?
A: In order to be fluent in a subject, a student needs to practice daily. That means math needs to be practiced every day. Science is also a subject that requires time and attention to practice the art of inquiry. Asking “why” is paramount to everything we study.
Q: How much English composition and literature will students have in a given day/week?
A: Reading and writing are the fundamental forms of communication that will allow students to express themselves as they move through life. This means they need to be well accomplished in both reading and writing. Students will practice both reading and writing on a daily basis.
Q: Will Wildwood engage in project-based education? What does that mean?
A: The curriculum at Wildwood is project-based learning. This means that students have the ability to conduct in-depth research/learning on a subject and incorporate the arts and sciences in everything they study. From building a scale replica of a pyramid while studying ancient civilizations to designing floor plans while studying geometry, projects are at the root of everything we study.
Q: Will Wildwood be on the quarter or semester system?
A: We are on the trimester system.
Q: How much exercise or outdoor time will students have in a given day/week?
A: Students are expected to play outside. Every. Day. This means that students need to be prepared for all types of weather.
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Q: If my student decides to leave Wildwood, how will their grades or transcript translate to our public schools?
A: The transfer of a numerical system rubric into an alpha-numeric grade occurs on a regular basis in education. All scores can be transferred into grades if a school desires this from a student’s record.
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Q: What will the schedule of a typical day look like?
A: Doors open: 8:15
Mindful Movement: 8:20 - 8:45
Math: 8:45 - 9:45
Spanish: 9:45 - 10:45
Nutrition Break: 10:45 - 11:05
CORE: 11:05 - 12:30
Lunch/Break: 12:30 - 1:15
Silent Reading: 1:15 - 1:45
T/Th - Enrichment Electives: 1:45 - 3:25
W/F - CORE: 1:45 - 2:55
W/F - Read Aloud: 2:55 - 3:25
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Q: What are the start and end times?
A: Doors open: 8:15
Classes will begin at 8:20 and students will be dismissed at 3:25
Q: Will Wildwood give discounts for siblings?
A: Yes. siblings will be given a 10% discount (as long as they are attending concurrently).
Q: My child is very hyperactive and has trouble focusing in normal classes. How will Wildwood classes be structured so he’s more stimulated?
A: A project-based curriculum is ideal for a student who has trouble sitting still for eight hours a day. The average attention span of an adult runs at about 11 minutes before redirection needs to occur. As tweens and teens with developing prefrontal cortices, it is ideal to stick to below that number when giving instruction, and then allowing students time to discover what it is they need to learn in that day.
Q: How big will the typical class size be?
A: An ideal class can run from 20 students to 24 students. There is a long running argument among teachers that the ideal classroom number is 24 because it’s divisible by 2, 3, and 4 for small groups and think-pair-sharing.
Q: What is Wildwood's philosophy regarding discipline?
A: Wildwood believes in Restorative Justice. Restorative Justice means that for an inappropriate behavior, the students involved need to reflect on why they chose to act in a way that was harmful to the community or one of its' members. This reflection includes a student’s response to their own behavior as well as the impact of their behavior on their community. They will then be expected to make amends for their actions with any individuals whom they may have harmed and the community at large.
Q: I want my child to have a leg up in getting into a good college. How will Wildwood help?
A: Because Wildwood is focused on the whole child, a Wildwood graduate will have ownership of their capability to learn. This desire to want to know more will translate into a more fulfilling education for students. A Wildwood student will yearn for accountability in their education as they move into higher levels of learning.
Q: Will Wildwood ‘personalize’ an education to match my child’s personality and interests?
A: Wildwood students have access to individualized learning on a daily basis. Because we start with relationships first, we get to know students at a deeper level and can thereby more effectively respond to their needs. Our use of a project-based curriculum ensures that a student's learning goals and outcomes are extremely personal and highly individualized.
Q: My child has been bullied repeatedly in public school. How will Wildwood provide a safer environment?
A: Wildwood strives to create a community in which all students are appreciated, valued, and celebrated for their individuality. Our discipline model, Restorative Justice, provides students with a voice and a safe place to be heard while simultaneously fostering strong connections between students. Also, because of smaller class sizes (and a much smaller school), it's very easy to be aware of dysfunction and/or potential issues within the community. Bullying is not tolerated at any level.
Q: I’m worried about pulling my student out of the public school because he has a lot of friends and seems happy. How will Wildwood be socially?
A: At Wildwood we have built our daily schedule to align with that of Hood River County School District in an effort to facilitate before and after school connections and activities (all Wildwood students can participate in public school extracurricular sports and programs.) We have also worked with many local organizations for athletics and other extracurricular pursuits so that students will have the opportunity to build new relationships at Wildwood while still maintaining the old.
Q: Why does Wildwood have uniforms?
A: Wildwood has chosen uniforms over a dress code for a multitude of reasons. The first reason is that a uniform immediately places all students on an even playing field. The next reason is that dress codes still create social anxiety. We want all students to feel valued and appreciated without the distractions of having to choose what is acceptable or not acceptable to wear to school. And lastly, we believe in learning to dress for success and taking pride not only in ourselves but also our school community.
Q: My student isn’t that outdoorsy or adventurous and I’m worried they might feel left behind by more athletic students. How will you deal with this?
A: Being “outdoorsy” or “adventurous” are not innate qualities or skills - they come from exposure and appreciation for what such opportunities have to offer - mentally, emotionally, and physically. We want all students to learn to appreciate our incredible natural resources here in the Columbia River Gorge. We begin with exposure and move on to adventure. An athletic student may take on a new roll and be asked to offer guidance, support, and/or instruction to another, less skilled student; The goal is to build empathy in the one and confidence in the other. We also bring our community ideals and ethics into outdoor pursuits, continuing to support, appreciate, and respect each individual wherever they may be in the process of building new skills.
Q: Will events still be held at the Ruins?
A: Absolutely! We will still be holding all kinds of events including music every Tuesday during the summers, farmer's markets, holiday markets, weddings, concerts, movies, and much, much more. The proceeds from events will help to subsidize Wildwood tuition.