THE SKOLA

WE ARE CHANGING THE CULTURE OF LEARNING BY PAIRING WHAT TO KNOW WITH HOW WE GROW OVER THE LAST YEAR THE SKOLA HAS CONTINUED TO GROW THROUGH MEANINGFUL COMMUNITY CONNECTION AND FUNDRAISING MOMENTUM. THANKS TO THE GENEROUS DONATION OF OUR NEW CAMPUS IN JUNE, OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY CAME TOGETHER AT THE END OF 2024, RAISING OVER 200,000 TO SUPPORT ESSENTIAL IMPROVEMENTS AND BRING OUR PROGRAMMING TOGETHER ON ONE SITE. WE ENGAGED IN STRATEGIC CONVERSATIONS WITH THE WHITEFISH COMMUNITY FOUNDATION TO PREPARE FOR APPLYING FOR GRANTED FUNDS AND PARTICIPATING IN THEIR ANNUAL COMMUNITY CHALLENGE EVENT. IN ADDITION, THE SKOLA HAS SECURED GRANT FUNDING FROM NUMEROUS FOUNDATIONS OVER THE PAST YEAR AS WE EXPAND OUR PROGRAMS, AND WE CONTINUE TO BUILD STRONG RELATIONSHIPS WITH FUNDERS WHO BELIEVE IN OUR MISSION AND VISION. IN JANUARY 2024 THE SKOLA SECURED APPROXIMATELY 140,000 IN STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP ORGANIZATION (SSO) FUNDS TO FURTHER STRENGTHEN OUR PROGRAMS. THESE MILESTONES REFLECT MORE THAN JUST FINANCIAL PROGRESSTHEY REPRESENT THE DEEPENING SUPPORT OF FAMILIES, FRIENDS, AND PARTNERS WHO ARE HELPING US BUILD SOMETHING LASTING. THE SKOLA WAS FOUNDED IN 2021 TO MEET THE COMMUNITY'S GROWING NEED FOR AN ALTERNATIVE EDUCATIONAL MODEL THAT EMPHASIZED PROJECT-BASED LEARNING, OUTDOOR EXPLORATION, AND A STRONG CONNECTION TO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY. THE SCHOOL EXPANDED FROM ITS SCANDINAVIAN-INSPIRED FOREST PRESCHOOL, FOXTAIL FRSKOLA, WHICH BEGAN IN 2018, BUILDING ON A FOUNDATION OF FOSTERING PLAY, CURIOSITY, AND A LOVE FOR NATURE. THE SKOLA'S MISSION IS TO CULTIVATE A DYNAMIC LEARNING ENVIRONMENT WHERE CHILDREN ARE EMPOWERED TO EXPLORE THEIR WORLD, THINK CRITICALLY, AND DEVELOP A LIFELONG PASSION FOR LEARNING. WE USE RESEARCH-BASED CURRICULUM AND TEACHERS WORK COLLABORATIVELY TO CREATE PROJECTS THAT EMBED THE LEARNING INTO AN EXPERIENTIAL MODEL. PLACE-BASED LEARNING IS AT THE CORE OF OUR PHILOSOPHY, IMMERSING STUDENTS IN THEIR LOCAL ENVIRONMENT AND CULTIVATING A PROFOUND UNDERSTANDING OF SELF AND THE INTERCONNECTEDNESS OF ALL THINGS. FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE DONE ACADEMIC PROJECTS CONNECTED TO COMMUNITY NONPROFITS SUCH AS THE HUMANE SOCIETY, THE FOOD BANK, AND THE SAMARITAN HOUSE. THROUGH INQUIRY-BASED LEARNING, STUDENTS ASK QUESTIONS AND SEEK ANSWERS AMID THE SURROUNDING NATURAL WORLD AND LOCAL COMMUNITY. WE USE A "DRIVING QUESTION" FOR EACH PROJECT, FOLLOWED BY "NEED TO KNOW QUESTIONS" IN ORDER TO ANSWER OUR LARGER DRIVING QUESTION. FOR EXAMPLE, HOW CAN FIRE HARM AND HELP OUR COMMUNITY? BY INTEGRATING HANDS-ON PROJECTS, OUTDOOR EXPERIENCES, AND A COMMUNITY-FOCUSED CURRICULUM, THE SKOLA PREPARES STUDENTS TO BECOME RESILIENT, INNOVATIVE, AND COMPASSIONATE CONTRIBUTORS TO SOCIETY. THE SKOLA IS IN ITS FOURTH SCHOOL YEAR AND HAS EVOLVED AND GROWN. IN THE FIRST YEAR, THE SCHOOL (THEN CALLED LARK SKOLA) EDUCATED CHILDREN FROM 1ST AND 2ND GRADE AS A NONPROFIT ENTITY. IN ITS SECOND YEAR, IT PURCHASED A NEIGHBORING NATURE-BASED FOR-PROFIT PRESCHOOL, BRINGING THESE AGES TOGETHER UNDER THE CURRENT NAME, THE SKOLA, ON THREE SEPARATE CAMPUS LOCATIONS. IN THE THIRD YEAR, WE RECEIVED A DONATION OF A 10-ACRE CAMPUS AND HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BRING ALL STUDENTS ON ONE CAMPUS. THIS YEAR WE HAVE 95 STUDENTS FROM PRESCHOOL TO 4TH GRADE. WE HAVE A STRONG SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE THAT IS FUNDED THROUGH PRIVATE DONATIONS AND GRANTS. CURRENTLY OVER 23% OF OUR STUDENTS HAVE SCHOLARSHIPS, MAKING SURE ALL STUDENTS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THIS EDUCATION. STAFF TRAININGS HAPPEN FREQUENTLY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR TO STAY UP-TO-DATE ON THE LATEST RESEARCH AND TO DEEPEN UNDERSTANDING OF OUR TEACHING MODELS. AND WE ARE WORKING TO INCREASE OUR PAY FOR STAFF AND/OR OFFER MORE BENEFITS, KNOWING THE HOUSING AND COST DEMANDS IN OUR COMMUNITY ARE HIGH. PARENT VOLUNTEERS ARE PRESENT WEEKLY TO ASSIST IN MAINTAINING THE CAMPS, BRING THEIR OWN EXPERTISE INTO THE CLASSROOM, AND ASSIST THE TEACHERS AS NEEDED. WE HAVE MANY GOALS FOR OUR FUTURE, INCLUDING ADDING 5TH AND 6TH GRADE, ACCREDITATION, AND CONTINUAL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. ALSO, AS A YOUNG SCHOOL, WE CONTINUE TO BUILD OUR STAFF MANAGEMENT AND FINANCIAL FOUNDATION. THE SKOLA CONTINUES TO DEVELOP OUR FUNDRAISING BY OFFERING MULTIPLE EVENTS EVERY YEAR THAT ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY AND STAKEHOLDERS IN DIFFERENT WAYS, EG A WINE AND PAINTING EVENT TO RAISE FUNDS SUPPORTING OUR ART PROGRAM, AND AN ONLINE "FUND-A-CAUSE" EVENT IN WHICH DONORS MAY CHOOSE EXACTLY WHERE THEIR GIFTS GO. WE ALSO HAD A FUNDRAISER IN LATE 2024 TO RAISE MONEY TO HELP WITH CAMPUS INFRASTRUCTURE COSTS. THERE WAS A MATCH OFFERED BY TWO FAMILIES, AND WE MET THAT MATCH.