Glacier Lake School

Programs: Every day at glacier lake school (gls), students self-direct their learning, showing the trust that the school community puts into each student to take control of their own lives and learning. Also, the school is run by the entire community, with everyone from the 4-year-old student, to the teenage chairperson, to each staff member - each having one vote when the school makes decisions at our weekly school meeting. The school meeting is where we decide everything from rules, to how to enforce them, to how to distribute funds. Everyone has a direct voice in the involvement of the school. Because students follow their interests, its impossible to predict what a day will look like. At gls, ask a student what their passions are and theyll be able to talk to you about them and how they intend to pursue those interests. Students immerse themselves in activities which engage them from inventing in the workshop, doing science experiments in the lab area, playing soccer, impromptu computer or board games, reading, playing the piano, working on math the list of opportunities are only limited by the imagination and passion of the student. During the school year 2016-17, our total student enrollment rose from seventeen to thirty-one students. 46% of our students this year received some kind of financial aid based on income. Since 2014, we have proudly given over $86,000 in financial aid. Gls receives no state or federal tax dollars, nor are we affiliated with any larger funding organization. We offered $18,000 in financial aid to 13 qualifying students in 2016/ 2017. We received $10,000 in ace scholarships in 2016/2017 a regional program that supports low-income children in private schools. We are diverse with 29% of our students identifying as native american. 70% of our families are low income (at or below 200% fpl)2016-2017 full fees were $5,100, approximately half the lowest tuition charged by most other private schools. Some of our campus enhancements were internal parents helped to build a wall in the building to create a quiet area, which is now called our library. Outside, other parents helped to install a climbing wall to compliment our existing play structure, and a playing field. Off-campus activities were a trip to the symphony, the ninepipes museum about the history of the mission valley, swimming, the international wildlife film festival, the first permanent fort in our valley fort connah, a planetarium, and the missoula art museum. We also put on an end-of-year performance where students of all ages performed music, dance, and acting. On campus, we continued with activities like our own tv show, photography, sign language, music, geography hosting guest speakers from around the world, french, games taught by undergraduate students from salish kootenai college, debate, and many other courses. We have also collaborated with the confederated salish kootenai tribe in adopting an area of land that was recently bought back by the tribe, and supported in their efforts to bring back natural habitats.