Frequently Asked Questions

Why is state approval important?
Legally, all school-aged children must be enrolled in a state-approved program. Stillpoint School is currently the only private elementary school on San Juan Island. To be state-approved, private schools must pass health and fire safety inspections, follow all applicable laws and RCW codes of the State of Washington, offer a program that is developmentally and age appropriate, and file annual reports with the state. State approval is essential for parents who want their child or children to be enrolled in a program that meets the standards set forth by the Department of Education in Washington state.

What is continuous enrollment?
Stillpoint School is a continuous enrollment school. For the convenience of our families and for continuity in our school learning environment, once students are enrolled at Stillpoint School, they are automatically welcomed back each year provided that students are succeeding academically and socially and that tuition is current. Families who need to make an educational change for an upcoming school year may withdraw their student in writing by July 1. Otherwise, students will remain enrolled at Stillpoint School through the essential culminating Graduating year.

Why is the Graduating year so important?
Graduating from Stillpoint School is the culmination of the Stillpoint elementary experience. Our 5th Grade Graduates receive Diplomas at our Graduation Ceremony on the last day of school, demonstrating successful completion of the academic goals and objectives of our state-approved program. Our challenging program ensures that our Graduates are very well prepared for their future and make an excellent transition to the middle school setting. We form lasting bonds with our Graduates and remain connected with them throughout their lives.

Do you welcome volunteers?
YES! We warmly welcome family and community volunteers. We actively seek positive, caring, dedicated individuals who love children and would enjoy working one-on-one, with small groups, or with our whole group in all subject areas and in “special” subjects, including Art, French, and Music.

Which Math program do you use?
We use Singapore Math, a top-ranked Math program widely recognized as one of the best Math programs in the world. Our Math curriculum is individualized for every student and includes the use of hands-on manipulatives, Math games, Math volunteers, and high-quality supporting materials to create a highly successful Math experience for every student.

Do you offer a Foreign Language?
Yes! We introduce our students to French and American Sign Language. French is a beautiful language which offers many benefits to English-speaking students. French is a vowel-based language, with many ties to English and other foreign languages. This makes it a perfect language to introduce to students at a young age. French is also an excellent language to learn in the San Juan Islands, due to our close proximity to Canada and French-speaking provinces. ASL (American Sign Language) is an amazing visual language which allows our students to experience a beautiful and expressive form of communication and to appreciate the Deaf culture and community.

What are your school hours?
Our school hours are from 8am to 2:30pm, Monday through Friday. School is dismissed at 11am on half days.

What are your class sizes?
Our class sizes are very small– between 2 to 5 students per grade level– for students who learn best with a low teacher-to-student ratio.

Do you offer a full-day Kindergarten program?
Yes. Our full-day Kindergarten program is offered to families committed to continuous enrollment at Stillpoint School. In general, it is most successful if Kindergarten students are 5 years old by August 31 or are 6 years old when entering.

What does “brain-friendly” or “brain-based” learning mean at Stillpoint?
Brain-based learning means that we intentionally use teaching strategies that are based on our current understanding of how the brain works. When we teach the way the brain learns, we find that the learning process is much more effective and successful for students and teachers. We see significant progress in students’ learning, academic confidence, and success levels by applying our current knowledge of the brain’s systems and processes to education.

What type of students do well at Stillpoint School?
We welcome students who love learning and have curiosity. Our students tend to be independent workers who are internally motivated and enjoy identifying and solving problems. We also look for creative thinkers who work well in small-group situations, as our grade levels are flexible and we do many whole school projects along with grade-specific learning projects.

What type of parents does Stillpoint School seek?
Successful Stillpoint parents are positive, supportive, enthusiastic, and committed to the Stillpoint educational experience. Stillpoint parents are excited about the opportunity for their child to learn in a caring, hands-on, small school atmosphere.

What is your discipline policy?
We use both Mindfulness and an approach similar to Love and Logic to help students navigate strong emotions and to solve problems. Whenever possible, we try to discover what is behind the behavior to find the root of the problem. This eliminates repeated or chronic misbehavior. And, of course, we use humor! Humor helps students realize that problems are a part of life, meaning that one’s response to the problem is more important in the long term than the actual problem. This philosophy provides students with the tools to be effective lifelong problem solvers. All students rotate through the job of Friendship Buddy to help solve problems, and our Grads are always available to help students problem-solve.

Will my child have to take standardized tests?
No. Private schools are not required to administer high-stakes standardized tests, which allows us to use all of our classroom time engaged in effective teaching and active learning instead of focusing our curriculum on a standardized test. We teach to the learners, not to the test.

Without standardized testing, how do you assess students?
We use authentic assessment, which measures student gains over a period of time in a variety of ways that go above and beyond traditional testing. Portfolios are an excellent example of authentic assessment. We also rely on daily informal assessments to help us measure each student’s progress and learning.

Do you use phonics to teach reading?
We use a combination of phonics and whole language to teach reading. Although the educational pendulum swings dramatically between “whole language” and “phonics” approaches to teaching reading, our experience has taught us that most students learn best through a combination of both. The key is context, which is our main focus as we teach students to read. We believe that both approaches to teaching reading complement each other, and with dedication and patience, every student can learn to read fluently and for the joy of reading.

Public schools across the nation are eliminating recess. Do you believe in recess?
YES! As a brain-friendly school, we know the research supporting the value of recess as a time for mental processing. We’ve learned through brain research workshops that the brain can only handle a certain amount of new information at one time. Studies show that students can handle a greater percentage of new information in a given day and will gain a deeper understanding of that information when they are given time to absorb knowledge. This process happens unconsciously but is extremely valuable for learning and retaining information. Recess is a built-in “down time” for the brain. Recess, like the arts, is critical!

What is your policy on observations during school hours?
As our school is a small, close-knit community, observations during school hours disrupt the essential flow of learning and distract from our mission to provide a safe, focused academic experience for each student. Instead of observations, we welcome scheduled school tours after school hours. Additionally, we welcome community connections and volunteers! Please e-mail us if you would like to volunteer at our school or bring a special opportunity to enrich our students and our environment!