+ How can I visit?

For families considering enrollment, campus tours are available to those who have already attended a virtual Q&A or an Information Night. See more in How to Enroll.

If you are interested in the school for other reasons, we suggest writing to us with why you are interested in Clearwater and what you would like to get out of your visit. Visits longer than a brief tour need to be approved by School Meeting and can take two or more weeks to approve.

+ I’m a parent, can I visit/have lunch/play with my kid/etc. at school?

Unless otherwise approved, parents can only be on campus to pick up/drop off students or meet with staff members. Like any other visitor, parents need to be approved by school meeting to spend more time at school. From time to time we invite families and the community in for special events or volunteer activities.

+ What is your curriculum?

At Clearwater we have no required curriculum, no tests, no grades, and no homework. This means students have no pressure to meet standardized assessments and more space to focus on individual needs and the activities that interest them most. Read more in How it Works.

+ What are your policies around "screen time"?

Students are welcome to bring their devices to school or to use the computers in the computer room according to the computer room rules. To read those, view our rulebook. Staff do not set or enforce limits on a students use of devices.

+ Do you provide lunch?

No, we do not provide lunch. Students may bring packed lunches or bring food to prepare/cook themselves. Students are responsible for adequately feeding themselves throughout the day. If access to food is a barrier to attending Clearwater, please reach out to staff to discuss options.

+ What can my student bring to school?

Suggested items to bring each day:

• Food to last the entire day
• Water Bottle
• Change of clothes - particularly for younger students
• Weather-appropriate clothing
• Students are welcome to bring their personal belongings to use at school. (Toys, books, art supplies, phone, electronics, etc)

What not to bring:

• Strong scents
• Weapons including pocket knifes
• Aerosols

+ What if I can’t afford tuition?

In an effort to make Clearwater financially accessible to all families, School Meeting offers Scholarships and Tuition Assistance. Any family pursuing enrollment or experiencing a change in their financial situation is welcome to apply at any time during the school year. Details for making a request can be found here: Tuition Assistance.

+ What is your inclement weather policy?

In the case of inclement weather, we closely follow decisions regarding delays and closures with the districts that our students live in (like North Shore, Everett, Edmonds and Seattle) while keeping the safety of our staff members and student's in mind. We will make all announcements ASAP the morning of the delay or closure, but feel free to send us an email if you're not sure if we're open.

+ What is your sick policy?

An overview of our COVID-19 sickness policies are as follows. Please feel free to find the full policy in our rulebook or email us if you have any questions.

Students must stay home when they are exhibiting the following COVID symptoms that are not explainable by another condition. Symptoms can include:

• Fever or chills
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fatigue
• Muscle or body aches
• Headache
• New loss of taste or smell
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea

In case of symptoms developing at school: the symptomatic person will be isolated immediately and sent home as soon as possible. Staff will administer a COVID-19 test with consent from the student and their guardian and family members may be tested when they pick up students if desired. The health department will be notified of positive test results by the testing agency.

If a student is sick, they may stay home for 10 days or take a rapid test at least every other day that they have symptoms. They may return to school when symptoms are resolved, they are 24 hours fever and vomit free without medication, and they have received a negative rapid test within the last 40 hours. When students return after being sick, they must wear a mask indoors and outdoors until 10 days after their symptoms began. If a member of your household is sick, you must contact the school to go over next steps for safety based on your specific situation.

Quarantine procedure: If a person tests positive for COVID-19 by a molecular or antigen test, they can return to school if they are symptom free, fever free and vomit free for 24 hrs without medication, and they have taken two negative rapid tests, after day 5, at least 24 hours apart. Earliest day of return is day 7 after testing positive. If they return prior to day 10, they must wear a mask indoors and outdoors through day 10.

This isolation guidance applies regardless of vaccination status.

Close contacts: A person is a close contact if they spent 15 accumulated minutes over a 24 hour period within 6 feet of the person who tested positive for COVID. This includes the infectious period which is two days prior to showing symptoms. This applies regardless of masks being worn.

Close contacts must rapid test a minimum of every other day for ten days (days 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 post exposure) and wear a mask indoors and outdoors until 10 days after exposure except when eating alone at an eating area. Students who share a household with a symptomatic COVID-positive person should remain home until the COVID-positive person is symptom free and then follow the close contact policy above. Students and staff must follow the close contact policy after returning from airline travel.

Other Testing Policies All students and staff will be tested at school following school breaks and every other day for ten days after a COVID case of someone who was at school during the infectious period.

+ What does accessibility look like at Clearwater?

• Physical accessibility: Our campus consists of three modular buildings, a house and a garage adapted to be school buildings, an outdoor playground space, and a wooded creek space. The modular buildings have wheelchair accessible ramps. The garage building is level with the ground, the house has 3 concrete steps to the top floor, and the basement of the house has two steep indoor and outdoor staircases of 10 steps. The playground surface is composed of woodchips and the surrounding area is composed of grass, concrete, and gravel. The creek space has unpaved dirt and woodchip paths, grass on uneven ground, a rocky beach, a sandy beach, and a bridge that can be slippery during all seasons. The garage building and one of the modular buildings have wheelchair accessible bathrooms. All bathrooms are gender neutral and single occupancy.
• Scents/fragrances: Though we cannot guarantee a scent free environment (personal laundry detergent and hygiene products used by students, for example), we are committed to buying scent free soap and cleaning products whenever possible. During our daily clean up we currently use a diluted vinegar solution for most cleaning, which smells acidic but does not contain any chemicals or fragrances. Non-medically necessary fragranced products with a spray application (such as aerosol deodorant, perfume, and cologne) and nail polish must only be applied outdoors. Non-aerosol deodorant and other body products may be applied anywhere at school.
• Food: Currently, all food items are permitted at Clearwater, including peanuts, which is subject to change based on student needs. Students with allergies are encouraged to not share food with others and allergen lists are encouraged during potlucks and bake sales. Clearwater does not provide lunch for students. If food security is a barrier to school attendance, please let us know in your Tuition Assistance application and we will work with you to create a plan to meet your student’s needs.
• Service animals and pets: Service animals and emotional support animals are allowed on campus. Pets may come to campus with the approval of all School Meeting members, prior notice, and a plan.
• IEPs, personal aides, interpreters, etc.: Education at Clearwater is not organized according to IEPs and in general all accommodations formally offered through IEPs are available within the structure of the school. Clearwater will work individually with students who desire/need to keep IEPs in place. This can include completing needed paperwork, and/or participating in team meetings. Our policy is to include students in meetings about students. Clearwater students have access to developmental evaluations offered within their home public school district and we can help refer to these. On an individual basis we have allowed student aides to accompany them on campus and see this as a balancing act in an environment that is based on student autonomy and responsibility. We strive to keep a student-centered environment and limit the amount of adults on campus so it is very important that student aides and interpreters understand the philosophy and model.
• Sensory environment: The atmosphere of Clearwater can be loud, chaotic, and unpredictable with students moving freely throughout buildings. Students are encouraged to bring and use whatever tools they need to cope with a chaotic environment including but not limited to noise canceling headphones, calming fidget toys, or other comfort items. Quiet rooms can usually be found but may be scarce depending on demand. Exemptions from mandatory School Meeting are also available for those who need accommodations for large group meetings.
• Covid Policies: As of the start of the ‘23-’24 school year, we still have many COVID-19 precautions in place including several school rooms where masks are required indoors, air filters and window ventilation practices in all rooms, a vaccine mandate for students and staff, a strict sick policy and rapid COVID testing provided by the school.

For more information, or to discuss access needs that were not addressed above, please email us at tcs@clearwaterschool.com