Clearwater’s Homeschool Extension Pilot Program for the ‘25-’26 SY
Program overview:
The goal of the Clearwater Homeschool Extension program is to provide an option for students ages 8 and above who wish to pursue education at Clearwater within the same philosophy and values as the full time program, but with more structure and part time attendance.
Homeschool Extension (HE) students create and then meet with their support committee for at least one hour per week, either in person or virtually, to reflect on and build their ongoing plan for their education that will grow and change with them throughout the year(s). The support committee includes a staff member plus other supportive individuals that the HE student choses with can include other full or part time Clearwater students, family members, and/or community members. Students may meet one on one with a staff member in lieu of a larger support committee if desired.
Beyond the weekly meetings, HE students have the option to spend unstructured time at Clearwater pursuing their individual interests, utilizing campus resources, and experiencing the community like full time students including the responsibility that comes with being a community member. In addition to that, students have access to a wealth of after school programming put on by The Well Being Center on Clearwater’s campus.
HE students graduate with a high school diploma from The Clearwater School and a self-written narrative transcript to use for future educational opportunities.
Philosophy and Curriculum:
Clearwater’s philosophy includes a holistic view of education that values learning from life and values how students choose to spend their time without adult judgement, social-emotional development, the interdisciplinary nature of the world, and the belief that we both cannot force anyone to learn something that they don’t want to learn and that we’re all learning all the time, intentionally or not.
There is no set curriculum or learning outcomes for HE students, education at Clearwater is individualized and student directed. We learn through introspection, conversation, boredom, projects, community, and relationships. The weekly meetings involve checking in on where the student is at in that moment, reflecting on the past week, dreaming together about their near and far future, problem solving struggles in their life or giving space to be heard and understood, and celebrating their interests and personal successes. Ultimately the program culminates in students learning more about themselves, taking responsibility for their life and education, and being empowered to make decisions about their present and future- and a narrative transcript to attempt to put all of that learning into words!
Parent involvement:
Parents are generally not on site or in the weekly one on one meetings. Families must meet with Clearwater staff at least twice a year for a conference to check in and support the family as a whole. Family conferences at Clearwater are done with respect for student consent, privacy, and autonomy (ie. “nothing about them without them”) and do not include formal assessments or rubrics related to education without consent and co-creation with the student, this is tied to Clearwater’s more holistic and student-centered approach to education.
Attendance requirements:
Homeschool extension students must meet with a staff member once a week for at least an hour to be in compliance with the school and the state’s attendance requirements. If a student cannot make their regular time slot, they are expected to try their best to reschedule within the same week. Sometimes life happens and the meeting cannot be rescheduled, so long as it does not become a frequent occurrence that is ok. HE students who have a consistent pattern of not attending their weekly meetings may be unenrolled from Clearwater.
Clearwater students who are enrolled full time but consistently attend Clearwater less than 50% of the time will be moved from the full time program to the Homeschool Extension program and become subject to the HE program attendance requirements.
Graduation requirements:
In order to graduate from Clearwater, Homeschool Extension students must attend Clearwater for at least two years and spend some of that time planning life after school with their support committee, planning and executing an optional graduation project of their choice, and preparing and presenting to School Meeting their graduation plan to be approved.
Tuition:
The tuition for the Homeschool Extension program is the same as the tuition for full time enrollment for any given year. The Clearwater Tuition Assistance Program is available for Homeschool Extension students though spots in the Homeschool Extension program may be limited due to balancing demand and staff hours.
Staff:
Clearwater’s staff have conditional teaching licenses with the state of Washington based on their individual skills and interests. Beyond that, here are the expected staff competencies and considerations for Clearwater’s Homeschool Extension Program:
Neurodiversity and learning disorders competency
Trauma informed, destigmatized mental health support skills
Interpersonal, social emotional, and conflict resolution skills
Multicultural, anti-racist competencies
LGBTQIA competencies
Experience with anti-adultism theory and praxis
Skills in compassionate, informed parent support
Upon enrollment, students may request a specific staff member, otherwise they are paired with whichever staff they have similar interests to with the option to switch staff if feasible (in general or for a few sessions, etc.).