Clark Fork School is a 501(c)3 non-profit cooperative school, which means the school is owned and operated by our currently enrolled families. The core of our school culture revolves around the belief that children do best when the adults in their lives work together.

Participation in a cooperative school means becoming part of a community. The structure and requirements of a cooperative school experience encourages the supportive and engaged participation of parents/guardians and extended family. Lasting friendships happen inside the walls of our school, and not just between the children. Our families and teachers are a network of support and camaraderie to rely on and look to for advice, solace, and assistance.

Clark Fork School’s everyday operations rely on the active involvement of all of its families. Each family enrolled in our daytime programs must provide a minimum of 30 hours of service to the school. Families enrolled only in our Kids’ Niche Program are encouraged, but not required, to provide volunteer hours. There are many ways families can get involved, including volunteering in the classrooms, maintaining the school building and playground, working in the office, helping on field trips, coordinating fundraising projects, joining one of our committees, and much more. Every individual is a valuable asset to our school community.

Clark Fork School was founded and continues to operate with the active cooperative participation of our parent/guardian body in decisions affecting the nature of the school’s programs, budget, and policies. Each family is granted one membership vote. We strongly encourage participation and attendance in our Annual Membership Meeting as well as Family Satisfaction Surveys.

“Because of incredible teachers and staff and amazing parents like you, Clark Fork School is a unique and special place. Being a 'parent cooperative' gives us ownership of our facilities, grounds, and other tangible resources. It also, thankfully, requires our ownership of things not so material, such as exemplifying charity, stewardship, and a sense of duty concerning all of our children’s educational experience. Diversity, professionalism, creativity, patience, drive, organizational skills, silliness, fun, affection, these are all attributes needed to make our school run. Ideally, your talents, skills, and time will be utilized to the maximum so that you find joy and a sense of pride in performing your parent job and volunteering for projects.”

- Betsy Sannella, Former Board Member