Frequently Asked Questions

The name KapKa comes from a Klamath word meaning “young pine.”

We cherish the flexibility and freedom provided by smaller classes. We maintain a 1:8 teacher-to-student ratio, with small classes sizes of 12-16 students. And with additional parent volunteers, children receive even more individual attention.

The KapKa school day starts at 8.25 am and finishes at 3.20 pm. At 8:25 am, students begin arriving at KapKa, and begin to gently get acclimated to their day. It is a time for students to socialize while playing games before they are asked to participate in more structured learning activities. Class officially begins at 8:40 am. A day at KapKa incorporates activities that encourage community building and team work, instruction in essential academic subjects and deeper educational dives through project-based learning. Children have significant time for outdoor play at recess, and visit nearby parks and the zoo as part of science or other lessons. KapKa embraces art, music and physical education. School ends at 3:20 pm, with a 1:20 pm dismissal on Fridays for kindergarten and first grade.

We offer onsite aftercare until 5:30 p.m. with opportunities to play, create, and connect. For those looking for extended learning and enrichment, we also offer a varied schedule of after-school class offerings each quarter, which have included foreign language instruction, yoga, coding, cooking, art, soccer, friendship skills, board games, role-playing games, drama, and more!

KapKa households perform a set amount of hours each year in support of the operations of the school. These hours are set yearly, and in conversation with each household and the administration. Some households may opt to contribute all the hours while others may opt to contribute fewer hours and make a contribution in lieu of additional hours. Ways of contributing hours range from working as a helper during a daytime shift to serving on the board, to teaching a skill-based mini-lesson, to helping students prepare for an event, to chaperoning a field trip, to painting a wall or fixing a door, to solving technical problems, to planning social events—and everything in between. We value all the ways that our members show up to support the school.
Being part of our cooperative also means being part of the community, with opportunities for students and adults to become a larger community centered around the school. We offer events to connect as families and as adults, ranging from camping trips to crafting time, game nights, parent socials, book clubs, and hanging out while the kids play after pick-up time.

Every member will receive basic training at the beginning of the year, regardless of whether they end up with a regular shift or not. This ensures that everyone with a shift assignment and anyone who volunteers to sub throughout the year has some knowledge about how KapKa works with kids and what we expect from helpers. We try to match skills and interests, along with schedules, when assigning anyone to a daytime shift.
When you're working with staff and students, staff will share expectations and ways of helping, and can provide feedback and assistance if you’re ever unsure of how to support students in learning or in social-emotional situations. Administrators are always available to answer questions and offer support as well. We want every shift to feel successful for everyone involved.

KapKa has an exceptionally large campus for our size, comprising half of a building shared with a local church. While we share the building and often support each other’s philanthropic programs, we are fully independent organizations and KapKa has no religious affiliations. In addition to our classrooms and flexible work spaces, KapKa has a full gymnasium, library, art room, woodworking and project space, outdoor classroom, and a fully-fenced play yard. We make almost daily trips across the street to Woodland Park for outdoor play, and often take advantage of the Woodland Park Zoo, Rose Garden, and the other natural spaces that surround us.

We do not assign homework in kindergarten through third grades and rarely for our fourth- and fifth-grade students. We believe that the days of an elementary school student are already full of meaningful learning. This allows children the space for unstructured play, time with friends and family, or opportunities to pursue personal interests and engage in extracurricular activities of their choosing. Children in fourth and fifth grades occasionally have assignments to work on at home. These may be in support of their project work or to reinforce and extend learning. In both instances, they are building the routines and personal responsibility that will support their transition to middle school.

Our teachers spend a great deal of time getting to know each child's learning style. We strive to create a deep social and emotional base for each child to build an academic career upon with confidence and ownership. Students are given assessments throughout the year to evaluate their progress. Because of our small class size, teachers are constantly tracking how the children are learning and identifying areas where they need more support or greater challenges to keep them engaged. Our educators have a detailed rubric defining specific skills and benchmarks that students are expected to reach. These skills are assessed and observed over days or weeks, often without the children's knowledge. Teachers and parents discuss a student's progress at multiple conferences during the year. There is no standardized testing or grading at KapKa.

KapKa has a literacy specialist to assist children needing more support, and our small class size allows educators to tailor assignments to a student's needs. Part of the instruction occurs in groups that combine grades, so precocious students can work with older children and those needing more work can join younger students.

Students have 45 minutes to an hour each day for recess and 30 minutes for lunch. They also have PE class that is held outside, weather permitting. Kindergarten students spend additional time outside, with one to two hours each day learning and exploring outdoors.

Children must be 5 years old by September 1 to enter Kindergarten.