Letter from the Head of School
April 2022
At my core, I am a teacher. An educator. A coach, a guide. Whatever you call it, I am passionate about learning and helping other humans learn. I am never satisfied with status quo - a quote from a quilt hanging in my childhood library illustrates my mindset: “Good, better, best. Never let it rest, until your ‘good’ is better, and your ‘better’ best.”
I feel fortunate to have been publicly educated here in the valley. I deeply appreciate the education I received at Montana State, and the formative years I spent teaching within the system locally. At a certain point, I wanted to ‘opt out’ and create something better than good.
We all know the issues that large systems create, despite the best of intentions. In founding and building Opt Out, I am simply trying to address these issues or avoid the pitfalls entirely. It is not an easy task, and we acknowledge the impossibility of creating a perfect solution or ‘one size fits all’ remedy.
So far, it’s clear we are headed in the right direction. I am proud to say we are testing less and spending more time outside. Our students are challenged, both academically and developmentally. We enjoy learning out in our community and have made memories that will last a lifetime. Students who once dreaded school are now upset when they have to miss a day, despite high stakes and increased expectations for behavior. They are given space and time to fail, to learn through experience. Our schedule revolves around balancing the needs of everyone within our community rather than meeting mandates. We’ve established a two-way communication flow; parents feel comfortable reaching out with concerns and vice versa. The student is truly at the center.
We are always looking for ways to improve and will continue to do so. If your family resonates with this virtue, the community at Opt Out could be a wonderful fit for your children.
-Michaella Croskey