Welcome to NISCO,
North Idaho Sudbury Co-op!
aboutus
What is the Sudbury philosophy?
In a nutshell, the Sudbury philosophy states that children are intrinsically motivated to learn, and that children can be trusted to be responsible for their own education. We strive to follow this general philosophy, but in a Co-op environment instead of a school environment.
What goes on at a Sudbury school?
“Sudbury schools operate very differently than any other type of school. In order to create an environment where the students are responsible for their education, the structure of the school had to change. The most striking difference is that there are no “classrooms” and there are no “teachers” -at least not in the traditional sense of the words. Students are free to determine how they spend their time each day, they are not limited to a classroom where an adult tells them what they have to learn. They might work on an art project, play sports, cook, dance, read, talk to other students or staff, build a fort, watch birds, do a science experiment, climb a tree, write a story, play a computer game, or work with an off-campus mentor. When students decide they want to learn something new, whether it is an academic subject or not, they either ask a staff member for help, ask another student, or simply learn it on their own.” The Sudbury Model of Education - Hudson Valley Sudbury School (hvsudburyschool.com)
How does NISCO differ from a Sudbury school?
NISCO seeks opportunities for entire families to enjoy the freedoms and responsibilities of self-directed education. Some Sudbury schools are drop-off schools that separate children from parents. At NISCO, we recognize that parents have the ultimate responsibility to influence and direct their children’s well-being. We encourage parents and children to discover personal, self-directed education together.
Other differences: As a co-op, there will be no paid staff, and parent attendance will be required. Children may not be dropped off. The co-op does not own any electronics. These policies may change in the future as the co-op grows.
Does this mean my child can just play all day at co-op? Or choose to do nothing?
Yes. Although children never choose to do “nothing.” Daydreaming, talking, staring at clouds are all important activities for development and self-regulation. Consider this: "What if I told you that the actual THING [children are] doing isn’t as important as practicing what it’s like to chart your own course. To follow through, succeed, fail, adjust and try again. Because these are the things that happen when you get to pursue something you really enjoy," Sue Patterson.
In addition to a reduced opportunity for play in general, many kids today spend far fewer hours in a week playing outside, and when they do, their play is often heavily structured and scrutinized -- but studies show that rough and tumble, self-directed outdoor play is critical to developing sensory, motor, and executive function. In fact, a lack of movement can contribute to a wide variety of problems, including ADHD, emotional regulation problems, and sensory processing issues.
NISCO can provide the opportunity for unlimited play in an outdoor setting, with some indoor spaces available.
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Will there be organized classes or activities?
Also yes! But participation will be voluntary. Any adult or child Co-op member may suggest and organize classes, activities, games, etc. See more in the “How to Organize Events” section on page 7.
Can I join the Co-op even if my family’s education style isn’t strictly in line with Sudbury philosophy?
Yes. Many families choose eclectic or hybrid models of education.
When and Where
Where does the Co-op meet?
Cedar Mountain Farm is located at 25249 N Hatch Rd. Athol, ID 83801 (Silverwood exit) www.cedarmountainfarm.com
The co-op will have access to several designated rooms in the main house (or tents depending on the season) woodlands, meadows, animal enclosures, ponds, a creek, and play areas. Click here for a map.
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What is the Co-op schedule?
Cedar Mountain Farm will be open to NISCO families on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 10:00 am until 3:00 pm on the following dates:
September 6 through December 15, 2022
January 3, 2023 through June 1, 2023
Families can attend any time during these days and hours.
If we have too much interest to accommodate everyone every day, we may require families to sign up to attend only on particular days.
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What can we do at Co-op?
Play, learn, talk, explore, organize an event, practically anything! Families will be given a tour of Cedar Mountain Farm and the areas that are available for NISCO to utilize. A chart will be made for families who would like suggestions for activities, but children and adults are encouraged to decide for themselves how they spend their day.
The natural setting of the Farm encourages “risky play”. Climbing, bike riding, water play, running, and jumping are encouraged. However, for some higher-risk activities, children will be required to prove proficiency before being allowed to participate. These activities include but are not limited to carrying a pocket knife, swimming, boating, walking the Farm dogs, using hatchets, starting fires, and wandering unaccompanied by an adult. Opportunities to learn proficiencies in these higher-risk activities will be provided by adults.
We suggest dressing appropriately for changing weather conditions, and bringing spare clothes and even spare shoes just in case!
Will there be any Co-op rules?
Definitely yes. NISCO is the guest of our venue, Cedar Mountain Farm, and we will be responsible for our actions while at the Farm. Our Co-op has limits and boundaries that protect the individual, the Co-op as a community, and the property of others. See “list of current rules” below, realizing that rules may be added or subtracted as determined by the members of the Co-op.
Enforcement of Rules
All Co-op Members (adults and children) will be expected to follow the same rules. If a Co-op Member observes a rule being broken, he or she may choose to either give a gentle reminder of the rules or fill out a Request for Review form. Requests for Review will be heard on a daily basis during a Judicial Committee (J.C.) meeting. J.C. meetings for Requests for Reviews must be held at a time when the Co-op member in question is present. If a Co-op Member believes someone is causing immediate physical danger to a person, animal, or property, they may take immediate action to preserve the safety of the person, animal, or property that is in danger, or can choose to go and get help.
Tuition
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Tuition of $60 is paid per family, per month (not per child, so larger families will be able to join us).
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Tuition is due on the 1st of each calendar month and will be considered late on the 9th of each month.
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A $25 late fee will be charged per family paying on the 9th or later each month.
Refunds: If a family decides to leave NISCO, money already paid for the current calendar month will not be refunded. Please consider family vacations and other activities when deciding to pay for a month of NISCO. If an event occurs that makes Cedar Mountain Farm unavailable for the Co-op, the current month’s tuition will be refunded on a prorated basis.
New families: New families may try out the Co-op their first week at no cost to determine whether NISCO is a good fit for them. If a family joins in the middle of a calendar month, the first month’s fees can be prorated.
Tuition money is used to pay Cedar Mountain Farm for the use of their property. As the Co-op grows, additional funds can be used for the benefit of the Co-op as determined by the Co-op Members.
Tuition fees will be the same for all families, regardless of the size of family, whether or not members of the family organize events, or how many days per month a family chooses to attend Co-op.
If you truly need financial help to join NISCO, please contact a member of the Organizing Committee. We can look for creative ways to help your family join and still be able to pay our bills.
NISCO guide to interacting with animals at Cedar Mountain Farm
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By attending NISCO Coop, I agree that I have read the following guidelines and explained them to my children. While at Co-op I will follow these guidelines to the best of my ability and help my children do the same. I understand that any harm or accident caused to a person by an animal while at Cedar Mountain Farm is NOT covered by NISCO’s liability insurance.
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I understand that all animals at Cedar Mountain Farm are owned by Al and Daryl Kyle. They may revoke permission to interact with any animal at any time for any reason.
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The animals at Cedar Mountain Farm have many uses, including to be used for meat.
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Animals are living things that experience changes such as giving birth, sickness, injury, and death. Additionally, animals have different needs in different seasons of the year (winter/summer) as well as events such as breeding time, birthing time, and slaughter time. All efforts will be made to notify Co-op members if an event is likely to occur that may cause distress to some people. However, emergencies and unexpected events happen and they cannot be predicted. Additionally, all efforts will be made to include Co-op members who wish to experience events such as animals giving birth, animal care, and butchering.
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There are some animals Co-op members may NOT interact with in any way: the big horse, the cows, and the rabbits in the Flemish Giant family pen.
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There are many animals that Co-op members can interact with, touch, and sometimes hold. Look for written signs to help you know which animals are OK to interact with and understand that these signs may change. Keep these general actions in mind when interacting with any animals:
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Walk, do not run while in an animal pen.
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Be patient and let an animal come to you. Try sitting, kneeling, or standing still.
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Avoid actions that would scare or stress the animals such as screaming, yelling, throwing objects, jumping, chasing, and running.
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Don’t feed the animals anything unless you have been trained to do so as a chore or special event.
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Never ride on an animal.
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When you are done interacting with an animal, be sure to close the gate securely, check the bottoms of your shoes, and wash your hands.
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If Co-op members are unsure if they are allowed to interact with an animal, or if members disagree on how to interact with an animal, all Co-op members should STOP what they are doing, go away from the animal and either read signs, talk to Daryl (texting or email can be helpful), or if appropriate, bring their concern to a Request for Review or Co-op Meeting.
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Keep in mind our Co-op rules:
1. We use kind and appropriate words.
2. We are safe. We don’t cause harm to people, animals, or property.
3. We respect the boundaries of Cedar Mountain Farm. We stay in the designated areas of the farm. We don’t go into rooms, buildings, or outdoor areas that have been designated as off-limits to the Co-op.
Additional Details
Restrooms
Two indoor bathrooms will be designated for NISCO use during most of the year, and an outdoor port-a-potty will be available with a handwashing station when weather is above freezing.
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Role of adults during Co-op
Adults are role models for children. In addition to being responsible for their own children, adults at Co-op will be expected to set a good example for all our children. We encourage adults to model the behavior they hope to see in children, especially when it comes to interactions with others and pursuing educational interests. Adults are expected to follow the same rules as children. See List of Current Rules below.
Chores and responsibilities
In order to keep our costs low, model responsibility, and be good guests on the Farm, each family will participate in daily chores and responsibilities. A list of options will be provided and a family or individuals may sign up for the chore or responsibility they want to do from the available list. Examples of chores and responsibilities include taking out trash, vacuuming, putting toys and books away, being the emergency procedure person for the day, Judicial Committee, etc.
Rules & Code of Conduct for Children and Adults
Rules can be added, removed, or changed by a vote of the majority of current Co-op Members. Every person in a current Member family gets a vote. Voting may be in an online format, in-person format, or combination of the two. Rules apply to all Co-op members, children and adults.
1. We use kind and appropriate words. We don’t swear or use words or gestures that are crude or hurtful. We don’t engage in certain topics of conversation that may be offensive to some people. Many important topics are appropriate to discuss within families, but not in a Co-op situation. Topics that are private, sensitive, or sexual in nature are not appropriate to discuss at Co-op.
2. We are safe. We don’t cause harm, or threaten to harm people, animals, or property. “Property” includes land, buildings, plants, and physical objects that belong to someone. No smoking or vaping at Cedar Mountain Farm. Do not bring dogs or other pets to Co-op. Rough play such as wrestling and play fighting is allowed with consent of the participant's parents. Participants engaging in rough play must be careful to avoid injuring others. Participants engaged in rough play must respect other participants' choice to stop playing at any time. Blaze orange (hunter orange) clothing must be worn when leaving the immediate homesite area.
3. We respect the boundaries of Cedar Mountain Farm. We stay in the designated areas of the farm. We don’t go into rooms, buildings, or outdoor areas that have been designated as off limits to the Co-op. We don’t eat food in rooms that have been designated as no-food zones.
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Co-op Organization
Organizing Committee
A small group of adult volunteers who meet as needed either in person or virtually. The Organizing Committee is responsible for choosing an appropriate venue for the Co-op and coordinating the Co-op schedule with the venue owners. The Organizing Committee collects Co-op fees or tuition, pays the venue and any other recurring expenses of the Co-op, and specifies leftover funds as available to be spent by agreement of the Co-op Members. Other responsibilities include designating Co-op Members to maintain the NISCO website and social media accounts, organizing venue logistics including parking, restrooms, emergency procedures, and keeping this Welcome document current and available to all Co-op Members.
Co-op Membership
All currently paying Co-op family members are a part of this group. This includes adults and children in a family. All individual members in a current Member family get an equal vote in Co-op matters such as amending rules and spending discretionary funds. Voting may be in an online format, in-person format, or combination of the two. A reasonable effort must be made to allow all Co-op Members a chance to vote in any matter up for a vote.
Judicial Committee
A small group of children and adults present at Co-op on any given day who are needed to hear a concern from the Co-op Members. The J.C. will be made of volunteers and may include 3-5 children from different age groups and one adult. Members of the J.C. should be from different families when possible. A written outline of how to conduct a J.C. Meeting will be provided.
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When a Co-op Member believes that a Co-op rule has been violated, he or she may choose to fill out a J.C. Request for Review form. See page X. The request describes what happened, where and when it happened and any witnesses. The J.C. meets on a daily basis and reviews all of the current J.C. complaints, if any. For each complaint, the J.C. investigates the incident, writes a report of their investigation and determines if any Co-op rules have been violated. If they determine that a rule has been violated, they press charges against the person (adult or child Co-op Member) who they believe violated the rule. The person can then plead guilty or innocent. If a guilty plea is entered, the J.C. determines the appropriate sentence for the violation with input from the person under review. If an innocent plea is entered, a trial takes place. Just as in the Co-op Membership, each member of the J.C. has an equal voice and vote.
During the J.C. process an emphasis will be placed on working with the person who is under review to identify emotions, understanding of the rules, willingness to change behavior if needed, and if applicable, getting input from the person under review as to what consequences are appropriate and helpful.
How to Organize Events
At times, Co-op participants (adults and children) will decide that they want to learn a subject or participate in an organized activity. When they decide this, the Co-op members are there to support their choice and to help them achieve their goals. This can be done by actively teaching a subject, recommending a book or other reference material, identifying an outside resource, or setting up a guest speaker or teacher. If special materials need to be purchased for the event, event leaders may either ask participants to buy their own supplies, or charge a fee to cover costs of supplies. Any money paid to an event organizer is the responsibility of the organizer, not of NISCO.
Consider these questions when organizing an event:
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Who will lead or teach this event?
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Identify your audience. Who wants to participate in learning about this subject?
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Plan for a meeting time. How often should you meet? Time? Location?
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Is there a cost for this event?
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Do participants need to bring any special items or equipment?
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Did you write your event on the NISCO calender?
Examples of the types of events that could be planned:
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Tamlynn is teaching a watercolor class for 6 weeks on Tuesdays at 11:00 am at the picnic tables. Please bring your own watercolor sets and paper, or I can supply them for you for $10 per person. Please RSVP.
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Josh is hosting a Pokemon club every Thursday at 2:00 in the library. Bring your own Pokemon cards, or just come and watch. Everyone welcome.
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The Athol Fire Department will be bringing their fire engine and giving a talk about fire safety on Wednesday at 10:00 am. Please meet in the parking lot. Free.
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John from XYZ Survival will be teaching ax throwing on Wednesday at 1:00 in the meadow. Ages 10 and up may participate with parental permission and signed waiver. $5 per person. RSVP to John, we need 12 people to sign up.
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Sarah is leading Singing and Storytime for Littles on Tuesday mornings at 11:00 in the playground. Open for all, but especially geared toward ages 2-5. Free.
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Teen Debate Group will meet on Tuesdays at 10:00 in the green room. Sarah will be teaching debate techniques. Free.
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Tamlynn will be teaching a 3 week class “How to pay for college” on Tuesdays at 11:00 in the green room. Please RSVP.
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Daryl is leading a Nature Hike on Tuesdays at Xpm and Thursdays at Xam. Meet at the tire swing. All are welcome. Children who are allowed to wander independently may join without their adult.
The sky's the limit for events as long as the event is legal, family friendly, and can be done without causing harm to the property. If you have questions about creating an event, please ask for help!
Judicial Committee Meeting
Procedures for a Request for Review
When a Request for Review is submitted, a Judicial Committee (JC) needs to be formed to address the concern written on the Request for Review. The JC should be formed of one adult and 4-6 youth volunteers. The total number of a JC must be an odd number. The members of the JC should not be related to anyone involved in the Request for Review, and cannot be involved in the Request for Review complaint. If at all possible, the JC should meet on the same day the Request for Review was submitted. If not possible, the JC should meet on the next Co-op day available, making sure that the people named on the Request for Review are present.
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During the JC process an emphasis will be placed on working with the person who is under review to identify emotions, understanding of the rules, willingness to change behavior if needed, and if applicable, getting input from the person under review as to what consequences are appropriate and helpful.
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The overall goal of the JC is to help people follow the rules of Co-op. The JC does not punish people or make them feel embarrassed. The JC should use patience, compassion, and empathy (empathy means to see things from someone else’s point of view, or put yourself in their place.) JC members should consider factors that may have influenced inappropriate behaviors such as; were the people involved hungry, angry, lonely, tired, overwhelmed, pressured, or unaware (didn’t know the rules.)
Once assembled, the JC should appoint one member to be the chairperson and one member to be the clerk. These JC procedures may be changed by recommendation of the JC and a majority vote of the entire Co-op membership.
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The chairperson starts and conducts the meeting.
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The clerk takes written notes of the meeting.
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If appropriate, Co-op members not involved in the JC or the Request for Review may attend the meeting, but may not make comments or otherwise participate. In case of a Review of a sensitive or potentially embarrassing nature, the adult member of the JC may determine that an issue needs to be discussed with the person/people under Review’s parent(s) only, or an audience should not be present, or a JC of a single gender may be appropriate.
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A JC member reads the Request for Review out loud and the JC members discuss the information.
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The chairperson invites the people named on the Request for Review to speak. The JC may ask them questions.
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The JC takes special care to hear both sides of a story and treat everyone fairly.
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The JC reviews Co-op rules and decides if a Co-op rule has been broken.
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If the JC determines a rule has been broken, they should explain the rule to the person/people under review. The JC can suggest ways to help the person/people follow the rules in the future, and should also ask the person/people what he/she suggests they do in the future. Taking into consideration suggestions from the person/people under review, the JC may impose a course of action for the people involved.
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If the JC determines a rule has not been broken, they may decide that a new rule needs to be made, but the person/people under Review cannot be held responsible for a rule that did not exist at the time of the event in question.
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If the members of the JC disagree if a rule has been broken or on a course of action, the chairperson should call for a vote. Every JC member has an equal vote, and the majority vote will prevail.
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The Clerk will write down the decision of the JC, and keep the notes on file.
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The chairperson ends the meeting.