Illinois Valley News

Allison Gutshall assists Kindergartener Katelin McCafferty, 5, with a Mother’s Day project. (Photo by Michelle Binker, I.V. News)

In the early 1970s, a group of Illinois Valley parents decided against sending their children to public school.

Some of the parents had been teachers, and so they began their collective instruction inside a geodesic dome on a piece of private property.

Now, nearly 40 years later, Dome School has become an integral part of the Takilma community, and has the highest student enrollment than it has had in a long time.

Cathy Zook, who has served as the school“s co-administrator since 2003, said that the institution was incorporated in 1976 as a private, nonprofit organization. She described the school“s structure as a “parent cooperative,“ noting that it“s similar to parents home-schooling their children, but along with other parents and children.

“The philosophy is the same,“ Zook said. “We want parents involved in educating their children.“ Her co-administrator is Susan Gustavson.

A variety of sources help fund the school and its programs, including tuition paid by parents, plus contributions, grants and the proceeds from annual fund-raising events.

The school also receives money from the rental of its facilities, including a full-service kitchen.

Zook said that the building to replace the geodesic dome was completed in 1983, with many members of the community aiding those efforts. However, the “Dome“ name has hung on.

Dome School owns, operates and maintains the building, Zook said, under the condition that it remain open for use by the community.

As such, Dome School is used by other nonprofit organizations to host their fund-raising events. The school bookshelves have wheels on the bottom so that they can be moved to accommodate other activities.

The student-to-teacher ratio is kept low by the involvement of parents and community members in the instructional process. For example, musician Libby Goines has volunteered her time to teach the students the finer points of music as a form of artistic expression.

There currently are approximately 20 students in the elementary school class, with two paid teachers and one volunteer, Zook said. She added that two teachers are provided through a Three Rivers School District Title I program, and spend two days per week at the school.

Dome School has the distinction of being the only secular private school in Illinois Valley, and Zook said that it boasts an enrollment of approximately 52 students.

One class consists entirely of pre-school children, she said, some of whom attend only one day per week. A second class has kindergarten through fifth-grade students.

Another aspect that sets Dome School apart from other instructional institutions is the fact that the development of students“ social and emotional lives is considered just as important as academics. As such, it is fostered through the use of positive reinforcement.

 A bulletin board lists random acts of kindness demonstrated by students. There are 100 spots that can be filled by students nominating each other for sharing, helping and giving hugs. When all the spots fill, the students will be rewarded with an ice cream party.

Dome School prides itself on providing a series of hands-on learning activities for the youth. Much time has been spent this year on studying bio-char, a form of charcoal mixed with organic materials such as seaweed that can be used for a variety of purposes. They include energy production and garden soil supplements. Students have even learned how to make bio-char stoves using tin cans.

Also being learned by the students are areas as diverse as crocheting, textile arts and hand-drumming. Two mothers who volunteer at the school have studied African drumming, and are teaching students how to maintain two rhythms simultaneously.

Entrepreneurial skills also are being taught, as students have taken to starting their own microbusinesses, complete with art, cooking and gardening guilds.

Zook said that one of the school“s main missions is to develop students“ leadership skills to prepare them to be successful in life.

“The goal is to get kids to love learning,“ she said.

Many future valedictorians and salutatorians began their educations at Dome School, Zook said. She further noted that students begin giving oral reports as young as 6 years of age.

Nutrition also is a priority at the school, as a U.S. Dept. of Agriculture program provides meals for breakfast, lunch and after-school activities.

“We have a real high percentage of organic foods,“ Zook said.

She said that her involvement with the school began when she brought her own children to the facility. She instantly became impressed with Dome School“s learning environment, and decided to increase her participation.

“I love to come here,“ she said. “It“s a real positive enforcement of your own life.“

Dome School students are preparing for the Friday, May 14 Cave Junction Art Walk. Their plants, arts and crafts will be for sale, along with food, at the Josephine County Bldg. in Downtown Cave Junction.
hands-on learning activities for the youth. Much time has been spent this year on studying bio-char, a form of charcoal mixed with organic materials such as seaweed that can be used for a variety of purposes. They include energy production and garden soil supplements. Students have even learned how to make bio-char stoves using tin cans.

Also being learned by the students are areas as diverse as crocheting, textile arts and hand-drumming. Two mothers who volunteer at the school have studied African drumming, and are teaching students how to maintain two rhythms simultaneously.

Entrepreneurial skills also are being taught, as students have taken to starting their own microbusinesses, complete with art, cooking and gardening guilds.
Zook said that one of the school“s main missions is to develop students“ leadership skills to prepare them to be successful in life.

“The goal is to get kids to love learning,“ she said.

Many future valedictorians and salutatorians began their educations at Dome School, Zook said. She further noted that students begin giving oral reports as young as 6 years of age.

Nutrition also is a priority at the school, as a U.S. Dept. of Agriculture program provides meals for breakfast, lunch and after-school activities.
“We have a real high percentage of organic foods,“ Zook said.

She said that her involvement with the school began when she brought her own children to the facility. She instantly became impressed with Dome School“s learning environment, and decided to increase her participation.

“I love to come here,“ she said. “It“s a real positive enforcement of your own life.“

Dome School students are preparing for the Friday, May 14 Cave Junction Art Walk. Their plants, arts and crafts will be for sale, along with food, at the Josephine County Bldg. in Downtown Cave Junction.

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