Frequently Asked Questions

Is attendance required?

• While daily attendance is encouraged (and kept record of), parents and the student are ultimately responsible for the child's education and have the choice to not attend regularly. Understand that frequently missing learning days without making up lessons at home will result in less progress being made on the part of the child and a recommendation may be made to unenroll your child from WMS, should inadequate progress be made due to lack of attendance/lack of making up of lessons at home. Success in White Mountain Schoolhouse requires dedication on the part of the parents and learner--it is NOT the "easy way out". Tuition will not be refunded or prorated for the quarter, should a parent decide to stop their child from attending WMS.

Is White Mountain Schoolhouse considered a homeschool program?

• The state of Arizona does not recognize students that attend White Mountain Schoolhouse as homeschooled students if they are using ESA funds to pay their tuition. As mentioned above, parents are ultimately responsible for their child's learning and adequate progress being made and success in the program requires dedication on the part of the parents and learner. White Mountain Schoolhouse exists as a program to support parents in educating their child and helps provide opportunities for learning. If you will not be using ESA funds to pay tuition, you will need to file a notarized Affidavit of Intent to Homeschool with the Apache County Superintendent of Schools and your child will be considered by the state to be "homeschooled".

Will my student receive a report card?

• Students will not receive report cards or traditional "grades". Instead, educational stakeholders (parents, child, and guide) will meet together regularly (at least once per quarter) to discuss progress the learner has made. Parents can also ask at any time for updates on their learner's progress, or check their online curriculum's progress at any time.

Are snack and lunch provided?

• No; learners are required to bring their own snack and lunch each day. Please pack a cold lunch for your child that does not require refrigeration or reheating.

What happens if the guide is sick?

• Parents will be given notice by 7am if the guide is unable to hold WMS that day due to illness or family emergency. Should that occur, learners will have an "online learning day" at home, where parents should have their child participate on their online curriculum websites, accessible via Google Classroom.

What happens if my child is sick?

• Please, DO NOT send sick children to WMS. If you do so, you will be asked to pick up your child out of respect for the rest of the learners and the guide. Instead, please have them stay home and rest, and if they're up to it, they can participate on their online curriculum websites for that day, accessible via Google Classroom.

Will there be field trips?

• Yes! We will plan at least one field trip a month held on a Friday. Parents will be responsible for transportation. White Mountain Schoolhouse will cover all field trip entrance fees, unless specifically stated for that month.

Is there extra help available?

• White Mountain Schoolhouse offers one-on-one tutoring in any subject at the rate of $30 an hour, held after WMS hours Monday-Thursday or throughout the day on Fridays.

Is there assigned homework?

• All learners will complete handwriting at home.

• Parents and learners should decide together what kind of learning will happen at home, whether that be real-life, hands-on, non-traditional learning, or just extra time on their online curriculum.

• Learners should also be completing and recording their extra Enrichment Time activities outside of school hours. Because we have fewer hours and days than traditional school, enrichment time activities should be happening daily. These consist of self-directed "real-life learning"  activities that may include reading independently or with a family member, listening to stories, practicing coding online, participating in sports, playing outside, exploring music and art, or advancing on their PBL projects they've working on in class.

Will my 3rd grader+ have to take the Arizona State Standardized tests?

• Learners who participate in the ESA program or who have submitted an affidavit for homeschooling are exempt from being required to take these tests. However, the state of Arizona does allow learners to take these tests, if the parents so wish, at no cost through the local public school district. Parents are responsible for setting this up.