Introducing Salmonberry Community School

||| FROM PAUL FREEDMAN for SALMONBERRY COMMUNITY SCHOOL |||

As Salmonberry School prepares to open its silver gates on Henry Rd in Eastsound for the start of its 25th academic year, it is excited to do so with a new name that reflects its core values. Salmonberry begins year 25 as The Salmonberry Community School.

Salmonberry’s co-founder and Head of School Paul Freedman explains, “Since our inception, it’s been common for people to be suspicious of the implied exclusivity inherent to a ‘private school.’ This must be a place that only welcomes certain people. This couldn’t be further from our vision, and our Board and staff felt it was time that the school live more fully and intentionally into its core beliefs. So we begin this year with a new name. Welcome to Salmonberry Community School.”

There are at least four ways in which Salmonberry embodies a community centered approach.

First there is the school’s internal community. Each of the school’s three multi-age classrooms functions very much as a large family. 12-15 students work with two teachers emphasizing experiential, multidisciplinary and project-based learning. These classrooms, the Salmon, the Cedars and the Eagles create an ecosystem, frequently engaging in multi-age project based learning, playing outside all together or gathering together for community singing, or other rituals and celebrations.

“Community schools aren’t just for students— they’re for parents, educators and the whole community. When schools become hubs of support, opportunity, and collaboration, everyone benefits. This is about more than education—it’s about building a future together…” Salmonberry punctuates the school year with invitations for parents to collaboratively set their child’s learning goals, observe in the classrooms, volunteer, or just hang out with the kids and teachers as they play and learn and create together. Events like the school’s annual Grandparents Day, various Teas and Celebrations of Learning all reach out to connect with children’s extended families as well.

A second way Salmonberry Community School embodies community is by offering opportunities for all the island’s children to participate in a little bit of “Salmonberry magic.” The school hosts a range of seasonal festivals and events. For many years these have included fall harvest festivals, lantern walks, quiet and contemplative winter gatherings and joyful spring May Pole festivals.

“We are always delighted to welcome any children as we design rituals to notice and engage in the changing seasons,” says Salmon class educator, Tabitha Rose. Salmonberry offers a wide range of summer camps each year, including children who represent inclusion from every other school and child care center on island, in addition to many loyal returning island visitors from off-island homes.. Salmonberry creates ways to meet other community needs for children, for example, our current ‘Friday Friends’ program allows unenrolled students to register for just one day/week.

In recent years the school has hosted well-attended parent-child play groups, and is currently brainstorming with some homeschool families to see if there might be other opportunities for collaboration. “Even though my kids have never attended Salmonberry, since my term as a Board member, I have considered us to be a Salmonberry family in a way. And I love that so many of their friends are Salmonberry students,” said homeschooling mom, Katie Zwilling.

A third way in which Salmonberry exemplifies its new moniker of Community School are the many many ways they continue to partner with the islands’ other nonprofits and businesses. From working with Lum Farm on previous Christmas Tree sales, to partnerships and collaborations with the Orcas Senior Center, raising food for the Orcas Food Bank, supporting the annual Gathering of The Eagles Canoe Journey,, or collaborating with KWIAHT and helping with its citizen science mission, Salmonberry is always on the lookout for island organizations wishing to collaborate. Beyond Orcas Island, Salmonberry works closely with its Sister School, Spring Street International School, and is working to develop a relationship with another Sister, The Wish School in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

A final way in which Salmonberry reflects the ideals of community is by striving towards inclusivity. One example of this is the school’s robust tuition assistance program, which supports families who struggle to pay the cost of tuition. The school is establishing a new Scholarship Fund with the Orcas Island Community Foundation to make this need more visible. Currently the school receives no state or government funds and privately raises money to offer families with demonstrated need some significant support.

“Right now over 60% of the school’s enrolled students benefit from some form of tuition reduction, with need-based awards ranging from 30-90% of tuition. Even full-tuition payers are paying less than half as much as many parents pay at mainland independent schools. This is a huge lift for us, but we are deeply committed to trying to make participation possible for any family who thinks a Salmonberry education would benefit their child,” says Freedman.

Keep an eye out for the many community events that we will be rolling out this year as Salmonberry builds towards their 25 th anniversary celebration. Freedman says, “We welcome everyone to experience Salmonberry Community School, now and for the next 25 years!”