Philosophy, Mission & History

At the Dome School, we strive to work with the whole child.  We are concerned with helping children develop their academic potential, but are equally concerned with their social and emotional development. We want children to be able to be creative and allow their natural curiosity to thrive. The challenge we face as teachers is to respond to each child and meet his or her needs.

Teachers are facilitators who encourage discovery and exploration while fostering good communication skills.

Mission

The Dome School works hand-in-hand with families to ignite a lifelong love of learning and a deep caring for the diversity of humanity and the natural world. By weaving together school, family and community, we create a sense of belonging that empowers children to be leaders in a changing world.

Values

1. Teach the whole child: body, mind, and spirit
2. Create a positive, warm, welcoming, and nurturing learning environment for students
3. Incorporate thematic learning that is based on children’s preferences, interests, and abilities
4. Value unstructured play, creativity, and community-building as integral to the school day
5. Use inquiry-based education techniques to foster discovery, creativity, communication, and teamwork so that students understand concepts instead of just memorizing information
6. Use non-violent conflict resolution techniques to help children learn from mistakes instead of punishing them for their mistakes
7. Group children into small, multi-level, multi-grade classrooms to encourage children to learn from one another as well as from teachers
8. Emphasize the development of children’s self-esteem and self-regulation
9. Continue the Dome School tradition as a parent cooperative
10. Provide home-cooked, nutritious meals
11. Treat every child as a unique, creative, intelligent, and capable individual

The Dome School is more than a school, it is a family. The school is located inside the Takilma Community Building, which hosts numerous concerts, plays, gatherings, and other creative and celebratory events throughout the year. Some events serve as school fundraisers to offset the low cost of tuition, while other events are hosted by community members, who have long valued the Takilma Community Building as the cultural center of the artistic and unique community of Takilma, Oregon.

The Dome School has a non-discriminatory policy concerning gender, race, color, creed, religion, and national and ethnic origin.

History

The Dome School began in 1975 as a home schooling collective. The classes were held in a dome structure located in Takilma, Oregon. In 1976 the school was incorporated as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. In 1979, the need for a larger and more permanent facility brought the community together to build the school’s present building, known locally as the Takilma Community Building or TCB.

The present structure is a multi-purpose building located on eight acres of community-owned land. The forested location provides a relaxed, natural atmosphere and many opportunities for science, nature studies and recreation.

Parent and community involvement has always been integral to the functioning of the school. To be a part of the rhythm of the day is an enriching experience for both parent and child. The teachers integrate the interests of the children, the parents and the community volunteers to create a curriculum that is unique each year.