Finding the magic in learning

By Soncirey Mitchell
Reader Staff

A yearslong fundraising process will come to a close for the Selkirk School on Saturday, April 26, with a special dinner and auction from 5-9 p.m. that organizers hope will provide the final push for the school to reach its $300,000 goal. 

All proceeds will go toward adding two new bathrooms and a multipurpose room to support students’ extracurricular activities.

“For 30 students and six staff, we currently have two bathrooms,” said Director Molly Thompson.

“We’re strategic about it. We have a bookcase right by the bathroom and a beautiful fish tank, so it’s a learning lesson for them where they sit and read books, but there are times when both bathrooms are occupied, and somebody really needs to go.”

The school sits on 4.5 acres where its “threeschool,” preschool, pre-K and Kindergarten classes learn outside, but the actual schoolhouse has maintained a small footprint since its humble beginnings in the 1970s.

“We have a piece of concrete that has ‘1978’ etched into it, and we know from historical lore that, decades ago, the school started as North Idaho Learning Center and, officially, that’s still our name. It was a trailer — like a mobile home — and that was the first school,” said Thompson.

A rendering of the Selkirk School’s future multipurpose room, which was designed by architect and Selkirk alum Reid Weber of North Root Architecture. StanCraft Construction will handle the buidling process and plan to break ground in May. Courtesy photo.

The original structure was eventually replaced by the schoolhouse, which the administration has slowly added onto over the years to give students and summer camp attendees more breathing room. Despite the expansion, the school has no plans to increase its student body, which currently has classes of eight to 12 students.

“We like that we have small classes and can really have an impact on the families that are a part of this school. Even though it means that we have fewer families that we impact, it really keeps the feel of the school very close-knit and communal,” said Thompson.

Currently, teachers have to rearrange rooms and organize special outside activities to create the space needed to house extracurricular classes. The process is even more labor intensive when preparing the school for summer. 

The additional room will house the student’s yoga classes, music lessons, indoor summer camp activities and a child-centric kitchen, among other uses.

“Two of our classes bake or cook every week. That’s part of their lesson and, as you can imagine, it teaches them everything from math to measuring skills, gross motor skills with the mixing and even trying new things,” said Thompson.

“Right before spring break, our youngest class was studying the letter ‘v’ and so they made some roasted vegetables that they had cut and peeled themselves,” she added. “They enjoyed the process more than the vegetables, but still they tried. When you’re 3 years old, trying new vegetables is a big deal.”

Children prepare meals in the classroom, but the teachers have to cook the food at a separate location. The new kitchen will have child-sized countertops and a safe area around the oven so the students can watch their creations bake.

“We want to make every single child that comes through Selkirk School have a longstanding love of learning and understand that learning is fun, school is fun and that it’s magical because of all of the things that you learn how to do, and that you are smart because of all the things that you can do,” Thompson said. “That really is what it comes down to — having the children find the magic in learning.”

The April 26 fundraiser will feature a silent auction with prizes like massage gift certificates, Schweitzer passes and local art up for grabs, as well as a dessert dash with sweets donated by local pastry chefs from The Cakery, Arlo’s Ristorante, Winter Ridge and more. Beet and Basil will cater the event, providing vegetarian and grain-free options.

Tickets are $75 per person at auctria.events/2025SpringFundraiser.

“We love being part of this community. We love the impact that we have on the community and we are so appreciative of the families that partner with us as a co-op school,” said Thompson.

For more information or to enroll in the last available Kindergarten and preschool spots, visit selkirkschool.com.