Policies & Disclosures

These Policies are Effective September 2, 2026

Idlewild believes trust begins with clarity. These policies have been formally adopted for the 2027–2028 school year and explain our educational services, tuition, admissions process, refund terms, student-record practices, and Utah Fits All Scholarship procedures.

For questions, please contact:

John Driggs, School Administrator
[email protected]
(801) 910-8528

Idlewild Academy
7890 E Lake Creek Road
Heber City, Utah 84032

Educational Services

Idlewild is a full-time, nature-based microschool offering two separate educational programs:

• Upper Elementary Program for Grades 4–5
• Middle School Program for Grades 6–8

The programs provide distinct grade-level instruction and expectations while sharing Idlewild’s broader culture, campus, and selected community activities.

Idlewild operates Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., beginning during the second week of September and ending on the final school day of the last week in May.

Idlewild serves as each enrolled student’s primary school rather than as a supplemental or part-time enrichment program.

Upper Elementary Program: Grades 4–5

The Upper Elementary Program helps students strengthen foundational academic skills while developing curiosity, confidence, responsibility, and a growing capacity for independent learning.

Instruction is designed for students working within the approximate Grades 4–5 range and is adapted to their readiness, interests, and development.

Middle School Program: Grades 6–8

The Middle School Program offers increasingly rigorous academic work, deeper inquiry, greater independence, and expanded opportunities for leadership, practical learning, and student-directed projects.

Instruction is designed for students working within the approximate Grades 6–8 range and is adapted to their readiness, interests, and development.

Areas of Study

Students receive instruction and guided experience in:

• Mathematics;
• Language arts, literature, and writing;
• Science and nature study;
• History and civics;
• Socratic dialogue and critical thinking;
• Mindfulness, stewardship, and connection to place;
• Emotional and character development;
• Financial literacy;
• Teamwork and leadership;
• Entrepreneurship; and
• Student-directed projects and practical pursuits.

Idlewild intends to use NWEA MAP assessments and other measures to monitor academic growth and provide families with meaningful academic accountability.

Tuition and Fees

Tuition is based on the student’s enrolled program.

Grades 4–5

Annual tuition: $10,800

Families may select either:

• One annual payment of $10,800, due August 15, 2027; or
• Nine monthly payments of $1,200, due on the first day of each month from September 2027 through May 2028.

Grades 6–8

Annual tuition: $13,500

Families may select either:

• One annual payment of $13,500, due August 15, 2027; or
• Nine monthly payments of $1,500, due on the first day of each month from September 2027 through May 2028.

For each program, the annual and monthly options represent the same total tuition. There is no financing charge for choosing monthly payments.

Tuition includes all required academic instruction, curriculum, standard books and materials, assessments, regular school-day activities, nature-based programming, local field experiences, and ordinary use of school equipment.

Idlewild charges no additional required application, enrollment, registration, curriculum, materials, technology, or activity fees.

Families provide their student’s lunch, water bottle, backpack, weather-appropriate clothing, and transportation to and from school. These are not fees charged by Idlewild.

Any optional event or activity that could involve an additional expense will be disclosed in advance, will require separate family consent, and will not be a condition of enrollment.

Refund and Withdrawal Policy

A parent or legal guardian may withdraw a student at any time by providing written notice to [email protected].

The notice should identify the student, the requested final date of attendance, whether the student is transferring to another educational setting, and whether records should be transferred.

If a student withdraws before the first scheduled day of school, all tuition paid will be refunded.

After the school year begins, tuition is earned in monthly increments based on the student’s enrolled program:

• Grades 4–5: $1,200 per month
• Grades 6–8: $1,500 per month

Once the student’s first scheduled school day in a month has begun, that month’s tuition is earned and is not prorated by day.

Tuition for future months that have not begun will be canceled or refunded. Families using a monthly plan will not owe installments for future, unstarted months. Families who paid annually will receive a refund equal to the applicable monthly installment for each future, unstarted month.

For example, if a student withdraws during November, three monthly installments will have been earned. Tuition attributable to December through May will be canceled or refunded at the rate applicable to the student’s program.

Student absences, family travel, illness, weather closures, disciplinary absences, or other missed days do not ordinarily reduce tuition.

Personally paid refunds will ordinarily be returned to the original payer within 30 calendar days. Any refund attributable to Utah Fits All Scholarship funds will be returned directly to Odyssey and will never be paid directly to a parent or student.

Idlewild will not require a scholarship student to waive the right to withdraw or transfer to another qualifying provider.

Utah Fits All Scholarship

Idlewild intends to apply to participate in the Utah Fits All Scholarship Program for the 2027–2028 school year.

Idlewild’s UFA approval is currently pending.

Participation is subject to approval by Odyssey and compliance with the requirements in effect for the 2027–2028 program year. Idlewild cannot guarantee school approval, individual student eligibility, scholarship amounts, funding availability, payment timing, or reimbursement approval.

Scholarship and non-scholarship students enrolled in the same program and grade level are charged the same tuition and receive the same fee, refund, and withdrawal terms.

Any amount not covered by a student’s scholarship remains the responsibility of the student’s family. UFA funds are a source of payment and do not alter Idlewild’s tuition.

If a scholarship-funded payment becomes refundable under Idlewild’s standard refund policy, the scholarship-funded portion will be returned directly to Odyssey for deposit into the student’s scholarship account. Scholarship funds will not be refunded, rebated, credited, or transferred directly to a parent or student.

Idlewild will report a scholarship student’s withdrawal to Odyssey within five business days. Parents are separately responsible for updating the student’s school selection or educational status in their Odyssey account.

Admissions and Enrollment

Idlewild offers:

• An Upper Elementary Program for students in Grades 4–5; and
• A Middle School Program for students in Grades 6–8.

Placement is based on the student’s current grade as well as developmental and academic readiness for the applicable program.

Idlewild is especially interested in independent, curious, and unconventional learners, including students who may not feel sufficiently challenged, understood, or engaged in a traditional setting.

We do not expect perfection, conformity, or a particular academic profile. We look for students and families who demonstrate:

• A willingness to grow;
• Respect for other people and the natural environment;
• A willingness to create safety for oneself and others;
• An ability to participate in a small, collaborative community;
• Openness to inquiry, responsibility, and constructive feedback; and
• Commitment to regular attendance and meaningful participation.

The admissions process ordinarily includes a family inquiry, an introductory parent conversation, review of the school’s program and policies, a student conversation or visit, submission of relevant educational and health information, and an individualized admission decision.

There is no application fee.

Admission is based on available space, developmental and program fit, legitimate safety considerations, and whether Idlewild can reasonably meet the student’s needs. Admissions decisions are not based on whether a family receives UFA funding.

Learning Differences and Student Support

Idlewild values different ways of thinking and learning. A diagnosis or learning difference is not automatically a barrier to admission.

Idlewild is a small general-education microschool. It is not a therapeutic, clinical, behavioral-treatment, or special-education school and does not represent that it can provide the full range of services available through a public-school special education program.

Decisions involving diagnosed learning differences or disabilities are made individually, in consultation with the family and consistent with applicable law. Idlewild will consider reasonable supports and accommodations.

The school may determine that it cannot safely or effectively serve a student who requires services, staffing, facilities, supervision, or professional expertise beyond what the program can reasonably provide.

Nondiscrimination

Idlewild is a politically neutral and secular educational community. We welcome families from a wide range of religious, cultural, political, and philosophical backgrounds.

Idlewild does not unlawfully discriminate in admissions, enrollment, instruction, programs, or activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnicity, ancestry, religion or creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, or any other status protected by applicable law.

Idlewild complies with the antidiscrimination provisions of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, including its prohibition against discrimination based on race, color, or national origin.

The school does not require a student or family to affirm a particular political, religious, or philosophical position as a condition of admission or continued enrollment.

Reporting a Concern

Concerns may be submitted verbally or in writing to:

John Driggs, School Administrator
[email protected]
(801) 910-8528

If a concern involves the school administrator, it may be directed to:

River Wood, Alternate Reviewer
[email protected]
(949) 683-0571

Idlewild will promptly acknowledge a written complaint, gather relevant information, give the affected person an opportunity to explain the concern, determine whether corrective action is appropriate, and communicate the outcome to the extent privacy considerations permit.

Good-faith concerns will be addressed respectfully and without retaliation.

Student Records and Privacy

Idlewild maintains student records to support learning, communicate with families, protect health and safety, document enrollment and attendance, and comply with applicable requirements.

Student records are treated as confidential. Access is limited to parents or legal guardians, authorized school personnel with a legitimate need, authorized service providers, Odyssey or government authorities when required, and other individuals authorized by the parent or guardian.

Idlewild will not sell student information or use confidential student records for unrelated advertising.

Parents may request access to their student’s records or ask that inaccurate information be corrected. Idlewild will ordinarily respond within ten business days.

Academic summaries, transcripts, enrollment records, attendance records, assessment results, and routine student records are generally retained for seven years after the student’s final date of attendance.

Before destroying the school’s final copy of an academic summary or transcript, Idlewild will make a reasonable effort to notify the student or parent and offer an electronic copy.

If Idlewild publishes schoolwide NWEA MAP results or other academic outcomes, the information will be aggregated and de-identified. Results will be suppressed, combined, or delayed when the number of participating students is too small to reasonably protect individual privacy.

Complete Adopted Policies

The complete adopted policy document governs Idlewild’s tuition, UFA procedures, nondiscrimination commitments, admissions, enrollment, student records, refunds, and withdrawal procedures.

If this summary differs from the complete adopted policies, the complete policy document controls.