FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

General

  • We are located on the ground floor of 301 E. Main in downtown Missoula—AKA the former public library. This location allows for collaboration with area nonprofits, proximity to the University of Montana and Missoula College, and convenient access the Mountain Line bus route!

  • Our eventual goal is to have approximately 120 students in grades 9-12. This intentionally-small size will allow us to maintain a low student-teacher ratio and our culture of community. In our first few years, each grade level will have about 10-15 students.

  • No, CFP is not a public charter school and does not receive any taxpayer dollars.

  • No. CFP serves high school students, while Clark Fork School primarily runs a preschool and elementary after school programs. The two schools are not connected, but you can find information about Clark Fork School here.

Academics and Student Life

  • School starts at 8:45 and ends at 3:15, except Thursdays when school’s out at 2:15. CFP semester classes range from 60 minutes to 90 minutes, depending on the course. Click here to see a sample freshman schedule.


    At the end of each semester, CFP switches up the regular schedule to offer three-week block courses called Immersives.  These academic classes let students focus on a single topic where they can experience truly in-depth learning.  

  • Clark Fork Prep athletes will have a variety of sports options to choose from. CFP students can participate on the various club teams available to Missoula teenagers, and CFP plans to offer some non-competitive extracurricular activities. Thanks to a 2021 MT state law, private school students will also be eligible to join the extracurricular teams of their neighborhood public schools. CFP’s  dismissal time is designed to allow students full participation in MCPS activities.

  • Our eventual goal is to have approximately 120 students in grades 9-12. This intentionally-small size will allow us to maintain a low student-teacher ratio and our culture of community. In our first few years, each grade level will have about 10-15 students.

  • We ask students to keep cell phones and smart watches put away during the school day so they can be fully present in their learning, their relationships, and the world around them. A break from the constant pull of technology gives students space to focus, connect, and simply be present. Students may use phones or smart watches during lunch and with permission from school personnel.

  • At Clark Fork Prep, we take an intentional approach to technology. We want students to be comfortable and capable in a technology-rich world, but we don’t believe every learning experience needs a screen. Technology is a tool we use when it adds value–not the default setting for learning. Our students spend significant time reading, writing, discussing, making, moving, working with their hands, and engaging with people and places in our community.

  • As part of our commitment to preparing students for whatever their futures may hold, CFP’s faculty designs courses that encourage intellectual curiosity and create ample opportunities for critical thinking. Rather than following a preset AP or IB program, we build our curriculum around fundamental principles of learning, using place-based education as a framework for connecting academic work to the world around us.

    Students engage in a combination of core courses, weekly Explorations, and twice-yearly Immersives, with teachers collaborating across departments to create a cohesive and challenging Program of Study. Our goal is to prepare students not simply for a particular exam or program, but for the demands of college, careers, and lifelong growth.

Admissions

  • For information about the application process and to access the application, please visit our application page.

  • Our admission season opens in October, and priority registration closes on February 8, 2027. Admission decisions are released mid-February, and after that, students are accepted on a rolling basis. 

    Here are the basic steps for applying to Clark Fork Prep:

    1. Attend one of our Info Sessions (11/12, 12/8, or 1/27)

    2. Take a tour (you can schedule it here).

    3. Apply!

  • Yes! Throughout the admission season, we welcome prospective students to spend a day at Clark Fork Prep and get a taste of the CFP experience. Preview days typically take place on Wednesdays–sign up here.

  • Tuition for the 2026-27 school year is $16,500. We want every student interested in attending CFP to be able to do so and are committed to growing a robust tuition assistance program.

  • CFP admits transfer students on a case-by-case basis. Transfer admission decisions are determined by whether we can smoothly integrate the student into courses already in progress.