The Commons is an online forum where students can interact with each other and with the Curious Minds Classroom staff.  The forum has groups for each class where class discussions will be hosted and assignments may be posted and/or submitted depending on instructor preference and policy.  It also includes general discussion areas for our students to connect with each other and the staff in order to discuss things they are doing, learning, or thinking about.  You may find posts describing a project someone has completed, requests for help with a concept or subject, insights someone has gained, announcements about upcoming events, or any other topic that doesn’t violate the standards.

To help keep the forum a safe and rewarding place, the forums are limited to our staff, current students, and their parents (if applicable).

We do have some rules for forum content.

1. No illegal, morally questionable, demeaning, degrading, or mean-spirited content.
2. If you would be uncomfortable saying it to your grandmother, clergy, parents or other person you respect, don’t post it to the forum.
3. If you don’t want the whole world to know about it, don’t post it to the forum.
4. Off-topic discussions should be limited to the common forums rather than posted in a class forum.
5. Be kind and patient.
6. Be curious.
7. Be helpful.
8. Be honest.
9. Use proper grammar to the best of your ability.  We may correct you if you don’t.

We will be addressing difficult topics in the forums as part of the classes offered.  These topics may include discussions about things like violence (including sexual violence), evil, greed, corruption, moral failings, and poverty.  We will not glorify or excuse any of these things, but we will be talking about their existence and how they relate to the class subject.  The syllabus for each class will attempt to describe the expected topics, but it is ultimately the responsibility of the student and their parent(s) to decide if they are ready to participate in forum discussions on these topics.