Penguin Pod Tutoring Extra Credit!

Lydia Kuznicki specializes in individualized and integrated small-group learning on Mercer Island. She conducts business through her limited liability company, Penguin Pod Tutoring, LLC, a woman-owned small business in Washington State. She conducted a market study in August 2020 and found that she could provide many of the key benefits of private tutoring in the new multi-family "pod" settings common in remote learning in elementary education starting with the 2020-2021 school year. She believes in being fair and reasonable and she'd love to work with you!

Policies and Fees

  • To secure that Pod Home's spot on a Lydia's schedule will require an up-front fee of $500 for each Pod Kid in the Penguin Pod. This fee is refunded upon terminating the contract if the contract is terminated subsequent to three or more complete months of continuous on-time payment in the Penguin Pod tutoring service .
  • The monthly tuition rate is $1,800.
    • Tuition is payable monthly, is non-refundable, and is due at 8 a.m. on the 1st day of each month.
    • A small discount is provided in December for parents who renew and pay for January prior to December 15th.
    • Discounts are available for pods with children in the same grade
    • Discounts are available for children from the same family
    • Multi-month guaranteed tuition agreements come with special discounts.
    • Agreements are month-to-month unless other arrangements are made.
  • Payments can easily be made by credit card on a secure web site.
  • When we expand, you'll be able to pick your Penguin Pod Tutor from a growing list of partners on our web site, too!

The rest is simple: Lydia brings two decades of educational leadership and practice to your home and every Pod Kid benefits alongside your kids.

What Do Pod Parents Provide?

Pod Parents provide the Igloos each day. Pod Parents retain their relationship with the School District and handle all of their child's confidential information. Lydia, your personal Pod Tutor, works with Pod Kids, supporting their remote learning activities and assessing their progress and skills in-person, with input from the parents.

Igloos

  • Quiet and communal workspaces in one room or two adjacent rooms.
  • An accessible wireless network with sufficient capacity for all students and any other users in the Igloo
  • An internet connection of with a subscribed download speed of at least 60 Mbps
  • A household member authorized by the Pod Parents who is present all day during class; that member or an authorized Pod Parent will also provide supervision during short breaks and a midday lunch break

Pod Parents

  • A computing device consistent with School District policy
  • An activity bag
  • Lunch (or an agreement among Pod Parents if an Igloo provides lunch)

Pod Tutor (Lydia!)

  • expertise related to curriculum, development, and behavior
  • supervision of children during instructional time
  • activities in between lessons, supported with her own materials and equipment
  • supervision of lunch and recess

The Penguin Pod Tutoring Difference

Lydia is committed to collaborating with parents and will also participate in

  • Sunday Night Meetings - Lydia meets with Pod Parents and caregivers to discuss the weekly pod schedule, learning objectives, and student interactions in a calm setting where everyone works together for what's best for their Penguin Pod.
  • Pod Kid Updates - Lydia meets individually with Pod Parents to highlight the successes, challenges, and needs of their children, working with them to address those needs in the Pod and with the help of School District resources, as needed and desired.
  • One Saturday Learning Explorers activity per quarter, integrating sports, physical fitness, and the development of a rich understanding of the earth. This community group relationship builder will be developed by Lydia in conjunction with the School District curriculum, approved by Pod Parents, and hosted by a rotating group of Pod Parents in various parks around Mercer Island, subject to availability.


About Lydia Kuznicki

Lydia enjoys spending time with children. She helps them learn to manage their emotions and find constructive ways to share, help, and support each other in the classroom
She believes that parents and teachers can engender respect through the use of reasonable boundaries with consistency creates an atmosphere where kinetic learners can co-exist with children who benefit from assistance with managing distractions. Lydia feels and does her best when she can collaborate with supportive parents and obtain positive outcomes for the whole child, emotionally and intellectually. Every child is different and every child needs individual and individualized attention. Lydia's husband, Scott, admires her for her empathy and readily admits he learned some new life skills from this kind and sensible kindergarten teacher
Scott has made Mercer Island home since 2007 and he and Lydia reside in a home on the South End
Together, they enjoy walks to the grocery store, weekly hikes on Mercer Island's nearby and abundant trails, gardening, and friendly neighbors.

Why Penguins?

Penguins are fiercely loyal and they share the duties of raising young chicks. Their playful attitudes and intelligence remind us that curiosity and friendliness are just what we need in life to help people smile. (And, yes, we know: penguins are not indigenous to Alaska and they don't live in igloos!)