Sudbury School News From Around the World

A group of students, ages 5-10, planned a spontaneous field trip last week to enjoy the sun!  We go on many of these field trips to local parks and green spaces.  Any group of students can plan a trip during a school day, as long as a staff is available to accompany them.

During this field trip, I really enjoyed the dynamic between the students.  Students of all ages form such close relationships with each other, with older kids tending to younger kids, and younger kids being inspired by the older ones.

The students who have been here for a number of years have truly amazing friendships with people of all ages.  Some friendships have been the result of very hard, voluntary work on the part of two people who didn’t get along for a period of time.

I think that the friendships at the school are so strong and impressive because the students are free to choose the people they’d like to get to know, yet are required, by school law, to treat everyone with respect.

Eventually, people seem to discover that there is something to enjoy in just about everybody. Differences in beliefs and family culture (religion, politics, food, money, lifestyle and more) are discussed openly from a young age. But none of those things stand in the way of friendship. As students live, work, and play together in an environment of mutual respect, they create human-to-human bonds that are stronger than common interests or beliefs.

It’s good to live and learn among friends.

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On Friday, March 23rd, Fairhaven School hosted a panel featuring three alumni- Pallas Bane (class of 2008), Thor Jensen (class of 2005), and Erin Gregory ( who chose not to graduate and left in 2005.) The 2011-2012 school year is beginning to feel like “The Year of the Alumni,” as we have enrolled a record number of returning students and we have begun to focus more directly on alumni as our most valuable marketing asset. The proof, as they say, is in the pudding. Who do these students become? Finally, our illustrious alumni have chartered an Alumni Association, so look for more alumni presence going forward!

We videotaped the March 23rd presentation and will soon be posting it online.

For now, here is a brief interview with Thor Jensen reflecting on his time at Fairhaven School.

Parents, students and visitors were universally pleased and reassured by the panelists, as they embody so many of the qualities a Fairhaven School educations engenders. Like many of our graduates, Thor, Pallas, and Erin have become articulate, ethical, successful, and interesting people!

Stay tuned for the alumni panel in its entirety.

Mark McCaig

Fairhaven School

For our last Making the Leap post, here are the answers to some commonly-asked admissions questions.  We hope you’ve found these posts helpful, and we look forward to meeting you if you choose to explore the school for 2012-2013.

When do I apply?

Enrollment is now closed for the 2011-2012 school year.  If you are considering Rising Tide School for 2012-2013, you are encouraged to begin the admissions process well before the end of the 2011-2012 school year.  Our unique admissions process involves a full visiting week, so you are encouraged to plan ahead for the smoothest transition to a new environment.  New enrollments are accepted on a space-available basis beginning on April 16th.

Does it cost money to attend Rising Tide School?

Yes!  Rising Tide School is an independent school, funded largely by tuition.  We deeply value our position as an independent school, as our independence frees us from requirements and practices that run counter to our values.  By operating independently, we have are able to practice equality, democracy, and self-direction in a way that wouldn’t be possible within today’s public education paradigm.  We, the Rising Tide School students, staff, trustees and corporate members (many of whom are parents), retain control of the program and operation of our school.  We view education as the most important investment you could possibly make in your child’s present and future, and our tuition is intended to be affordable, to ensure that the school is available to families of all backgrounds.

Is financial aid available?

Yes.  Financial aid is available, and early application is highly encouraged.  For details, please visit our website.

Can I visit the school?

Yes, there are several ways to visit the school.

• Make an appointment for an admissions visit, during which you can observe the school in session.  Please call or email to schedule.  Admissions ... Read More

Welcome!  If you’re just joining us, this is the second in a short series of posts about the admissions process at Rising Tide School.

Today, we’ll consider what makes a student and their family likely to experience success and satisfaction at Rising Tide School.  I’ll offer some general thoughts on what makes Rising Tide School a fit for students and parents, and if these thoughts spark questions about your student’s specific hopes and needs, please feel free to contact me.

The short answer is that Rising Tide School is for anybody who wants to be here.  To be more precise, Rising Tide School is for any independent person, ages 5-18, who wishes to have responsibility for their own education and who wants to attend the school.  It’s for kids who want to know themselves, and to have the freedom and support they need to figure out life on their own terms.  And equally, it’s for parents who are ready to support their student in making their own choices and directing their own education.  The school requires a partnership between parent and student, based on the parent’s trust in their student’s ability to learn and succeed.  Without this core trust, it is very difficult for students to do well at the school.  So when we assess a student’s readiness to enter the school, we are looking for four things:

• Is the student independent?
• Are they ready to take responsiblilty for themselves and for their education?
• Do they wish to attend the school?
• Do they have the support and trust of their parents?

At the very core of Rising Tide School, there’s a belief about humans:  We believe that every young person has the ability, desire, and drive to learn.  The school is based on complete trust in the ability of each and every young person ... Read More

I thought I’d do a short series of posts about making the leap to democratic education–otherwise known as the admissions process!  I’ve been the Admissions Clerk for most of our three years of operation, and I really enjoy working with the families and students who consider entering this new world of freedom and opportunity.  For many people, it is a leap that is exciting, yet a bit scary, as this new world is unfamiliar and very different from what most of us have experienced in our own education.  In this series, I’ll talk about how admissions works, who should apply, and answer some frequently asked admissions questions.  If you have a question to ask the Admissions Clerk, please email me at abbe (at) risingtideschool (dot) org, and I’ll address it here on the blog.  Also, please save the date for our next Open House, on April 29th at 1:30pm.  At the Open House, you can tour the school, ask your questions in person, and meet other prospective and current students and their families.

Today, I’ll speak to the question: How does admissions work at Rising Tide School?

First of all, congratulations!  If you’re considering admissions, you may have decided that you are ready for something different, and you want to see if Rising Tide School is the school for you.  Enrollment at Rising Tide School is open to any student, age 5-18, who is independent, ready to take responsibility for themselves and their education, and who wishes to attend the school.  The admissions process is a mutual interview process in which the student, their parent(s), and the school assess whether or not the school is a good fit for the individual student and their educational needs.  During admissions, students and parents have plenty of time to ask questions and ... Read More

We’d like to extend a warm invitation to all friends and supporters of Rising Tide School to join us for our annual Auction, which will take place on Saturday, April 14th, at 6pm.  This is our biggest fundraiser of the year, and a wonderful chance for you to enjoy a fabulous auction evening while supporting democratic education in Olympia!

We have some amazing items to auction this year, including:

• Incredibly beautiful Kramer Shun Slicer knife from world-renowned bladesmith Bob Kramer
• Dr. Israel (!!!) will remix one of your original compositions, or appear as a guest on a track.
• African Photo Safari and luxury accommodations at Ezulwini Game Lodge
• Original large-scale drawing on canvas by Chelsea Baker
• A stay at the Wavecrest Resort on the island of Molokai
• Sam Gray of Sam Gray Sound (Rising Tide School founder) will record, mix and master one audio piece (song, commercial, interview) for you!
• Laughter Yoga session for 5-500 people with a Certified Laughter Yoga Leader at your venue.
• Private wine tasting for for people plus 3 bottles of wine at Convergence Zone Cellars.
• Signed and framed posters by Nikki McClure.
• Hundreds of other items and experiences from local businesses, including Lengua Rica, Aaron Barna Photography, 360 Motorsports (Rising Tide School alumnus-owned business!), K Records, Waves Studio, Rusty Cock Ridge, Olympia Family Theater, and many, many more, plus art, handcrafts, and lots more goodness.  Click here for a complete list of auction donors.

The evening includes:

• Live auction with Cindy Schorno, auctioneer
• Silent auction
• Wine Ring Toss
• Best of Live Raffle
• Delicious food and wine
• Childcare and junior auction for kids 4-12

We hope you will join us!  For tickets, please call the school at 360.753-0820, or purchase at brownpapertickets.com.

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Rising Tide School is a place where students are responsible for making their own way in the world. They are responsible for deciding what to do with their time, for discovering their own direction in life, and for setting and reaching their own goals.

In order to support students in setting and achieving their own unique goals, there is no assessment whatsoever at the school. No academic record is kept, no grades are ever given (save for the rare circumstance where a student requests a grade within a student-initiated class), and staff do not pass judgment on students’ work or progress, unless a student specifically asks for feedback. Students are forced to look carefully at their work and decide if it measures up to their own standards. Have they learned the skills they need to get where they want to go? Is their work good enough for the purpose it was created?  Was their vision effectively translated into reality? This type of assessment is authentic and the stakes are high.  Students must do their work well enough for real purposes, and it’s up to them to assess themselves with clear eyes (or to ask for other eyes when needed!)

When the time comes to present their work to the world, students are responsible for creating the records they need to effectively present themselves to future employers or college admissions officers. Here’s a view of a very dedicated student artist,  who enlisted the help of one of the school’s interns to create a digital portfolio, using high-quality photo equipment to which the intern has access.  (A great example of how students access resources in the larger community). This process was a happy one for both people; serving as celebration of all the student’s hard work and perseverance, as well as the the beautiful ... Read More

Play, make, talk, study, imagine, build, experiment….Learn!!!

Last week, the Opinion Pages of the New York Times printed a compelling article about creativity and education. Yet again, a thinker (in this case writer and filmmaker Hanif Kureishi)  has inadvertently argued for the efficacy of Fairhaven School!

In an education world increasingly intent upon systematizing conformity (even by medicating young people), truly our students remain free to cultivate their interests, to foster creativity, and indeed to allow themselves to be distracted by their very imaginations. Is this not their birthright?

Follow this link to read the article. Enjoy!

Mark McCaig

February, 2012

Reprinted below is an article the Sudbury Valley School journal published last month. It captures so well the reality of growing up in the twenty-first century, we decided to post it here. Enjoy!

“There’s More’n One Way to Skin a Cat”*

by Mimsy Sadofsky

We have a lot to muse about as we struggle to make ourselves comfortable in a world that seems to be mainly for people whose brains are more advanced than ours.

Who is we? Well, it is my generation, for sure. It is in no sense today’s generation, and the fact that my children (that middle generation; my kids are now middle-aged people) can manage to actually fit their limited brains into the 21st century reality, and make it their own, is impressive to me. Because they were not, as my son said once that his child was, born with a computer (you remember, silver spoon) in their mouths. Some of you fall into that middle generation.

Now, I know the difference; I know about this stuff at least in the abstract: I work at Sudbury Valley where it hits you in the face from 8 in the morning till well after 5 in the afternoon. Every kid can speak languages I know nothing of. Every kid knows worlds my parents would never have dreamt of. But how to discuss it abstractly is never clear, because what we are talking about is the material these kids have for building models of reality, and we are always on the outside of anyone else’s models of reality. What their mom and dad want to know is if they are going to learn whatever other 4th graders or 10th graders know. What they know somehow, each of these kids, is that the school lock-step curriculum is totally unrelated to how they develop their own ... Read More

Last month, for the thirteenth year in a row, Fairhaven School’s Theatre Corporation staged a production. This year, they decided to host a dinner theater. Staff and students set up the room, and parents cooked the baked ziti and black beans. The mother of the murder “victim” baked bread from scratch! Our resident student pastry chef made scrumptious desserts. Cast and crew served the audience. As for the production, it was a hilarious send-up of the murder mystery genre. Highlights included the dowager in drag, the ditzy blonde, and the Brooklyn gangster.

Bravo and thanks to all!

Go to the school’s home page to see photos.

I don't know if you've heard, but Clearwater is (still) revamping our web site. I was given a short list of photos the designers want, and I've taken a few hundred this week. Here are a few - maybe worthy, maybe not, but interesting anyway. Computer Room shots are very hard to get right, for this very reason.

Those of you who have been following Meghan's original story set in the Warcraft world are long overdue for the third installment. If you haven't read or don't remember the story so far, be sure to check out Chapter 1 and Chapter 2.  If you'd like to re-read the first chapter, click on the link above, then enjoy Chapter 3, below. The story is told from the point of view of Salith, a female half-elf, half-troll rogue.  Tales of Warcraft Chapter 3 Stormy escape Salith awoke to the sound of thunder rumbling in the distance. She got to her feet and looked out of her cage at the sky where clouds so gray they were almost black gathered on the horizon. “A storm is brewing,” she said, grasping the two nearest bars and gazing out at the darkening sky. “Indeed.” A cool voice came from behind her. Startled, Salith whipped around and bared her teeth. “Who are you?” she demanded as thunder rolled once more. “I am known as Delaralas(1),” the stranger replied. He wore a long emerald cloak and leather garments, half-concealed by the cloak. As he pulled down his hood Salith realized he was an elf, with long purple-ish ears and markings painted across his face. “What are you doing here?” Salith’s accent faded and she hid her tusks. “I am here to rescue you. Don’t bother hiding them, I know what you are,” he said. She scowled and showed her teeth, eyes flashing. “Why would you come to rescue me? You’re an elf of high-birth and I’m nothing but a lowly half-breed. I don ‘t get it.” Delaralas shook his head and exhaled softly.“Heh. Neither do I, my friend, neither do I.” Salith spat contemptuously while lightning flashed behind her. “Anything but, elf!” Delaralas actually laughed, echoed by thunder, closer now than before. “Come now, you don’t want ... Read More

I asked as many Clearwater students as I could this question: Were you happy, or unhappy, or did you have mixed feelings about the end of Winter Break and coming back to school? The same day I posed it to the 4th/5th graders in my own after-school class at a Seattle public elementary school. The results are below the fold. Number of public school students asked: 22 Ages: 9-11 yrs Responses: Happy: 0 Mixed feelings: 4 Unhappy: 18 Number of Clearwater school students asked: 26 Ages: 7-19 Responses: Happy: 25 Mixed feelings: 1 Unhappy: 0 Well, then.

Here is a short video featuring an interview with Meghan Conken about creating a live action role playing game at the Clearwater School. The video does not do justice to all of the behind the scenes planning that Meghan and staff member Mat R. did to help create and manage each players character profile nor does it capture a big moment in the LARP but it does offer a small glimpse into the beginning stages of how it began.

Sometimes the news we hear from alumni is just lovely. This just in, from the email Inbox: Fairhaven School alumna Erin Umstead, class of 2005, has just released her first EP of music, “The Norway EP.”

Please support her work, just another example of the interesting, creative lives our alumni continue to manifest. (Kudos also to Erin’s website designer Ben Umstead, current Fairhaven substitute staff and member of the class of 2001.)

Here is the announcement from Erin herself, with links:

I wanted to give the community information on my debut EP! It contains four original songs and is called “The Norway EP”. You can stream it for free or download it for $1 (or more) here: http://www.erinumstead.bandcamp.com

Some other sites for people to stay up to date with me on are:

Facebook “fan” page: http://www.facebook.com/erinumstead

Twitter: http://twitter.com/erinumstead

Blog: http://www.erinumstead.tumblr.com

I will also be playing the open mic at New Deal Cafe in Greenbelt tomorrow, January 5th at 7pm. Info here: http://www.newdealcafe.com

Thanks for the support!

Erin

Happy New Year!  It has been wonderful to be back at school these last few days.  People seem to be feeling refreshed and ready to dive into new projects.

Today some students came up into the school asking what to do with bag of trash items they had picked up in the outdoor area surrounding the school.  It turned out that they are a newly formed Pickup Patrol, and are planning a weekly cleanup.  They did a very thorough job!  Thank you Pickup Patrol!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This one comes from the Washington Post and is written by a guest and School Board member who took his District’s 10th grade test.

A successful adult, he failed the test! He has much to say about the disconnection between schooling and adult life.

We often hear students and families consider public school, so from time to time we post or link to articles reminding readers that you often get what you pay for with schooling.

School Meeting planned and hosted a wonderful winter festival this past weekend.  Students decorated, made art and crafts to sell, organized a cake walk and potluck, and participated in an excellent talent show (with some fabulous parent and staff talent as well!)  It was a great success and lots of fun!  Thanks to everyone who came!

Can’t wait to do it again next year!

posted by Abbe