State of the School

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Greetings, Members of the Assembly and its Trustees, School Meeting and its Officers, and friends and dissidents alike. It is my great honor as Chief of Blogging Operations to report to you tonight on the State of Hudson Valley Sudbury School.

I would like to suggest that perhaps – just maybe – if more of our nation’s children had the freedom, trust, and responsibility that students at HVSS have, other addresses given this week assessing states of affairs might have been more honestly positive.  Perhaps, if children and teenagers were respected as complete human beings – inexperienced, but complete as they are at any age (imagine!) – many, many problems  assaulting our nation and our earth would begin to soften and diminish.  HVSS does not pay lip service to the aforementioned “freedom, trust, and responsibility,” nor are they merely glittering generalities at our school: they actually form the foundation of the school: no compulsory curriculum, the freedom to move about the campus and interact with anyone of any age all day, and the responsibility of making good decisions about how to spend the school day.

As per usual, there’s a lot of activity at school these days.  At the moment, there is a sophisticated production of a play underway with the assistance of our new volunteer Trine Boode of the Wayfinder Experience.  A script for a dramatic movie was written recently by a group of students, and production is planned for warmer weather.  Cooking and language classes have been organized and carried out, and we appreciate very much our Assembly members who have agreed to offer their expert instruction.  New Cooperatives have been formed, including a Source Coop, which has helped to organize classes and field trips.  A Gardening Coop – which is gearing up for spring – was formed in response to the donation of our beautiful garden area.  More recently students have reestablished a Music Coop and a Photography Coop.  A few of our older students are busy preparing for Regents Exams, which they need to take to earn diplomas. School here is just feeling good.

On the first day of school this year, we had 50 students enrolled.  Today, we have 59.  We have conducted over 20 interviews with prospective students, many of them aged four and looking to enter a school next year.   Our Open House this month was packed, and the response was very good.  There were several families in attendance considering moving from outside the region in order to have access to the school.   Thank you to all our Assembly members who recommend HVSS among their friends and in their communities; word of mouth is the most effective advertising for a place for this. There is energy swirling around us these days: people are calling every day, setting up interviews, asking to visit the school, asking someone to visit them, etc.  We are in a growing kind of mood: recently an Expansion Committee was formed to develop ideas and establish subcommittees for a preschool, campus expansion, summer camp, and after school child and adult ed programs.  As Barack Obama said in his 2013 address, “if we act together, there is nothing we cannot achieve.” Lucky for us, we have a strong (and small) enough community to actually act together.  From what I understand from my studies of HVSS history, that’s what’s gotten the school to this point already. 

We’ve been getting some good press elsewhere, too.  Did you see Jeff’s interview in the Chronogram?  The monthly Music Nights at the Old Glenford Church have given the school a very solid standing and reputation for quality in the Woodstock community.  Our Winter Gift Sale was elegant, well attended, and very well stocked with beautiful and handmade local craft items.  Our first print ad in several years appeared in the most recent issue of GoodLife Youth Journal.  Also, I recommend the article on Sudbury Valley School in the New Republic.

I’d like to also share this report from the Finance Committee, too: The Assembly created an excellent budget last May, which is serving the school very well this school year. Our expenses are streamlined, tuition is affordable, and we’ve been able to offer financial aid to every qualified family who requested it. This latter point is very important to us; to be a private school, but easily accessible. Our desire is for any family who is interested in our model of education to be able to enroll. We would like to recognize and say thank you to the Fundraising Committee for their efforts, without which we would not be able to realize this goal. Their energy, creativity, resources and constant effort throughout the year are essential, and the efforts of all who participate in fundraising events is very much appreciated.  I’d like to add that the wide, coordinated group efforts being made lend me a grand feeling, and I believe that our community members so willingly – even eagerly – make these efforts because we believe that what we are doing is vitally important, that we have, as George H.W. Bush said in his 1991 address, “a shining purpose, the illumination of a thousand points of light.”

We would also like to recognize the Financial Aid Committee.  This committee has the job of working with families who apply for tuition assistance, examining the family’s financial statements and then preparing a Financial Aid proposal for the family.

Looking forward, progress is being made on the long term plans we have in place, and steps are being taken to improve the financial well-being of the school. One thing we’re very excited about is that we will be investing some of our reserve funds into short term CDs, so that we can begin to realize more substantial interest earnings. Acquisition of the CDs will be staggered, so that funds remain easily accessible. Our reserve account is growing, slowly but steadily, and is on track to become a reliable source of funding for the long term maintenance of our facilities, as well as for managing unexpected expenses. Some projects that are in the works and will be accomplished in collaboration with other Officers include:

  • More proactive marketing of building rental to individuals and groups during non-school hours
  • Establishment of an Expansion Fund account
  • Publication of a handy guide that describes simple ways to contribute to the school. Many of us know that the school is an Amazon affiliate, but did you know that you can get an HVSS credit card where the school receives a small percentage of every purchase you make? Last year the school received $662 from this program, and that was with only two families participating – imagine what that number could be if more people signed up! When you receive the guide later this year, please be sure to read it and take advantage of the ways in which the school can benefit, at no cost to you, but as a result of your participation.

One area where we have made improvement but we need to remain focused is staff salaries. We have attracted a great staff of amazing, creative, dedicated individuals who care deeply about our children, the school community, and the philosophy of the school, and who run the school effectively and efficiently. We don’t want to lose these individuals because the income we offer is insufficient. We want to bring our salaries up to a level that is closer to what individuals with similar responsibilities earn in other educational settings.

In closing, I’d like to go way back to the beginning of our country, and quote our very first President in his 1790 State of the Union speech (again, with substitution): “The welfare of our School is the great object to which our cares and efforts ought to be directed, and I shall derive great satisfaction from a cooperation with you in the pleasing though arduous task of insuring our children the blessings which they have the right to expect: educational freedom, and equal voice in governance.”  Thank you again to everyone who contributes to HVSS, and let’s have a great year. 

Why are you sponsoring that motion, Matthew?

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Last Thursday as I put together the School Meeting Agenda I noticed that it was thin – it outlined what would surely be a quick and boring meeting.  I wanted something more interesting, so I thoughtlessly sponsored a motion to ban the use of smart phones, tablets, and similar devices at school, chuckling to myself.  I posted the agenda in the Lounge Extension, and went about my day.  Soon, students began addressing me, “Why the hell are you sponsoring that motion, Matthew?”  To some I answered with another self-satisfied chuckle, to some I said, “I don’t really support it, but I will argue for it,” and once I even said, “Because I think it’s something we should do.”  Later, sitting in JC, I heard an extended clamor out in the lounge (and, sure enough, the following day JC would process a complaint about a mob whipping up opposition to the motion in a “disturbingly noisy” fashion), and a five year old girl cautiously entered JC to inform me that the motion I had made “was making people cry.”  She also said that personally she was upset because she believed that I would never be elected as staff again.  I laughed, but this time without the self-congratulatory feeling, and then I started to sweat a little.

A half hour later I was still in JC.  Notes deriding the motion began appearing underneath the door.  One said that under no circumstances would I be allowed to “alienate our inalienable rights,” and that the “Sons of Sudbury would rise in opposition to The Motion.”  At one o’clock, we concluded JC and headed into the meeting room.  Nearly the entire student body was already there waiting.  I sat in my place at the front facing the room (where the JC clerk always sits next to the School Meeting Chair), and felt the heat of the crowd.  At this point I thought I had two possible courses of action: I could withdraw the motion, because I didn’t actually believe in its merit and my tomfoolery had already caused enough strife, or I could argue for the motion as compellingly as I possibly could, and continue the charade through to the end; I began jotting notes of things I might say in support of the motion.  I decided not to deny the assembled the satisfaction of blowing me out of the water.

When the motion came up, nearly everyone in the room raised their hands to speak.  Early on, I was asked, “why?” I delivered a little speech along the lines of: “I believe these devices are dangerous; they are a blight.   An important component of Sudbury education is the occasional occurrence of boredom.  The benefits of boredom are pretty well documented (blog readers, see this) by now, and we take advantage of them here.  Boredom leads to more meaningful and creative activity, it can help one to discover a genuine enthusiasm, and it provides the space for us to feel what’s happening inside of us.  If we always have recourse to the our devices – that is, to an endless variety of games, information, and people to talk to – we are robbed of ourselves, really.  We’ll never feel our emotions fully or properly if we can’t be alone or bored for more than a few seconds, or develop the focus needed to think at a high level.  We are all becoming pawns of Silicon Valley, offering ourselves up to entities which will mercilessly take advantage of us, etc.   Of the 44 people present at the meeting, most spoke, rephrasing and reframing arguments in support of freedom.  Many sympathized with some points of my argument and expressed awareness of possible dangers of the proliferation of wireless devices, but told me in no uncertain terms that the motion to ban was very unwise. Here’s a summary of what they said:  what you’re really trying to ban is fun, and that’s not good. This school is based on freedom – people should be able to choose; that’s what its about; It’s a totally unfair imposition to tell us we can’t do some particular thing.  Plus, don’t you know that forbidding something usually causes a backlash, as in the case of the sheltered college student who becomes an alcoholic? Besides, our use of devices is actually enriching our lives in myriad ways.  A few students who don’t use devices themselves also spoke vehemently against the motion.  Several said they believe some SM Members in the community use devices “too much,” but they don’t believe it’s the role of the School Meeting to attempt to regulate at that level.

My final comment to School Meeting was that I agreed that the motion was out of line because – besides the obvious infringement on freedom, it denies students the opportunity to learn to navigate this territory for themselves.  I didn’t say this at the meeting, but I also know there’s tons of good arguments and compelling evidence by now which show that video games in particular have tremendously positive effects on kids, and there’s fascinating research out of Stanford suggesting that social network platforms like twitter encourage the development of good writing skills, from grammar to quality of information to composition.   The New York Times has reported on the impressive benefits of Minecraft, in particular .  Banning devices would be like banning books, or conversation, or play.

After the vote, a few SM members remained in the meeting to discuss what had just happened.  One staff expressed some mild concern about the legitimacy of a staff member at our school making this kind of motion – sort of like the “cooking something up” for students that happens in traditional schools – an artificial “educational” experience.  I feel I did infringe on students’ freedom, tricking them into pausing their activity to come to a meeting to ensure a bad motion didn’t pass (that wouldn’t have passed anyway).   But I enjoyed it, and I think others did too. I still feel ambivalent about it.  What does everyone think?

Perspective from an Alumna (Part 2)

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This blog is the second part of an Alumna’s perspective on her HVSS education.  The first part can be read here: http://sudburyschool.com/blog/perspective-alumni-part-1.  This installment largely focuses on what Marina has done since graduating from HVSS.
 

World Dance Residency

In January of 2012, myself and three other teaching artists from The Vanaver Caravan Dance & Music Company journeyed to Udaipur, India.  We spent a total of four weeks teaching world dance and music to children ages six to fourteen in three schools of vastly varied socioeconomic backgrounds. Udaipur, “the city of lakes” is known for its ancient Rajasthani arts traditions and its picturesque resorts and palaces. Home to one of India’s oldest arts festivals (Shilpgram Utsav) and hundreds of cutting edge NGOs, Udaipur serves as a meeting ground for intellectuals, artists, activists and world-travelers. It is also a city of intense contrasts – where a vibrant history of wealth, luxury and royalty crosses paths with massive economic devastation, inequality, and disparities. While Udaipur boasts many fine educational institutions, the literacy rate is just 62%, with little-to-no access to quality education for poor children, and very few arts programs within the city schools. It is through one of the Hudson Valley’s oldest dance and music companies, The Vanaver Caravan and Udaipur based NGO, Big Medicine Charitable Trust, that this work is made possible. The World Dance Residency program focuses on bringing communities together in celebration of diversity and the many cultures of the world. It provides the space for students, teachers, parents and administrators alike to see the power dance has in uniting people regardless of social status.

The next installment of this project will take place in January 2014. In addition to teaching the children of Udaipur, The Vanaver Caravan and Big Medicine Charitable Trust have expanded the program’s reach by signing New York University on board. NYU has created a winter study abroad option that is open to any student across the globe with college credits that are transferrable. Students will have the opportunity to learn about Rajisthan’s rich culture through classes in traditional art, dance and music taught by Udaipur locals. This is an incredible opportunity for cultural exchange between people of all ages. It is an opportunity for global citizenship.

In the process of fundraising I reached out to communities around the globe that I’ve connected to in my travels and found overwhelming support and encouragement.  Through local action one can create and sustain thriving communities both at home and around the world.

ONE

“Made to symbolize the magnificence of man and the interconnectedness of humanity, ONE consists of over 100 aerialists dancing together in mid-air, for one hour, suspended 150 feet above ground, and moving via high-powered computer operated winches, underneath a constructed truss.”

That is the mission of the second project I am a part of, ONE.  I received an email in early May of this year from an older, very successful dancer and aerialist who danced with The Vanaver Caravan and watched me grow up since the age of four. She said that she thought I might be interested in this project and should apply. Unfortunately, by the time I had read her email, the deadline to submit had passed. I e-mailed them anyway and was told to send my resume as soon as possible. I did, and two weeks later I received ten in-depth questions about my physical training, experience working in groups, and why I wanted to be a part of this groundbreaking performance. I sent in my responses excited, but not optimistic at my chances of actually getting an audition, as I had no experience doing aerial work. Surprisingly, a few weeks later I was given an audition time and date and told to show up prepared to copy an aerial routine that would be shown once. Three weeks later, after an epic journey from Charlotessville, NC to Brooklyn, NY, I found myself in a group of ten dancers and aerialists, (the last of over two hundred in New York City to audition) all equally nervous, awaiting our turn to perform for the judges. When I walked into the warehouse studio, I was met with familiar faces: the woman who had emailed me, her partner, and another Vanaver dancer who also tossed me around as a tiny five year old on many stages for many audiences. They harnessed me in, checked me twice and sent me up. Ten feet, thirty, fifty, sixty….still climbing. It was exhilarating. I was beaming so brightly, I couldn’t help myself. Why was I still dancing on the ground when I could weightlessly fly like this? I knew my chances of making it to callbacks were slim, as they held auditions in nine countries. Nevertheless, I was absolutely thrilled to have given it a shot and to have tasted flight.

After the audition, I took the two hour bus trip back to Philly where I returned to a hectic schedule of commuting and working. Weeks passed and the high wore off. It seemed like a distant dream until  one scorching Summer afternoon when I received an e-mail from ONE at Central Park. At first, all it said was, “Congratulations!” I was baffled. Were they teasing me? Did I get it? The rest of the message loaded and indeed, I had been chosen as one of the one hundred. Wow. I was stunned. My partner picked me up, spinning me around excitedly. I had actually gotten in, but it wasn’t without the help and encouragement of my community.

ONE will premier during the Spring or Fall of 2014. During the ten days of performances, it will bring in approximately 10,000 viewers per show and 53 million via webcast. I am humbled and thrilled to have been chosen to be a part of the team that will bring this magical vision to life and into the lives of so many around the globe.

It is Sudbury that taught me the importance of community and gave me the skills needed to thrive in one. How to give and take in equal parts; the importance of a network of support.

Links to Marina’s Projects

The blog that I kept while teaching in India:  http://vanavercaravan.tumblr.com/
 
The Vanaver Caravan’s Indiegogo Campaign. Though it is too late to donate on the page, if you feel so inclined, please visit www.vanavercaravan.org to make your tax-deductible donation or learn more about the company.  http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/dancing-for-change-in-udaipur-india
 
ONE’s website:  www.oneinnewyork.com
 
Audition Footage from ONE (for those who don’t know Marina, you can see her at the 10 second mark): http://vimeo.com/76169641 
 
Human Architecture, Production Company:  http://human-architecture.org/WhatisOne.php
 
Press Coverage of ONE can be found at the following links:

Perspective from an Alumna (Part 1)

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I can’t tell you how many versions of this I’ve written. Each one desperately trying to fully paint the ways in which Sudbury paved the path for the work I’ve been doing for the last four years. I wrote about fear and how my time at HVSS allowed me to fearlessly try, succeed, fail, and – most importantly, to learn. I wrote about my fight. I wrote that though I’ve been blessed with opportunity, things were never handed to me; it was always a battle of finding motivation in myself to carry through. Sudbury students know that well. They know that the education they’ve chosen is one where internal motivation is essential. I began a passage speaking to the inevitable lesson of responsibility that Sudbury students can’t help but find. It was in that lesson that I gained self-respect. I came to understand that my needs and dreams were just as important as those of the people around me. I learned to identify what it was that I, Marina, truly desired and how to politely fight those desires to fruition. However, none of the passages I wrote seemed quite right. Those lessons and qualities are a part of a much bigger picture. To me, what it boils down to is community. With community comes networks and support – a group one learns to trust in and depend on. 

In looking back at the three years I spent at Sudbury, I realized that I received endless support and encouragement from those around me to explore my world. I didn’t grow up in a family that was well to do financially. Yet, my mother was able to provide me with access to incredible alternative health care and classes in dance, gymnastics, sculpture and acting. She is an incredible, intelligent and articulate woman who knows how to fight for what she believes in and use the resources within her community. When I went on my visiting week at Sudbury, I decided pretty early on that I was going to give it a try. But how could we pay for it? Three years ago I read the beautifully written letter my Mother sent to the staff at HVSS. It was my story through her eyes. She reached out and was met. That was my first encounter with how the Sudbury community would be committed to supporting me. 

For the first year and a half, Vanessa picked me up and drove me to school. Why? I had no other way of getting there. I can still remember the smell of her Subaru. New car and small children. Warm heat blowing through the vents on the most frigid of days. I even recall the first warm day of spring. Windows open, Jack Johnson playing through the speakers. My house wasn’t necessarily on the way, and yet, without fail, she brought me to Sudbury every day.

I am not the kind of person who is good at sitting around doing, “nothing,” and when I was younger I was even worse. After enrolling I suddenly had endless amounts of time during the day to…choose what I wanted to do? What a strange concept. How wonderful! How incredible! Okay, so, what do I do? Hmm…. Um, can someone please just tell me what I’m supposed to do? There’s got to be something that someone thinks I ought to be doing. Someone? Please? Anyone?  No? Okay, I guess this means I really have to think for myself. 

That was the gist of my first few weeks at Sudbury. So, I began with what I knew. Dance. I strapped on my flamenco shoes, found an empty room and pounded away for hours and hours. The other kids kindly asked me to please be a bit quieter as the walls were shaking in the next room. I can’t believe no one ever wrote me up for disturbingly noisy activity, but people seemed to respect that that’s what I did, even if they had no idea what it was, except loud. They played computer games and I made a lot of noise. 

Weeks passed. One day, Vanessa said, you know, you could put a mirror up in there if you want…. and, so it began. She had made a suggestion and it was up to me to see it through, and I did. I wasn’t alone though – I was surrounded by people who would help if I asked. 

And, so my time at Sudbury went. I wanted to go on tour in California and Europe with my dance company and so I was supported in setting up a benefit concert and silent auction to raise the money. Help came from all directions. Booking a venue, reaching out to performers, artists and local shops to donate their time and goods. I was never discouraged or told that I was incapable or pulling this together. The Summer 2007 Germany, Sweden, California tour was amazing! 

Classes, trips, complaints, funny times, game time, School Meeting, rough times, JC, Clerkships, frustration, cleaning jobs. There was always someone there to share kind words, hold me accountable, encourage me, reach out to their networks, to tell me a story and shape my experience of what it is to be a member of a community. 

In the last year and a half I’ve lived in five different zip codes, in three different states. In each place, I have sought a network to weave myself into. Through the communities that I’ve been able to participate in a number of incredible projects the last couple years.