Name: Open House
Start: 2025-12-06T13:00:00-05:00
End: 2025-12-06T16:00:00-05:00
Location: Zena Democratic School

September 2025
Ice Cream Social

September 12, 2025 @ 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Current families are welcome to join us for ice cream and mingling!
Open House

September 20, 2025 @ 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Zena Democratic School 84 Zena Road, Kingston, NY

ZDS Open Houses are the best way to learn more about the school. Students, parents, alumni, and staff members will be in attendance to give tours of the campus, discuss the school, and answer questions. Panel discussion at 2:00pm. RSVP >
No School – Rosh Hashanah

September 23, 2025

School Closed in recognition Rosh Hashanah
Fall Potluck

September 26, 2025 @ 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Zena Democratic School 84 Zena Road, Kingston, NY

Bring a dish to pass for our annual Fall Potluck
October 2025
No School – Yom Kippur

October 2, 2025

No School in recognition of Yom Kippur
No School – Indigenous People’s Day

October 13, 2025

School Closed in recognition of Indigenous People's Day
November 2025
No School – Election Day

November 4, 2025

No School for Election Day
No School – Veteran’s Day

November 11, 2025

No School in Recognition of Veteran's Day
No School – Thanksgiving Break

November 26, 2025 - November 28, 2025

No School - for Thanksgiving Break
December 2025
Open House

December 6, 2025 @ 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Zena Democratic School 84 Zena Road, Kingston, NY

ZDS Open Houses are the best way to learn more about the school. Students, parents, alumni, and staff members will be in attendance to give tours of the campus, discuss the school, and answer questions. Panel discussion at 2:00pm. RSVP >

September 2025

Ice Cream Social

Open House

No School – Rosh Hashanah

Fall Potluck

October 2025

No School – Yom Kippur

No School – Indigenous People’s Day

November 2025

No School – Election Day

No School – Veteran’s Day

No School – Thanksgiving Break

December 2025

Open House

Parents’ experience of the school is a crucial factor in determining their childrens’ experience of the school. Children of parents who work hard to understand our philosophy, communicate with staff, attend events, and connect with the community usually get the most out of our program.

Students may receive a diploma if they elect to undergo our internal diploma process.

Every student and staff at Zena Democratic School is assigned a cleaning job by the Physical Plant Clerk.

At Zena Democratic School, the jobs of administration and maintenance are divided into roles called Clerkships;

At Zena Democratic School, a Cooperative (coop) is a group of like-minded students and staff who organize around a common interest, like music, art, or sports.

Screens are allowed at school, with restrictions.

Each student aged 13+ is automatically enrolled in our High School Advisor Program;

Age-mixing is one of the most potent developmental experiences at Zena Democratic School.

At Zena Democratic School, rule infractions and interpersonal conflicts are resolved using sophisticated restorative justice tools.

Zena Democratic School is located on a parcel of 67 wooded acres in the foothills of the Catskill Mountains in the Hudson Valley region of New York State.

Zena Democratic School is a direct democracy; each student and member of the staff has an equal vote in managing all aspects of the school’s operation.