Name: Parent Coffee House
Start: 2026-10-09T09:00:00-04:00
End: 2026-10-09T11:00:00-04:00

September 2026
Welcome Back Picnic

September 3 @ 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm

A potluck picnic at Forsyth Nature Center to kick off the new year
First Day of School

September 9 @ 8:30 am - 4:00 pm

First Day of School!
Ice Cream Social

September 18 @ 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm

ZDS Families and alumni are welcome to join us for ice cream and friends!
No School – Yom Kippur

September 21

No School - Yom Kippur
Parent Coffee House

September 25 @ 9:00 am - 11:00 am

The Parent Squad invites parents and ZDS caregivers to come together to talk about their experience as ZDS parents and to support each other on their parenting journey. Event will […]
Fall Open House

September 26 @ 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm

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 […]
October 2026
Community Organizing with Paul Mersfelder

October 2 @ 9:00 am - 10:00 am

Community Organizing with Paul Mersfelder, For the Many Education A chance to gather as Zena Assembly members. This event will take place in the Box.
Fall Potluck

October 2 @ 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Our annual Fall Potluck and Variety Show
Herbal Toolkit for Caregivers of Children Workshop with Hannah Pearl Apothecary

October 4 @ 11:00 am - 3:00 pm

Herbal Toolkit for Caregivers of Children Workshop with Hannah Pearl Apothecary
Parent Coffee House

October 9 @ 9:00 am - 11:00 am

The Parent Squad invites parents and ZDS caregivers to come together to talk about their experience as ZDS parents and to support each other on their parenting journey. Event will […]

September 2026

Welcome Back Picnic

First Day of School

Ice Cream Social

No School – Yom Kippur

Parent Coffee House

Fall Open House

October 2026

Community Organizing with Paul Mersfelder

Fall Potluck

Herbal Toolkit for Caregivers of Children Workshop with Hannah Pearl Apothecary

Parent Coffee 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.