Core Values

Self-Direction

At Zena Democratic School, students of all ages have freedom of choice, freedom of movement, and freedom of association. Such freedom is both a great joy and a great responsibility, simultaneously allowing students to enjoy their childhood and challenging them to grow and expand in ways appropriate to each. Self-direction leverages the power of internal motivation to encourage students to develop along their natural proclivities and leverage their unique suite of strengths; they learn to take on tasks they would otherwise avoid in the service of attaining their goals. Over time, self-directed humans naturally develop vital skill sets like self-reflection, executive function, and internal regulation.

Democracy

The central authority of Zena Democratic School is our School Meeting, which is responsible for managing all the daily affairs of the organization, including policy and rule creation, hiring and firing, and budgeting. All students and staff are voting members of the meeting, although participation is always optional. We are dedicated to genuine democratic process in our decision-making and to a strong democratic ethos in our culture; at ZDS, power is shared, and each individual is welcomed, accepted, and celebrated as a unique member of the collective.

Connection

In many ways, Zena Democratic School is more a community than a school. The heart of the ZDS experience revolves around interpersonal relationships, and our students learn how to cultivate friendships, navigate group dynamics, share resources and space, and get along with others who they don’t necessarily like. An essential element of a healthy habitat for a human being is a vibrant and supportive community.

Diversity

Zena Democratic School is committed to being accessible to our community. We strive to make our space feel as open and welcoming as possible, and intended for everyone, regardless of race, income, neuro-divergency, disability, or gender/sexual identity.

Social Responsibility

Our democratic ethos supports individual autonomy, but it also requires social responsibility and community awareness. All School Meeting Members are expected to grow into positions of informal responsibility and to actively nurture the wellbeing of the community. Positions of formal responsibility are always open to students as well, and are often filled by them.

Opportunity

Zena Democratic School offers students a wide array of opportunities and experiences. We think of these offerings as increasing the “positive freedom” each individual may access at school: the freedom to do or to have something, rather than the “negative freedoms” we offer, such as the freedom from mandatory classes, homework, tests, desks, drills, and so on. Our School Meeting offers programming and guidance to students, as well as funding for and assistance in organizing and creating student-generated classes, workshops, experiences, trips, etc. We also create policy and programs to support the freedom to experience a vibrant and caring community.

Safety

Safety is an essential element of good human habitat. At Zena Democratic School, “safety” means freedom from undue risk of physical, emotional, or psychological injury. We maintain a safe and secure campus, invest tremendous communal energy into resolving interpersonal conflict, and safeguard each individual’s right to be themselves. Our School Meeting takes bullying and adjacent behaviors very seriously and considers them to be vital communal issues for the whole collective to resolve together. At ZDS safety does not mean that students are not allowed to take risks, push themselves out of their comfort zones, or challenge each other, but ensures that they have a safe space to do so.