At Zena Democratic School we pride ourselves on offering our students endless opportunities; they are free to pursue their interests, dabble in this and that, or to fall head over heels into a subject without interruption – for as long as the interest remains. But the most valuable opportunity we offer students is the time and space to discover who they are. Students at ZDS have time to be, to think, to talk, to play, to discover what they enjoy and appreciate and, equally importantly, what they don’t enjoy or appreciate. We offer an opportunity to practice crucial skills such as motivation, persistence, articulation, and humility, to be part of a democratic community, and to experience acceptance, cooperation, recognition, and celebration. This unstructured time is where the real beauty of the Sudbury Model lies and where the most important learning usually takes place.
But there is also plenty of formal and organized activity at school. The following is an incomplete and unofficial list of the formalized and/or organized activities which have taken place at Zena Democratic School. In terms of possibilities, this list does not imply limitation of any kind; at Zena Democratic School, limits are set only by imagination.
NOTE: this list does not include activities students have pursued independently.
Classes/Workshops
Cooking
Baking
French
Spanish
German
Russian
American Sign Language
Japanese
Philosophy
Digital Photography
Darkroom Photography
Pinhole Cameras
Mathematics
Biology
Creative Writing
History
English
Essay Writing
Linguistics
Reading
Art History
Philosophy
French Poetry
Carpentry
Mathematics
SAT prep
Foraging
Chinese Medicine
Human Design
Science
Debate
Graphic Design
Marketing
Logo Making
Needle Felting
Sculpture
Mask Making
Drawing
Painting
Improv
Yoga
Jiu Jitsu
Karate
Gymnastics
Modern dance
Psychology
Religion
Stop Motion Animation
Paper Clay
Songwriting
Chess
Photoshop
Self Defense
Sex Education
D&D
Kendo
Playwriting
Larping
Coding
Formal Music Lessons
Guitar
Voice
Piano
Violin
Saxophone
Cooperatives (organized groups)
Science
Chemistry
Playground
Theater
Community
Table Top Role Playing Game
Board Game
Sports
Gardening
Climate Change
Playroom
Kitchen
Art
Tinkering
Casino
Gaming
Cheer
Comic and Animation
Computer Coding
Yearbook
Travel
Woodworking
Anime
Theater and Music
Arsenic and Old Lace
Clue
Urinetown
Melancholy
One Acts
Spamalot
Alice Through the Looking Glass
Fuddy Meers
Sweeney Todd
Chicago
Rabbit Hole
She Kills Monsters
A Penny For Your Thoughts
Comedy One Acts
Eurydice
Spring Awakening
Little Women
Annual Variety Show
Music Cooperative Show
Internships/Volunteer Work
Blacksmithing
Woodstock Animal Sanctuary
Citizens Action
Forsyth Nature Center
Sound Engineering
Veterinary Science
Graphic Design
Film Making
Hospice
School Trips/Exchanges
London
Germany
India
Latvia
Spain
Exchanges to other self-directed schools across the world
Family Travel
Field trips
The Natural History Museum
Manhattan Children’s Museum
Protests
Ice Skating
Bounce Trampoline Park
Bard and Baker Board Board Game Cafe
Thrift Shopping
Hikes
Norwalk Aquarium
Via Aquarium
Fun E Farm
Apple Picking
Pumpkin Picking
Skiing/Snowboarding
Theater Productions
Chocolate Making
Fiber Flame
Chinatown
MOMA
Rock Climbing
Biking
Parkour
Mass MOCA
Sound Recording
Snow Tubing
Storm King
Camping
Robotics
Dia Beacon
Liberty Science Center
Six Flags
Mini Golf
Roller Skating
Event Shopping
RF Paints
Guggenheim Museum
The Whitney
Norrie Point Ecological Center
Herkimer Diamond Mines
Catskill Mountain Ballet
Community Partners
Norrie Point Ecological Center
Wayfinder Experience
Bard College
Bard Bridge Program
Ulster Community College
Woodstock School of Art
Sudbury School Pen Pal Program
At Zena Democratic School, we offer students a rich menu of opportunities. They can sample here and there, see what their friends are trying, witness older students, younger students and staff learning new things, and have the time and space to do deep dives into what interests them the most – for as long as the interest remains.
But the most important thing that we offer here is the time and space to come to know ourselves. Students at ZDS have unstructured time to be, to reflect, to create, to rest, to talk, to play and most importantly, to learn how they want to live. They make choices for themselves throughout the day – how to spend their time and who to engage with. This is our magic recipe: time, freedom, a familiar and caring community and a rich environment in which to experiment. Whether students are making their voices heard as members of our democratic community, learning how to coexist in community with the help of the Resolution Committee or navigating their own self-chosen challenges, Zena kids are always learning. It’s our way of being.
While we don’t have a required curriculum, we do have plenty of formal and organized activities at school that students may elect to join. Field trips, classes, workshops and coops organized around particular interests all happen at various times throughout each school year.
In the Fall and the Spring, we offer nature-based programming, pickup soccer games, art workshops, river science field trips and eight-week live-action role playing workshops.
In the Winter months, the school becomes a hive of learning with two sessions of workshops or “Winter Offerings” that run six or seven weeks each. Winter Offerings strive to reflect the diversity of interests in our community at any given time, and also pepper in a few new ones for students to try. Click to view our past Winter Offerings below.
