This is Best Friend; shes speaks in -ishes, loves boiled eggs, drinks lots of milk but calls it, “melk,” and has a Russian Blue cat named, “Blue,” which she says she “knows is basic, but he’s cute.” Her favorite thing to do at school is gymnastics, and boy can she do them; she’s usually standing on her head, or rolling around on the ground. Gracefully. And, just the other day, I was down at the supermarket, walking down an aisle, and a pair of sneakers went flying by at eye level. I was like, whoa, who in the world is doing that in here?! It was Best Friend, stilllllll cartwheeling. In a safe and responsible fashion. Ish. Best Friend is also a photographer – she’s got that good eye – and I hope she’ll take some cute pics of me for my next profile picture soon. Best Friend was here when she was 3 – her grandma was staff – and now she’s been back for a few years, and we’re deeply grateful for that. She’s so sweet to our little ones, generous with her friends (hence the nickname), and I swear she makes our halls brighter, like literally brighter, with her smile, which lucky for us she seems to wear all the time. Ish. But that’s better, t would be weird to smile ALL the time. So thank you, Best Friend, for being our friend too, let’s boil some eggs and have a glass of melk real soon.
Parent Involvement
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.
Parents typically grow alongside their children as the family matures together within our bold, challenging, and trusting philosophy. Many parents find themselves doing things they hadn’t before enrolling their children in our school, like starting a business, taking up a new hobby, or dedicating themselves to art. Parents who remain open, think critically, and grapple honestly with questions and concerns about the program and their children’s education provide the best support for children at our school.
We depend on parents to participate on our Fundraising and Financial Aid Committees, as well as in our Assembly, our largest democratic body, which ratifies changes to our bylaws. Many parents volunteer their expertise, and there are always at least a couple who are regularly coming in to offer instruction. Parents are also needed to chaperone field trips, and most of our substitute staff are parents too.
Sending your children to a self-directed democratic school is a bold choice, and people will question it. Many parents find it helpful to attend our events and make connections with the community, and especially with other parents.