Fifi

This is Fifi, and if you ever find yourself in the middle of a zombie apocalypse, you might want to call him, because he specializes in heroically putting zombies in their place, which is in the ground, I guess. At school, it’s not unusual to see him streaking by a window, running zombies down, or in the tech room, patiently hunting them down. He’s fierce, sharp, and funny, and he has a new sweater that says, “No Rules” on it. He’s a LEGOs man, he speaks Polish, and he likes pasta and meat for lunch. He break dances, too. “Yeah I’m super good at that,” he says. We noticed, Fifi, and we love that confidence, and we’re so pleased you’re here, challenging yourself and growing heroically, and enjoying your life, and making ours better, and eating pasta and meat for lunch in the office.

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.