Gatoraidan

This is my man Gatoraidan, Band-Aidan, Foreign-Aidan, Decaydan, Switch-blaidan, Mermaidan, etc. etc. etc. Nicknames is one thing I got for this guy. He is a keen observer of activity at school, a classic fly-on-the-wall (sometimes you hardly notice he’s there), always there, always watching, missing nothing. He’s the kind of person you can hang out with in silence and never feel awkward; he doesn’t need to impress you, nor does he need to be impressed, or entertained. His presence is warm but independent, like a cat, respect that. Sometimes he follows me so closely behind he’s like a shadow; I actually carry a rolled up paper for these occasions to swat him away, but it doesn’t really work – the dude knows how to commit. Occasionally we actually stroll side by side (which is much more enjoyable) around the grounds, chatting pleasantly about sports and such.

There’s a streak of mischief there too – Gatoraidan in on everything, but rarely gets called to account, because he never actually said anything during, say, the wild horseplay in the tech room. But he’s totally reliable, totally lucid, totally honest – his mischief is mostly harmless, and he’s always ready to do the right thing by others. As he himself attests, over his years here he’s come out of shell slowly, a little more and a little more, to the point that he considers himself, “almost extraverted” these days. He adds that at HVSS he’s learned how to respect boundaries, and how to take care of himself, and keep himself safe. He says he appreciates that there are sometimes big group activities at school that involve most of everyone (except those who decline), and that, “nobody here is considered weird.” Gatoraidan is yuge fan of the Islanders and the Mets, he wants to road trip across the country, and he usually dresses in black. He’s a loyal friend and he’s always willing to, well, aid-in anything. Gatoraidan, we want you to know we see you there, on the wall, and we know you’re soaking it in, and we love spending this time with you, and we believe in you so so much, and we’re here for you anytime, and we’re grateful to you for being so good at being Aidan.

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.

At Zena Democratic School, rule infractions and interpersonal conflicts are resolved using sophisticated restorative justice tools.

Age-mixing is one of the most potent developmental experiences at Zena Democratic School.

Each student aged 14+ is automatically enrolled in our High School Advisor Program;

Screens are allowed at school, with restrictions.

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.

At Zena Democratic School, the jobs of administration and maintenance are divided into roles called Clerkships;

Every student and staff at Zena Democratic School is assigned a cleaning job by the Physical Plant Clerk.

Students may receive a diploma if they elect to undergo our internal diploma process.

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.