This is LiloBadido, a curious and independent thinker who likes playing in the mud so much that he and a friend carried dixie cups of water outside to “revive” one of our best puddles after it had dried up over the weekend. LiloBadido is a mad-scientist sort who likes “to break physics” with magnetic power, cups, and water. Upon request he provided us with several scientific mini-lectures, explaining, for example, that the earth is not a perfect sphere (and he hypothesizes that neither are eyeballs), that green is the rarest eye color (except purple), that many babies have blue eyes that transition to other colors, and that vacuum cleaners are a “perfect technology.” He ended the mini-lecture series abruptly with a series of profound philosophical questions: “why do people do the stuff they do? Why do I do strange things?” He also issued this dire warning: stink bugs may be invading the world. Then he suddenly had to go, having been informed that there was “an anomaly in the playground.”
LiloBadido is new to the school this year, and he has been working hard to transition to our unique program, which is situated at the fulcrum of freedom and responsibility. He appreciates very much being able to go outside (or inside, for that matter), when he wants to, rather than at arbitrary times enforced by grownups. He says, “I think only I can know what’s best for myself.” He can also eat multiple giant bowls of pasta.
In his personal life, LiloBadido is many things, among them mariner; he sails and kayaks with proficiency, knows how to handle himself during a capsize, loves to swim, and catches more fish than LeBron James. Once he even made a “perfect cast” when a small mouth jumped and hooked into his lure before the lure even hit the water, so yeah.
LiloBadido’s buddies say he is a really good friend and good at fortnite. They note that he can be uncompromising when it comes time for the gang to choose an activity, but they don’t mind much.
LiloBadido, we are so thrilled to have you aboard, dude. We trust you, we believe in you, and we like you. A lot. If stink bugs really do invade the world, we’re glad we’ll be with you.
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.