Moose

Moose is not only a lifer, she’s also spent half her life here and she has the friends to prove it. They speak highly of her spirit: “She’s like a light bulb – bright and happy and silly all the time. She’s the most happy and giggly person I know.” Another friend piped in, “Moose is my support animal.” Moose enjoys sitting together with her friends, walking arm in arm with AhnaBahnahna, learning the ins and outs of her buddies and figuring out how to articulate her thoughts. “I feel like in this school I can be myself and since I can freely talk to people I have learned to be a lot less shy, more articulate, I’ve learned how to communicate.” Moose is also an artist, a pop-singer, and an actor – you can catch her as 3 different roles in the upcoming Theater Cooperative One Act performances, and has created and sold all sorts of craft items at our Winter Gift Sale.

We are so happy you are here Moose, parnasticing across our campus, making us feel old and stiff. You inspire us to push our bodies, to be a better friend and to use our environment to become the best we can be, just like you do.

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.