Munchkin

This is Munchkin. “Lifer” isn’t adequate to articulate her tenure here – she learned to crawl, talk, and walk on campus; she’s Our Baby, and she’s carrying that legacy forward by Adoring All Babies. She is the ultimate Stork’s Assistant (and she’s starting a mothers’ helper business), and at school she helps welcome our youngest enrollees by generously making herself available as a companion. Many people want nothing more than *to be loved;* Munchkin wants *to love people,* and she has a lot of love to give.

She pours it into her activities, too. She’s proud of how hard she worked to evolve as an actor. She learned to read in order to play the lead in Alice in Wonderland, and she starred in our production of Chicago with a fearless portrayal of the corrupt Billy Flynn. Sometimes it seems like she’s 10 going on 22, but she’s focused on “being a kid,” and the opportunity to do so is what she values most about our program. When we asked her what challenges her at school, she said, “for me, it’s hard not to curl up in a ball in the dark and be on my iPad all day. But I know that I don’t have that much time to be a kid [before growing up], so I should own it – so if I can, I act, or I draw. I’ve also been spending time with older kids- they are refreshing and different, and they inspire me because they’re not afraid of being silly and fun and they look at the world through a different lens.” Munchkin is an active participant in our democratic processes, protecting the community and, “making sure the staff don’t take control.” She has a sophisticated understanding of our judicial process, and she writes complaints bravely and fairly. And by the way, she looks fantastic all the while; she says, “I love colorful fashion. I think that going to Sudbury makes it so that I can go into any public place and not be afraid of wearing something crazy, like two different shoes, orange leather pants, or a buzzed head.” Munchkin, you inspire us with your courage, and your commitment, and your warmth, and your compassion. You might be…a munchkin, but we look up to you, no kidding. You’ll always be Our Baby, and we know HVSS will always be Your Home.

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.