Neco

This is Neco, a shape-shifting creature of magic and smoke who likes to howl with his dogs and his dad both morning and evening, and who we think maybe has a drop of lutin in his blood (the French equivalent of the Leprechaun). Neco is a bit of a mystery wrapped in a riddle stuck in a game of geometry dash: he was a difficult interview subject, retorting, “I don’t know,” to all queries, including, “well what *do* you know then?” Ok, you win, lutin, and I can respect that, not knowing is way more interesting than knowing. And anyway, we can see you do know a thing or two about a thing or two.

Long ago, in the days before covid19, Neco had a different haircut – and a different name. He cut his hair and claimed a new name all in one fell swoop, and did so with so much conviction there are still(!) members of our community who believe Neco is an entirely different human than….that other person. Lutins may have invisibility caps, but I’m not sure even they can do that! Neco is interested in creating magic and beauty with pencil and key – he is never far from his sketchbook, and he has been studying piano as well. His drawings tend towards the intricate and the abstract, like oriental rugs, and are sometimes reminiscent of runes, hieroglyphics, or cave paintings. At school Neco also loves to play chess with his friends and has been known to engage in a game or two of geometry dash. He is adored by friends, who delight in his silliness (apparently he has recently taken to randomly saying the word “foot” to certain friends, who find this to be superb humor).

Neco, we are so pleased that you feel safe and comfortable here, enough that you revealed your true identity. We are happy that you are following the various paths your intuition is leading you on, into art, music, and magic. Thank you for sharing life with us, and thank you for being a good friend! In the grand scheme of things, none of us know much, but we are quite sure we are grateful for your presence and your energy in our school community ❤️

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.