Rock

This is Rock, an effervescent dancer with the enthusiasm of a beginner and the aura of a happy sprite. Think Rock & Roll, not rock-on-the-ground. Although, Rock is like a prism, refracting whatever comes their way and sending it back out into the world more beautiful 🌈. Rock is an accomplished dancer, a drummer, a jeweler, an actor (you can catch them this Friday and Sunday as Orpheus in the HVSS Production of Eurydice), a superb friend, and a self-proclaimed guzzler of pickle juice. They also have a personal Word of the Month program; this month’s word is snazzy, which coincidentally happens to also be an excellent adjective to describe Rock, along with other recent words of the month like swaggy and iconic.

This is Rock’s second stint at Hudson Valley Sudbury School, and they have a lot to say about the community: “I look forward to going to school every day. Everyone here treats each other like family. Sometimes a dysfunctional family, but, family. It’s a very accepting and non-judgemental community. I always know that no one is going to make fun of my outfit or my hair. It’s not that type of place…people here are always ready to help you out, and because of how the school works, they actually can.” Rock became a bit philosophical as they mused, adding, “I like being here because I feel like I can make these years count and be happy. I don’t want to waste my life worrying…I like that at this school both sides of being a teenager are accepted. Sometimes you can be really youthful and just be goofy and laugh, and laugh so hard you can’t breathe, and just enjoy that moment with your friends, and other times you can be older and more mature and that’s ok, too.” And in a moment of inspiration Rock offered some advice for all of us, saying, “don’t be afraid to express yourself; don’t hold yourself back.”
Rock, we love that you don’t hold yourself back, that you are so fully yourself. And we appreciate how thoughtful and colorful and bright you are! Thank youuu and don’t drink too much pickle juice 😜

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.