Somebody

This is Somebody, who walks the path of the true human being. Her mind is as fresh, quick, and clear as running water, and her heart is as wide, open, and ready as the sky. She listens earnestly and speaks with conviction; she helps others cheerfully and encourages the discouraged with feeling. She has an abiding presence, vigorous yet not overbearing; she is present the way a tree is present – fully, unhurried, undemanding. Since she arrived here, quiet and timid, she has been becoming.

Recently I heard her say “I used to complain about problems I noticed and assume that somebody would take care of them eventually. Like the place I work: they don’t recycle, they use styrofoam peanuts, stuff like that. For a while I just let it upset me, but I figured somebody would change it. But being at Sudbury has helped me to realize that I Am Somebody; I am the person who will change it.” Somebody’s passion is people, so she studies psychology. She takes courses at our local community college, and she has a pro coming in to mentor her at school. Someday she will make a fine mentor herself, we have no doubt, to young psychologists, and she’s going to help many, many people, whether she continues on that path or not – and in fact she already has, and does so regularly. She’s always willing to help struggling students of any age, and she’s been the visiting week guide for perhaps a dozen students. She’s training to work alongside – or even replace – our admissions director. She gets up to so much at school it’s hard to know how to start. She plays D&D, is designing her own RPG, sews unique and tasteful clothes for herself, draws, and paints. And she raises the level of discourse wherever she goes; her friends know how lucky they are.

Somebody wants you to know “how diverse HVSS is. There are so many people who like so many different things and approach their lives in their own way. Sometimes parents are worried about their kid, ‘fitting in.’ But here, there isn’t anything to *fit in to*.” That’s an elegant description of freedom from a very free person who we’re grateful to call our comrade; thank you friend, for helping us all realize we’re all Somebody.

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.