Speedy

This is Speedy. He’s so fast that, according to his friends, if you ever tag him, just once, just with very tip of the longest finger on your longest arm, on the fastest day of your own life, you will be accomplished, and can deservedly feel proud. He is a Playground Boss, a Mover, a Rule Maker, and an occasional Rule Breaker. He gets the spirit of the law here: “don’t hurt anybody, don’t break their stuff, and don’t break the school.” He hunts mushrooms, laughs easily, and destroys video games handily; he can also make a square with one hand while the other makes a circle. He is a Gaming Philosopher: once, when tasked with an onerous clean-up job at school, he told me he had actually managed to manufacture some real enjoyment out of it, by game-ifying it. He said he turned it into his own “little game,” and added that he might play it again soon. Speedy is growing fast, too; he is a streak of sunshine, a ribbon of energy. We can’t believe our luck to have him here, running exuberant circles around us; we’ll be very proud indeed if we ever catch up.

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.

Students may receive a diploma if they elect to undergo our internal diploma process.

Every student and staff at Zena Democratic School is assigned a cleaning job by the Physical Plant Clerk.

At Zena Democratic School, the jobs of administration and maintenance are divided into roles called Clerkships;

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.

Screens are allowed at school, with restrictions.

Each student aged 13+ is automatically enrolled in our High School Advisor Program;

Age-mixing is one of the most potent developmental experiences at Zena Democratic School.

At Zena Democratic School, rule infractions and interpersonal conflicts are resolved using sophisticated restorative justice tools.

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.