Summer

2026 SUMMER PROGRAMS

Join us for a week of ZDS-style fun: time to bask in the freedom of the summer sun, to be with friends, to read, to draw, to play, to catch up with staff and to remember what it feels like to be at “school.”

Our days will be structured similarly to how we do things during the school year, with lots of open-ended time for self-direction and some familiar offerings/programming. Possibilities might include:

•Fire Circle

•Lego Robotics

•Art Projects

•Comics

•Baking

Staffed by ZDS staff!

•REGULAR ENROLLMENT $450

•EXTENDED DAY ENROLLMENT $600 – until 5:15pm.

•Open only to enrolled and prospective families.

Please note that tuition is non-refundable and will be processed via Brightwheel.

Minecraft Summer Workshop

July 13th-17th, 10am-3pm

Run by Chet Elliott

Open to ZDS Students Only

Is your Minecrafter ready to design, collaborate, and build the world of tomorrow? Together, we will envision and construct a hopeful future city inside Minecraft, combining art, structural design, community planning, zany ideas, and working to make a large group project.

Worry not! This isn’t just screen time! We’ll balance our digital architecture with hands-on physical art projects, collaborative group meetings to talk city layouts, and plenty of daily outdoor play to keep our energy high and ideas flowing. Everything is individually paced so all experience levels are accommodated.

$425 per child, $400 if bringing their own Minecraft compatible device

Artist Credit: https://seanbodley.com/ Known for his hopeful ‘SolarPunk’ style

Wayfinder Experience

Week 1 July 20th-25th

Week 2 July 27th-31st

Week 3 August 3rd-7th

Both Regular Day Camps & Young Adventurers (6-8) will be available

Cost: $550 signup for 3/31 for early bird discount

2026 SUMMER PROGRAMS

Minecraft Summer Workshop

Wayfinder Experience

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.