Charlie Morse

This is Charlie, but you may call him CharlesXander Hamilton, because he’s intensely passionate about participatory democracy and he often has the most visionary ideas in the room, as well as the will and the ability to articulate them. He has a heart the size of a mountain (and an appetite to match). He is a quintessential leader, always pulling people in, and together, to make things happen!

Charlie graduated just last spring, and last year he was our School Meeting Chair last year, as well as the Chair of our Strategic Planning Committee; he’s been hired as a Supplemental Staff to continue supporting the school’s transition to ZDS! Charlie transferred to our school from Sudbury Valley School, in search of “a community that takes youth rights seriously.” He launched himself head-first into the management of the school, spearheading the creation of the Resolution Committee, working long hours on various official school business, and becoming the most effective bridge between students and staff our community has ever had! In the early days of the pandemic he attempted creme brulee 20 times in four weeks and never got it quite right. But this summer he made spatchcocked maple cranberry apple cider vinegar chicken and it came out well! He does a little puppetry on the side, a little farming, a lot of music, and a ton of peanut butter. Last year he lived in a tent in Saugerties. And he’s almost always barefoot. We are so happy to have him 🙂

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.