This is Jesse, our newest Staff Member and secret weapon on the Staff soccer team! Jesse combines intellectual prowess and athletic ability like Maya Angelou or Gertrude Ederle: she is a former college athlete and holds a PhD from the Columbia University’s Teachers College and identifies as a Small Town Poet and Journalist; on the soccer pitch she goes by Poetic Justice. Jesse brings us 15 years of teaching experience in public, alternative, community college, and university settings, along with an open heart, a rigorous mind, and a joyful smile. She loves ZDS and believes deeply in the liberatory potential of our model of Self-Directed Democratic Education, and she is looking forward to getting knee-deep in the beautiful mud of life in a mixed-age micro-democratic society, and working with children and adults to continually create a space of authenticity, agency, accountability, and alliteration. Keep your eyes peeled for her cool t-shirts; she’s a master thrifter as well!
Parent Involvement
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.
Parents typically grow alongside their children as the family matures together within our bold, challenging, and trusting philosophy. Many parents find themselves doing things they hadn’t before enrolling their children in our school, like starting a business, taking up a new hobby, or dedicating themselves to art. Parents who remain open, think critically, and grapple honestly with questions and concerns about the program and their children’s education provide the best support for children at our school.
We depend on parents to participate on our Fundraising and Financial Aid Committees, as well as in our Assembly, our largest democratic body, which ratifies changes to our bylaws. Many parents volunteer their expertise, and there are always at least a couple who are regularly coming in to offer instruction. Parents are also needed to chaperone field trips, and most of our substitute staff are parents too.
Sending your children to a self-directed democratic school is a bold choice, and people will question it. Many parents find it helpful to attend our events and make connections with the community, and especially with other parents.