Blog

Jean Cote spends her days fielding incoming calls, preparing PR materials, providing an oasis of calm amidst the general hubbub of the school, and writing blog posts! If you haven’t checked out the School’s online bookstore lately, you may be… Read more ›
I have puzzled for a long time about a phenomenon that I encounter daily at Sudbury Valley but did not have a way to put into words. I didn’t know it was “ownership.” And I never realized how profoundly important ownership actually is! We talk about… Read more ›
The Dance Room is a large room with lots of wall space and windows. It looks and sounds rather cavernous. However, when the walls are used as an exhibition space for the art created at school, the room is transformed and becomes a delightful place.… Read more ›
Like many American parents, when our boys were old enough for Kindergarten we excitedly waited with them at our neighborhood’s bus stop for the big, yellow school bus. We took plenty of pictures of them climbing into the bus, and pictures of them… Read more ›
Founder and staff member Hanna Greenberg interviewed student Hannah Schwartz for this week's post. Hannah Schwartz has attended SVS for three years. Last May, the SVS gallery exhibited a collection of her experiments with techniques that were new to… Read more ›
My favorite yoga studio displays promotional materials from neighboring businesses in its front entrance, and my eye was recently drawn to two Kumon Learning Center brochures. The first one’s cover proclaimed, “At Kumon, ‘Yes, I can’ becomes a… Read more ›
Sudbury Valley is an incredible place. Literally so, in that many people just don’t believe that any school could be so pleasant and well-functioning. At least not until they have seen us in action. The aspect of our culture that surprises and… Read more ›
This week's post was written by Hanna Greenberg. Friday is my day off, but I had to see somebody at school, so I went there at about noon. I came upon a magnificent scene: two tables were set up for tie dying on a large patch of grass, and about a… Read more ›
One day last Spring, as I was walking by the Red Couch room on my way to the school’s office, I noticed half a dozen young girls, most under the age of eight, playing happily. Actually, it would have been hard to miss this scene: the elements of the… Read more ›
I recently asked that question of a 17 year old SVS student with whom I am good friends.  I have trouble understanding the fact that several kids that I know very well who have one Jewish and one non-Jewish parent have made a conscious decision… Read more ›
When I was twelve years old, I got an electric guitar. It took a while, but I finally managed to learn a few simple position chords: A, D, and E Major. At that point, I found a bass player who could also play an A, a D, and an E. And together, we… Read more ›
When I was still a kid at SVS, Hanna, a staff member, would often ask me a question I never really knew how to answer. She'd ask, "Jesse, how did you develop such good language skills? You have such a large vocabulary, where did you learn it?" I… Read more ›
Last May, I visited the Fairhaven School to be a part of their Diploma Committee. So, I missed most of two days of school here at SVS. No matter how many times I go away, I'm never prepared for how it will feel when I return.  In the abstract,… Read more ›
I never thought that skiing would test my commitment to the Sudbury Model. But, it did. Every winter, the school offers two ski programs. Students who are eight or older can sign up to go to Wachusett Mountain once a week for six weeks. Every… Read more ›
I am always amazed at how many high school graduates have little or no idea of how everyday personal banking works. I mean, simple things like personal checking accounts. I know I didn’t. Well, that’s not the case with Sudbury Valley kids. Without… Read more ›