If I am interested in The Freedom School Cooperative, what are steps should I take?

READ as much as you can about student-directed learning and democratic schooling. Take time to visit our suggested reading list and visit some of the websites that we recommend. (Provide link to the resources)

CALL (301) 874-2207 or contact us and ask questions.

VISIT us. Come to an open house, movie night, and tour or set up a time to visit with or without your child.

TRY IT. If you are interested at this point, set up a week for your child or children to visit. During visiting week your child will attend co-op as a full member, which includes participating in our judicial process, weekly meeting, and any other co-op activities.

MEET WITH US – At the end of the week we will meet with you and your child to talk about whether or not this is a good fit for all involved. If we all agree that this is the place for your family, we will provide you with our enrollment package including a one-year contract.

6th- SIGN AND SEND in the contract with a $500.00 deposit to secure a spot.

How much is membership and what are my payment alternatives?

Membership is based on a sliding scale from $3,200 to $7,800. Membership fees are based on ability to pay, which is determined by an outside financial institution and/or our Administrative Clerk, Denise Chasin. Payment is made either in one lump sum, or two or three payments. All accounts are to be paid in full by January of the current school year.

What are our hours of operation?

Co-op is open Monday through Friday from 9-4. It is not necessary for you to participate every day, all day, especially the younger children but we do ask that you commit to being consistently involved and present. This allows for continuity and involvement in the community.

What age groups do you have?

We have children ages 5-17 here at our co-op. Students must be involved with us for at least two years to be eligible for participating in our thesis program and being awarded a high school diploma. There are some cases where children younger than 5 have been accepted as long as they are ready to take responsibility for themselves and for the community.

What involvement is expected from the parents?

Parents Helping with Camping

There are many opportunities for parents to be involved. Some parents are involved on a day-to-day basis while others come for specific projects, events, classes, etc. There are also opportunities to help with administrative projects, events. There are also various opportunities for parents to take on the responsibly of certain Clerkships such as the Medical Supplies Clerk. The parent that is Medical Supplies Clerk is responsible for organizing and keeping our medical supplies, first aid kit, etc up-to-date or the Grounds Clerk helps to mow the grass, weed the gardens and keep the property clean and tidy. There are other clerkships available such as Library Clerk, Farming Clerk, Building Clerk, etc.

What is the ratio of girls to boys in your program?

Although we are not always able to meet our goals, we work hard at keeping our group nicely balanced with a 1:1 ratio of girls to boys.

What is the student to staff ratio? What are the qualifications of staff?

On a regular basis there is one adult available for every five children. The adults in our community are made up of staff, parents and volunteers. All of the adults are considered facilitators. Adults in our community are there to help the children when then need help, recommend books, help set up opportunities, internships, talk, lead, discuss, converse, offer insights in meetings, organize field trips, provide continuity for the community and the culture, etc. They lead but are not administrators. Learning happens in its own way, in its own time.

Will my child be able to graduate with a diploma?

If and when a child has been with us for at least two years and feels they are ready to graduate we have a diploma program under The FreedomHill Fellowship Umbrella. The diploma program involves writing and defending an oral thesis explaining how they have taken responsibility for preparing themselves to be effective adults in the larger community. The students present an explanation of why they feel that they are able to go out into the wider world and function as an adult to the members of the Thesis committee. The thesis committee is made up of people within our community and our Umbrella awards the diploma. During the presentation, the student must also attend to the questions and concerns that arise from their audience. Sometimes the Committee will request that the student do further work before receiving the diploma.

What if my kids decide they want to switch from this environment to traditional school?

Children that are given the opportunity to learn in this type of environment become very effective and self-motivated learners. If they have decided to move on to another educational program, they have they ability to determine what skills they need to be successful and pursue and master them as needed.

How do kids get into college without credits or grades?

There are many different paths children from this kind of educational environment take after they graduate. Some students will take a high school equivalency test and their SATs sometime around what would be 11th grade. Almost all choose to receive a diploma by participating in our Umbrella’s thesis program. Some students begin working after graduating until they are certain what they want to pursue in college. Of students from this type of educational environment, 90 percent of the graduates go to college and almost 90% of them get into the college of their choice.

Colleges and universities across the country recognize the growing importance of alternative educational programs. Grades are no longer prerequisites for admissions to many institutions. High school grades are only one of the many factors that colleges consider. Many colleges still require and rely on SAT scores and most of the students graduating from these types of programs have taken and done well on them. Most colleges seek well-rounded, inquisitive, and motivated students, which are qualities that blossom in the children that participate in our program. The children in our program excel at personal interactions and do well in personal interviews since during their time with us they have the chance to practice the art of conversation, self-awareness, meetings, collaboration, and public debate. Even Harvard has specific admissions officer assigned to candidates from alternative schooling backgrounds. Of course, the most important requirement for success in college, as in any of life’s pursuits, is self-motivation. This is why graduates from other co-ops and formal Sudbury type schools, who want to go to college, do — usually to the college of their choice.

How do kids in this environment find the transition to college?

Kids who leave this kind of program are usually extremely well prepared to go to college. First of all, they’re quite knowledgeable, and they’re very articulate. Not only that, they are very used to organizing themselves to learn what they need to and learning how to learn it. I think in many ways, children from this environment are even more prepared than those from traditional schools because in this environment you are expected to have a great deal of autonomy and responsibility for doing what you need to which is not much different than being in College.

What colleges do children from these types of programs attend?

Most homeschoolers and students from Sudbury “style” schools that want to go to college do and many start their college studies earlier than their peers. A study was done in (1991) of the alumni from Sudbury schools and found that 90% of the students attended post secondary school and 96% of those were 4-year college. Many attend top schools in the country. Ask us for a complete list or read Legacy of Trust, Life After the Sudbury Valley Experience, by Mimsy Sadosfsky and Daniel Greenberg. Although The FreedomHill Cooperative is not a Sudbury School at this time, many aspects of our programs philosophy are adopted from this program and the influence on our children can only be assumed to be parallel.

Will my child be prepared for the “real” world?

Preparing for her First Job

In many ways this model of education is much closer to the way the real world works. In the real world there are always a mix of age groups working together and there is no one telling you what to do all the time. In the real world we are responsible for our own actions and need to be self-motivated, self-sufficient and creative. So children learn about the real world all the time at FreedomHill.

Are there any rules?

Yes. The rules are determined and enforced by the democratic meeting, which is composed of the staff, some of the parents and the students. Generally rules are put in place to ensure the smooth operation of the school and to allow students to be able to pursue their educational goals without disturbance.

How do children at The FreedomHill Cooperative learn if there are not classes?

Children are naturally curious and want to learn about their environment. When a student is given the responsibility for his or her education, as well as the freedom, support, and respect needed to fulfill his or her goals, learning begins to take place as a natural byproduct of all activities. Children challenge themselves and each other as they gain confidence and learn new skills

Since all learning is voluntary and each member of our community is responsible for his or her education, there is really no set curriculum. Depending on the amount and kind of interests, classes may be formed, independent studies begun, or community resources investigated. A great deal of learning takes place through daily interactions between the students, parents, volunteers and staff. Learning happens informally, through sharing with others, watching someone more skilled in an activity, or experimenting with unfamiliar activities and experiencing their consequences. Almost all activities are interdisciplinary incorporating many different subject areas, some traditional and some not.

My child is doing well at traditional school, why would I consider changing?

Doing well is one thing, thriving is another.  Many children know how to do well.  That does not always mean they are thriving and discovering for themselves a life long love of learning.

What kind of materials and resources are available?

Since the students are involved in all decision making, how to allocate resources is part and parcel of this responsibility; Each week at the “School Meeting”, resources are considered and allocated on an as need basis. For example, is a group of students are passionate about having a Spanish class, the students would come to school meeting and ask for resources to be allocated to hiring a Spanish teacher. Resources are available as needed.

Do the students really help run the school?

Yes! Students and adults work together to run the program. Each member of the community has one vote in the weekly “School Meeting” and make all decisions needed for the program to run smoothly, including passing laws, allocating funds, and hiring staff. The Judicial Committee, composed of students and staff, handles rule infractions.