I never Imagined I'd be starting a school

My son will be entering sixth grade next year, and for several years I’ve been exploring alternative education options. I recognized early on that an environment where he is fully accepted for who he is would be far more conducive to his learning and wellbeing during the early adolescent years.

These years bring profound transformation and vulnerability, and by this stage many uniquely-minded children have already carried years of pressure to conform. For some, that pressure begins to dull curiosity, confidence, and their natural connection to learning.

I was searching for a learning environment that celebrated my son’s essence while also challenging him in ways that met him where he was. Despite years of looking, I kept coming up short. Around this time, a close friend invited me to serve on the board of her microschool, which introduced me to a community of microschool founders, educational mentors, and learning coaches.

It was then that I started to question, “Should I be starting this school?”

The more I leaned into that question, the more clarity I received, and the more the vision emerged. I knew this environment would be one that honored individual uniqueness, but as my commitment towards this goal grew, the vision took a life of its own, and the message became clear: the school itself would be shaped and started by the students.

At first, I dismissed this message, but it continued to return, and each time with more clarity and conviction.

It’s been a little over a year since that vision first surfaced, and during that time I’ve spent hours in mentorship, training, and deep reflection all in service of creating something meaningful and impactful for those kids that don't easily fit into traditional systems.

I believe this school will be successful because it arises from a deep concern with how traditional systems serve uniquely-minded children, from a mother’s concern for her own child, and from a belief that the most meaningful learning environments are co-created by the people within them.