We are so excited to announce that Saint Louis Sudbury School has been awarded a VELA Education Fund Micro Grant! The majority of the $10,000 grant will go towards Sudbury's Tuition Assistance Program for newly enrolled students. Over half of our current students receive tuition assistance. Accessibility has always been a priority for our school as we feel that all young people should have an opportunity to discover who they are in an accepting and creative environment and experience the benefits of Self-Directed Education in a democratic community.
Also, a portion of the grant funds will support Sudbury student enrichment activities and marketing of our school (the latter being something we haven't been able to allocate much money to in the past). We are enormously grateful to the VELA Education Fund for their generosity.
VELA Education Fund invests in people who build custom solutions to meet children's needs; increase the reach of education models that redefine how, when, and where learning takes place; and make it easier for families to access options that best reflect their values.
If you are interested in having your child apply to become a new student at Saint Louis Sudbury School or know of families who may be interested, please contact us at info@stlsudbury.org. We are enrolling year round and are happy to be able to offer additional tuition assistance funding for new students in the coming months because of the VELA Education Fund grant!
Interview with a Staff Member
A Saint Louis Sudbury School student volunteered to come up with questions to ask Phoebe Love, a staff and board member. Phoebe talks about what she likes at Sudbury, how students learn, the Sudbury model, the school environment, and more.
What is your favorite thing about Sudbury?
At the moment I like not knowing what to expect. Who could expect, for instance, that you would want to help me revise the enrollment contract? Or that the student board would want to organize a school dance? Or that a bird would fly into the building and spend the night in the library?
Do you think Sudbury is a positive environment for the students and staff?
Yes. We are nice to each other, and when we aren’t we fix it.
Why do you think Sudbury works?
Because we want it to work. The flexibility of the structure and the size of the school means that when we see something isn’t working, we can figure out why and try something new.
Do you think kids at Sudbury are learning?
Definitely. Sometimes they learn things that they didn’t expect to learn, and I don’t mean information. Information is easily had, especially with the internet now, but here they — you — are learning how to work with others, whether it’s getting a bird out of the building, figuring out how to say someone is doing something that is bothering you without being mean about it, arguing for the right to bring in a whittling knife, or interviewing a staff member because a board member requested it for the blog.
Do you like the Sudbury model?
Yes, as I interpret it! When I first got here, I was interpreting it in a way that was too restrictive for adults, where we were supposed to be helpers IF someone asked for our help, or just doing our own thing, so that the kids could watch us doing it and get sucked in, or not. Both of which are fine, but to restrict it to that is practically a “Don’t speak unless spoken to” edict, which is unnatural and depressing. I was pretty much violating it, then feeling guilty and retreating into a shell, and now I’m just me, and if I’m being too pushy or bossy you can give me a talking-to, and we’ll figure it out. There has been a recent precedent for that, with students/staff, which I hope was a positive experience overall, even if it was uncomfortable in the moment.
Do you think we need more students to keep Sudbury going? If yes, how many more?
We definitely need more students, and I hope the flyer you designed yesterday sucks them in! How many more? At this location I would like maybe twenty more.
Do you think Sudbury is a good place to enroll at?
Yes, although it might not be for everyone. What we want to do is create an atmosphere where, if you are thinking it’s not for you, you could say something, and we could figure it out together, and make it work. The students have a lot of power here, individually and collectively, and that can be bewildering to some, especially if they came straight from a school where they were told what to do every second of the day. Conventional school promises success in the world if you obey all instructions (inaccurately, we believe), and it takes a scary leap of faith to chart your own course, even if you have a group of people to help you with it.
Field Trips
In our twice weekly School Meetings, Saint Louis Sudbury School students can propose and vote to go on field trips! Here are some photos of recent visits to area parks and the Saint Louis Art Museum.
We are mindful of keeping costs low for field trips and try not to ask families to pay any additional field trip costs. Sudbury loves the many free and amazing activities in St. Louis!
Also, because our school does not own a bus or van; since the majority of Sudbury parents all work full time; and we have a good number of regular volunteers; generally, we do not ask parents to chaperone and/or act as carpool drivers for the field trip (although parents are welcome to attend if permitted by members of School Meeting).
On field trip days, we ask parents to do one morning drop off and one regular afternoon pick-up at the designated field trip location. Some students love the experience of being in a different place for the whole day, while others… not so much. But this ebb and flow of doing things that feel right and at times, feels not so right, is a great example of how Sudbury students adapt and respect the members of the Sudbury community. In the end, pretty much everyone finds something that they enjoyed about the day out!
School Meeting members are in the process of planning shorter field trips that not all students have to attend. More to come.
Games at Sudbury
If you visit Saint Louis Sudbury School during a school day, you might see people playing board games! We asked Saint Louis Sudbury School Volunteer and Board Member William about game playing, creating games, learning during game play, the social emotional benefits, and more.
What kinds of board games or games are often played at Sudbury?
Some of the most common ones are Apples to Apples, Go Fish, Uno, Banagrams, Fake Artist Goes to New York, Codenames and Love Letter. Another popular classic is Chess and its variant Four-Player Chess. I sometimes bring heavier games, such as Catan or Pandemic, but we don't always have time to play them.
Who suggests to play them?
Mostly students and volunteers. I usually bring the Four-Player Chess board with its extra pieces and there are always people willing to play.
Do you or other Sudbury community members make up your own games?
Phoebe has many games she designed herself: an abstract game called Barricade, with its unique triangular board, a cooperative storytelling game called Scribble where the students practice reading and writing, and Codenames Junior a modified version of the popular word game more suitable for younger children. As for the students, Sorin designed their own board game called Iron Tentacle, where groups of octopuses have to run a kitchen.
How does playing board games help students learn?
Phoebe's game Scribble was designed to assist with written language skills. At the end of it each player will have produced around two pages of text. Other than that, when I teach probability and combinatorics in my Math classes I use a lot of examples from games. The students feel much more engaged that way since they see a direct application of what they just learned. There are countless studies that show how learning is more effective when we enjoy what we are doing. The content is just as important as the delivery. Peter Gray explains in his book Free to Learn that this is because of how humans are hardwired to learn through play. This is how we learned how to hunt and survive for thousands of years, through play and games when we were young.
Do you see social emotional development happening when playing board games with students? Could you give some examples?
Definitely. Every game is essentially a very light social contract. There's nothing to prevent you from breaking or bending the rules except the consequences of upsetting the other players, and some students definitely test how far they can go. I think this is essential to healthy emotional development, especially because all behaviors are happening in person, face-to-face. There's no hiding behind the anonymity of the internet. It's a great opportunity for the students to learn how to navigate these situations and emotions by themselves, which is something that is integral to the Sudbury model.
What are some of your favorite board games to play at Sudbury?
I always enjoy Four-Player Chess, especially the team variant, although the chaotic free-for-all variant seems to be more popular. Cascadia is another game that I love to bring out since there are a lot of interesting math questions you can ask, and Love Letter is always fun since it mixes deduction, probability, a bit of luck and a lot of direct conflict in a light hearted way.
Anything else you would like to share?
Games have been influencing the development of Mathematics for centuries. From the invention of the rules of probability by Fermat and Pascal in order to analyse "games of chance," to the recent uses of neural-networks and artificial intelligence in modern Chess engines. I think it's great that games are such an integral part of Sudbury. When we look back at our school years, it's not the content of classes taught by the most qualified and sternest teachers that we remember, it's the ones where we were engaged, the ones where we connected with those around us, the ones where we had the most fun.
Q&A with Student: Nyla
We recently talked with Saint Louis Sudbury School student Nyla! She is 10 years old and has attended public schools in St. Louis before coming to Sudbury. Nyla loves hanging out with friends and traveling!
How do you describe Saint Louis Sudbury School to your friends or family who aren’t familiar with the school?
It’s self-directed education with a different way of learning than public school.
What’s one of your favorite things about Sudbury?
The freedom
What do you find challenging about the Sudbury experience?
The amount of students. I want to have a lot more.
Students of all ages can freely mix at Sudbury. What do you like about that?
I think it’s great.
What do you think of Sudbury’s Judicial Committee?
I think it’s a great resource for when kids have troubles, aren’t getting along, or have a hard time setting boundaries. It helps students learn other ways of dealing with conflict.
A lot of people talk about how Sudbury model schools help develop life skills. What are some life skills you’ve practiced at Saint Louis Sudbury School?
Learning how to take care of younger kids and putting my opinion in a conversation.
Dream about Saint Louis Sudbury School 10 years from now. What does it look like to you?
Way more students, of all ages. A space that fits us more or our own building. Everyday is packed with fun classes.
A Walk in the Neighborhood
Saint Louis Sudbury School students recently took a walk to nearby Cherokee Street in St. Louis! After checking in with student-led Safety Committee, kids walked several blocks to see our friends at STL Style who generously offered to share information about our school with their customers, stopped by the magical shop Flowers & Weeds where a student bought an air plant to share with the school, and explored the area. Our group enjoyed practicing life skills—communication, patience, sharing, discovery, self-awareness, caring for others, and being okay with the unknown.
Q&A with Staff Member Alayna
Alayna Franklin
Where are you from and what kind of schooling experiences did you have growing up?
I am from West County here in Saint Louis, Missouri! My schooling experience K-12 was through Parkway public schools. After graduation, I attended Mizzou for less than one year. I recall my years in school as some of the darkest of my life. The levels of anxiety and depression I faced felt insurmountable and crippling. I struggled socially and with attendance, but somehow managed to perform academically quite well, at a cost I think no child should face.
How did you come to be a part of Saint Louis Sudbury School?
My sister, Alexis Franklin, founded the school in 2019. I attended the inaugural board meeting with my then infant in 2017, where admittedly I first learned about the Sudbury model of education. I was eager to join the movement as I knew I needed an educational opportunity for my kid when he came of age. Previously, I had considered homeschool as my only option since I knew I would not be subjecting my kid to compulsory education and I hadn’t yet fully explored alternative or self-directed education. I briefly held a position on the board, taking a step back after some time as the hours of work competed with my existing part-time job as a hairstylist and full-time job mothering a baby. Years later, I began part-time staffing at the school, bringing my toddler along. Eventually, I became a full-time staff member and later Board Co-President.
What do you enjoy about it?
I love working with young people, helping to provide them a safe environment to find themselves and their way. I enjoy being in community, learning from mistakes, building relationships, and seeing the project grow and evolve from its infancy. As a bonus, I love that I was able to find a job that supports young mothers, one that allowed me to bring my toddler with me and practice attachment parenting while earning a modest income. Mothering is meant to happen communally!
What are some of your life experiences that have helped prepare you and guide you as a Sudbury staff member?
At the most basic level, I have childcare experience through staffing at a daycare before I had my own baby, though countering the greater culture through parenting my kid has been the largest impetus for what I do here. I adamantly advocate for the respect of my own child, which I find woefully difficult within this culture which often views young people as blank slates, to be coerced into compliance, to fall in line and pursue the “dreams” of their predecessors (compulsory hierarchical education followed by a 9-to-5 for life).
Further, I find that my interests in mental/emotional health, trauma awareness, healing in relationship, sovereignty, lifelong learning, and community building translate very nicely to our mission here at the Saint Louis Sudbury School.
Do you feel like you have changed since becoming a part of Saint Louis Sudbury School? If yes, how so?
I have changed in innumerable ways. When I began working on the project, I was a brand new mother. My experience with Saint Louis Sudbury School has overlapped with many formative years of my young adulthood; embarking on parenthood, facing chronic illness, changing careers, etc.
Regarding my experience growing within the school, I often express that working here is “confronting” in the most challenging and expansive way. What I mean by that is that there’s no hiding from yourself in a community like this. Adults in traditional institutions working with young people are often expected to be neutral, emotionally private, and to a degree, without flaws. This is a rare opportunity where I exist as an adult in an institution with young people, without imposed hierarchy, while expressing myself authentically and pursuing my own passions and interests amongst others doing the same. I wish everyone had this opportunity. It is hard! I make mistakes often. The conflict resolution and relational skills I’ve learned here along with the self-exploration I’ve been afforded permeate every facet of my life. In fact, within my own household, my 5 year old often calls family members to unofficial “Judicial Committee” meetings to deal with interpersonal conflict!
What do you like to do for fun?
Due to my own and my family’s background with mental and physical chronic illness, I love learning about holistic health. I have healed significantly from many chronic symptoms that medical professionals once told me I would spend a lifetime managing pharmaceutically. I spend a lot of my free time studying different modalities including homeopathy, herbalism, ayurveda, food as medicine, iridology, reiki, etc. and have more recently delved into the Emotion Code and German New Medicine. As nerdy or “woo” as it sounds, integrating and honoring the four bodies (physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual) is my favorite hobby!
Beyond that, I adore spending time with my 5 year old son. I love to cook and bake healthy, nourishing food. Before motherhood, I spent a lot of my free time making art, with a focus on figure and portraiture, creative writing, jewelry, and interior design. I suspect that as my kid ages and requires less output from me, I will fall into these creative outlets again.
Dreaming big, how would you like to see Saint Louis Sudbury School ten years from now?
Ten years from now, I see the Saint Louis Sudbury School in our own space, with access to nature and ample off-campus opportunities, with many more students and staff. I would love to still be a staff member here. With many successful graduates and scholarship opportunities, I envision a thriving community in symbiosis within the larger community. Perhaps Sudbury will become a household word and we won’t have to work quite as hard to convince the masses to trust young people! I suspect sovereignty and respect will become far less radical in ten years, for young people and adults alike.
Why Sudbury: Thoughts from a Parent
“I'd known since before our child started kindergarten that I wanted a different school environment for them than the one I grew up in. After several years in a blue ribbon public elementary school and a couple years in a private performing arts school, we were conflicted about the high school years for our child.
We toured St. Louis Sudbury School a couple times and decided to give it a try last year as Cricket entered 9th grade. This is the first time in over 9 years of education that my child can't wait to arrive at school each morning and for weekends to end so they can go back to school. They feel so valued and respected as a part of the Sudbury community and the life skills they are learning are so important for their future. I can't imagine a better place for children to grow and learn on their own terms than at Saint Louis Sudbury School.
We can't wait to see what the future holds for this community and everyone involved. If you are looking for a super inclusive democratic learning environment for your child, please look into this school. It has changed our lives for the better over the last year and only continues to grow and exceed our expectations.”
— Shelah, Saint Louis Sudbury School parent
