Village Free School

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advert=July 2008The Village Free School (VFS) is a private school located in Portland, Oregon, United States. It offers enrollment to students ages 5-18. The educational philosophy at the free school is based upon the idea that if children are given freedom and access to resources they will learn. Children are naturally drawn to skills that will serve them in life, such as reading, problem solving, conflict resolution, critical thinking, and leadership. The students at VFS choose what they want to learn and how they want to spend their time. Free schools have existed in the US for fifty years.

For the 2008/09 school year, the Village Free School plans to enroll 50 students. Admissions are designed so that many ages are represented, and enrollment in each age group is limited. Off-campus learning is encouraged and facilitated by staff at the free school. The school has a new "Open School" program for homeschoolers/unschoolers, so they can spend some time at the school and maintain homeschooling/unschooling as their primary plan.

Families

Parents are integral to the mission of VFS, so the school honors the primary attachments of youth with their families and values the dignity and worth of students, staff, families, and volunteers alike. Many different kinds of families find homes here, and families with nontraditional backgrounds are welcome. The school does its best to support, share, and learn from all the people who come to the Village.

Broader community

VFS shares what they learn about active youth participation and self-determination with educators and advocates around the world. During the summers of 2007 and 2008, students, parents, and staff attended the AERO Conference on Alternative Education in New York. This allowed those from the Village to share what they've learned with other free and democratic schools, offered students hands-on leadership and speaking opportunities, and allowed the school to learn.

Age mixing

The VFS is built upon the concept that children of all ages learn from each other, and so our school is not segregated by age or grade, which allows for significant peer mentorship.

Advisers

The school has adult advisers who assist youth with accessing resources, and encourage students to ask questions, explore, and play as their intellectual, social, emotional, and physical health are nurtured. Staff believe that when kids learn the art of problem solving in a holistic way, their skills can be applied to any subject.

Advisers work in partnership with students to help them direct their learning and find the resources needed to accomplish their goals. The low staff to student ratio (1:7) allows for individualized plans to accommodate different learning styles and varied interests. Students pursue a wide variety of study based upon their own passions, and are able to continue with a subject until their curiosity is fully satisfied.

Physical space

VFS offers vibrant and interactive spaces to study, play, and share. Students are not coerced into following a schedule dictated by standardized curriculum or testing. However, there is a daily rhythm to help students know when and where opportunities are being offered.

History

The Village Free School started in 2005 after three years of planning by a group of folks who mostly learned about each other from fliers posted at co-ops. Surprisingly, few of these initial school-starters were parents; they were people who wanted to give kids a shot at freedom and democracy, with the hope of creating a natural love for learning.

In 2007/2008, the school hired its first Executive Director, Scott Nine. Scott holds a Masters in Social Work, and was one of the original crew who took on the task of starting an innovative learning place for kids. This same year, the school had students from ages 5-18 for the first time, and met the interesting challenges of serving a wide range of youth in a small community.

Non-profit

The Village Free School is a non-profit, and thus relies upon donations and sponsorships to cover the costs related to running the program. The subsidized tuition starts at about $300 a month, which includes a discount for parents who contribute a small amount of volunteer hours to the school.

Accreditation

The Village Free School has chosen not to seek accreditation through the State of Oregon, as it did not want to be held to any state standards that would interfere with the educational approach. However, the Youth Liberation Project, an opt-in program inside the school, is building a program that will include articulation agreements with local colleges. Since each student's education plan at the school is highly individualized, lack of State accreditation is not seen as a barrier. College is a perfectly reasonable option for those who want to attend, and the school will support those students in their efforts. (The school also supports the efforts of youth who are on different life paths.)

External links

* [http://www.villagefreeschool.org/ Village Free School] (official website)