The Open House!

The Living Water School and Homeschool Center will be having their open house on Fridays, May 20, 27, and June 3 at 5 pm to 7 pm.  The school follows the democratic school model and finds great inspiration from the Sudbury model as well.  They are given freedom to direct their day at the school. 

Because we understand that homeschool families may have a different philosophy from the school, we have now separated the homeschool center from the school, with its own dedicated staff in order to make sure we keep homeschooled students focused on the expectations of parents.  If our number of homeschool families continues to increase, we will consider having the center at a separate location as well.  Once the students have completed their work, then they are free to join the activities of the school (homeschooled students are not required to participate in any of the school activities, but they are welcome to with parent permission). This program was created to help working parents who desire to homeschool,. Many of our parents homeschool in the evenings, weekends, year round.  You create the schedule that works for you and we just care for your kids while you work during the day.  We ask that parents give a list of daily assignments to the Homeschool Center staff.   We also provide advice, guidance and support if needed. Homeschooled kids are also welcome to take our non-core classes (i.e. art, Bible, foreign language, attend field trips, theatre, sports, PE, etc.). 

The Playroom is a free learning space where children ages 2 to 5 develop in their ability to independently make their decisions.  Inspired by the growth and development of the founder's two youngest children (ages 2 and 4), the Playroom was created in order to give young children the space to learn and grow independently without being tainted by the traditional educational system.  When the school first opened, her young children were just 1 and 3. They came to school with her and she hired a certified early childhood teacher to watch over them.  The teacher was given the direction to just let them learn freely, while they took part in many aspects of the school at their own choosing.  Amazingly, their learning, growth and development took place at a rapid pace.  They were sponges.  Her two year old is talking in full sentences, showing early signs of phonemic awareness.  Her 4 year old taught himself how to write his name and his brother's name.  They both began to ask "Why?" a great deal.  Her daughter taught herself how to put her shoes on the right foot, how to open her own juice box and so many more independent skills.  Her 4 year old asked to be taught to read (as opposed to forcing it upon him).  The learning that took place so naturally encouraged her to create a program for young learners, preparing them for being in an independent learning environment when they reach school age.   The Playroom is a program where the ages of 2 to 5 are all together in one large open space (at a separate location from the school), learning and growing naturally through play and exploration.  All instruction, resources and activities will be inspired by the children's curiosity and interests.  After watching the learning that happened in her two youngest children, who are vastly different from each other, the founder is a firm believer in independent learning for all ages, no matter how young they are.

We are going into our second year and spaces are filling fast for all of our programs!

The New Preschool Program

The Playroom (preschool program opening August 2016-year round)
Inspired by the growth and development of the founder's two youngest children (ages 2 and 4), the Playroom was created in order to give young children the space to learn and grow independently without being tainted by the traditional educational system.  When the school first opened, her young children were just 1 and 3. They came to school with her and she hired a certified early childhood teacher to watch over them.  The teacher was given the direction to just let them learn freely, while they took part in many aspects of the school.  Amazingly, their learning, growth and development took place at a rapid pace.  They were sponges.  Her two year old is talking in full sentences, showing early signs of phonemic awareness.  Her 4 year old taught himself how to write his brother's name before he learned to write his own.  They both began to ask "Why?" a great deal.  Her daughter taught herself how to put her shoes on the right foot, how to open her own juice box and so many more independent skills.  Her 4 year old asked to be taught to read (as opposed to forcing it upon him).  The learning that took place so naturally encouraged her to create a program for young learners, preparing them for being in an independent learning environment when they reach school age.  The Playroom is a program where the ages of 2 to 5 are all together in one large open space (at a separate location from the school), learning and growing naturally through play and exploration.  All instruction, resources and activities will be inspired by the children's curiosity and interests. 

THIS is No Child Left Behind

My first years in teaching, I found myself frustrated each year by not being able to reach every single one of my 32 students (sometimes there were more than 32 in my classroom). I spent so much time in my room trying to figure out how to make it possible so that no one fell in the cracks. Then one day, a veteran teacher listened to my heart ache and gave these words of "wisdom" to me (said with sarcasm): "Oh didn't you know? Someone's going to always fall through the cracks. You could never reach all of them." I was so hurt by this. The resolution in her voice, after years of working with kids. I remember thinking "How can I just be ok with a child being lost???" I have never ever wanted to be a principal or a school founder. My family and closest friends will tell you, my only ambition was to be a wife, mother and teacher. I love being with the kids personally...one to one...touching each other's hearts. That's where my passion has always been. When I was a principal or an administrator, I did not stay in my office. I was in the hallways, stopping by classes, even offering a theatre/music class to anyone who wanted to be a part. I just wanted to touch kids and not see anyone "fall through the cracks." The morning God spoke to me about starting a school, I fought him. I fought him for days. I kept hearing his voice. I kept telling him how hard and impossible it was and that I did not want to do it. Finally after days of this back and forth and a real pushing of the Spirit to do it. I simply said, "Yes. Lord I will do it. I don't know how. It is impossible. But if you are really saying to do this, then it must come from you." He did it. All glory and honor be to Him who can do exceedingly abundantly above all we can ask or think! Hallelujah! He has done it! Not me. Not my experience or education. God used this little girl who hated school, who could barely pass school herself, to start a school with no money JUST so that NO child whether they are brilliant, artsy, sports obsessed, comedian, shy, sweet, mean, different, typical, seemingly not so smart, organized, disorganized, Christian, struggling in their faith, not a Christian yet,  Not a Christian or going to be (we are a Christian school, but the students must choose for themselves...it is not forced), happy, sad, messy, clean, pretty to society, pretty in God's eyes, black, white, green, yellow, orange, in the box, outside of the box, half way in the box...every child can succeed and find the purpose God programmed into their DNA at conception. No child at the Living Water School will fall through the cracks. They may not finish in the typical way or at the regulated time of a traditional school, but they will get to wherever they need and want to go and we will help them. www.thelivingwaterschool.org.