Imagine a school where students have an equal say in programming, administration, and governance? Where students design their own learning activities and work with staff members to create both social and academic experiences that appeal to all age levels? How about a school that mixes age groups so that students learn from and mentor each other while they are working and playing?

The Jordan Lake Sudbury School (JLSS) is just such a place. Based on a philosophy pioneered by the Sudbury Valley School in Framingham, Massachusetts, JLSS is a democratic school where the students create a direction for their lives, take responsibility for their own choices, set priorities, allocate resources, and work within a vibrant community. With an emphasis on total intellectual freedom, interaction between students of all ages (mixed-age learning), and responsibility for themselves and the operation of the school, JLSS provides students with the best possible preparation for the quickly-changing world of the 21st century.

JLSS is the brainchild of directors Sherri Bauer and Lena Hurst, who opened the school after a combined 14 years of homeschooling and creative ventures. “We both believe that children should be treated with respect and given as much control over their lives as they choose,” Hurst explains. Students at JLSS are free to grow intellectually and emotionally through play, conversation, exploration, the arts, reading, music, computer activities, organized classes, cooking, sewing, field trips and anything else that ignites their fancy. “It’s been my lifelong passion to teach children to take responsibility for their own actions. They are better prepared for adult life when they can make choices and live with the results of those choices.”

The decision to move from the homeschooling environment to the more structured format of a private school was made when Sherri and Lena’s children indicated an interest in expanding their learning community. “We want the best educational experiences for our kids in a community setting,” co-founder Sherri Bauer adds. “Lena had read ‘Summerhill’ by A.S. Neill, who founded a school in Suffolk, England. She had always wanted to start a school like his, so when our children asked for access to a larger pool of peers, it seemed like the perfect time to launch this project.”

Unlike more traditional schools, Jordan Lake Sudbury operates with great flexibility and is completely child-centered through age 18. “Our fundamental belief is that all children are curious by nature and the most valuable learning takes place when it is initiated and pursued by the students themselves in ways that make most sense to them,” explains Bauer. “Students of all ages are free to decide for themselves how to spend their days. All learning styles and all types of pursuits are valued here.”

There is no such thing as a “typical” day at Jordan Lake Sudbury School. Each week looks different and develops its own flavor as the students explore their interests and initiate learning opportunities in various areas. “Some days we are very quiet, with students doing a lot of reading and exploration on the computers,” Lena shares. “And on other days, we’re off on a field trip, or putting together a model of an Egyptian temple, or watching a documentary on civil rights, or writing a play. That’s the beauty of the way we do things—there’s no room for the kinds of boredom you see in traditional classrooms.”

School hours are 9:30-3:30, Monday through Friday, September through June. Students and staff hold a weekly School Meeting every Friday, where everyone votes on all aspects of the school's operations — from field trips to school rules to budgeting to hiring staff. Within this model, students learn first hand of the freedom and responsibilities inherent in a working democracy.

Currently operating in rental space on Buck Jones Road in Cary for the 2009-2010 year, long-range plans for the school include a move to 39 acres off of Rt. 64 in eastern Chatham County—easily commutable by Cary, Apex, and Holly Springs parents. The school’s goal is to grow to 20 full-time children by the end of the year, and staff is working hard to attract at least 10 of those new students by mid-January when the spring term begins.

An information session will be held at the Borders Books Café on Walnut Street in Cary on Thursday, December 10th at 7:00 p.m. Anyone interested in learning more about the school can attend that session or view the school’s website at www.jordanlakesudbury.org. For specific questions about enrollment, parents can contact the school directly by sending an email to info@jordanlakesudbury.org or calling Sherri Bauer at (919) 349-1649.