Cheryl Kruckeberg

Cheryl Kruckeberg    I was born in Los Angeles, California in 1959 to a mom whose middle name was ‘adventure’. Growing up we spent a lot of time traveling and were in and out of towns, states, countries and public schools, where I had never really felt very much at home any way. In 1973 my mother, sister and I moved to Austin, Texas and , at long last, settled down.

Recognizing that the public school system was not really working for her two children my mother found a ‘Free School’ nestled in the woods, 35 miles outside of Austin, and a whole new adventure began.

The Free School, modeled loosely after Summerhill, had opened in 1969 and was the creative, nurturing haven for about 35 children ranging in age from 5-18. Its foundational beliefs were that children were as deserving of respect as the rest of humanity and the leading authority on their own personal and educational needs. In an environment of love and respect I was free to choose how I might spend my time and there I learned the lessons that have made the most difference in my life. How to relate to people, the value of resolving conflicts respectfully and honorably, what it takes to make mistakes and still look the people you respect in the eye, knowing that you are loved for who you are, not what you do.

With the pressure to make grades removed from my life I developed a fondness for writing, nature, science, history, world cultures, yoga, crafts, world religions, peaceful conflict resolution, and, eventually, mathematics!

Inspired by own experiences in alternative eduction I gravitated to working and playing with children in the same ways that I had been worked and played with. I have taught in alternative schools, Montessori schools, at home with my own three children (now grown), in homeschool co-ops and now at Austin EcoSchool.

May Fest and Village Mini Fair

Saturday, May 18th, 2 pm

EcoSchools’ annual May Fest is all set to be loads of fun and the Village Mini Fair just always is!

Come make a *Peep (a what?!) and take it for a whirl on the miniature Ferris wheel.
Or, if your Peep is feeling very adventurous, take off on the Bubble Blaster – always a wild ride and a hoot!  Or go the Peep Disco Dance Hall, or the zip line race course, or the Whirling Fan of Doom (sure to big a hit with the hard core thrill seekers!) – or, well, the list just goes on and on….

Perhaps your Peep is a little more low key, more of a shopper than a thrill seeker – well then, take it on the tour of Peep Homes or to the Village Market and see what simply cannot be lived without! Peep hats, shawls and shoes, pets and exotic animals from far and wide, dishes, tools, furnishings and more.

In addition to the Village Mini Fair we have live youth music groups, food, various “green” info stalls and a fun activities for the kids.

* A Peep is a 3″ tall doll with huge ideas, plans and ambitions and they just LOVE the Village Mini Fair, where everything is just their size and they can really “let their hair down”!

Y’all come on down for a rip roarin’ good time!

NOW ENROLLING

We are accepting enrollment for the Fall 2013-Spring 2014 school year for ages 5-14. You can download the application packet from the enrollment page.

ALT-ED AUSTIN ARTICLE ON VILLAGE DAY

AltEd Austin has a great article on Austin EcoSchool’s Village Day!

GROWINTOGETHER

GrowinTogether Afternoon Enrichment Program fuses the creative arts with permaculture in a group-centered, democratically-structured environment. Program includes physical activity, movie-making, gardening, carpentry, cooking, Urban Explorer field trips and more! Activities run 3:45-6pm Monday through Friday with mixed-income youth aged 5-14 on the EcoSchool Campus. Space is limited, enroll today! Learn more

Growing Up. Growing in. Growing Together. Cultivating our youth to grow a beautiful, sustainable world.

NOTICE OF NONDISCRIMINATORY POLICY AS TO STUDENTS

Austin Ecoschool admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.

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