As the mother of a HVSS “lifer” who started school there at age 6 and left at age 17 when he felt ready to step out into the world, my greatest and most persistent challenge was trusting that sending him to Sudbury instead of a conventional school was the right choice. Periodically we visited other schools to see if another might hold more appeal, or at least more promise from an academic perspective. He inevitably rejected the idea of attending school elsewhere, and I always had to take a big gulp, follow his lead and trust the process every time we signed another re-enrollment contract. In truth, it wasn’t until after he left HVSS that the value of my son’s unconventional school experience became apparent. I’ve watched with great admiration as he’s applied himself to whatever he does – from restaurant work, to studying for the high school equivalency exam, to taking college courses – with dedication, discipline and a sense of purpose. With each new challenge he figures out what he needs to do, then sets about doing it. While a conventional education focuses on controlling behavior and teaching content, a Sudbury education focuses on instilling a sense of responsibility for one’s behavior and creating a context for learning. Would I say that the creative chaos of Sudbury is the right learning environment for every child? Nope, but with a great sigh of relief and the benefit of hindsight, I can confidently say that HVSS was the right choice for mine.

-Jenny Fox