I do believe that each low-income community should have its own school. Now, I am not talking about a public school funded by any government. As a matter-of-fact, it government should be kept out of schools all together. Any entity that presumes to tell parents how their children should be taught should be kept right out of the school.

 

The school, as well as all of the community buildings, would use alternative energies for lights, computers, cooking, etc., as well as alternative heating sources other than petroleum or electricity based sources. This would, in the long run, save a huge amount of money.

 

The school would not need a lot of employees, because there would not be a large number of students. Only the children from the community. Therefore, you would need only a few teachers, and only a few classrooms. A library would be essential. And a computer for each student, at least in the higher grades. No take-home laptops/computers. Parents, particularly low-income parents, cannot afford that kind of responsibility.

 

A regular, every day kitchen, possibly with two of each appliance, would suffice, as well as a real dining area. More homey than a cafeteria, with real dining room tables. An office would not be necessary, but an answering machine and telephone in each class would so that parents could call the school when children would be absent.

 

No secretary, principal, guidance councilor, nurse, etc. Just teachers and students. Some teachers may need to be part time. Fir instance, a science teacher once a week for a full day class, or twice a week for two half day classes, when at the high school level.

 

Each classroom would have a table rather than desks, a sitting area,  a small office area for the teacher, a coat rack…

 

Any funding that didn’t come from an entity wishing to dictate what or how something had to be taught, or anything else for that matter, would be fine. But the school would be the communities school. Things would be run accordingly. 

 

Parent involvement a necessity. Each day, week or month a different student/group of students would have to stay after to help their teacher clean. On the same schedule, each teacher and her chosen students would be required to clean the hall and bathroom. This is part of their life skills lessons.

 

Middle/high school age students would be expected to help one cook with meal preparation and clean up, as part of their life skills lessons. The entire school would grow their own food, and local farmers could donate some meat and dairy products.

 

The teachers and the cook would be from within the community when someone was available. They would also allow parent involvement at any time, and they would allow a student teacher to volunteer to work along with them.

 

Respect would always be key within the school, and older students would be available to help and mentor younger students.

 

The community would raise the money needed for the school garden, composting efforts, etc., and playground. As a matter-of-fact, the school and students may be responsible for the communities recycling efforts.

 

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Fundraising would not be about people ordering things from catalogs and such. There would be craft bazaars, where both the students and their families would make things to sell during community celebrations, inviting the families and friends of the community members.

 

Bake sales and roadside vegetable stands would also be helpful. As would making and canning food to sell in the grocery store that the community owns.

 

Dinner theater events would bring in some much needed money, when advertising outside of the community.

 

Yard sales put on by students would also benefit the school, as well as composting for profit.

 

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Adult and teen ed classes in the evenings and on Saturdays would also be necessary. These would be free to anyone, and some would be mandatory. Any class can be taught one-on-one when necessary, but community classes would also work.

 

• Sometimes, but not always, in the form of parenting and anger management courses.
• Mandatory: Cooking on a budget. Maybe students could leave with a coupon organizer and store coupons from businesses inside and outside of the community. At least one adult from each family.
• Cooking classes. Students bring home what they make.
• Mandatory: Pressure canner cooking. Each family must have one adult in the classes each time a new class is offered. Each family would receive a pressure canner and accessories, as well as can 1 case of food to bring home, being allowed to also keep the jars and rings. They would receive the pressure canner and accessories only once, being required to bring them back with them for each class. They need not bring back the jars and rings, as new ones will be given out with each class. Also, during the first class, each family will receive a manual and the classes recipe. Each subsequent class will offer a new recipe, depending on what you are learning to can.
• Mandatory: Water bath canner classes. Same as above, but using the water bath. Take homes are the same as well, but with water bath unit and accessories.
• Mandatory: How to dry foods. Drying fruits, vegetables, herbs, edible flowers, etc., are all topics that will be covered one at a time, students getting to keep the food dryers, etc., and leaving with printed instructions and recipes.
• Mandatory: How to freeze foods. One class. Students putting this art into action as well. Taking home freezing guidelines, as well as foods prepared for the freezer, food safety tips, and a few necessities: Plastic wrap, freezer paper, freezer containers, masking tape and a permanent marker. Also a cookbook of freezer recipes.
• Mandatory: Basic sewing for at least one adult in the household.

The possibilities are endless, and will greatly increase each families future success.

 

Shannon