Category: Events

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Visit an alternative school instead of taking the test!

Brooklyn Free School

Jerry Mintz

For the last two years, in cooperation with Fairtest, AERO member schools have provided a place for students to go whose families have opted them out of high stakes testing. We are doing that again this year for families choosing to opt their children out of the draconian, year-end, high-stakes testing at their public schools. It is every parent's right to do this. Alternative, learner-centered schools in AERO's network are volunteering to let students who have opted out to visit their schools during this time. Visiting another school is usually an excused absence at most schools. We have had a great initial response from our network of schools happy to do this. We're hoping many more are added to the list. If your school is open to this, just write to jerryaero@aol.com. If you are a parent interested in opting out your student from these tests and don't see a school near you on this list, you can write to us and we'll suggest one near you for you to contact. But we expect the large majority of schools listed as AERO member schools would be happy to accommodate you.

Here is the list so far:

  • Tutorial School, 400 Brunn School Road, Santa Fe, NM 87505, 505-988-1859, tutorialschool@yahoo.com
  • Brooklyn Free School, 372 Clinton Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11238, Lily Mercogliano, Executive Director, 718-499-2707
  • Raw Learning, gleamer@rawlearning.org, Staunton, VA
  • Parts and Crafts, Somerville, MA, contact@partsandcrafts.org Kelly Taylor, 617-207-8016
  • Voyagers’ Community School, 321 West Farms Road, Farmingdale, NJ 07727, 732.842.1660, Karen Giuffre’, Founding Director, Director@voyagerskids.com, www.voyagerskids.com
  • Mandala School, East Aurora, NY, 716-374-0678, DrJohn@MandalaSchool.org
  • Upattinas School, 429 Greenridge Rd., Glenmoore, PA 19343, 610.458.5138, office@upattinas.org, www.upattinas.org
  • Pacem School, 29 College Street, Montpelier, VT 05602, 802.223.1010, lexi.shear@post.harvard.edu
  • Yellow Wood Learning Community, 99 SW 14th Street, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33315, http://ywlc.org/
  • Liberty Learning Center, Cheri Isett, 2005 Ave T Lubbock, TX 79411, 806-744-9133
  • Princeton Learning Cooperative, www.PrincetonLearningCooperative.org, 609-851-2522, 16 All Saints Road, Princeton, NJ 08540, Mailing Address: P.O. Box 167, Princeton, NJ 08542
  • Little Lake Learning Community, Melissa Palma, (734) 218-4877, melissa@littlelakelc.org, Physical Address: 3257 Lohr Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48104, Mailing Address: 560 Little Lake Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48103, Website: www.littlelakelc.org
  • The NewGate School (Montessori Foundation Lab School), 5237 Ashton Road, Sarasota, FL 34233, 1-941-922-4949, 1-941-922-7660 (fax), Lorna McGrath, lornamcgrath@montessori.org
  • North Star, 135 Russell St., Hadley, MA 01035, 413-582-0193, Ken@northstarteens.org
  • Longview School, 83 Main St., Brewster, NY, mark@longviewschool.org, 914-739-3402
  • Clonlara School, Chandra Montgomery Nicol, 1289 Jewett Ann Arbor, MI 48104, 734-769-4511, Chandra@clonlara.org
  • The Attic Learning Community, Tracy L. Ruef, www.the-attic.org, Bothel, WA, admin@the-attic.org, 425-424-0800
  • The Birch School & Homeschool Resource Center, Kate Fox, Rock Tavern NY, kate@thebirchschool.org, (845) 361-2267
  • Whole Life Learning Center, www.wholelifelearningcenter.com, 10801 Old San Antonio Rd., Austin, TX 78704, 512.944.0279
  • Rainbow Mountain Children’s School, Renee Owen, 574 Haywood Road, Ashville, NC 28806, (828) 258-9264 ext. 11, http://www.rmcs.org/category/directors-blog/
  • Anchorage Waldorf School, Jann Douple Mylet, 3250 Baxter Road, Anchorage, AK 99504, Tel: 907-333-9062 | Fax: 907-338-9362, www.waldorfak.org, enroll@waldorfak.org
  • Youth Initiative High, www.yihs.net, jacob@yihs.net, 608-637-6445, 500 E. Jefferson St. #302, Viroqua, WI 54665
  • Shepherd Valley Waldorf School, 6500 West Dry Creek Parkway, Niwot, CO 80503, 303-652-0130, www.shepherd valley.org
  • Arthur Morgan School, Bridget O’Hara, Admissions Coordinator, 60 AMS Circle, Burnsville NC 28714, 828-675-4262, admissions@arthurmorganschool.org, www.arthurmorganschool.org
  • Billings Educational Academy, Billings, MT, 406-248-4031, Margo Haak, margoloveskids@yahoo.com
  • Mountain Laurel Sudbury School, 147 West Main Street, New Britain, CT 06052, www.mountainlaurelsudbury.org, info@mountainlaurelsudbury.org, 860-828-4077, Contact: Sean Vivier or Marie Sampson
  • Waldorf School of Massachusetts, Bay 160 Lexington St., Belmont, MA 02478, 617-489-6600 x11, www.waldorfhighschool.org, s.morris@waldorfhighschool.org
  • Northwest Free School, 1427 Queen Ave. N.E., Renton, WA 98056, 425-228-0345, northwestfreeschool@yahoo.com
  • Madrona School, Missi Goss, Head of School, 219 Madison Ave., S Bainbridge Island, WA 98110, 206-855-8041, www.madronaschool.org
  • Alger Learning Center & Independence High School, John Lackey, Director, 121 Alder Drive, Sedro-Woolley, WA 98284, Main Office: (360) 595-2630, Toll Free: (800) 595-2630, Registrar: (360) 595-2670, Fax: (360) 595-1141, www.independent-learning.com
  • Agile Learning Center, tomis@manhattanfreeschool.org, 115 E 106th St., 2nd Floor New York, NY 10029, www.manhattanfreeschool.org
  • Four Winds School, Eloise Michael, 54 French King Highway, Gill, MA 01354, (413) 863-8055, www.fourwindsschool.info
  • Sunset Sudbury School, 4200 NW 66th Ave., Davie, FL 33024, 954-404-7785, www.sunsetsudbury.org
  • The Brooklyn Waldorf School, 11 Jefferson Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11238, (718) 783-3270, www.brooklynwaldorf.org
  • Honolulu Waldorf School, 350 Ulua Street, Honolulu, HI 96821, 808-377-5471
  • Gaia Democratic School, 3754 Pleasant Ave, Minneaoilis, MN 55409. 612 728 1198, www.Gaiademocratic.org
  • Sussex School, www.sussexschool.org, 1800 S 2nd St W, Missoula, MT 59801, (406) 549-8327
  • Pacem School and Homeschool, 4 Trement St, Montpelier, VT 05602, 802-229-9810
  • Tall Grass Sudbury School, 82 Woodside Rd, Riverside, IL 60546, 708-777-1037
  • Deep Root Center, PO Box 424, Canton, NY 13617, www.deeprootcenter.org
  • Longview School, 63 Main St, Brewster, NY 10509, Longviewschool.org, 914-739-3402
  • Skybridge Academy, Austin, TX, Ariel Miller ariel@skybridgeatx.com, 512-739-4956
  • Borsodi's / Bayou Learning Center, 322 N. St. Patrick St., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70119, 504-210-8275
  • Wheels of Life School, Bellingham, WA, 360-393-1652
  • The Grauer Schools, 1500 S. El Camino Real, Encinitas, CA, 92024, www.grauerschool.com, 760-944-6777
  • Village Home Education Resource Center, Portland, OR, www.villagehome.org, lori.walker@villagehome.org, 503-597-9100
  • Mountain Sun Community School, 71 Keystone Camp Rd.
    Brevard, NC, 28712, 828-885-2555, www.mountainsunschool.org
  • Santa Lucia School, 1460 Plum Orchard Lane, Templeton, CA 93465, (805) 434-2217
  • Leeway Sudbury School, 40 Cherokee Ave, San Diego CA, 92104,   (619)900-4436
  • South Mountain Co-op, 240 Franklin Ave, Maplewood, NJ 07040. (973) 327-3281
  • Horizons Schoool, 1900 Dekalb Ave. SE, Atlanta, GA 30307, 404 378 2219 Horizonsschool.com
  • Your school here! Email jerryaero@aol.com
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Meet AERO’s Newest Keynote Speaker & “America’s Worst Mom”

Lenore Skenazy is “America’s Worst Mom.” (Google it!) The New York City newspaper columnist-turned-reality-TV show host  got that title after letting her 9-year-old son take the subway, alone. In response to the media blowback, she founded the book and blog, “Free-Range Kids” (freerangekids.com), which helped launch the anti-helicopter parenting movement. Her feisty belief that our kids are safer and smarter than our culture gives them credit for has landed her on talk shows from Dr. Phil to The View. She has lectured internationally, from Microsoft Headquarters to the Sydney Opera House, and written for everyone from The New York Daily News (for 14 years) to Mad Magazine. Yep. Mad. On her Discovery/TLC International show World’s Worst Mom she helps overprotective parents loosen the reins — a job she now does on her own, through Free-Range House Calls. She lives in New York City with her husband and two teen sons, who are half Free-Range, half Facebook addicts. Then again, so is she. One thing she understands: None of us is a perfect parent — and that’s okay.

Buy Lenore's book, Free Range Kids from AERO on sale here.

Find out more about AERO conference here.

Meet Lenore below:

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California Parents Discover Educational Innovations at EXPO (EVENT)

California Parents Discover Educational Innovations at EXPO 

Outside of traditional schooling, what educational options do parents have in California?

The Education Options EXPO is an event where parents of PreK-12 students meet with representatives of public and private alternative schools and home schooling groups to learn about the educational options available for their children.

The purpose of the Education Options EXPO is to empower parents and PreK12 students by introducing them to educational experts, innovative programs, and new ideas for learning in a comfortable and friendly environment to ensure that each student reaches the full extent of their unique potential.

Guest speakers include:

  • Mr. Jerry Mintz, Founder, Alternative Education Resource Organization (AERO), Roslyn, New York;
  • Mr. Steven Horwich, Founder, www.ConnectTheThoughts.net, Los Angeles, CA;
  • Mr. Vicente Lopez, Staff, Diablo Valley School, Concord, CA;
  • Ms. Kimberly Etter, iLEAD Charter School, Lancaster, CA;
  • Ms. Shauna Reisewitz, Founder Pacific Sands Academy, Mountain View, CA.

With so much innovation happening in the working world, the time has come for parents to discover the innovations in education. This EXPO will empower you as parents as you consider what is the best educational approach for your child. Come get your questions answered by those who are leading the educational changes in California. Learn what every parent must know.

Event Details: 10am-2pm on Saturday, March 15, 2014 at 1195 Clark St., San Jose, CA 95125.

For more info visit www.EducationOptionsEXPO.com or call (415) 939-6768, Dave Rodriguez.  
 

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Call for Workshops!

We have 50 amazing workshops and are no longer taking proposals on our website. But you can always email me, jerryaero@aol.com, personally to see if something can be squeezed in. But remember that during each session we will have two rooms available for spontaneous workshops. This is a unique feature of the AERO conference.

-Jerry Mintz

Workshops and Presentations

In addition to our lineup of keynote speakers at the AERO conference, there are dozens of other workshops, presentations, and discussions that will occur on a great variety of issues related to educational alternatives.

If you are interested in presenting a workshop, organizing a discussion or other activity at the upcoming AERO conference, please send us your proposal by February 15th. You can start by sending a paragraph about your proposed presentation. This year we plan to have fewer planned presentations and presenters at the conference so we can have more spontaneous presentations, so send your proposals as soon as possible.

Enter your proposal information into this Word document and email the saved file to jerryaero@aol.com. The full list of workshops at AERO conference will be posted March 1st. Please do not submit PDFs. We need all proposals as a Word document.