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About Us

Diploma Process

Staff

Calendar & Events

I excelled [at traditional school] but it didn’t mean I liked it or wanted to do it."
- 15 year old student

She has cultivated her own voice, desire, interests, and interpersonal boundaries. She would not and did not have the opportunity to do this kind of work in her other school.”
-Mother of a teenage student

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In the Words of Miami Sudbury School Students​...

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For people who say kids don’t have self-control. They do have self-control, but they don’t have the opportunity to practice self-control. I never learned self-control when I was forced to do things. I’ve seen that some other kids are able to tell themselves to stop. It’s not something you’re born with but something you have to learn. You have to challenge yourself. You’ll always have distractions from a co-worker or other distractions and that’s what the real world is. It’s all about self-control.” 
- 14 year old student

...Imagine a school where you have the right to make your own schedule and learn anything you want! It's a breath of fresh air compared to traditional schooling where teachers make you raise your hand and read boring textbooks and do so much homework...  Imagine a school where people get to hear your opinion and you have the right to change things for the better..."
- 12 year old student

Something you learn naturally here are a lot of skills that you would learn as an adult - personal responsibility. In traditional school systems, kids are told what to do but then when they’re 18, they don’t really know what to do because suddenly no one’s telling them what to do. We work like a little city with a government and judicial system.” 
- 13 year old student

I went through “regular school” up to 9th grade.  As I transitioned over to this way of doing school, I joined committees to start helping make decisions for school and have roles like maintenance coordinator and JC chair. It’s more beneficial for kids to be able to choose what they do instead of forcing them what to do. I excelled [at traditional school] but it didn’t mean I liked it or wanted to do it."
- 15 year old student

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​In the words of Miami Sudbury School Parents...

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I didn’t have a Sudbury education, but as an adult, I do what they’re doing here. As an adult, I’ve gone into two lucrative professions by teaching myself. I taught myself how to read and ended up becoming a head designer at a company that did touch screens for schools. I ended up going to Miami Dade schools and directing people with doctorates but I’m all self-taught. I’m now setting up a laboratory to do micropropogation for clean rooms for tissue culture of plants. All self-directed. At some point you realize you know what you want and then you find out the requirements.” 
- Dad of Miami Sudbury Students ​

He has a sense of belonging there. I can sense he feels safe. Thank you!” 
- Parent of 7 year old

All the negativity at [public] school where they are all day and then at home with tutors and iReady... He was lacking things and was taking the rejections personally. He now comes home wanting to learn.”
- Parent of an 8 year old Miami Sudbury Student

I have enjoyed watching her grow, claim her voice, explore her interests, and make vital and substantive connections with other students and [staff].”
- Parent of teenage student

Parent observations since their child at The Miami Sudbury School…
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He has a better understanding of responsibility.”

[I’ve noticed] increased confidence and goal-orientation.”

[I’ve noticed] less anxiety. Enjoys going to school.”

[I’ve noticed] she has grown in diplomacy skills and analytical skills.”

He’s smarter, likes to go to school, accepts consequences better, and is learning 
cause and effect.”

My grandchildren are happy.”

She has enjoyed the support, care, interest, intelligence, and sensitivity of [the staff], something so really lacking in her previous school experience.”

She has never been this enthusiastic and happy about school before! Thank you guys sooo much for giving her a place to shine!”

There are some wonderful children at school, and I’m not just talking about my own.”

She enjoys the problem-based learning style offered at your school.”

[As a parent, I’ve enjoyed] love and acceptance by all. Differences are either not an issue or celebrated."

[As a parent, I’ve enjoyed] less stress at home from lack of homework.”

He is happier and with little to no anxiety about school.”

[I’ve enjoyed] hearing about her day now that she actually enjoys what she’s learning.”

My son has seen incredible changes in his sister and would like to explore going to Sudbury!”

The changes I’m witnessing are beyond exciting and so beautiful to watch. Because of the environment you guys have created, she is able and willing to step into herSELF. I am incredibly in awe of the transformation in only one WEEK!!! She has has always been a creative and curious being BUT NOW she CAN FLY!!”

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From Staff Supporters

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We create space and structure for young people to practice the lifelong skills of confidence, collaboration, and competence. Our students have the absolutely unique experience of human and civil rights in school they actually help operate. They learn through meaningful, productive enterprise and play for deep learning that cannot be replicated with workbooks and textbooks. They are tested by authentic community and personal growth opportunities, not arbitrary scantron tests. They practice the very skills that will be expected of them as adults while enjoying the gift of their childhood.” 
​- Christen Parker-Yarnal, Co-founder

I got to know The Miami Sudbury School while looking for innovative pedagogy in Miami on the internet. What really attracted me about the philosophy is its coherence between practice and principles. Many schools share the idea of the enormous importance of developing children's creativity, curiosity and imagination, but then follow a rigid curriculum where these skills are no longer promoted. You really believe in the children, in their spontaneous curiosity on how things work, in the idea that we only learn what playfully ignites our interest. Thus, the students should decide what they truly want to learn.” 
- Antonio Blessa, Staff 2019-2020

(1) “Graduates attend colleges and universities like Boston College, Boston University, Brandeis, Carnegie Mellon, Columbia, Emory, Harvard, Lehigh, MIT, NYU, Tufts, Northeastern, University of Massachusetts - Amherst, and Wesleyan. 82% of alumni pursued some form of formal higher education. Compare this with the statistic that less than 70% of graduates from the public school system matriculate into college.” (Schools on Trial p.174) 
(2) Sudbury Valley School has seen students learn K-6 math in 20 contact hours. When co-founder Daniel Greenberg asked a elementary school math specialist if that sounded extraordinary to him, the specialist replied that he was not shocked: "Because everyone knows," he answered, "that the subject matter itself isn't that hard. What's hard, virtually impossible, is beating it into the heads of youngsters who hate every step." http://sudburyschool.com/content/free-last