Just a few preliminary thoughts and things, by Chris Kawecki:

• The November 22 letter to people I thought might be interested in being involved.
• a more recent letter written on March 15 describing the school to someone I don't really know who I was told was interested somehow
• An Application I just sent in to echoing green, a foundation which gives out fellowships for people to do wonderful things (this gives some of the most detailed info on this new school to date, including program descriptions, budget, etc.)
• Some email messages from our email list.
• An Op-Ed Article I just submitted to a contest, about this new school and how it fits into liberal arts education
• Two emails explaining why being a non-profit with a board can be problematic, and an alternative to that
• To Do List
• A brilliant and extensive description of the curriculum of the Oak Meadow School, which in some ways will be very similar to our curriculum. This looks like a really neat school, and will also be in Vermont!
• A short description of what kind of people I would hope to graduate
• Jerry Mintz's article on democratic govt in schools.
• Reading list
• A proposed mission statement as well as some other proposals -- lists of duties and possible learning activities.
• WWW pages for some of the schools we look to as examples in one way or another or which have some interesting ideas at least:
  • Bend Community School
  • Puget Sound Community School
  • Sudbury Valley School
  • The School is Dead Site
  • Ontario Alternative Education Association
• There is an email list for alternative schools (not colleges) as well as an email list for alternative colleges. See the AHEN page for how to get on the college list.
• Goals (these are actually the goals of a liberal arts education, according to Gregory S. Prince, Jr., President of Hampshire College): the capacity to think clearly, critically, and creatively; to judge wisely and act humanely, responsibly, and collaboratively; and to communicate effectively
• My first big program is the Experimental Program in Education and Community at Hampshire College.
• Lessons for Personal Transformation, from Gerald Jampolsky's book Love is Letting Go of Fear.
• There will be a work day and meeting for all people interested in starting a school next fall. It will be Dec 7, 1996 at the site of the new school. Email me for details.
• a paper on the net, Alternative High Schools: Models For the Future?
• Most people won't get this, but the first goal is to help people accept and understand their incompetence; the second goal is to help people increase their competence. The judgment between which of these is appropriate in a particular situation is critical but based on a tremendous amount of experience, not only a simple rule.
• Some emails from Lynn Stoddard to the altsch list -- they are brilliant!
• Possible funding sources:
  • The Bay Foundation
  • American Council of Learned Societies; 228 East 45th Street; New York, NY 10017-3398 Besides the grants to the six colleges, MacArthur is giving $1 million to the American Council of Learned Societies in New York, to make smaller grants for specific innovative projects at poorly endowed liberal arts colleges.
  • The Illinois Researcher Information Service (IRIS)
  • Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Home Page
  • Grants and Fellowships
  • The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Home Page
  • The Freeman Foundation, which Greg says is in Vermont and may be supportive.
  • Surdna Foundation, Inc.
  • FEDIX