Imagining Ideal Schools with Reflections and Insights from The Riverseed School

Anti-Bias Early Childhood Working Group Meeting

April 30, 2022

The working group convened to recap a Critical Whiteness workshop hosted with Social Justice Books and discuss ways in which connecting themes from the workshop could be useful as a form of professional development.

The majority of the working group meeting was spent envisioning what an ideal school could look like. The working group was joined by Zani Dalili-Ortique and Ebony Marshman of The Riverseed School D.C. Dalili-Ortiqueand Marshman shared their experiences with forming this new school, including their commitment to centering a school that served communities East of the River and provided freedom for young people to have space that was theirs to be creative, explore, and have access to outdoors that was proximate to their building. The building is a Victorian home with green space to support varying forms of learning and play. Dalili-Ortique and Marshman also highlighted their intentionality in creating a working environment that supported the well-being of educators as well, giving them time to not only be in the classroom, but also planning and community building.

As the time together ended, the working group celebrated Marissa Howser, who is preparing for sabbatical after this school year. Howser has served as one of the working group Teacher facilitators for the 2021-2022 school year alongside Makai Kellogg and has been part of the working group since its foundation.

Working group members shared,

It was interesting to hear all that it takes to open a new school.

I loved Makai's share, and I appreciate the new lens that she shared.