Entries from all of the different blogs (upstairs, downstairs, jr. high) are consolidated here. To view a particular blog use the links to your right or click below:

• general announcements
• upstairs blog
• downstairs dirt
• 7th & 8th grade class notes

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April 25, 2009, Saturday
@ the Free School
8 Elm Street
9-11 am

Let’s put the pancakes to work for our kids!

•    Pancakes
•    Sausage/ Soy-sage
•    Eggs
•    Toast and Jam
•    Johnnycakes (gluten-free)

 All-you-can-eat pancake breakfast!
$7 Adults
$3 Children 10 and under
(bring 2 kids and the 3rd is FREE!)

Call Corey McQuinn (Remember and Trixie’s papa) for details. 364-2650

at teachers meeting

The downstairs kids have been really into the new Animal Class that we started after break. We are working our way throught the alphabet, picking what we think is the most interesting. So far we have gotten through ARMADILLO and BISON. So, our fun animal fact is... The nine banded armadillo gives birth to four genetically identical quadruplets in each litter! And who knows what we will learn about next? Will it be the Capybara or the Chupacabra?

The upstairs world is full of exciting experiences.  This week we have gone sledding at the basketball park, played in an igloo found at the top of the hill and danced to afro-beats to keep ourselves warm in this freezing cold weather. Our kids are painting beautiful picutres and learning about the letter "P" in all sorts of fun ways ( creating P's with our own bodies and finding words that start with P...Planet! Pluto!). Since our students are such imaginative story tellers, we have just begun  writing down stories in their own words....Stay tuned for some of our kids stories!!!! Every day is an exciting one!  We look forward to sharing our many adventures with you!

We are blessed to have so many people sharing their own gifts and talents with our students.  Thank you volunteers for sharing your music : Deb and Celia  (our traveling musical friend ), and for sharing your artistic time- Sonia, Victoria and Stacey.

The UPSTAIRS CAFE can now be enjoyed TWICE each month.

Come to the cafe on the 1st and 3rd Saturday each month.

8am - 11am 

Amazing baked goods,

Breakfast Sandwiches

Coffee + Tea.

Proceed$ support The Free School Kitchen.

Friday December 14th the 7th and 8th grade class at The Free School will be hosting the Fish Fry and Falafel dinner.

This is the first big fundrasier for their class trip in May, so please come out and support the kids.

Don't forget there will also be an amazing cake auction after dinner.

Date: December 7th

Time: 6pm

Cost: $7 for adults, $4 for kids 12 & Under

For more info call: 434-3072

Last nights fabric show at The Free School was really great!

Leah, Neshima (Free School Student), & Mara (the upstairs teacher)
put on an amazing show!!!

After the performance a big group of spectators lined up for a chance to try it for themselves.

We also raised money for the Construction Fund.

For those of you who couldn't make the show pictures are available at: www.flickr.com/albanyfreeschool

Friday Night, 7 PM at the Free School!!!

Trapeze Show, Art and Photo Exhibit, Dessert Potluck, and Dance Party
by Mara, Leah, and Neshima

All donations benefit the parents' construction fund for the Free School

Hi all.

For those of you that don't already know, THE UPSTAIRS CAFE, is a must-eat experience at the free school, amazing baked goods, coffee + tea. And the proceed$ go to the Free School Kitchen. It's the 1st Saturday of the month, so the next one is 10/6.

For those of you who wish The Upstairs Cafe was open more than once a month you are in luck because Maureen and Rachael have decided to give you more Saturday morning breakfasts. The next one will be SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 22 FROM 8AM - 11AM so we'll see you there!!! Stay tuned for additional dates in addition to our regularly scheduled first Saturday of the month cafe.

UPDATE: The UPSTAIRS CAFE is now open on the 1st and 3rd Saturday of each month.

The 2007 School Year is off to a great start. We have several new teachers to introduce, and much more to share.  If you haven't already registered your child, please check with a teacher and make sure to do so.

The second and third grade class worked hard to raise money to explore the Big Apple. We had multiple bake sales and one amazing, fun, exciting and successful mother's day cafe (that really raised most of the money! ) Thank you to all of you who enjoyed and bought our sweets!

When we boarded the van we were all very excited to get our trip underway. For many of the students this was their first adventure exploring the Bronx and Manhattan. Our first stop was the Bronx Zoo. We ate lunch and headed toward Tiger Mountain. There was a huge crowd gathering around the Tiger's entrance and the kids snuck their selves to the front of the crowd so they could get an up-close view of the gigantic Tiger eating a ball of meat from a stick! We walked all over the zoo, enjoyed a tram ride through a safari like atmosphere, and ended up in the World of Darkness where the kids saw beautiful bats from all over the world. Our Zoo day was a huge sucess. We hopped in the van and started our next adventure ..... Manhattan!

Dear Past and Present Students, Parents and Staff, and Supporters and Friends of the Free School,

As many of you know, I came to the Free School in 1973 at the ripe old age of nineteen. I was pretty sure I knew everything then, including being convinced that the surest way to save the world is by helping to educate children in a loving community in which they can grow up happy, self-directing and aware, and belonging to themselves.