Every Wednesday
How the meeting runs
One hour and a half, with the same six steps each week.
- 01
Step 1: The agenda board opens
On Monday afternoon a board goes up in the main room. Any student or teacher can put an item on it: something to try, to change, or to stop.
- 02
Step 2: Two students chair
The chairs change every week. One keeps the order of items and the other keeps the list of who wants to speak. A teacher sits in the ring like everyone else.
- 03
Step 3: An item is read, then questioned
The person who wrote it reads it out. Then the ring asks questions, and the writer answers before anyone argues.
- 04
Step 4: The ring talks it through
Each person who wants to speak does, once, before anyone speaks twice. The chairs say when the ring is ready to decide.
- 05
Step 5: A vote
Each student and each teacher has one vote, raised by hand. An item that is close waits a week and comes back.
- 06
Step 6: The minutes go up
A student takes the notes and a teacher checks them. By Thursday the minutes are on the board and in every family's inbox.
The ring
Who has a vote, and what stays with the teachers
Every student and every teacher has one vote. Visitors and families sit outside the ring and listen.
Staffing, tuition and the safety routines belong to the teachers and the school's board. They are explained to the meeting, and everything else is the meeting's to decide, including what to change in the rules it has made.
Come and listen to one
Wednesday visit days include the whole meeting.