Gathered on the pavement is a long line of people –young, old, in various states of fitness and with varying amounts of energy and talent. Each one is watching the game intently – four male staff members, from different schools, are engaged in the most aggressive, competitive four square game you could imagine. The ball is being slammed with full force from one player to the next; men are diving from within inches of the asphalt. Suddenly one misses, and with cheers from the crowd, he walks to the end of the line. Read more

I am often asked the question, “If you give kids this much freedom, do they really learn anything?” Even more often I am told, “If you let kids decide, they won’t learn a thing.” So, I took a survey of our students. “What have you been learning about?” I asked. The following is a list of their answers: Read more

I was given a piece of advice when I stared the journey of opening Sego Lily School, by a staff member and parent in California: “Expect your child to become more vocal about what he wants, and expect your family dynamic to change as the child brings home elements of the school.” This sounded like good advice to me, nothing shocking or unexpected for sure. I now liken it to the conversations parents have with people who are just about to have their first child. Read more

I crouched down and pressed the charcoal into the cement. Black thick lines formed letters and words. “We are the dreamers. We are the dream.”

I paused to observe the collective unplanned menagerie of art. Amber brought the charcoal to the Sego Lily School play group for everyone to share that sparklingly clear Tuesday morning. The wood transformed by heat unleashed our imaginations. Read more

Forgive me children, for I have sinned…
and these are my sins as I see them:

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Ever since we decided to start Sego Lily School, and in fact even before we knew that it would be called Sego Lily School, I have been interviewing children about the concept. I ask them all the same basic question: “If you went to a school in which you could decided what to do all day, what would you choose to do?”

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I recently had the pleasure of spending two weeks in Hawaii, away from the snow and inversion. My family and I spent about 13 days lounging in the sun and sand on Kauai, enjoying simple meals and a lot of wonderful time together. Before heading home, we stopped of for three days on Maui with the intention of visiting Sudbury Maui. Hey, who says you can’t mix business with pleasure!

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The Judiciary committee is Sego Lily School’s system of jurisprudence to assure fairness.  The Judiciary Committee is responsible for upholding the rules of the Sego Lily school.  The J.C. started in its infancy at the Sudbury School as the “gripe session.”  Which was held at the school meeting.  The gripe session got longer and longer until one lasted for three days.  A charge was reached, hence the J.C. Committee. Read more

I grew up in a climate with no snow. Houston Texas receives about one inch of snow every five years. So, as you can imagine, my first few years living in Utah were filled with constant wonder as the white stuff invariably began to fall each winter. It was magical to me – the beauty as well as the fact that it happened every year, like clockwork.

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By Jen Schwartz, Founder, Sego Lily School

“What’s wrong with our education system today?” Ask that question of almost any adult, and they will give you a long list of things that aren’t working. They will point to test scores, budget cuts, and teacher salaries to prove their point. What doesn’t often get addressed, however, is a much more important question. “What are the elements that are essential for educating children in today’s ever-changing society?”

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