Alpine Valley School Podcast

Over the last twenty years, many students have left their mark on Alpine Valley School, but none quite so visibly as graduate Ethan Welshon . Not only did he build the pergola in the school's back yard, but Ethan also led the way on a mining project which spanned multiple months and even involved heavy equipment. Hear the story of these undertakings and more as Missa Gallivan talks projects on thi...

What is it that has kept Alpine Valley School going strong for so many years? How do the mountains of day-to-day tasks get done? The answer is simple: Staff members. On this episode we go behind the scenes with former AVS staff member and Sudbury schooling expert Bruce Smith to find out what it's really like to work at a school like AVS. Hear how Bruce's journey in teaching at a traditional high s...

On the 10th episode of the AVS podcast, host Missa Gallivan interviews ten Alpine Valley School graduates from all over the world about their experiences at school. Together, these graduates answer the most frequently asked questions we receive on a regular basis. How do AVS students go on to college? What sorts of activities do students do at school all day? And how do kids deal with boredom? Fin...

Everyone wants their children to grow up in touch with their creative side, but in the modern over-scheduled world it can be hard for kids to find the space they need to be artistic. On today's episode, host Missa Gallivan discusses how students at Alpine Valley School harness their creative energy and use their time at school to dabble in many different pursuits. Her guest, AVS alum Lisa Mancuso...

For as long as Alpine Valley School has existed, all students and staff have experienced the phenomenon of the Main Room Table. The real magic is not the table itself, but rather the gathering place it represents for a diverse group of students, and the conversations that occur around it. On this episode host Missa Gallivan explores the eye-opening effect those Main Room table conversations can ha...

On this episode, host Missa Gallivan interviews two Alpine Valley School graduates who spent their entire schooling career at AVS. Ellie Welsh on, youngest child of AVS founders Tammy and Larry Welshon, shares how being respected from the earliest age helped her to have more compassion. Christy Mann , daughter of an AVS staff member, talks about how interacting with people of all different ages pr...

We've all heard the line 'children need structure' repeated by many well-meaning individuals. But, is it really true? Can students learn the necessary skills for a happy, effective adult life without every minute of the day being scheduled by an adult? We at Alpine Valley School know that they can, and we have many graduate success stories to illustrate this point. On this episode, host Missa Gall...

On this podcast you've heard from many graduates of Alpine Valley School, but in this episode listeners have the opportunity to hear from a current student. Host Missa Gallivan interviews ten year-old Alder Bloomfield and his mom, Stacey. A former unschooling family, they share how their lives have changed since enrolling in Alpine Valley School three years ago along with some of the benefits and...

What does it mean to belong at school? How can a young person's life be shaped by the unique brand of support and acceptance available in democratic schools like Alpine Valley? These are the questions host Missa Gallivan takes on in episode 4. Her guest, Vanessa Reich-Shackelford is an AVS graduate who talks about her experience as a teenager at Alpine Valley School and how finding a community tha...

In this episode, host Missa Gallivan talks about the cornerstone of Alpine Valley School community. How do you know that your child will benefit by their alternative education? Look at the graduates. Better yet, come to an event and talk to a graduate (or just keep listening to this podcast)! Guest Aaron Cure is the parent of an AVS grad, not to mention an employer of two more AVS alums, and he sh...

In this episode host Missa Gallivan tackles the subject of video games at school. How do students learn what they need to know if they spend all day playing Minecraft? It's a question we get all the time! AVS Graduate Josh Mann joins in on the discussion and shares his perspective as a student who played video games for much of his time as a student at our democratic school. Believe it or not, vid...

The first episode of the Alpine Valley podcast is here! Join host Missa Gallivan (AVS alum and staff member) for a march down memory lane to twenty years ago when Alpine Valley School (a Sudbury school located in Denver, Colorado) first opened its doors. This episode also contains an interview with Gina Mancuso, Alpine Valley School's first student! Gina graduated in 2009 and talks about her journ...