Dear Friends- I spent a few of my hours last night in a local coffee shop at a meeting with a group of local folk who were concerned about the alarming spread of tick-borne diseases in our community. It was my first time at this group, and as we began to talk I was immediately struck by the depth of their knowledge about these diseases, and by the passion with which they spoke about this public health issue that has become so serious in the Hudson Valley. The people at the me

Dear Friends, Life at Randolph School is focused on the outdoors right now. The yellow daffodil buds along the paths have started to bloom, offset beautifully by the bright blue hue of the tiny petals of a flower we think we have finally identified as Siberian Squill. The soil in the garden has softened for digging and tilling. The creek below our field can almost be heard saying, “Come visit me, Randolph friends! I have missed you this long winter! Come outside and play!” An

Dear Friends, What if our idea of school did not include an actual school building? What if school did not include classes, books, desks, or even chairs? What if the only time school children were inside during the day was when they were at home in the morning and evening? What if we valued being in nature as much (or more!) as we valued being in a classroom? These were some of the provocative questions raised by a short documentary entitled “School’s Out” that Anne brought i