Changing the way we do school.

For more than 25 years, I have supported communities in facing the past, the present, and the future with humility, clarity, care for human dignity, and as sense of collective possibility — and translate shared aspirations into a way of learning that honors the brilliance of each learner, the genius of the adults, and the wisdom of the community.

Given the right conditions, young people can do some of the most original, creative, and meaningful work imaginable while mastering content and developing key skills to contribute to their communities. Without those enabling conditions, youth talent, strengths, interests, and creativity wane and languish–a common storyline in many schools.

As UNESCO suggests: 

“Quality education fosters creativity and knowledge, and ensures the acquisition of the foundational skills of literacy and numeracy as well as analytical, problem-solving and other high-level cognitive, interpersonal and social skills. It also develops the skills, values and attitudes that enable citizens to lead healthy and fulfilled lives, make informed decisions, and respond to local and global challenges through education for sustainable development and global citizenship education.”

                                -Declaration and Framework for Action (UNESCO, 2016, p.8).

Similarly,  given the right conditions, all schools can be transformed, modernized, and networked into vibrant ecosystems of joyful, relevant and meaningful learning. 

Over the past two decades, I have worked alongside community organizers, foundations, government agencies, researchers, young people and educators to create new schools, redesign existing schools, and develop ecosystems of innovation in San Diego, across the United States, and internationally.

We need the future of school visible today. Let’s build that world together.

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