Each day, Clearwater students explore the world guided by their own interests, moving at their own pace. Free to think about who they are and what to do with their time, they play, talk openly with friends, investigate the world and dream. Students draw from our staff and resources, as well as the offerings of the local community.

Without grades, groupings by age or mandatory tests, children engage wholeheartedly in their passions—discovering for themselves their place in the world.

Infants teach themselves to roll over. Babies fall, fall again, then walk. Toddlers work endlessly to master the two-footed jump. The drive for learning is inherent, part of human nature. Whether Clearwater students are passionate about dinosaurs, literature, art or computers, we make a point of not intruding on their natural drive to learn. We trust that they want to grow, want to thrive and want to become like the people around them: literate, articulate and compassionate.

Within the Clearwater community, the inspirations of each individual are balanced with the needs and rights of the whole. Each person is required to take responsibility for his or her actions. From the earliest age, children make decisions about how to spend their time, gaining a sense of authority over their education. By graduation, students are prepared to assume adult responsibilities in the world at large.

The democratic structure of the school gives students a direct say in how the school is run. Students and staff members each have a vote in School Meeting, where rules and policies are created, and in Judicial Committee, where they are enforced. Clearwater students experience directly how their actions affect others and the community. They learn that using the strength of their voices can influence the course of their lives.

Visitor's Guide

Use this guide to locate the information you are looking for about The Clearwater School and the Sudbury model.

• To find out how the school model is structured, visit the How it works page.
• To learn more about the philosophy of the model, visit the Why it works page.
• To learn about other schools like ours, visit the Sudbury Schools page.
• To get general information about the school, go to our Basics page.
• To read about news, events and our schedule, go to the Happenings page.
• To read articles, newsletters and books, visit our Literature page.
• To escape the drudgery of reading long articles, jump on over to our Fun stuff area.
• To get contact info or request information, go to our Contact us page.

"We make our own decisions." Student age 5

"I am learning all the time, every minute." Student age 10

"The staff members' ability to step back and trust each child—whether four years old or sixteen—is what I have learned to respect most. Because of this the child learns quickly to trust back." Parent of Student age 5

"In School Meeting, I learn what is best for the school by listening to everyone, other staff members as well as students of all ages." Staff member

"What I really like about Clearwater is that I know people will listen to what I think about something. My opinions are important and make a difference in what happens to me." Student age 11