History

Second Foundation School was established in 1970 as an independent, alternative school where the focus was on fitting the program to the student, rather than making the student fit a specific program. The purpose was to create an environment in which each student's unique ability and learning style could be given a chance to flourish and in which individual attention could be given to each student's academic needs and responsibilities. The school has been democratically governed from the beginning. Students from kindergarten through twelfth grade actively participate in designing and implementing their own courses of study, as well as in determining the rules governing behavior.

Second Foundation was begun by a group of five teachers, including Robert Vincent. Although the rest of the staff has changed over the years, Bob has provided ongoing direction and continuity for the program. For the past 27 years the school has been located at 1219 University Avenue S.E., Minneapolis, in the lower level of University Baptist Church. Among the current staff are four graduates of Second Foundation who are either teachers or teaching assistants.

Faculty

Our core faculty is composed of four teachers who have the major responsibility for the school's program. They provide direction and continuity, teaching a variety of courses and working closely with students in all aspects of running the school. In addition, instructors and students from the University of Minnesota and several colleges, parents of our students, professionals in a number of fields, and other friends have donated their time to diversify and enrich the teaching at Second Foundation. This larger faculty is designed to provide a wide variety of ways for students to learn from active, creative people in different fields whose lives and work extend beyond the walls of the school. For more details on the core faculty click here.

Philosophy

The school is based on the educational theories of John Holt, A.S. Neil, and Jean Piaget. Students are encouraged to follow their own interests in an atmosphere which is designed to stimulate curiosity and encourage cooperation. We believe that the most meaningful learning occurs in an atmosphere allowing opportunities for students to be self-directed, self-motivated and self-disciplined. Students completing their studies at Second Foundation School should feel that they have taken responsibility for their own education, that they know how to learn, and that they will continue to be successful in the pursuit of learning throughout their careers.

The Academic Program

The program is determined by the interests, skills and abilities of the students attending. Students who desire to work in a particular area can request that a staff member work with them individually, or they can find other students to join them, or they can go into the community to become involved in a field of interest. Small seminars are held on a variety of topics, and classes meet at specific times when the staff and students involved agree that such an arrangement is best. A large degree of flexibility exists, since each student sets up his own schedule to meet his individual interests and needs. Daily and weekly schedules are posted to communicate all the planned activities.

Education should not be isolated from the larger society, we believe, and young people should learn to cope with an environment not limited to school grounds and student peer groups. Involvement in various community activities and contact with a variety of people not on our faculty are important aspects of our program. While our city location provides additional activities for students as individuals or in groups, the small size of the school makes possible the creating of a community where everyone participates in decisions of common concern. We also find that children of various ages have much to learn from each other, and so we do not separate students from each other by age.

There is no mandatory testing or grading at Second Foundation. Evaluations of a student's progress are made informally though discussions with the staff. Any student may request testing for the purpose of self-evaluation if he wishes. Counseling services are available to our students through the Minneapolis Public Schools, and students are able to take various standardized tests through the Minnesota State-wide Testing Program at the University of Minnesota.

The Student Body

The school has students from kindergarten through twelfth grade. The student body ranges in number from 30-50 in any given year. The small size of the school makes possible the creation of a community where everyone participates in decisions of common concern through the weekly School Meeting. We believe that children of various ages learn much from each other, and so we do not separate students from each other by age or grade.

We are a diverse school, embracing students from many racial backgrounds. Because we charge a tuition based on a family's ability to pay, a large range of economic backgrounds is also represented. Families pay as much as $600 per month or as little as $20 per month, with most falling somewhere in between. Tuition payments do not cover our expenses, and we rely heavily on volunteer teacher time and extra donations from staff members and other individuals.

Our students have a variety of academic abilities and interests. Many of our students have had problems in traditional educational settings. They have been made to feel inadequate, insecure in a large school environment, and defeated year after year by traditional school methods. Other students in our program are very bright and were bored and being held back by the pace of traditional classrooms. They thrive on challenges, individual project work, or taking courses at local colleges.

Over 200 students have graduated from high school at Second Foundation. Over one-half have gone on to higher education. Students have attended a variety of colleges, ranging from the community college system in Minnesota to Brown University, Cornell University, and the University of Minnesota Law School. We have had a National Merit Scholarship winner. Others have joined the armed services or gone on to vocational training.

Facilities

The School is set up to encourage students to explore and learn in the ways that suit them best. The space at the school is divided into areas of interest, and all students are free to move among those areas as is appropriate. In general, the space provides a variety of experiences. Starting at the parlor (classroom) at one end, the space gets progressively more active (and noisy) toward the other end where the gym is located.

The Parlor provides a quiet place for group classes, one-on-one work between student and teacher, and a quiet place to study. It is also used for showing videos such as the Connections series, historic documentaries, and films specific to particular topics students are exploring. Once a week the School Meeting is held in this room. At that meeting issues of importance to the whole school are brought up, discussed, and voted on. This is our primary way of teaching democracy and the rights and responsibilities each person has in the functioning of a community.

The Assembly Room is divided into five specific areas: library corner, math and reading, art, computers and science, and games. The library and math areas are the first spaces next to the Parlor. They are also maintained as quiet space where students can sit to read a book or work on a project. The next two areas are art and computers/science where students work on continuing projects. The computer area has Macintosh, IBM, Apple and Amiga computers, many donated by local business and individuals, as well as extensive software for each.

The Game Area provides a place for students to become involved in everything from dress-up for the younger students to board games. Students are encouraged to use this area for those games which involve more than one person and have a moderate noise level.

The Kitchen is used all day long. Except at lunch time when everyone eats there, it is available for games which are noisier and involve larger numbers of people. It is also the setting for intense discussions of world events, philosophical arguments, and interpersonal relationships.

The Gym is available all day for students to exercise and play various sports. The students are particularly interested in team sports in which they involve all age levels, the older students altering rules so that the very youngest students can be included. Cooperation, more than competition, is predominant in the various activities which go on here.

A converted bathroom at the south end of the school space, is used for a photographic dark room. Fully equipped with enlarger, film tanks, and all the other necessary equipment, it allows students to master the skills of basic photography and print-making.

The Lab, a converted bathroom at the other end of the school near the Gym, is a scientific laboratory for basic science experiments.

The final space, Room 101 (near the Parlor) is used as a small seminar room, an office for the Director, and a room to meet with parents or prospective students during the school day.

The school is carefully structured and linked so that students can move freely from one activity or area to another. All the areas are geared to allow activities for every student regardless of age or skill.

Further information about the program and enrollment may be obtained by calling the School at 612-378-1014 and asking for Bob Vincent or Starri Hedges.