Nursery and School

KNGN School Committee Submitted by Shaivite 1-22-10

We left KNGN meeting 12/26/2009 having concluded that a school has traditionally been a part of Kashi and would be a natural fit for the future.

We acknowledged that though an attempt at seeking to build a charter school had been met with disappointment, there was a window of opportunity for pursuing the construction of a school at Kashi.

Our discussion was newly being shaped when it was time to adjourn; we left with the goal of meeting again in the following week to continue our conversation about:

• charter versus private school
• identifying our student population
• pinpointing specifically what Kashi had to offer that would set us apart 

To this end, we would expand our school discussion to include past and present educators, Kashi board members, and additional KNGN members.

Second school subcommittee meeting: the following weekend was well attended including Sw. Ramayana, Kashi Ma, and Matagiri who all shared their expertise and experience as educators.

• It was concluded that pursuing a charter school would put limitations on the schools potential and with regard to local opposition, would not be worth the effort.  
• Much of the discussion focused on expenses. 
• Sw. Durga Das made a convincing case that a private school could be funded through the combination of tuition and grants.
• Was agreed that a preschool would provide a foundation on which to grow, was the most financially viable as far as startup costs and income potential, and would meet the needs of KNGN members seeking to build a school at Kashi that their children could attend.

We were made aware that the River School and River Preschool had an established reputation in the community on which we could build. In addition to academic success, trust was an integral part of this legacy.

1. Having a committed director in which parents could put their trust would be necessary for the schools success, e.g. Yashoda Ma and the River Preschool.
2. Annapurna was acknowledged for already having a circle of parents and good name through Mommy and Me and previous work as an educator.
3. Bhagavati Braun, studying education at Smith College, was a standout and inspiration expressing interest and a commitment to building something “from the ground up.”

Community, health, and service were identified as parts of Kashi that would set our school apart from other schools.


CONCLUSION:

Market research would help us hone specific details including a better understanding of our potential student body. Sw. Ramayana offered to help design a survey. We asked those in attendance to research schools in their area with qualities that appealed to them, specifically looking at how these schools addressed community, health, and service, in addition to gathering data on tuition, enrollment, type of school, mission, etc.

Action Steps:

1. Bhagavati volunteered to set up an online school group where we could communicate and follow up.
2. Sw. Durga Das planned to meet with Sw. Ramayana and Bhagavati to take a tour of Kashi and discuss research and resources.
3. Jaya Ma, Sita, Annapurna, Shaivite, and any others with interest were to research specialty schools in their area and provide feedback.