School Around Us received a grant to support their individualized education program. Contributed / School Around Us

Cedar Lukacs sent her oldest children to public school. But when it was time for her youngest daughter to begin school, she knew homeschooling would be a better option for her.

That’s when she found School Around Us, a local co-learning community that uses homeschooling methods of teaching, but acts like a school.

The educational philosophy is holistic, emergent, student focused, and based in meaningful relationships and play. Unlike public school, students have more opportunities to explore their own interests.

“Teachers are so respectful, giving so much freedom and choice,” Lukacs said in an interview. “They value my daughter’s thoughts, desires and inspirations in a way that I didn’t always see in public school.”

Recently, School Around Us received a $10,000 grant from the VELA Foundation, which supports alternative education and methods with a focus on homeschooling.

VELA grants are given to homeschool organizations like School Around Us as a way of recognizing the services and programs provided to learners, support teacher Joe Moore said.

“It’s a way of recognizing these organizations for their uniqueness,” Moore said.

As a retired public school educator, Moore knows firsthand the important differences between homeschool and public school programs in Maine.

School Around Us allows students to explore their individual interests. Contributed / School Around Us

After working to integrate smaller learning communities and diversifying education to meet individual student needs in a public school setting, Moore began working with School Around Us and quickly saw these learning methods being used effectively.

He saw the school working with small learning communities, meeting the emotional needs of kids, allowing students to have a voice, and incorporating community.

“If I had known about an organization like School Around Us, I would’ve consulted with them as I worked through many of the changes in the schools I was guiding,” Moore said.

Founded in 1970, School Around Us was initially parent-run. In 2020, the school shifted to being teacher-run with many parent volunteers.

This year, the school has 47 students, its largest number ever.

The school consists of four “spirals,” which are learning groups based partly on age and partly on what each student needs.

While the students are taught traditional subjects like math, science and English, they don’t adhere to a curriculum in the way a public school would.

Each student could be taught different material within the same subject, Lukacs said. Because the school is learner-directed instead of rule-directed, Lukacs said the students have more freedom to explore what they’re interested in.

“It creates more long-lasting, deep learning,” Lukacs said. “It’s a different level that kids can have with what they’re passionate about learning.”

Based in Arundel, the school educates students from many different Maine communities, including Arundel, Kennebunk, Kennebunkport, Biddeford, and even as far as Cumberland.

The VELA grant will help School Around Us continue to provide individualized education to students from all around southern Maine.

“My daughter can’t wait to go back for more,” Lukacs said.