The Circle School Blog
An occasional thingThe Circle School Blog
School’s Purpose: Live Your Life Now
Adapted from a speech on June 7, 2025 Welcome, graduates. Warm wishes to each of you in...
Narcissism in Kids, Schools, and Politics: What Can We Do?
Left and right don’t agree on much, but on narcissism it’s unanimous: bad for kids,...
Why Your GPA Won’t Save You in a Zombie Apocalypse
or Ten Things That Matter More Than Grades Grades get way too much credit. Sure, they...
Tech Stocks Crash, Proving Circle School Theory
DeepSeek, a Chinese company, released its R1 artificial intelligence model last month,...
Democracy, Kids, and Roller Coasters
In the week since Donald Trump’s inauguration, I’ve been musing about democracy, kids,...
Why We Chose The Circle School
What do we really want for our children? For them to be happy, confident, and prepared...
It’s the process, not the content
In public school I studied math, science, social studies, and English. As a student at...
Cycles, spirals, growing all the way
We all have cycles in our lives. At The Circle School, we know a better way to educate...
Staff Initiatives Update
Circle School staff continue to advance our staff initiative as adopted in fall 2022:...
Is This School Really “Self-Directed”?
Drag-alongs, tag-alongs, stumble-ons, and happenings The Circle School describes itself...
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By category
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By author
Daily life
- School's Purpose: Live Your Life Now[Jim Rietmulder]
- Narcissism in Kids, Schools, and Politics: What Can We Do?[Jim Rietmulder]
- Why Your GPA Won't Save You in a Zombie Apocalypse[Jim Rietmulder]
- It's the process, not the content[Cody Unger]
- Cycles, spirals, growing all the way[Cody Unger]
- Staff Initiatives Update[Cody Unger]
- Is This School Really "Self-Directed"?[Jim Rietmulder]
- Chickens with missions[ 007]
- Marina's cardboard spinning wheel[Marina Reinford]
- Arbitrary Milestones: a graduation speech[EvaMarie Adame]
- Gratitude in an Upside Down Year[Ellen Abbott]
- Circle School mornings again[Ellen Abbott]
- I dreaded telling him school is closed[Kimberlie Hawkins]
- Trained at 12, saved a life at 15[Cheyenne Malarz]
- Camping in the Schoolyard[Ann Sipe]
- Circle School Graduates in College[Jim Rietmulder]
- I connected my laptop to the internet and fire trucks came[Jim Rietmulder]
- Skateboarding in the Library[Jim Rietmulder]
- All About Anarchy[Julia James]
- A History of Snow[Julia James]
- Homework[Julia James]
- Forts & fights & thirty years[Julia James]
- The Year in Pictures[Julia James]
- Weaving justice[Jim Rietmulder]
- A Regular Person[Jim Rietmulder]
- THE CI_CLE SCHOOL[Julia James]
Ideas
- School's Purpose: Live Your Life Now[Jim Rietmulder]
- Narcissism in Kids, Schools, and Politics: What Can We Do?[Jim Rietmulder]
- Why Your GPA Won't Save You in a Zombie Apocalypse[Jim Rietmulder]
- Tech Stocks Crash, Proving Circle School Theory[Jim Rietmulder]
- Democracy, Kids, and Roller Coasters[Jim Rietmulder]
- It's the process, not the content[Cody Unger]
- Cycles, spirals, growing all the way[Cody Unger]
- Staff Initiatives Update[Cody Unger]
- Is This School Really "Self-Directed"?[Jim Rietmulder]
- Finding Happiness In School[Jim Rietmulder]
- No, Kids Don't Rule the School[Jim Rietmulder]
- Grow up, America! Polarized politics and democratic schools[Jim Rietmulder]
- Explaining The Circle School Made Easy (or Less Hard)[Beth Stone]
- Curious, playful, sociable, willful, planful[Jim Rietmulder]
- Fanning a Flame at Millersville University[Jim Rietmulder]
- Curriculum: Let It Go! Let It Go![Jim Rietmulder]
- Skateboarding in the Library[Jim Rietmulder]
- All About Anarchy[Julia James]
- Connor's List[Julia James]
- Musings on Forced Apologies[Beth Stone]
- Another note about test scores[Julia James]
- Agency and coercion in several kinds of schools, Part 1[Jim Rietmulder]
- Agency, attention, mistakes, and school[Jim Rietmulder]
- Infinity and the backyard bell tower[Jim Rietmulder]
- Freedom & creativity[Julia James]
- How Children Succeed[JD Stillwater]
Parenting
- School's Purpose: Live Your Life Now[Jim Rietmulder]
- Why Your GPA Won't Save You in a Zombie Apocalypse[Jim Rietmulder]
- Why We Chose The Circle School[Scott Cooper]
- I feel peaceful here, Mommy[Faith Brooks-Carr]
- Silver Linings: What the pandemic is teaching us about schooling[Beth Stone]
- I dreaded telling him school is closed[Kimberlie Hawkins]
- Kids taking the lead[Molly Rahe-Randall]
- Curriculum: Let It Go! Let It Go![Jim Rietmulder]
- Circle School Grandparents[Joan Cramer]
- Cracking the Ice Cream Maker Whip[Joan Cramer]
- Musings on Forced Apologies[Beth Stone]
- Wedding democracy[Jim Rietmulder]
- A view from a new family[Julia James]
- Staying Calm[Beth Stone]
Pictures
- Cycles, spirals, growing all the way[Cody Unger]
- Staff Initiatives Update[Cody Unger]
- Is This School Really "Self-Directed"?[Jim Rietmulder]
- Chickens with missions[ 007]
- A History of Snow[Julia James]
- Forts & fights & thirty years[Julia James]
Play
- Cycles, spirals, growing all the way[Cody Unger]
- Curious, playful, sociable, willful, planful[Jim Rietmulder]
- A History of Snow[Julia James]
- Cracking the Ice Cream Maker Whip[Joan Cramer]
- Seven sins of forced education[Jim Rietmulder]
- The benefits of play[Julia James]
Public policy
- School's Purpose: Live Your Life Now[Jim Rietmulder]
- Narcissism in Kids, Schools, and Politics: What Can We Do?[Jim Rietmulder]
- Tech Stocks Crash, Proving Circle School Theory[Jim Rietmulder]
- Democracy, Kids, and Roller Coasters[Jim Rietmulder]
- Finding Happiness In School[Jim Rietmulder]
- Grow up, America! Polarized politics and democratic schools[Jim Rietmulder]
- Silver Linings: What the pandemic is teaching us about schooling[Beth Stone]
- Curious, playful, sociable, willful, planful[Jim Rietmulder]
- Circle School Graduates in College[Jim Rietmulder]
- Fanning a Flame at Millersville University[Jim Rietmulder]
- Curriculum: Let It Go! Let It Go![Jim Rietmulder]
- What would you change about public school?[Jim Rietmulder]
- Seven sins of forced education[Jim Rietmulder]
- Another note about test scores[Julia James]
- Agency and coercion in several kinds of schools, Part 1[Jim Rietmulder]
- The benefits of play[Julia James]
- Washington gridlock and democratic schools[Jim Rietmulder]
- Low Test Scores Are Not The Problem[Jim Rietmulder]
Stories
- School's Purpose: Live Your Life Now[Jim Rietmulder]
- Why We Chose The Circle School[Scott Cooper]
- It's the process, not the content[Cody Unger]
- "Get to" vs "Have to"[Cody Unger]
- From Founding Furnace to Post-Curricular[Jim Rietmulder]
- I feel peaceful here, Mommy[Faith Brooks-Carr]
- Marina's cardboard spinning wheel[Marina Reinford]
- Arbitrary Milestones: a graduation speech[EvaMarie Adame]
- Gratitude in an Upside Down Year[Ellen Abbott]
- What Cool Things Outside means to me[Lily Compton]
- I walked into my new life[Caitlyn Hensey]
- I dreaded telling him school is closed[Kimberlie Hawkins]
- Community near and far away[Lily Jordan]
- Kids taking the lead[Molly Rahe-Randall]
- Explaining The Circle School Made Easy (or Less Hard)[Beth Stone]
- Trained at 12, saved a life at 15[Cheyenne Malarz]
- Camping in the Schoolyard[Ann Sipe]
- I connected my laptop to the internet and fire trucks came[Jim Rietmulder]
- What would you change about public school?[Jim Rietmulder]
- Skateboarding in the Library[Jim Rietmulder]
- All About Anarchy[Julia James]
- Connor's List[Julia James]
- Homework[Julia James]
- Wedding democracy[Jim Rietmulder]
- A view from a new family[Julia James]
007
- Chickens with missions[Daily life, Pictures]
Ann Sipe
- Camping in the Schoolyard[Daily life, Stories]
Beth Stone
- Silver Linings: What the pandemic is teaching us about schooling[Parenting, Public policy]
- Explaining The Circle School Made Easy (or Less Hard)[Ideas, Stories]
- Musings on Forced Apologies[Ideas, Parenting]
- Staying Calm[Parenting]
Caitlyn Hensey
- I walked into my new life[Stories]
Cheyenne Malarz
- Trained at 12, saved a life at 15[Daily life, Stories]
Cody Unger
- It's the process, not the content[Daily life, Ideas, Stories]
- Cycles, spirals, growing all the way[Daily life, Ideas, Pictures, Play]
- Staff Initiatives Update[Daily life, Ideas, Pictures]
- "Get to" vs "Have to"[Stories]
Ellen Abbott
- Gratitude in an Upside Down Year[Daily life, Stories]
- Circle School mornings again[Daily life]
EvaMarie Adame
- Arbitrary Milestones: a graduation speech[Daily life, Stories]
Faith Brooks-Carr
- I feel peaceful here, Mommy[Parenting, Stories]
JD Stillwater
- How Children Succeed[Ideas]
Jim Rietmulder
- School's Purpose: Live Your Life Now[Daily life, Ideas, Parenting, Public policy, Stories]
- Narcissism in Kids, Schools, and Politics: What Can We Do?[Daily life, Ideas, Public policy]
- Why Your GPA Won't Save You in a Zombie Apocalypse[Daily life, Ideas, Parenting]
- Tech Stocks Crash, Proving Circle School Theory[Ideas, Public policy]
- Democracy, Kids, and Roller Coasters[Ideas, Public policy]
- Is This School Really "Self-Directed"?[Daily life, Ideas, Pictures]
- Finding Happiness In School[Ideas, Public policy]
- From Founding Furnace to Post-Curricular[Stories]
- No, Kids Don't Rule the School[Ideas]
- Grow up, America! Polarized politics and democratic schools[Ideas, Public policy]
- Curious, playful, sociable, willful, planful[Ideas, Play, Public policy]
- Circle School Graduates in College[Daily life, Public policy]
- Fanning a Flame at Millersville University[Ideas, Public policy]
- I connected my laptop to the internet and fire trucks came[Daily life, Stories]
- Curriculum: Let It Go! Let It Go![Ideas, Parenting, Public policy]
- What would you change about public school?[Public policy, Stories]
- Skateboarding in the Library[Daily life, Ideas, Stories]
- Wedding democracy[Parenting, Stories]
- Seven sins of forced education[Play, Public policy]
- Agency and coercion in several kinds of schools, Part 1[Ideas, Public policy]
- Weaving justice[Daily life]
- Agency, attention, mistakes, and school[Ideas]
- Infinity and the backyard bell tower[Ideas]
- Washington gridlock and democratic schools[Public policy]
- Low Test Scores Are Not The Problem[Public policy]
- A Regular Person[Daily life]
Joan Cramer
- Circle School Grandparents[Parenting]
- Cracking the Ice Cream Maker Whip[Parenting, Play]
Julia James
- All About Anarchy[Daily life, Ideas, Stories]
- A History of Snow[Daily life, Pictures, Play]
- Connor's List[Ideas, Stories]
- Homework[Daily life, Stories]
- Forts & fights & thirty years[Daily life, Pictures]
- The Year in Pictures[Daily life]
- Another note about test scores[Ideas, Public policy]
- A view from a new family[Parenting, Stories]
- The benefits of play[Play, Public policy]
- Freedom & creativity[Ideas]
- THE CI_CLE SCHOOL[Daily life]
Kimberlie Hawkins
- I dreaded telling him school is closed[Daily life, Parenting, Stories]
Lily Jordan
- Community near and far away[Stories]
Marina Reinford
- Marina's cardboard spinning wheel[Daily life, Stories]
Molly Rahe-Randall
- Kids taking the lead[Parenting, Stories]
Scott Cooper
- Why We Chose The Circle School[Parenting, Stories]
Finding Happiness In School
I want children in school to find happiness. Not momentary fireworks, but the saturating...
“Get to” vs “Have to”
When I was 13 years old, I didn't want to attend The Circle School. My mom and stepdad...
Chickens with missions
Concealed in a shipping container, six secret agents arrived in April -- unarmed,...
From Founding Furnace to Post-Curricular
With retirement on the horizon, I’m feeling reflective. This morning I’m thinking about...
I feel peaceful here, Mommy
Hello Circle School Family! I became interested in the school many years ago when I...
No, Kids Don’t Rule the School
At first glance, you might get the wrong idea from the title of my book, When Kids Rule...
Marina’s cardboard spinning wheel
Sometime back in March, I made a cardboard spinning wheel at school. If any of you are...
Arbitrary Milestones: a graduation speech
One of the most popular human figures to come out of Greek mythology is, arguably,...
Gratitude in an Upside Down Year
Jim's 2014 blog post "I connected my laptop to the internet and fire trucks came" was...
What Cool Things Outside means to me
My name is Lily Compton and I started the Cool Things Outside Corporation at The Circle...
Grow up, America! Polarized politics and democratic schools
I’m disappointed by America’s dysfunctional politics. And I bet you are, too. What...
Circle School mornings again
Over the past six years I’ve spent on staff, I’ve grown to love my Circle School...
Silver Linings: What the pandemic is teaching us about schooling
The Meadow Campaign Five Years Later
After 10 years of working waking dreams, The Circle School broke ground in fall 2016 to...
I walked into my new life
When I first heard about The Circle School, I didn't know what to think of this strange...
I dreaded telling him school is closed
I dreaded having to tell my son that school would be closed for quarantine. He loves...
Community near and far away
Coronavirus. Quarantine. Social isolation. This time has been difficult, to say the...
Kids taking the lead
When life hands you lemons, make lemonade. How many times have you heard this? How many...
Explaining The Circle School Made Easy (or Less Hard)
Even now, after 35 years as a founding staff member, I half dread being asked by a...
Trained at 12, saved a life at 15
2019My aunt and uncle are so cute! I was at the kitchen sink dying my hair, while they...
Curious, playful, sociable, willful, planful
Last week I traveled to Philadelphia to hear a talk by research psychologist Peter Gray,...
Groundbreaking!
We did it! Today, with builder Pyramid Construction's vehicles and earth-movers in the...
Camping in the Schoolyard
I’ve gone on many field trips this year, but week before last was the first time I went...
Circle School Graduates in College
Today The Circle School releases a study of its graduates, casting the school in a very...
Fanning a Flame at Millersville University
After 30 years of answering questions about The Circle School, new ones don't come along...
The Commons Area — The “Heart” of the School
The latest renderings from architect Rich Gribble show some interior views of what the...
Media Release: NO CLASSROOMS IN NEW SCHOOL
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 14, 2015 FROM: The Circle School Contact: Jim Rietmulder...
The Evolution of Our Design
Wondering how you go from an idea of a new school to making it a reality? Here's...
The Search for a Perfect Property
Sure, at times we didn't think it could possibly exist. 5+ acres with woods, stream, and...
I connected my laptop to the internet and fire trucks came
I've been marveling that not a week goes by (sometimes not a day) without something...
Curriculum: Let It Go! Let It Go!
Matt likes music that sounds to me like a car crash. Recently I found solace in the...
What would you change about public school?
Professor Richardson asked 15-year-old Ian what he would most like to change about...
Skateboarding in the Library
Five minutes before the Hour Of No Rules, I saw Cord and Zach sneaking out of the...
All About Anarchy
If I'm being honest, it wasn't anarchy, but something more akin to libertarianism. The...
Circle School Grandparents
My mom is great. When Graham was a newborn, she used to arrive at my house late in the...
A History of Snow
This doesn't really require a narrative, right? Circle School kids are not unique in...
Connor’s List
A little over 20 years ago, a young Connor Tyrrell (now president of The Circle School...
Cracking the Ice Cream Maker Whip
This post is contributed by parent Joan Cramer, whose sons John and Graham have attended...
Musings on Forced Apologies
Sometimes while serving on the Judicial Committee at school, I am involved with my...
Homework
There are three 10ish-year-olds at the kitchen booth doing homework. "I have SO MUCH...