Reliable Parents who resolved to found a Sudbury school, A&I were founded by Caroline Chavasse (mother) and Danny Mydlack (father), who are also artists and academics living in the Northeast where Arts & Ideas was launched. The Sudbury school was inspired by the playgroup they began with children aged under five years. The children were given the freedom to play and pursue their interests without adult interference. A rich social landscape encouraged their free play and growth—initially managed by Caroline and captured by Danny. Danny, who was working part-time at Fairhaven Sudbury School in Bowie, Maryland, filmed Voices From the New American Schoolhouse about Fairhaven students. This involved 12 to19-year-olds guided by Fairhaven staff as the children managed their school. Caroline and Danny had many conversations with other parents. Even if they wanted to homeschool, they did not wish to have such an enormous responsibility. When Caroline had no school in mind for the kids, the idea of creating a school for their kids in Baltimore came up. Danny and Caroline agreed to make this happen, inspired by their research on several Sudbury schools in different U.S. locations. They travelled to other Sudbury schools and attended a Sudbury conference, which solidified their commitment to Sudbury principles. Families from Baltimore had started visiting the different Sudbury schools, including Silver Spring and Virginia. These families wanted a school that encompassed the Sudbury approach, and they became them. Many families—including those from Virginia, Silver Spring, and others—came to Baltimore every weekend for new restaurants, book cafes, and bookstores. This signified momentum. The owners were approached by Evika when she realized that Danny was working on the film. She was working on a garden spot for the garden of her community when the concept of Arts & ideas first appeared. She thought the segment about Education and schools required something about Sudbury schools. Evika ran across Danny at work and was eager to begin the project. She was drawn to the Sudbury school idea(expected length).
Arts and Ideas Sudbury School receives rave reviews from parents and students alike. Parents note how the school creates a supportive learning community allowing their children to thrive. They add how Arts and Ideas uses a democratic model and stresses the importance of critical thinking and developing social skills they find students benefit from the flexible structure and a practical application of their knowledge rather than rote memory work . For these parents, they are changing the lives of those students by promoting students' confidence in their abilities and a genuine love of learning. . This is Tyler Mitchell's sentiment. He believes it is a great learning environment. . Another parent highly recommends this school as the perfect fit for kids who enjoy hands-on learning, allowing students to think creatively and beyond the box. . This parent suggests that the facility is beautiful, the staff are incredible, and the teaching method centers on the child. . Finally, a parent appreciates the democratic philosophy as the practice of having students own their learning and teaching them how to navigate conflict independently. He views this element as unique since it isn't available in other schools in the area. The experience as a whole is amazing, and they're excited to be there. This parent believes in the experience and continuously recommends the school to other parents. They view Arts and Ideas Sudbury School as a place to learn and grow and thoroughly recommend it. Arts and Ideas Sudbury School is the perfect school for kids who think differently.
