The past few weeks have been a whirlwind of events, wonderful little events, providing the energy and motivation to do the hard work to get our school pilot year ready.
The order of these will probably get all jumbled in the re-telling, but here goes.
Serendipitous moment (SM) #1 – A local Facebook group shared the announcement of a school closing its doors and selling materials. The Kineo School (TKS) acquired a science kit, math materials, reading books, a table, and an overhead projector for a terrific bargain.
SM#2 – As a member of our local Buy Nothing group, someone posted about a warehouse needing to get rid of – for FREE – 47 classroom desks. Gently used, lovely, classroom desks. I instantly spoke up for six (to cover our potential pilot size for year “zero” TKS).
SM #3 – We began figuring out how to transport said desks. And it just so happened that Lindsey’s father-in-law arrived for a visit… with his truck and trailer and his toolkit and strength to remove the legs from the desks to help them fit. We are now the proud owners of desks for year “zero” and years one and two.
SM #4 – While still reeling from the free desks, a retiring teacher posts on Buy Nothing that she wants to pass along materials from her classroom to someone who can use them. Enter books, big books, mini chalkboards and chalk, and construction paper.
SM#5 – I’m starting to worry about the price of chairs to go with our free desks, and cringing as I think about how many books, art materials, and math manipulatives could be purchased for the cost of one desk chair. And then, I get a text from my friend announcing a school sale. An elementary school in a neighboring district built a brand new school building with new furniture, and the old furniture was on sale by the PTSA as a fundraiser.
Remember the truck and trailer. SM 5.5. The truck and trailer and two other cars hold six nice shelves and – CHAIRS! And books, art supplies, math manipulatives, did I mention chairs. $2 desk chairs!
SM #6 – Somewhere in all of this whirlwind of awesomeness, we were offered a room to
use for our school next year. An amazing room. Spacious and bright, in a terrific location. And we were able to move the shelves and chairs straight in!
SM #7 – A dear friend decided that she could part with some amazing wooden blocks – mirrored, colored translucent panels, and sand-filled. A gift to TKS.
The work that we have ahead of us is still substantial — 501c3 paperwork, state school certification, curriculum work, setting up the classroom — but with these little moments of good fortune, we are more than energized to get things done.
We feel such gratitude to everyone who has helped us these past weeks. It’s making our dream school become more of a reality!