Staff

tom1Thomas Bohman, Ph.D.

Thomas Bohman has a doctorate in Human Development and Family Sciences. He has been a research scientist, program evaluator, and research consultant for over 20 years focusing on statistics, human services program effectiveness, and basic research in parent-child relationships, child language development, addiction treatment, and use of complementary and alternative medicine. Tom believes in ability of children to learn when given the freedom to pursue their inner passions and interests. As a parent of a 10-year-old son, he is concerned about the negative impact of coercive education on children, teenagers and our society. Based on reading about the Sudbury Valley School in Massachusetts, Tom is excited to bring the more positive and holistic development of students at Sudbury schools to the Austin area. He plans to be a part-time staff member at the school.

allisonweb

Allison Coleman

I am a single mom to four great kids ages 8, 10, 13, and 18. My two youngest kids are students at Clearview. My older two children are unschooling at home (when I am not playing taxi mom).
I have been involved in the development of the school off and on since the beginning. I believe that children, when given the freedom, will learn everything that they need to thrive in life.
It seems that I have always been involved in working with children. In my previous life, before I decided to have children of my own….I worked with other children.  I have worked with autistic kids through the extend-a-care program. Later, I worked for many years at a residentual treatment program for children ages 9-18. Now when I am not working at Clearview, I work as a birth and postpartum Doua. I am also a student at ACC, working towards a nursing degree.
My life is full and a bit chaotic. I love it this way.

p1100474-1Kimberly Engleman

When I first heard of the Sudbury Valley School, I was deeply impressed by it. I believe that people can live and learn most effectively in environments where they are respected, and am thrilled to be a part of a school which validates the rights of all, regardless of age. Before becoming dominated by the quest to start a Sudbury school, I spent many years excelling in traditional school, with the end result of a BS in Chemistry from the University of Florida. Over the years I have worked odd jobs including driving a school bus full of dogs and teaching dance to children. For fun I hike, dance, enjoy food, and explore life with my two amazing daughters. I feel so lucky to be spending my days in the interesting and spontaneous culture of Clearview, and hope to help the school be a valued resource in Austin for years to come.

elliotElliot Hallmark

I am 27, graduated with a BS in physics three years ago and since have been pursuing my own interests in naturalism, agriculture, and intermediate technology.  I study the origin of our society through the texts of chemists, physicists and industrialists from 100+ years ago in order to understand better the nature of the technology we use and its historical contingency (ie, the real  historical/technological possibilities left untended).

Specifically I have been pursuing (in parallel) open source scientific computing tools for designing non-imaging solar thermal concentrators and also the chemical synthesis of ceramic materials for creating ultra low fire ceramics.

For me, the next leap in technology will not be quantum computing or bio-electronics.  The next leap will be when freedom loving individuals supported by a truly democratic community dream and create the tools they themselves need.  Though I have the training and the natural ability to realize techniques that nurture this freedom, I believe that I will only realize my potential in a proper community.  I am so happy to have stumbled upon this particular Sudbury school.

Only children reared to love freedom and respect democracy will grow into the artist/engineers that could realize the tools for a convivial society.