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SSA BOARD OF TRUSTEES
A board of trustees is an appointed or elected group of individuals that has overall responsibility for the management of an organization. Our board is comprised of parents, friends, and community members, who contribute to our diverse group.
MARK KNAPP
President
Mark lives in Atlanta with his wife, two kids, a dog, and two cats. He has worked in the computer software industry for most of his life with a brief stint as a full-time actor and a briefer stint as a massage therapist. Mark is a strong believer in self-directed education and respectful parenting, attempting to weave those philosophies into everyday life. He joined the board of the Sudbury School of Atlanta in 2018 to help support the school and advocate for self-directed education and was elected as president in the spring of 2020. When he's not working, Mark enjoys chatting with his wife (and eating the wonderful food she cooks), playing with his kids, exercising, gaming (video or board), reading, and being mindful.
JONATHAN WALL
Treasurer
Jonathan is an Atlanta area native. His daughter has been attending SSA since 2017. He has a degree in Computer Networking from Chattahoochee Tech and he currently works in application support for an online ABM platform. He is also the owner of Smashitup - a mobile rage cage operating around the city. He is an ordained Dudeist Priest and believes that the most important knowledge can only be found by those who are free to seek it.
CARINE DONZE
Secretary
Carine is a stay-at-home mom of three. Her oldest son joined a Sudbury school in California in 2011 and graduated in 2018. Her two daughters enrolled in the same Sudbury school as soon as they were 5 years old, and joined SSA in 2019 when the family relocated to Atlanta.
Carine was trained as an engineer and has been tutoring youth of all ages in math and science for 20 years.
She is a voracious reader but also loves anime (in fact, her new passion is learning Japanese!), martial arts (she practices jiu-jitsu), and most of all living in the moment.
She is dedicated to self-education and hopes being able to help the school thrive.
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PATRICIA ZAVALA
Patty is a Mexican expat living in Seattle, WA with her family. She has a BA in Communications from ITESM and specializes in Marketing and Social Media. An unschooling mom, graphic designer, and marketing professional, she believes in self-directed education as a path of liberation from systems of oppression and a journey of introspection, self-knowledge, and self-love. She first heard about the Sudbury model after reading Seth Godin’s “Stop Stealing Dreams” and since then has been working hard on advocating for self-directed education, non-coercive learning methods, and alternative models of education.
LAUREN SNOW
Lauren is one of the founding members of SSA. She has been part of the community since the beginning. A big spokeswoman for the self-directed movement Lauren has worked hard over the last 5 years to make sure the Sudbury School of Atlanta is a possibility for families. She was a staff member for several years, and she has been always a great helper to the community. A yoga instructor and a massage therapist, Lauren works hard to encourage self-care practices into her everyday life and into our community life.
SCHOOL MEETING APPOINTED MEMBERS
School Meeting appoints two Trustees annually for a term of one year.
Currently, Camille and Chantrisse are our appointed School Meeting Trustees. They act as a liaison between SSA's Board of Trustees and School Meeting, making sure that the student's voices are always heard, valued, and respected.
JOIN OUR TEAM
WE'RE LOOKING FOR BOARD MEMBERS
The Sudbury School of Atlanta (SSA) is a democratic, mixed-age, self-directed learning community. Empowered with freedom, trust, and responsibility, students have unlimited time and space to explore their interests.
SSA is recognized under the IRS Code as a 501(c)(3) organization and is run by direct democracy through an organization called School Meeting, which is the school’s governing body composed by students and staff.
Position Description
The Sudbury School of Atlanta is seeking volunteers to join its Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees supports School Meeting’s work and provides mission-based leadership and strategic governance. While day-to-day operations are led by School Meeting, the support of the board is essential for the development of the organization.
Members of the Board of Trustees are active advocates and ambassadors for the organization.
This is a volunteer position with no remuneration.
Number of positions open: 1
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Board Member
Qualifications
Personal qualities of integrity, credibility, and a passion for improving the lives of the Sudbury School of Atlanta’s community are desired for all applicants. A commitment to and understanding the purpose of SSA and self-directed education, and a willingness to help in alignment with School Meeting and other imperative decision-making processes are all compelling factors.
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Good understanding of self-directed education.
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Passionate about volunteering to help self-directed children.
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Strong communication skills, highly organized.
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Commitment to transparency.
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Self-motivated, responsible mindset.
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18 years old and older.
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Must pass a background check.
Ideal but not required
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Deep knowledge of Sudbury Schools and/or democratic communities.
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Connected to and/or interested in outreach to the local business community.
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Possesses creative fundraising ideas and the motivation to make them happen.
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Enjoys connecting people and finding partnership opportunities.
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Background and/or experience in any of the following:
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Finance (nonprofit preferred)
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Employment Law
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Philanthropy/Fundraising/Special Events
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Psychiatrists/Therapists
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Communications/Marketing
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Grant Writing
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Responsibilities
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Board members will serve a one-year term but are eligible and encouraged to serve as longs as they would like to be committed to the position and serving the organization.
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Promptly respond to all communication from MHAG board members, staff and committees
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Remain apprised of new organizational developments.
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Read and understand SSA’s financial statements and otherwise help the board fulfill its fiduciary responsibilities
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Board meetings will be held monthly with quarterly reviews annually. These meetings are in person and additional touchpoints may occur as needed.
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Attend monthly meetings, ask questions, and participate in online discussions.
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Play an active role in securing the financial resources necessary for SSA to achieve its mission.
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Represent SSA in the community and advocate for its mission, programs, and services as appropriate.
Application Guidelines
Please email patty.zc@sudburyschoolofatlanta.org a letter of interest and a resume. The subject line of the email should be: Board Member.
Questions or Inquiries
Sudbury School of Atlanta Board of Trustees
board@sudburyschoolofatlanta.org | Tel: (404) 500-8680