An Encouraging Word

Here is the information I just sent to the Unschooling Circuitriders yahoolist about this conference:

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It's too soon to make any reservations or sign-ups for this one, but it's worth starting to consider.

Off-season rates in touristy Santa Fe, winter sports opportunities and a break for those working as college professors were the factors that made January good for this. I didn't want to conflict with bigger conferences, and I wanted a quiet environment for some serious consideration of the basis of unschooling.

Presenters:

Joyce Fetteroll, Carl Fetteroll, and maybe Kathryn
Pam Sorooshian, Cyrus Sorooshian, and maybe Roya, Roxana and Rosie
Sandra Dodd, Keith Dodd, and maybe Kirby, Marty and Holly

The "maybe" isn't maybe they'll be there, but maybe they'll take the microphone and maybe they won't. This will be the first (and probably only) time all those families will be in one place at one time.

There will be only two sessions per day, plus a shared dinner each night. There will be time to explore Santa Fe and visit with other unschoolers without rushing around.

We'll be in condos with kitchens and fireplaces. Kirby and Marty will have Rock Band and other games available for adults who haven't tried them before, and for kids who want to hang out with other kids rather than go to the sessions.

Oddly, for a conference, this is not geared toward whole families, nor young children. The physical layout is not great for toddlers at all, and there could be snow and ice, on steps, outside. There won't be side activities for children, so this is best for either parents attending without children, for some unschooling parents to get together (not the couples, but the groups of mom-friends or dad-friends) or for families whose children are old enough and responsible enough to come and go, to stay in the room, or to be in the sessions without being disruptive.

(For younger-child families, see the Monkey Platter Festival in November.)

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end of quote

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I've created a page to go with this blog that will be a FAQ and summary page. When the schedule is ready it will go there, and it will always be easy to find.
SandraDodd.com/suss

Here's one question most of you know the answer to, and after a few months it won't be important anyway.

WHY am I not going full speed ahead in getting this conference publicized and registering participants?

Because I don't want a single person to decide against going to something like The Good Vibrations Conference nor any other large family conference because of this one. Those are what Unschooling Conferences are. This SUSS is different. It's not just another alternative in the growing number of unschooling conferences. I don't want people to just stumble onto it or sign up for it lightly.

New Museum!

There is a new museum in Santa Fe. I haven't been there yet, but it looks wonderful.

New Mexico History Museum

The history museum in Santa Fe has been The Palace of the Governors, a very old building with a wonderful history, but just the history of that building fills the building, and much of it is 17th and 18th Century history.

This new museum isn't limited to Santa Fe, or to the plaza, although it is still in Santa Fe and on the plaza!

I'll find out more before January, but as to rates, for out of state visitors singly, it's $9 a day for those two museums, or $20 for a four day pass to several museums. With a group of ten or more, out of staters can get a discount ($18 for four days, and I'm not sure about the other).

I'm not proposing a group trip to the museum. It's just a few blocks away and will be there. I'll check on getting a discount for proof of conference attendance, though, before January.

direct flights to Santa Fe (this is big news)

American Eagle Airlines will have direct flights from Los Angeles to Santa Fe by November 2009. I don't know what the cost will be yet, but there's a schedule at the link above.

They already have direct flights from Dallas.

I'm not saying this will be a good deal, but it's a new possibility! Albuquerque has always been the only "real" airport for Central and Northern New Mexico, so this is pretty exciting.