About HRVU
Hello and welcome to the Hudson River Valley Unschoolers group!
If you have come across this page, it’s likely you are already familiar with the concept of self-directed home education, popularly known as “Unschooling” (if not, learn the basics below). As you must have already realized, New York is one of the most difficult states in which to homeschool your children. With required subject matter, quarterly reporting regulations, and mandatory annual assessments it doesn’t exactly feel as if we have the freedom to choose the type of education that is right for our own families. For those of us who have chosen UNschooling rather than the typical HOMEschooling path, it is even more challenging to comply with NYS law when our own educational philosophies seemingly contradict it. There are only a handful of homeschooling groups that offer support and social opportunities in our area and generally they are either religiously or academically-focused and age-segregated. Forest Schools and Sudbury Schools are attractive options but are uncommon in the Hudson River Valley region and inaccessible to those of us living on a modest single income. What's an Unschooler to do?
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Hudson River Valley Unschoolers was created by a mom of two and former NYS-licensed teacher in order to connect with like-minded families and build a community support group for local Unschoolers. If we help each other, we can succeed at Unschooling in one of the most strictly regulated states - and hopefully make some new friends along the way.
Learn more about HRVU and Unschooling below and we hope you will consider joining us!
What Is Unschooling?
New to the idea of Unschooling?
In Unschooling, the terms education and school are not used interchangeably. We believe it is possible to become an educated person without attending public school and without recreating a version of school at home like most homeschoolers do.
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The term "Unschooling" was coined by educator John Holt in the 1970's. ​It's not our favorite term, because it defines us by what we don't do. So what do we do? As you can see from our logo, HRVU defines Unschooling as "self-directed, joy-based, interest-led education." Learn more about what that means by checking out the Resources page.
“It is, in fact, nothing short of a miracle that the modern methods of instruction have not yet entirely strangled the holy curiosity of inquiry; for this delicate little plant, aside from stimulation, stands mainly in need of freedom. Without this it goes to wrack and ruin without fail.”
-Albert Einstein
About HRVU's Founder, Mandy
Mandy Facchin graduated magna cum laude from SUNY New Paltz with a Master of Science degree in Elementary Education and obtained her NYS teaching certification for grades 1 - 6. While studying education, she actually wrote an essay against homeschooling and has since changed her tune dramatically thanks to additional research and reflection. She founded HRVU because she could not find any support group or organization that catered specifically to Unschoolers in the Hudson Valley area. She paused a career in nonprofit administration to raise her family and now resides in the Town of Poughkeepsie with her husband and two children, ages 4 and 2. Her philosophy can be summed up as "if you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need."
About HRVU's Co-Founder, Alanna
Alanna Facchin is a naturalist, organic gardener and an educator.
She holds an AS in Environmental Science, a B.S. Ed. in Childhood Education/Biology and an M.S.Ed. in Childhood Education and Math/Science/Technology. She is a former Kindergarten teacher and is currently enjoying the homeschool experience with her 6 year old daughter, fully immersing her in nature-based education and various citizen science projects. Both she and her daughter are Trail Stewards with the NY/NJ Trail Conference, and Alanna has spent time surveying invasive species to preserve native habitat along the Appalachian Trail. She is certified as a Leave No Trace Trainer and also holds Wilderness First Aid certification.
