People
Wendy Raver
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Wendy Raver is a free-schooling mom, writer, and adjunct professor of ancient history and religious studies at NYU, the New School, Hunter College and City College. She has been involved in alternative education for nearly 20 years, but felt drawn to the free schooling movement after watching how the New York City public school system affected her daughter's growth, creativity, and sense of herself as a learner. Aside from contributing as a coordinator and grant writer for MFS, she offers anthropology, mythology, ancient Egyptian language and culture and history classes, as well as museum tours throughout the city.
Pat Werner
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Pat has been a teacher in the public school system for 16 years. She has worked for the last four years as a Literacy Coach at The Children’s Workshop School in the East Village and PS 140 on the Lower Eastside. Before that Pat was a third grade teacher at The Manhattan New School in District Two, taught 5/6 graders at PS 38, and 7th and 8th graders at the Academy of Environmental Science, both in East Harlem. Pat holds a New York State School District Administrator license and a School Administrator/Supervisor license. She holds teaching licenses for nursery through grade 12.

Pat has three children; Ashley, Hans, and Chelsea, and one husband, Erich, and wishes there had been a free school in Manhattan when her kids were growing up. Sixteen years ago she was smitten with Free Schools after reading Free At Last, the Story of the Sudbury Valley School, a slender book that forever after shaped her thoughts about learning and education. Pat believes wholeheartedly in the resolution adopted by the International Democratic Education Conference that states: In any educational setting, young people have the right:

  • to decide individually how, what, when, and with whom they learn.
  • have an equal share in the decision-making as to how their organizations—in particular, their schools—are run, and which rules and sanctions, if any, are necessary.
Walter Goodman
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Walter Goodman is a parent of two boys aching to escape from New York City public schools. He is also a woodworker who runs his own furniture-making business in Brooklyn, and likes to do woodworking with kids. He has also been involved in anti-nuclear and anti-war organizing since 1977.Walter did not need any more reasons to admire Henry David Thoreau or Leo Tolstoy, but he found some when he read about the free schools they each started 150 or so years ago. Manhattan Free School will follow in their footsteps.
Maria Marta Dan
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Marta says: "I was born below our sun rise location surrounded by the Atlantic, I grew up near the ocean and crawling seaweed, this immense Atlantic. Now here I stand from the opposite side, 20 years of traveling, learning and loving it.

"Floating through dreams. Creating from recylcing and stuck emotions, fixing broken windows, puzzling broken dishes into a mosaic pattern, giving life to old news and flouring ideas."
Irene Baigorri
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Irene Baigorri is a Spanish-American native New Yorker and mother of two. Irene has worked as an educator for the past ten years in both public and private school settings. Irene is also a dancer, photographer and aspiring percussionist. She received her bachelor's degree in Women's Studies and Political Science from Emory University and her Master's degree in Education from Harvard University. She is deeply committed to social justice and the development of the creative self.
Sue Ferrer
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Sue Ferrer is a veteran unschooling mother of 3 sons, two of whom are mature, self-supporting entrepreneurs. Her youngest son inspired her to start a free school in Manhattan. In addition to planning revolutionary educational environments, Sue has also created revolutionary spaces and programs for healing, laughter, and the arts.
Tomis Parker
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Tomis (officially "Thomas", but you can call me Tommy) Parker has been living a life of inquiry and dissent for 23 years. Tommy experienced a mix of home-schooling and public schooling as a child. He was driven from the perils of public high school after 3 years - using an advanced college placement program as a means for more personal freedom. After completing a Bachelor's of Science in Psychology and released from the will of college, Tommy has once again realized that an increase in personal freedom is fertile soil for growth.

Tommy has a natural affection for children and a deep belief in the power of love. Some days he is a Christian Humanist, other days a Taoist, but mostly he is none of these things. Tommy moves to New York City with passion and energy for the wonderful story of the Manhattan Free School (that we are writing together), and for the opportunities to cultivate his creative potential.