Today we’d like to introduce you to Erin Flynn.
Hi Erin, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I was born in Cornwall, England, to a US Navy Father and an Irish-English mother. Having lived in multiple countries, I have had the opportunity to see life from many perspectives. I received my doctorate from the University of Galway in Ireland. After falling in love with a Texan, I moved to Austin 11 years ago. For 7 years, I was a teacher and then principal of the public charter high school, Katherine Anne Porter School. The public school system disillusioned me; I felt that the decisions being made from the top down were detrimental to our young people’s development and safety. I left to found the Hedge School Cooperative, LLC. Everyone in the Coop has a voice in governing and running our school. A school community should be a haven and place of belonging first and foremost.
Would it have been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
There is nothing I fear more than a smooth road. Usually, it means I am overlooking something, or there’s a hazard ahead. I jest, mostly. There have been bumps in the road, of course. For the school, our most recent was finding out the retreat center we were renting was being closed, and we would need to find a new home. This was sad to hear, as the center is a beautiful spot. It was a bittersweet search, but we found a new place not too far from here. The best thing about the struggles is the support provided by the community we have built up over the last three years. We can find a way to do this when people believe in similar core principles.
As you know, we’re big fans of Hedge School Cooperative, LLC. For our readers who might need to become more familiar with the brand, what can you tell them about it?
We serve students who have been let down by or felt out of place in traditional schools. We aim to embrace neurodivergent minds and provide a safe environment for our LGBTQIA students. Learners know their educational needs best. Therefore, we give them the freedom to direct their studies. Students are welcome to suggest a different course of action, choose another topic to explore, and illustrate rather than write the answer to a prompt. Our educational model is based on a non-hierarchical approach to learning with three components: guided seminars/discussions, autonomous learning, and creative application. Though we have a teacher handbook, there is no student handbook at the Hedge. When a misstep is made, no matter by whom, we will confront it then and there. At times, one-on-one and, at times, as a community. We begin with respect and go from there. Ultimately, I am proud of myself for taking the leap and starting the Hedge School Cooperative. It has changed my life for the better.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
Interesting question. I always think that I am an open book. I have never been shy about who I am. I know a fair few know this about me, but I was one of the youngest patients to have a successful open heart surgery back in 1977. I was born with a hole in my heart. My mother knew something was wrong because I was too quiet. She didn’t let the doctors dismiss her concerns until they found the cause. You don’t want to trifle with her. She was right, and I haven’t been quiet since! Ha!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.hedgeschoolcoop.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hedgeschoolcoop/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HedgeSchoolCoop
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/hedge-school-coop-austin
