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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] By Kevin Fitzgerald, Editor Clonlara School’s Class of 2017 included 109 students, representing 18 U.S. states and 20 countries. Each of these students had their own individual interests, passions, and goals, and while many did not know each other personally, they all shared the support…

By Pat Montgomery, Founder Editor’s Note: Founder Pat Montgomery delivered Clonlara School’s commencement address on Saturday, June 10, 2017. In her speech, she shared her reasons for starting Clonlara and her vision for giving young people the space and opportunity to discover who they want to…

By Shari Maser, Off-Campus Program Advisor Quotes make me think. They distill ideas down to their essence, raise questions, and inspire me to go out and learn more to build my own understanding of a topic or interest area. When it comes to learning, a…

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]By Emily Fitzgerald, Guest Author In March, Netflix released a new series that immediately became popular among teenagers and young adults. 13 Reasons Why, based on a novel of the same name, is about a 17-year-old girl who commits suicide and leaves behind tapes explaining why…

By Pat Montgomery, Founder Editor’s Note: From time to time, we’ll “look back” through our archives to share articles that are as relevant today as when they were printed. In this piece that was originally published in the April 2003 issue of The Learning Edge,…

By Cassie Espich, Off-Campus Program Advisor You might have heard about the newest Sesame Street character, Julia, whose television debut this April was timed to coincide with Autism Awareness Month. The new Muppet is a 4-year-old girl with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). As someone with…

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]By Shari Maser, Off-Campus Program Advisor I played two characters: the “perfect” student, Mary Ingalls, and the “class clown,” Johnny Johnson. My daughter played Laura Ingalls, the schoolteacher. (Using a bit of revisionist history, we made Mary the younger sister for the purposes of our…

By Madison Siwak, Class of 2016 Editor’s Note: At graduation, we invite our students to share a performance, speech, or story that reflects the uniqueness of their educational journeys. This speech by 15-year-old graduate Madison Siwak describes the power of words and offers inspiration for anyone who feels…

By Gabi Kunoff, Campus Student (Olders, Grades 9–12) As a student who went through traditional schooling for the majority of my life, having the ability to experience Clonlara School’s hands-on learning style has opened my eyes to the many ways children of all ages can…

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]By Barbara Robertson, Clonlara School Parent At a recent conference in Philadelphia, I attended a session that suggested most neo-intensive care unit (NICU) environments are not developmentally appropriate for premature babies. That is not to say the care these units provide is not critical, but…

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]By Carol Caraccia, Off-Campus Program Advisor Who doesn’t love a good mystery? With the popularity of television crime shows today, forensic science can be a fun and different twist on traditional science subjects for students of all ages. It challenges creative reasoning and problem-solving skills,…

By Pat Montgomery, Founder Editor’s Note: From time to time, we’ll “look back” through our archives to share articles that are as relevant today as when they were printed. In this piece that was originally published in the January 1999 issue of The Learning Edge, Clonlara’s…