Sieglinde Levery-Nicholas Archives - Puget Sound Community School

Rigorous Engagement (original article printed in Gay Parent Magazine)

Original article featured in Gay Parent Magazine, November, 2025 As one of three collaborative directors of a small independent school, I read a lot about trends and continuums, pedagogies and philosophies. Recently, I came across an ad on a prominent social media platform that read, “9/10 educators agree that student engagement is central to learning.” …

Capability for Becoming

For sure, PSCS did not create the idea of “community-centered education” as we’re calling it now. Marginalized and racialized families and educators have built, and run collaboratively, free community schools for decades, centuries, both as a tool for survival and as a means to celebrate and grow the creativity and joy of Black and Brown…

Community is All/And

At PSCS we talk a lot about community-centered education as a progressive learning model. One that prepares young people to be self-aware and curious critical thinkers, to pursue deeper knowledge and joy, to embody and apply their learning to action, in order to contribute wholly to a more just and equitable future for all. This…

patsy mink: be the change.

Patsy Matsu Takemoto Mink was born in Maui in the 1920s, the third-generation descendant of Japanese immigrants (sansei). Mink grew up on a sugar plantation and entered high school in 1940, one year before Honolulu was attacked by Japan. In 1942, anti-asian hostility and violence hit a boiling point, and FDR passed Executive Order 9066,…

life prep

For many years, PSCS called the collaborative scheduling we do as a whole community three times a year, “Scheduling Circus.” The name of which was meant to impart the many different factors being juggled in order to build a schedule of classes and activities students wanted and needed each term, as well as all the…

community is collaborative

Recently, I asked PSCS alumnae a few questions, including what they thought PSCS had best helped prepare them for post-high school and, if applicable, post-college. One alum sent in a video with his answers. Top of list included his ability to be self-reflective, particularly in writing and evaluative processes. He noted many other students in…

community is resistance

Early this week, Puget Sound Community School staff prepared a shifted schedule for Wednesday—in response to the realities and anxieties of the election. We knew that, regardless of the outcome, there was a possibility the race would be contested, that there may be an uptick in local violence (of which the C-ID would likely bear a brunt), and that everyone would need time to process and react, plan for safety, learn from each other, and share our worries and hopes.

Connecting through Quilting

In honor of Black History Month, everyone at PSCS—students, administrators, interns, and teachers—completed an individual project, researching a person, event, or movement in celebration of Black culture, contribution, creativity, and activism.

The result was many individual art pieces in the form of a cardstock square, a smaller block of what’s to become a large paper quilt in the entrance of the school.

A Little Light

Last Tuesday, PSCS participated in Giving Tuesday, a curious movement created by the nonprofit sector, for nonprofits, meant as a tonic to the consumerism of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Thanks to so many generous supporters we raised almost $14K in one day for tuition access—which is a massive benefit to us all. As the…

Gay Parent Magazine

Every Wednesday, PSCS Affinity Groups meet for an hour in solidarity, support, and fun. Ally groups meet in solidarity, but also to further our understanding of our various privileges and biases—and practice integrating accountability with action.