What if school looked a little different?

What if children spent a meaningful part of every school day outside—exploring the woods, observing the seasons, asking questions, building things, solving problems, and learning through the world around them?

That is the idea behind Ashby Evergreen Charter School, a proposed Finnish-inspired forest school planned for the former Ashby Elementary School campus.

Tonight at 6:30 PM, we are holding an informational meeting at the Ashby Free Public Library, and everyone interested in learning more is invited.

This is an opportunity to hear about the proposal, ask questions, and talk with members of the founding team about what we are trying to create.

So, what exactly is a forest school?

Forest school is more than simply taking children outside occasionally.

At Ashby Evergreen, the goal is to make outdoor learning a regular and integral part of the school day. The natural environment becomes an extension of the classroom.

Students might study science by investigating a stream or wetland, practice mathematics by measuring and mapping their surroundings, develop writing skills by documenting observations, or work together to design and build something.

The approach is inspired by Finnish education and combines outdoor learning and phenomenon-based education with the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks.

And yes—children would actually go outside in New England weather.

We believe that learning to navigate changing weather, challenging conditions, unfamiliar problems, and the occasional muddy pair of boots can be part of becoming capable, confident and resilient human beings.

Why Ashby?

The proposed school would be located on approximately 55 acres of forest, wetlands, streams and a pond at the former Ashby Elementary School site.

It is an unusual opportunity.

Rather than trying to recreate a forest school somewhere else, we have a former school campus surrounded by the kind of natural environment that makes this educational model possible.

The vision is for the campus itself to become a learning laboratory.

What makes this different?

Ashby Evergreen is being designed around several ideas:

• Daily outdoor learning

• Finnish-inspired, phenomenon-based education

• Multi-age learning

• Hands-on and experiential learning

• Strong connections to the natural world

• Individual Learning Plans and portfolio-based assessment

• Massachusetts academic standards integrated into meaningful experiences

• A focus on independence, collaboration, creativity and resilience

This isn’t about lowering academic expectations. Quite the opposite.

The goal is to give children more ways to engage deeply with what they are learning—and to help them understand why it matters.

And we want to hear from you.

We are still building this school.

That means we want questions. We want ideas. We want people to tell us what they think could work—and what concerns them.

If you have heard about the proposal but aren’t quite sure what it is, come tonight.

If you have been following the project and have questions about enrollment, academics, transportation, outdoor learning, the charter process, or the proposed location, come tonight.

And if you simply want to see whether this sounds like the right educational opportunity for your family, come listen.

We will talk about where the proposal stands now, what happens next, and what an Ashby Evergreen education could look like for children and families in our region.

The charter process is moving forward

We have submitted the initial application to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and are currently awaiting word about whether we will be invited to submit a final application.

There is still a great deal of work ahead.

If invited to proceed, the final application would be submitted later this year, followed by a public process and, if the charter is ultimately approved, enrollment would begin before the planned opening in September 2027.

Nothing is guaranteed. We are working through the process one step at a time.

But we are excited about the possibility.

Come find out what we’re imagining.

Ashby Evergreen Charter School Informational Meeting
Tonight — August 27
6:30 PM
Ashby Free Public Library

Come with questions. Come with curiosity. Bring a friend.

And if you have been wondering what a Finnish-inspired forest school in Ashby might actually look like, tonight is a good night to find out.

We hope to see you there.

This Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at the Ashby Free Public Library, we’re inviting the community to come learn more about Ashby Evergreen Charter School—what we’re envisioning, where we are in the charter process, and, most importantly, how you can help.

We are currently working on the charter and preparing for the final charter application, in anticipation of an invitation from DESE to submit that application. And at this point, we need to start behaving as though this is really going to happen—because this is go time.

There is a tremendous amount of work to do between now and November.

We expect to receive DESE’s decision about whether we will be invited to submit the final application by the beginning of October. The final application will then be due in early November. That means we cannot wait until October to start building the community that will make Ashby Evergreen successful. The work starts now.

We need you.

If you have skills in marketing, graphic design, publicity, communications, social media, public relations, fundraising, event planning, or community organizing, we want you.

If you don’t have any of those skills but you like talking to people and getting them excited about something you believe in, we want you, too.

If you live in Ashby, Fitchburg, Townsend, or Pepperell, we especially want to hear from you. Tell your friends. Talk to your neighbors. Share our information. Help us make sure families throughout the region know that this opportunity is taking shape.

We believe Ashby Evergreen can be the right school for many children. Of course, it won’t be the right school for every child—nothing is. But we believe there are families who are looking for exactly what we are trying to create: a school where children spend meaningful time outdoors, learn through play and exploration, develop resilience and independence, and are known and supported as individuals.

If you think Ashby Evergreen might be the right fit for your family, come Thursday night and learn more. You don’t need to have made a decision. You don’t need to know whether you will ultimately enroll your child. Come ask questions. Come listen. Come see what we’re building.

And Thursday’s meeting is only the beginning.

We will be holding many more meetings throughout the region in the coming weeks so that families and community members have opportunities to learn about the school, ask questions, and get involved.

Meanwhile, the charter application team is working hard behind the scenes. The application group will meet this Monday and will continue meeting on many Mondays between now and November. We will also be breaking into smaller groups to tackle specific pieces of the work.

There are, quite honestly, a million things to get done.

And that’s where you come in.

Whether you can give us two hours, twenty hours, a particular skill, a connection in the community, or simply your enthusiasm and willingness to spread the word, there is a place for you on this team.

We’re building more than a charter application. We’re building the beginnings of a school community.

Come to the library Thursday at 6:30. Bring a friend. Bring your questions. Bring your ideas. And if you’re ready to roll up your sleeves and help, we will be very happy to have you on board.

Help us spread the word. Help us build the team. Help us make Ashby Evergreen a reality.

🌲 Sisu!

Interested in getting involved? Fill out our community interest survey:
Ashby Evergreen Community Interest Survey

Our Initial Charter Has Been Submitted!

We did it! The initial charter application for Ashby Evergreen Charter School has been submitted to DESE, and we have asked for an invitation to move forward to the final charter application.

We don’t yet know whether DESE will invite us to submit a final application. But we cannot wait to find out before we get to work. We have to plan as though that invitation is coming—and we intend to be ready.

We expect to learn in September or, at the latest, very early October whether we will be invited to submit the final charter. If we receive an invitation, the turnaround time will be very short. That means the work we do right now matters.

We Need to Keep Moving

We are going to continue acting as though SISU Ashby will become a reality. We are going to build it, improve it, talk about it, and manifest it into existence.

There is no time to lose.

Over the next several weeks, we need to:

• Continue refining and strengthening our plans.

• Finalize the pieces of the charter application.

• Build awareness throughout the region.

• Make sure families understand what Ashby Evergreen is and what it could offer their children.

• Bring more people from Fitchburg and our other proposed sending communities into the conversation.

• Continue holding community meetings and listening to families.

What We Really Need: You!

This is the moment when every person who believes in this school can help.

Talk to people. Tell your friends and neighbors about SISU Ashby. If you know families in Fitchburg, Townsend, Pepperell, or Ashby, tell them about the opportunity. Send them to our website. Bring them to a meeting. Ask questions. Get involved.

And if you have expertise in accounting or school finance, we especially need to hear from you! Email hperry314@gmail.com to join the team.

We are building something ambitious, and we need a community behind it.

September is closer than we think. Whether DESE invites us to the next stage will be determined soon—but our job is to make sure that, if that invitation comes, we are ready.

SISU means perseverance, determination, and the strength to keep going. So that’s exactly what we’re going to do.

Ashby is not waiting for the future. We’re working to create it.

Follow us on facebook at AshbyEvergreen or check out our website at AshbyEvergreen.org

Today is an important day for the Ashby Evergreen Charter School. We have our final meeting with the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education before submitting the first version of our initial charter application ahead of the August 13 deadline.

Whether we move on to the next stage of the charter process or not, today feels like an opportunity to pause and reflect on how remarkable this journey has been.

Eight months ago, this effort began with heartbreak.

The closure of Ashby Elementary School was devastating for so many of us. It was more than the loss of a building—it felt like the loss of a piece of our community. Although I wasn’t born in Ashby, I attended Ashby Elementary School as a child, and I have always considered Ashby my home. Like so many others, I felt that loss deeply. It was one of those moments that leaves you wondering what comes next.

What came next was something I never could have imagined.

People began saying, “How can I help?”

Over the past eight months, educators, parents, mental health professionals, business leaders, attorneys, nonprofit leaders, community members, and friends have stepped forward with extraordinary generosity. They have shared their expertise, donated countless hours, challenged ideas, solved problems, asked difficult questions, celebrated milestones, and believed that together we could create something meaningful for children and families.

This has never been one person’s project. It has always belonged to the community.

Every meeting, every draft, every conversation over coffee, every email, every word of encouragement, every new volunteer, and every thoughtful suggestion has brought us closer to the vision of a school where children can thrive through joyful learning, time outdoors, meaningful relationships, and the resilience embodied in the Finnish concept of sisu.

People often ask what sisu means.

It is frequently translated as courage, determination, perseverance, and resilience. But over these past eight months, I have come to believe that sisu is also hope. It is choosing to build instead of surrendering to disappointment. It is believing that something beautiful can grow from profound loss.

That is exactly what this community has done.

No matter what happens next in the charter process, I hope everyone who has been part of this journey feels proud. Together, we transformed grief into possibility. We turned conversations into plans, plans into a vision, and that vision into a charter application that reflects the hopes of an entire community.

For that, I am deeply grateful.

Thank you to everyone who has attended meetings, reviewed documents, shared your expertise, introduced us to new partners, encouraged us when the work felt overwhelming, and believed that our children deserve something extraordinary.

Today, we take another step forward.

Whatever comes next, we will face it together—with courage, optimism, and, above all, with SISU.

Thank you for believing in this dream.

Sometimes we don’t fully appreciate the power of community until we have the opportunity to experience someone else’s.

This weekend I attended a wedding in a beautiful rural coastal town in Rhode Island. The church, the reception, and the after-party were all within about a mile of one another. It was the kind of place where neighbors wave as they drive by, children run comfortably from one yard to another, and people know one another well enough to have a neighborhood group text. It wasn’t just beautiful—it felt connected.

As I looked around throughout the day, I realized I wasn’t just watching two people get married. I was witnessing the remarkable influence a strong community can have over the course of a lifetime.

The bride grew up in a close-knit town about an hour away. Since then, life had taken her to new places, new careers, and new adventures. Yet when her wedding day arrived, the people who had known her from the very beginning came back. Her elementary school teachers. Childhood neighbors. Friends from school. Families who had watched her grow up. More than thirty years had passed, but they were still there to celebrate her joy.

It made me think about the invisible threads that connect us. We often don’t realize how profoundly our communities shape us until we look back years later and discover those relationships are still there, quietly waiting to celebrate our milestones and help us through life’s challenges.

Then came my favorite moment of the weekend.

The bride’s lifelong friend hosted the after-party and had planned for nearly everything fifty guests could possibly need. Nearly everything.

Somehow, there was no ketchup.

Without a second thought, she sent her adorable eight-year-old son next door to ask the neighbors if they had any. A few minutes later he came marching triumphantly across the lawn, proudly carrying a sandwich bag stuffed with ketchup packets collected from McDonald’s, Chick-fil-A, Wendy’s, and who knows where else. He had completed his mission and, for a brief shining moment, became the hero of the evening.

Would we all have survived without ketchup? Of course.

But that wasn’t really what happened.

What happened was that someone asked for help. A neighbor happily gave it. A little boy delighted in being entrusted with an important job. Everyone smiled. It was such a small moment, but it perfectly captured the generosity and interconnectedness that make a community feel like home.

It reminded me that communities are not built through grand gestures. They are built through thousands of small acts of kindness that often go unnoticed. Borrowing a cup of sugar. Checking on an elderly neighbor after a snowstorm. Bringing soup to someone who is sick. Offering a ride. Sharing a laugh over the fence. Lending ketchup.

Those ordinary moments become the stories we remember.

As I drove home, I found myself thinking about Ashby.

One of the things I love most about our town is that we still believe in knowing our neighbors. We wave to one another. We volunteer. We support local organizations. We celebrate together and grieve together. We quietly look after one another in ways that often never make the headlines but make all the difference in people’s lives.

Libraries are part of that story.

Every day the library becomes a place where people make new friends, reconnect with old ones, discover shared interests, and find support when they need it most. Whether it’s a child attending Story Time, someone joining a book club, neighbors working together on a community project, or simply two people striking up a conversation while browsing the shelves, these small interactions strengthen the fabric of our town.

A library is so much more than books. It is one of the places where community grows.

Perhaps that’s why the little boy with the bag of ketchup packets has stayed with me. His mission wasn’t really about condiments. It was about belonging. He knew that when someone needed help, the neighbors would answer. He expected kindness because kindness was simply how his community worked.

What a wonderful way to grow up.

May we continue building that kind of community here in Ashby—one conversation, one helping hand, one shared story, and yes, even one borrowed packet of ketchup at a time.

Over the past two weeks, members of the Ashby Evergreen Charter School team have been visiting libraries in Fitchburg, Townsend, and Pepperell to talk with community members about the possibility of bringing a new K–8 public charter school to our region.

The response has been overwhelmingly positive. We have been so encouraged by the enthusiasm, thoughtful questions, and support we have received. It is heartening to hear from families and community members who feel that this school model could help meet the needs of their children and strengthen our communities.

One of the most exciting parts of these conversations has been the number of people who have stepped forward offering their support. We have received offers from people interested in serving on the board, helping with outreach, sharing ideas, and helping us better communicate our vision. Every suggestion and offer of assistance is deeply appreciated.

We are a small, dedicated team, and we recognize that we do not know what we do not know. Building a new public school is a tremendous undertaking, and we are grateful for the wisdom, experience, and energy that community members are bringing to this effort.

We are currently working toward the August 13 deadline to submit our initial charter application to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). This is a major milestone, but it is only the beginning. After the initial submission, we will continue refining and strengthening the application as we prepare for the final submission process in the fall.

In the meantime, we need to keep spreading the word. We have more outreach events planned throughout the summer and early fall, and we encourage everyone to continue talking with friends, neighbors, and families who may be interested. Our goal is to make sure that everyone has the opportunity to learn about Ashby Evergreen Charter School, ask questions, and share their thoughts.

Thank you to everyone who has welcomed us, encouraged us, and offered support. This vision is only possible because of the strength and involvement of our communities.

Ashby Evergreen Charter School Information Sessions

We are holding two Ashby Evergreen Charter School information sessions this week as we move into the final sprint toward submitting the initial charter application draft in early August.

These sessions are an opportunity for community members to learn more about the vision for Ashby Evergreen, hear about the proposed educational model, and ask questions. At this stage, we are submitting an initial charter application, so not every detail has been finalized. Some aspects of the school design may continue to evolve as we move through the review process and work toward potential approval in January.

Both information sessions will cover the same general material, although the questions and conversations will naturally vary depending on who attends. Anyone from any of the proposed communities is welcome to attend either session.

Ashby Evergreen Charter School is proposed as a regional charter school serving students from Ashby, Fitchburg, Townsend, and Pepperell. Like all Massachusetts charter schools, however, enrollment is not limited exclusively to those communities. If seats remain available after regional enrollment preferences are considered, students from other Massachusetts school districts may also enter the public lottery for available seats.

We look forward to sharing more about this community-driven vision, answering questions, and continuing the conversation as the application process moves forward

The Ashby Evergreen Charter School project continues to make excellent progress. We remain on schedule to submit our Commonwealth charter application to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) on August 13. We are currently meeting weekly with DESE representatives to ensure our questions are answered, our application is complete, and every aspect of the proposal meets the Commonwealth’s requirements. While there is still much work ahead, we are very pleased with the progress our team has made.

We have assembled the minimum number of founding Board of Trustees members required for the application, but it is not too late to become involved. We continue to welcome individuals who are passionate about public education and interested in helping shape this exciting new school. We are especially seeking members from the Fitchburg community and individuals with expertise in finance, accounting, budgeting, or nonprofit management. At the same time, we value diverse perspectives and welcome people with a wide range of experiences and backgrounds.

If you are curious about the school or would like to learn more, we encourage you to attend one of our upcoming information sessions or reach out to us directly. We are always happy to answer questions and share more about our vision for Ashby Evergreen Charter School.

Submitting the application on August 13 is an important milestone, but it is only one step in a lengthy review process. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education will carefully evaluate our proposal over the coming months, and we do not expect a final decision until January. We are optimistic about the future and deeply grateful for the encouragement, enthusiasm, and support we have received from individuals and communities throughout the region.

Thank you for believing in this vision and for supporting our efforts to create an innovative public school that will serve children and families across North Central Massachusetts. We hope to see you this week in Townsend or Pepperell.

Things are moving along quickly as we continue writing the Ashby Evergreen Charter School application for submission in August while also sharing information about our vision with the community.

This Tuesday, we are excited to welcome a speaker who will discuss his research on place-based education, an approach that closely aligns with the educational model we are developing for Ashby Evergreen.

Over the coming weeks, we’ll also be hosting community information sessions at the libraries in Townsend, Pepperell, and Fitchburg. These open forums are an opportunity for families and community members to learn more about the proposed school, ask questions, share ideas, and help shape the conversation.

As a reminder, Ashby Evergreen Charter School is still a proposal. Nothing has been finalized, and many details will continue to evolve throughout the charter application process. We are following the requirements established under Massachusetts state law and are encouraged by the progress we’ve made so far. We are excited about the possibility of receiving a favorable outcome if our application is approved.

This effort has always been driven by the community, and we welcome anyone who would like to become involved. Whether you have expertise to share, time to volunteer, or simply an interest in learning more, there is a place for you on our team.

We hope to see you at one of our upcoming events!

Special Author Talk: David Sobel at the Ashby Free Public Library

Join us on Tuesday, July 14, at 7:00 PM for a special evening with David Sobel, internationally recognized educator, author, and one of the leading voices in place-based education and outdoor learning.

Dr. Sobel’s groundbreaking research explores how connecting children with the natural world and their local communities fosters curiosity, resilience, academic success, and healthy child development. His work has inspired educators around the world to create learning experiences that are rooted in the places where children live, helping them develop a lifelong sense of stewardship, belonging, and wonder.

During this special presentation, Dr. Sobel will discuss his research and how the principles of place-based and outdoor education relate to the vision for the proposed Ashby Evergreen Charter School. This is an excellent opportunity for parents, educators, community members, and anyone interested in the future of education to learn more about an innovative educational model that places children, nature, and community at the center of learning.

Whether you’re curious about the proposed charter school or simply interested in what research tells us about creating the best environments for children to learn and thrive, this promises to be an engaging and thought-provoking evening.

Tuesday, July 14 • 7:00 PM
Ashby Free Public Library

This program is free and open to the public. All are welcome!

As I mentioned in the previous newsletter, I recently had the opportunity to speak with Matt Laho from Copper Island Academy. Their school has successfully implemented many of the same educational principles and practices that we envision for Ashby Evergreen Charter School, making it an invaluable model as we continue our planning.

If you’re interested in learning more about their innovative approach to education, I encourage you to visit their website below. It provides a great overview of their philosophy, curriculum, and the Finnish-inspired educational model that has been so successful for their students.

Cooper Island Academy

Things are moving ahead swiftly here at Ashby Evergreen Charter School!

Next Monday, we have our first meeting with the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), an important milestone in the charter application process. This week, our focus will be on preparing thoughtful questions and learning as much as we can about what lies ahead. We are eager to hear DESE’s feedback and guidance as we continue developing our vision for the school.

At the same time, we are organizing small-group meetings for each of the six teams working on different sections of the charter application. To help guide these discussions, we have assembled sets of questions designed to get us thinking about the information we need to gather and the decisions we will need to make as we begin drafting each section.

In true librarian fashion, I also purchased a book called Charter School Blueprint. The book is packed with checklists, worksheets, planning tools, and practical advice. I have not made it all the way through yet, but it already appears to be a valuable resource and a useful roadmap for navigating the charter application process.

I also recently discovered a documentary called The Finland Phenomenon, which explores some of the reasons Finland has been so successful in education. As we continue to build a school inspired by Finnish educational principles, it has provided some helpful context and food for thought.

There is still a tremendous amount of work ahead of us, but every week brings us one step closer to making this vision a reality. Thank you to everyone who continues to volunteer their time, expertise, and enthusiasm to this project. The support from our community has been incredible.

I look forward to sharing an update after our meeting with DESE next week and letting everyone know what we learn.

With gratitude and sisu,

Heather

We are pleased to share that our Letter of Intent has been submitted to DESE, marking an important milestone in our journey toward creating the Ashby Evergreen Charter School. While there is still a great deal of work ahead of us, crossing this first hurdle feels significant.

Our attention now turns to the Initial Charter Application, which is due in August. Writing a charter school application is both exciting and humbling. Every day we discover new questions that need answers. To help guide our work, I have created a comprehensive list of questions that we should know the answers to as we develop the charter. The list may be too comprehensive—there may be some things we do not actually need to know—but it has provided a useful roadmap for our research and planning.

Over the past few weeks, I have begun reaching out to individuals with experience in Finnish education, charter schools, and school administration. I have made contact with several people involved with the Sisu School and hope to schedule meetings with them in the coming weeks. I have also connected with the business manager of a major school district who I believe will be an invaluable source of information as we work through the financial and operational aspects of creating a school.

As important as it is to gather information from experts, it is equally important that we learn from the people who know Ashby best.

That is why we are especially excited that at this Thursday’s meeting we will be joined by a very special guest: former Ashby Elementary School Principal Anne Cromwell Gapp.

Anne led Ashby Elementary School during a period when it was widely recognized as an excellent school, and we look forward to hearing her thoughts about the future possibilities for education in Ashby. We hope she will help us think about what made Ashby Elementary successful and how those lessons might inform a new school for future generations.

One of the most exciting aspects of the charter school process is that we are not constrained by a predetermined model. We have often described our vision as a Finnish Forest School, but the reality is that the charter can become whatever our community decides it should be. We can draw inspiration from Finland’s educational practices, from forest schools, from current educational research, and from proven best practices in child development and learning.

At the same time, we should not disregard what has already worked here in Ashby.

The Ashby Elementary School led by Anne Cromwell Gapp was an excellent school.

The Ashby Elementary School I attended in the 1970s under the leadership of Alan Foresman was an excellent school.

As we look to the future, we have an opportunity to create something new while honoring what came before. The Ashby Evergreen Charter School does not need to be a copy of any existing school. Instead, it can be informed by the best ideas from Finnish education, the best current research, and the best traditions of Ashby Elementary School itself.

Our goal is not simply to recreate the past or import a model from somewhere else. Our goal is to build a school that reflects the values, strengths, and aspirations of our community—a school that prepares children for the future while remaining rooted in the things that have always made Ashby special.

As always, we welcome your ideas, questions, and participation. This school is being built by the community, and every voice matters.

We hope to see you on Thursday at 7PM at the Ashby Free Public Library

We are thrilled to share some exciting news with the SISU Ashby community.

At our next charter school meeting on Thursday, June 18th at 7:00 PM, we will be joined by longtime Ashby Elementary School Principal Anne Cromwell Gapp.

Anne brings a depth and breadth of educational knowledge that is truly extraordinary. Having spent years serving students, families, teachers, and the broader Ashby community, she possesses invaluable experience and insight that will help inform our work as we continue developing our charter application.

As we move into the charter-writing phase of our journey, there are many questions we know we need to answer—and undoubtedly many more questions we don’t yet know to ask. Anne’s perspective will help us better understand the opportunities, challenges, and practical realities involved in creating a successful school. Her knowledge of education, school operations, and the needs of our local community will be an incredible resource for our planning team.

In preparation for the meeting, we will be gathering and organizing questions that are relevant to our upcoming charter development work. We hope to make the most of this opportunity to learn from someone whose experience can help guide us as we move forward.

One of the greatest strengths of SISU Ashby has always been the willingness of community members to share their expertise and wisdom. We are deeply grateful that Anne has agreed to spend time with us, and we look forward to hearing her thoughts and advice.

Please join us on June 18th as we continue learning, growing, and building the foundation for SISU Ashby together.

We can’t wait for what promises to be an informative and inspiring conversation.

Last week, we submitted our Letter of Intent to DESE, meeting our first major June deadline. Checking that first big item off the to-do list felt like a real accomplishment. It felt like progress. It felt like something tangible had been completed. Most of all, it felt like we could finally take a small breath and appreciate how far we’ve come.

Of course, this journey is a marathon, not a sprint.

If this were the Boston Marathon, we’re nowhere near Heartbreak Hill. In fact, we probably haven’t even reached Ashland yet. But we have done something important: we’ve left the starting line. That’s worth celebrating.

We’ve been training for this. We have the right people, the right tools, and a shared vision guiding us forward. We know there will be challenges ahead, but we’re prepared for the path in front of us. And thankfully, writing a charter is much less physically demanding than running 26.2 miles.

The next phase of our work involves developing the six major sections of our charter application. To do this effectively, we will be meeting in smaller working groups focused on different areas of expertise. As the school year comes to an end, teachers and parents will have greater flexibility to meet during the day and collaborate on the sections where they can contribute most meaningfully. Community members with expertise in finance and budgeting will also be working on the financial components of the application.

While these groups will tackle different pieces of the puzzle, we will ultimately come back together to create one cohesive charter that reflects our mission, our values, and our vision for SISU Ashby. Every conversation, every draft, and every contribution brings us one step closer to building a school that serves students and families in the way we believe they deserve.

For now, we’re celebrating an important milestone. The starting gun has sounded, and we’re officially on our way.

Last night, I had the opportunity to present an update on SISU Ashby to the Ashby Selectboard, and I am excited to share that we have reached a pivotal moment in this journey.

This week, we will be submitting our Letter of Intent to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), formally indicating our plan to submit a charter application to establish a public charter school serving the children of Fitchburg, Ashby, Townsend, Pepperell, and surrounding communities, space permitting.

The Ashby Evergreen Charter School will be built around a Finnish forest school methodology aligned with the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks. The school will emphasize teamwork, resilience, project-based learning, problem-solving, integrated curriculum, real-world experiences, and outdoor learning. Finland’s educational model consistently ranks among the best in the world, and many of its approaches have proven especially beneficial for students with diverse learning needs.

Like all charter schools in Massachusetts, Ashby Evergreen will be a public school. Admission will be determined through a lottery process, and all children, including those with disabilities, will be welcomed and supported.

Tonight at 7:00 PM, we will hold our regular Thursday meeting. It will also mark the end of our regular weekly 7:00 PM meetings as we transition from planning to implementation.

The real work begins now.

Over the coming months, we will be writing the charter application, fundraising, building our marketing and social media presence, developing facilities plans, organizing landscaping and grounds work, and tackling countless other tasks necessary to bring this vision to life. Because the work ahead is so varied, we will begin breaking into smaller working groups based on interests, expertise, and availability. Some members may continue meeting on Thursday evenings, and we will still gather as a full group when needed, but much of the work will happen in teams focused on specific projects.

I hope we will soon organize a large community landscaping day, as well as a public information event after the initial charter application is submitted in August, so that more people can learn about what we are building and how they can become involved.

We continue to welcome new members. Our group is wonderfully diverse, bringing together people with a wide range of skills, experiences, and perspectives. That’s exactly what a project like this requires.

I often joke that I am not a charter school expert. I took this on because I didn’t want to see the school building go to waste. I’m a librarian with a mailing list and, apparently, a knack for convincing people to join ambitious projects. What has made SISU Ashby possible is not any one person, but a growing community of people who believe our region deserves more educational opportunities and who are willing to work together to create them.

Now is where the rubber meets the road. The vision is becoming a reality, and there is a tremendous amount of work ahead. Thank you to everyone who has contributed their time, energy, expertise, and encouragement. We couldn’t have reached this point without you.

Onward.

Follow us on Facebook at Ashby Evergreen and at Ashbyevergreen.org

SisuAshby is entering the home stretch of this first phase of the journey, and there is a great deal happening behind the scenes.

At this Thursday’s meeting, we will be finalizing our 501(c)(3) paperwork as well as completing the documents that will be submitted to the state as part of our initial Letter of Intent process. Reaching this point feels significant because it represents months of planning, conversations, research, and community support beginning to take shape in a more formal way.

We are also excited to share that our new Facebook page, Ashby Evergreen, is now live. There is not much content there yet, but as the project moves forward we hope it will become an important place for updates, discussion, ideas, and community engagement. We encourage people to follow along as we continue building momentum.

Another exciting development is that we are already beginning to hear from individuals who may be interested in teaching at the school when we hope to open in 2027. The fact that educators are already reaching out this early in the process is both encouraging and energizing.

Rose and I are also hoping to travel to Finland this summer to visit schools and learn more directly from the Finnish educational model that has inspired many of the ideas behind SISU Ashby. We are looking forward to seeing firsthand how these schools operate and exploring how some of those ideas might translate into a small-town community-centered school here in Ashby.

As we move into the next stage, we will also begin focusing more heavily on fundraising so that we can start building the financial foundation necessary to make the vision a reality and have everything in place to open in September 2027.

It is exciting to feel this first phase finally coming together. If all goes well, we hope to have these initial steps officially completed in June and move confidently into the next stage of the process.

Fingers crossed — and thank you to everyone who has supported, encouraged, questioned, challenged, and believed in this idea along the way. Community conversations and involvement are what make projects like this stronger.

There is something fitting about reaching this particular juncture in the life of this newsletter.

I began Sisu Ashby because our school was closing, and our community needed to decide what would become of the school building and, in many ways, what would become of us. I chose the name carefully. Sisu is a Finnish word often translated as resilience, determination, and courage in the face of difficulty. It is also the name of a curriculum rooted in Finnish educational philosophy, representing the qualities Finnish schools strive to cultivate in their students: perseverance, responsibility, independence, cooperation, and care for the community around them.

At the time, I hoped Ashby would emerge from this difficult season with resilience — that we would find a solution for the school that would preserve opportunity for children while eliminating the burden on taxpayers. I hoped we would discover not only what to do with a building, but what kind of community we wanted to become.

Now we are well into the charter school application process, and we have chosen a name for the proposed school. Because of that, some might think the time for this newsletter has passed. I would argue the opposite.

This is the time for sisu.

The spirit, momentum, and community involvement that have developed around this effort should not end with the submission of a charter application. Whether or not every part of this process unfolds smoothly — and I am certain it will not — the resilience we have built together matters. There will be edits, meetings, requests for additional information, and hurdles to clear with DESE before approval is granted. I remain hopeful that by working together, listening carefully, and continuing to show up for one another, we will meet those requirements and successfully open the school in September 2027.

But even beyond the school itself, this moment presents an opportunity.

The community conversations surrounding the school closure revealed many other needs and possibilities in Ashby. Perhaps the building can become more than a school while we work toward opening one again. Perhaps it can host community dinners, a community kitchen where local farms and food producers can prepare their goods, before- and after-school childcare, yoga classes, tumbling classes, arts programs, and gatherings that bring people together rather than apart.

Spring has finally arrived, and with it comes that familiar feeling that now is the time to get things done.

There are always two ways to look at difficult moments. We can see the closing of Ashby Elementary School as a tragedy. Or we can choose to see it as an extraordinary opportunity: the opportunity to rethink education, to rebuild community, and perhaps even to teach Ashby children the way we think they should be taught, the way we were taught, or the way we wish we were taught.

Lately, I have found myself thinking often about Mr. Foresman, He did not like us walking on the grass, and at the Evergreen School we will redesign the grounds so the outdoors itself becomes part of the classroom, but he embodied the kind of school leadership that left a lasting impression on generations of students.

He knew our names, not because we were in trouble, but because he was present. He was engaged. If there was a piece of paper on the floor, he picked it up, and he expected us to do the same. We were taught to clean up after ourselves because the custodians had more important responsibilities than following behind us. We were taught to respect our school, our teachers, and each other. If someone had written on a bathroom wall, we would have been the ones scrubbing it off.

Those lessons were not separate from education. They were education.

This feels like a turning point for Ashby — one of those moments communities look back on years later and recognize as the beginning of something important. We can embrace it, or we can let it pass by. It may make all the difference.

And so, for now at least, Sisu Ashby continues.

I hope you will continue reading.

Hi All,

As the June deadline for our Letter of Interest grows closer, we are making fast progress on the Ashby Charter School initiative. The excitement and momentum surrounding this project continue to grow, and we are thrilled to share some major updates with you.

We Have a Name!

After exploring many possibilities, we have finally chosen a name that reflects the values, spirit, and vision we hope this school will embody:

Ashby Evergreen Charter School (AES)

The acronym “AES” felt familiar, welcoming, and strong. We knew we wanted “Ashby” in the name because the school is rooted in Ashby, and we want to honor the town’s role in hosting and shaping this vision. Ashby is also known for its resilient, community-centered spirit, which we hope will live within the culture of the school itself.

We also wanted the name to reflect the spirit of Sisu — grit, resilience, perseverance, courage, and becoming the hero of your own life by overcoming obstacles. While we could not directly incorporate the SISU name because it is part of a branded curriculum, we searched for a symbol that captured those same ideals.

The evergreen tree became the perfect symbol.

Evergreens remain green through every season. They bend but do not break. They withstand storms, harsh weather, and difficult conditions with quiet strength and resilience. They are deeply rooted while always reaching upward toward the sky — constantly growing higher and striving toward greater things.

That felt like the perfect image for both Ashby and the kind of educational experience we hope to create.

Building Momentum

We are also launching several exciting initiatives to help bring this vision to life:

• A new website is underway: ashbyevergreen.org

• A Facebook page is being created

• A newspaper article was drafted during our recent meeting

• We have begun the steps to incorporate a 501(c)(3) nonprofit:

The Ashby Community Collaborative

This organization will help raise funds not only for the school, but also for other community-building activities in and around Ashby.

A New Learning Paradigm

What excites us most is the opportunity to offer tiny humans and their families throughout North Central Massachusetts a different kind of educational experience — one that treats humans like humans.

We envision a school where children can:

• Learn at their own pace

• Pursue their own goals

• Develop confidence and independence

• Build resilience and creativity

• Discover the lives of achievement they were meant to live

We believe learning should nurture curiosity, joy, perseverance, and personal growth rather than forcing every child into the same mold.

This is an exciting path, and we hope you will join us on the journey.

Join Us

We are actively inviting more people to become part of this growing movement. Whether you are interested in volunteering, helping with outreach, supporting fundraising efforts, or simply learning more, we would love to hear from you.

Together, we can create something truly meaningful for families in our region.

With excitement and gratitude,

SISU Ashby / Ashby Evergreen Charter School Initiative

SISU Ashby Weekly Update: Time to Get to Work ✏️

This Thursday, we roll up our sleeves.

We’ll have our usual meeting—but this one is all about real progress. Bring your pencils, your ideas, and your energy, because we’re breaking into working groups and moving key pieces forward. This is a “choose your own adventure” kind of night, and every path matters.

Here’s where you can jump in:

📝 Letter of Interest Team
Big news: the Letter of Interest only needs to be 4 pages—which means we are much closer than we thought (yippee!!).
A full draft will be in the Google Drive for everyone to review. This group will focus on tightening, identifying gaps, and figuring out where we need more research before submission in June.

⚖️ 501(c)(3) Application Team
We have a draft in the Google Drive—now it’s time to polish. This is a legal document, so clarity and precision matter.
As a reminder, we’re planning for 7–15 board members and an unlimited membership base to support fundraising for the charter school.

📣 Publicity & Outreach Team
We need to get the word out—and be strategic about it.

• Erik has been contacted about building us a website (huge step toward a real web presence).

• We’ll also need a Facebook page, Instagram, and a broader outreach plan—especially in Fitchburg, where awareness may be lower than in the NM district.

• This group will also refine the drafted newspaper article and explore getting it published. Bonus points if we can include photos—if you know some photogenic (and willing!) kids, that could go a long way in helping tell our story.

🌱 Grounds & First Impressions Team
Let’s think about what people see when they arrive.
This group will brainstorm ideas for re-landscaping the front of the building—nothing fancy or expensive, just something that signals momentum once we submit in June.
Think: donated perennials, rocks, stumps for outdoor classrooms. Who in the community has equipment or expertise to help?
Also—can we reimagine the boarded-up portions of the Asbestos Wing? Murals, creative touches? (All ideas would go through the Town Administrator, but let’s start imagining what’s possible.)

🔍 Gap Analysis Team
This is our “what are we missing?” group.
Look at everything we’re working on and identify gaps, risks, and unanswered questions.
We already know we need to think about:

• Budgeting & fundraising

• Building & facilities

• Busing & transportation

• Legal & compliance

But what else? What aren’t we seeing yet? Who do we need to talk to? This group helps make sure we’re building something solid.

This is one of those moments where momentum builds—or stalls—based on what we do next. The good news? We have the pieces. Now we just need to move them forward, together.

See you Thursday.
Bring a pencil. :)

At yesterday’s Ashby Annual Town Meeting, the topic of a potential charter school surfaced in a few indirect ways that may have caused some confusion. We’d like to take a moment to clarify where things stand.

First, you may have seen a gentleman collecting signatures for a potential Special Town Meeting. His goal is to explore reopening the Ashby Elementary School through a different path. While that effort shares a similar end goal—bringing a school back to Ashby—it is separate from the charter school initiative.

There were also comments made during the meeting about the proposed charter school that were not based on current information. The individual speaking has not been involved in the planning process and was not aware of the timeline or details under consideration. To clarify: no final decisions have been made about the exact opening date of a future charter school, and references to a fixed “three-year timeline” are not grounded in the current plan.

Here is where things actually stand:

• A Letter of Intent will be submitted to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) in June.

• If that is well received, the full charter application will be submitted in August.

• If the proposal successfully moves through the state approval process, the school could potentially open in September 2027.

The vision under development is for a Finnish-inspired forest school model, serving students from Ashby and neighboring communities including Fitchburg, Townsend, and Pepperell. The school is currently planned for grades K–4 expanding to grade 8.

Work on the charter is progressing steadily, and the team is in regular communication with the Town Administrator and Selectboard to keep them informed throughout the process.

We know there’s a lot of interest—and understandably, a lot of questions. Our goal is to keep the community informed with clear, accurate information as this process moves forward.

Thank you for your continued interest and engagement.