After several years of being one of North Vancouver's best teachers, Helen Hughes founded Windsor House Alternative School in 1971. Below is a bit about Windsor House, now being praised internationally.

My daughter Sarah was one of the first students and Helen and I became fast friends.

When I formed Animal Advocates in 1992, Helen agreed to be a director until 2003 when Windsor House grew so large that it took all her time.

The SPCA has named Helen as a defendant even though she has never posted. That is terror tactics and bullying, something a court will very likely take a dim view of.

There is no bullying at Windsor House because Helen's principles and beliefs are the cornerstones of Windsor House School. Helen won't tolerate bullying and can't be bullied.

The BC SPCA was not wise to try it on with Helen Hughes.

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Windsor House is a parent-participation, democratic, academically non-coercive school with about one hundred and seventy students and twelve staff people. It is situated in a 60's style elementary school on a lot with trees, a playground, a field and a blacktop area.
The school is publicly funded by the School District #44, North Vancouver, BC, Canada.

The students are aged 5 to 18, and the hours are from 9:00 to 3:00, 4 days a week. On Tuesdays the regular school stops at noon and there is a Staff meeting in the afternoon.

Students may ask for classes and activities, and efforts are made to provide what the students have requested. Staff and parents also offer classes and activities that they enjoy doing themselves. Students are not made to go to classes, nor are they stigmatized for non-attendance. The main focus of the school is for people to run their own lives and be engaged in undertaking of their own choice.

Complaints about behaviour, for adults and children alike, go to the School Council for settlement. We try to not burden the system with c complaints, and so attempt to work out any difficulties immediately with the people concerned. When that fails, then community members may write a complaint and put it in the red box in the hall. School Council will either deal with it at once in a caring and respectful way, or put it to a Committee to discuss in depth and report to the next School Council Meeting.

School Council meets every day, except Tuesday, from 12:30 to 1:30. It deals with all of the business of the school including Resolutions (which require a 2/3 majority with everyone having one vote), Complaints, and any thing that a Community member may put onto the Agenda.

Windsor House is a parent participation school, and all families are expected to donate 10 to 20 hours of time to the school per month, either in school time or on weekends or evenings. SANE, the parent-run body, asks for a donation of $10 to $60 per month to pay for supplies and to support Resolutions that are made in School Council. Both time and money are on a sliding scale, and you place yourself where you are comfortable. We have a vibrant community, and although things change constantly, the main ideas of respect, service, and goodwill are maintained through the hard work and generosity of the core members.