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Green School was
conceived by its
founders in 2006
following their
excitement at
reading the
Three Springs
concept document for
an educational
village community,
authored by Alan
Wagstaff. The school
opened its doors in
September 2008 with
around 100 pupils
and a tailor made
campus that had only
recently emerged
from the jungle and
rice fields. Since
then it has grown
physically and in
student numbers.
Green School
combines the talent
of several and very
differently gifted
individuals. Its
founders, John and
Cynthia Hardy, have
been residents in
Bali for more than
30 years and
recognise a unique
opportunity to
create something
truly inspiring and
outside of the
structural,
conceptual, and
physical limitations
of many traditional
schools. Alan
Wagstaff,
educational
consultant and the
author of Green
School's original
curriculum, has been
involved in
cutting-edge
education for more
than a quarter of a
century. Jürgen
Zimmer, professor at
The Free University
of Berlin, brings
his hands-on
educational
experience to the
School that has
helped him develop a
global network of
schools. Both Alan &
John sit on the
Green School's
council of advisers.
You can read more
about the
Green School Council
of Advisors here.
Green School Founders  John Hardy, a Canadian art student who
was as creative as
he was intuitive,
made his way to Bali
in 1975. Intrigued
by the Balinese
craft traditions, he
settled there and
began producing
jewellery with local
artisans. Cynthia,
an American who
would years later
become his wife and
business partner,
arrived in Bali in
1982, as a stopover
on a round-the-world
trip while she was
considering
attending law school
at Berkeley. She
stayed in Bali and
started a small
jewellery business
of her own, which,
owing to her talents
in analysis and
logistics, became
successful in its
own right. This
right-brain,
left-brain pair was
destined for one
another, and in
1989, their
professional
collaboration turned
out to be magical.
One of the keys to their success is that they have done
well by doing good: From the beginning, John and Cynthia's approach to
business has been about making jewellery while being respectful to
Bali's land, its environment, its people and its culture.
Like everything else in John and Cynthia’s life, it
became their mission to share with others the educational benefits that
they were fortunate enough to provide their children, and Green School
is the realization of that vision.
"We are building Green School to create a new paradigm
for learning. We want children to cultivate physical sensibilities that
will enable them to adapt and be capable in the world. We want children
to develop spiritual awareness and emotional intuition, and to encourage
them to be in awe of life's possibilities."
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