We recently had a chance to talk with Jon and Sara Sisenwien, parents of Ben and Emily, about their Watershed experience. Ben is in the 11th grade, Emily is in 9th, and they’ve both been at Watershed since 6th grade. Jon, a Realtor with Compass here in Boulder, is also the Co-Chair of the Watershed Parent’s Association. Sara is the Senior Director of Finance Operations at Binance.US. Here’s what they had to say about, “Why Watershed?” for their family!
Q: What made you choose Watershed for Ben and Emily? Tell us your Watershed story!
The public school system wasn’t working out for us. Our oldest child wasn’t thriving and wasn’t getting the kind of support we thought he needed to thrive. He was in large classrooms with too many distractions and a schedule with no room for reflection. We had heard about Watershed and had a feeling the experiential learning would be a better learning style for him. Not only was it beneficial, it turned out to be a game changer. Our daughter’s story was similar and she flourishes at Watershed, too. As a parent you often reflect on the choices you make for your kids and Watershed was/is the best decision we could have made.
Q: Tell us something you are particularly proud of your kids for?
The school helps kids gain a sense of accountability and independence. I have often said, my kids come home from their trips (i.e Orientation and May Term) a little different. Fears and apprehensions at departure yield to confidence and growth as individuals upon return. We’re so proud of them for welcoming these challenges and truly embracing them.
Q: What’s your favorite thing about Watershed School?
The way the school is preparing our children for real-world experiences by doing Work That Matters is truly amazing. Never have we heard them say, “I’m never going to use this in real life” - a common phrase in my house growing up.
Q: What do you think your kids would say their favorite thing about Watershed is?
May term for sure. The ability to travel with their classmates and explore new places (without their parents) is a highlight of every year.
Q: How would you describe the staff at Watershed?
Invested is the word that comes to mind. The teachers are fully invested in the full mission and vision of Watershed. Teachers are not just the kid’s teachers for a semester – they continue to work with the kids in multiple ways (trips, advisory, after school clubs, and classes) throughout their time at Watershed - allowing for a true relationship that spans up to seven years. That’s unique and really valuable for kids. As we get closer to having a Senior, having to choose who will be asked to write a Letter of Recommendation is a challenge - but not a bad problem to have.
Q: How would you describe Watershed to the parents of prospective students?
It's an intimate classroom setting enabling kids to be part of a community where their voice is heard and their needs are met. Of course it covers important content, but it is designed to be a hands-on experience paired with real world problems. For example - a class that covers math and science, asks a question about water resources in the West, then takes students to Rocky Mountain National Park to dig a hole in the snow to identify and measure layers in the snowpack to calculate how much water we will have for the year – Brilliant!
Q: What does being a Watershed parent mean to you?
It means investing in our greatest assets (our kids) to give them the tools they need and open the door to any path they choose – with confidence – to seek and tackle challenges with the proven ability to self-advocate and learn the content and skills as needed.
Q: Jon- you have been the Co-chair of the Watershed Parent Association (WPA) for three years now. What has being a part of the WPA meant to you?
What an amazing community Watershed offers its students and their families. The first time I attended a WPA Coffee I had no idea what to expect - only to find out these other parents had the same questions I did. They were engaged and all looking to provide their kids with the right tools to succeed. That was in September of 2017. I don’t think I’ve missed one since.
Q: What’s something you and your family enjoy doing outside of Watershed?
On any given day, you’ll find Ben, Sara and me at a CrossFit class. Not Emily’s cup of tea - but we travel quite a bit as a family, frequent Boulder’s restaurant scene, and break out the Monopoly board for some intense, yet healthy competition.
Q: Anything else you want to share?
As a product of a highly-rated public school system that allowed me [Jon] to fall through the cracks, I realized it didn’t have to be that way for my kids. Watching my kids thrive in this environment has been incredible. I sometimes wonder where we’d be if we hadn’t found Watershed - or if a school like this didn’t exist. Then I remind myself to focus on the future - the excitement of what’s to come. Sky’s the limit!
