Agnes 'Coppie' Short was the founder and first director of our shcool. She respected the uniqueness of each individual, child, family member and colleague and this compassionate respect permeated her feelings about nature. She was a leader in cooperative education on Long Island and incorporated Piaget's philosophy into her work, which supports the belief that children learn best by active involvement in first-hand experiences. Coppie's influence on our cooperative structure and curriculum lives on in our school community today, and we all continue to gain from her wisdom.