07/22/2026
In loving memory:
Susan Dawn Shilcock
1949-2005
Twenty-one years ago today, we lost my mom to her 20 year battle with Rheumatoid Arthritis. Not a day goes by that I don't miss her. At the same time, not a day goes by that I don't see her influence living on.
There are people who follow trends, and there are people who quietly shape the future long before the rest of the world catches up. My parents were the latter. Decades before homeschooling became widely accepted, they were pioneers in the movement of what we now call Partnership Education. They had the privilege of becoming friends with John Holt—often called the grandfather of homeschooling and unschooling—and shared his deep belief that young people learn best when their natural curiosity is trusted and nurtured. In Pennsylvania during the 1980s, my parents were among the dedicated advocates who worked tirelessly to help make homeschooling legal. Their work helped open doors for generations of homeschooling families across our state. What amazes me most is how far ahead of their time they were. They championed project-based learning, followed youth's interests instead of rigid curricula, believed in the power of authentic relationships, and valued a screen-free childhood centered on exploration, creativity, and real-world experiences decades before these ideas became educational buzzwords.
Leading a nonprofit was never easy. There were seasons of incredible success and seasons of real challenge. Through every high and low, they remained steadfast, choosing integrity over convenience and staying true to the values that first inspired their work. They never lost sight of why they started.
My mom had an extraordinary gift for seeing the good—in people, in situations, and in each day. She intentionally cultivated gratitude long before it became a popular practice. At 36, she was diagnosed with severe Rheumatoid Arthritis. Despite this crippling disease, she preserved a sense of gratitude, and extended this far beyond my childhood nuclear family. One of the traditions she started all those years ago was ending each program day with Appreciations, inviting everyone to pause, reflect, and recognize the goodness around them. Twenty-one years after her passing, and we still end every day at Cupola Academy that way. Every time the youth and staff at CA gather to share Appreciations, her spirit is there. Her gifts live on. This practice serves as a quiet, yet powerful ripple effect of her kindness.
The values my parents instilled in me throughout my childhood—curiosity, gratitude, integrity, kindness, community, and believing in the inherent goodness and potential of every person, aren't just cherished memories. They serve a bigger purpose as cornerstones of Cupola Academy. They shape the way we facilitate, the way we build relationships, and the kind of community Mike and I strive to create every single day. Cupola Academy was born out of those values. It exists because of the vision my parents lived every day: that education should honor the whole young person, cultivate wonder, and build meaningful partnerships between families and educators.
I feel incredibly blessed that Susan was my mom. I would give anything to have one more conversation with her, to tell her about my own three amazing children, as well as the beautiful community we've built at Cupola. I often still ask myself, "What would Mom do?" I miss her deeply, but I'm endlessly grateful that her legacy continues to touch so many lives. And I'm equally grateful that my dad, Peter, is still such an important part of the fabric of Cupola Academy today, whether it's working with young people in the wood shop, or showing up with a truck load of recycled items to repurpose.
It is one of the greatest honors of my life to carry forward the legacy they began. Mike and I work daily to continue building on the foundation they laid with the same courage, integrity, and unwavering belief that every youth deserves an education that inspires curiosity, purpose, and joy.
Today, in memory of my mom, I ask each of you who reads this to go out of your way to spread kindness. Imagine the positive ripple effect we can have on our world if we each cultivate a sense of gratitude, and consciously look for ways to demonstrate genuine kindness.
