Fresh

Alt Ed Austin’s theme for the year 2013 is Fresh. Inspired by the continuous flow of fresh ideas from Austin’s alternative educators, as well as the bountiful fresh food grown and enjoyed at so many of the schools, preschools, camps, and enrichment programs featured on this site, I’ve spent much of January freshening up around here, too.

See the new logo? Alt Ed Austin managed to operate for more than a year with only a name, but all along, I was mulling over potential graphic representations, unable to settle on a basic form that felt right. With the new year, I resolved to turn over a new leaf—so to speak—and get some professional help. My multitalented friend Marla Camp, a graphic artist and the publisher of Edible Austin, worked with me to create a logo that conveys, I believe, the spirit and state of transformative education in our community: fresh, organic, “green” in the best sense of the word, and full of possibility. Thank you, Marla!

When a special version of the new logo took its rightful place in the website banner, it demanded changes in the site’s color scheme, fonts, and so on. As in a home renovation, one thing led to another, and I ultimately redesigned Alt Ed Austin from top to bottom with a new template and a brighter, cleaner look. Many thanks to Sam Hollon for assistance with some of the trickier graphic aspects. I also did a bit of reorganizing for more intuitive navigation from the menu along the top. Please feel free to explore Alt Ed Austin 2.0 and contact me if you encounter any glitches or broken links. I welcome all feedback.

While you’re exploring, you may notice that our summer camp directory is back. It’s that time of year again (already!), and while some uber-on-the-ball families have begun signing up for their favorites, many camp directors are still working to finalize details. The current list is a short one, but I’ll be updating the page frequently as new and interesting camp announcements continue to roll in. If you don’t find what you’re looking for right away, check back every few days.

What else would you like to see included on the site or addressed on the blog? Are there programs that meet the Alt Ed Austin criteria but are not yet listed? Is there an educational model you’d like to read about in depth? Do you know someone who should contribute a guest post that all the world needs to read? Are you that someone? Let me know, either below in a comment or privately—and thanks for helping me keep it fresh!

Teri