Experience Extraordinary Education

SHALOM!  My name is Mason Duboff, and I'm a born and raised Miami Beach educator. I am converting a 1996 school bus into an eco-friendly, sustainable, modern Jewish MOBILE CLASSROOM. I invite you to JOIN the journey, as SKOOLIE SHABBAT comes to life! THE PROCESS! What have we TACKLED, so far??? Upon purchasing the bus, we immediately began removing an ENDLESS amount of screws. While it was quite the tedious task, about a month and 2000 screws later, MISSION COMPLETE!  We also had to take out the original subfloor, so that we could access the METAL chassis, to assess any rust issues, etc.  The frame had some rust, as expected, which we eliminated using an angle grinder and by sanding the entirety of the frame. We did encounter a decent sized hole, which we fixed by laying a piece of sheet metal down and screwing it into the frame.   OH, I almost forgot! We also pulled the panels off the walls and ceilings, and REMOVED the old, moldy, fiber glass insulation!!! Woohoo. It was an awful job, but we were proud once it was all said and done!   Pretty gross, huh??? Don't worry! We wore protective gear and followed strict safety guidelines!  After removing rust, fixing the hole, and pulling walls and ceilings, we applied multiple coats of both rust converter and rust inhibitor. Before our final (YELLOW) coat, we filled in EVERY SINGLE TEENY TINY pre-existing hole (from the original bus seats), and covered them with metal tape. Feeling pretty CONFIDENT, as far as rust and the frame are concerned!    NEXT UP! Insulation and subfloor!   After laying our subfloor, we had some unfortunate South Florida floods that ruined our work... so, with semi-broken hearts, and substantially set back as far as time goes, we had to lay fresh subfloor. NEXT UP...  we cut furring strips for the walls, in preparation for INSULATION... Because it is HOT OUTSIDE!!!    SLOWLY, BUT SURELY!!!   This bus, like myself, has watched endless numbers of tiny feet turn big, and neither of us are finished! I urge you to become a part of this communal experience by CONTRIBUTING TO GREATNESS and becoming a significant part of the transformation. It is time for this 21 year old hunk of metal to morph into a playground for EXPERIENCING EXTRAORDINARY EDUCATION! Wondering what's left to accomplish??? Check out the official SKOOLIE SHABBAT WISH LIST! SKOOLIE SHABBAT needs to get registered. Registration on a vehicle this size is $900. SKOOLIE SHABBAT needs AC! We need a rooftop, RV style AC unit! This can cost anywhere from $500-$750. SKOOLIE SHABBAT needs a COMPOSTING TOILET. The Nature's Head unit is $960, and well worth every penny. In the long run, the amount of WATER and MONEY saved will be far more than this hefty price tag! SKOOLIE SHABBAT needs REFRIGERATION! While we have been trying our very best to get certain things used and/or donated, we still have not had any luck with a refrigerator. Refrigerators are pricey. SKOOLIE SHABBAT needs POWER! We need a generator, and unfortunately the Dual Fuel Champion we are in the market for is a whopping $1100. SKOOLIE SHABBAT needs SOLAR!!! For those of you familiar with SOLAR POWER, you know it isn't cheap. While we hope to be off-grid eventually, we know that it will take some time before we are SOLAR SET!  $??? SKOOLIE SHABBAT needs PLUMBING. Not a terribly difficult process, though just like everything else, its a bit costly.  Water tanks will run us about $500, and thats before we begin running pipes. SKOOLIE SHABBAT needs a MAKEOVER! While a professional paint job can cost between $2000-$2500, we have opted to paint ourselves. Painting on our own will cost between $300-$500, and will save a TON! SKOOLIE SHABBAT needs a MECHANIC! We still haven't had a thorough check-up, and as most of you know, a thorough check-up is CRUCIAL before the start of a new school year! Not quite sure what a mechanics bill might run us... SKOOLIE SHABBAT needs an AV SYSTEM. For the past 15 years or so, I've spent a great deal of time dedicating myself not only to Jewish education, but specifically dedicating myself to Jewish music. That said, it is only appropriate that SKOOLIE SHABBAT has a great sound system, fully equipped to handle any and all Jewish musical occasions! Havdallah will never be the same!!! We have done ALL of the work on our own, thus far, which has been an incredible money saver. It has also been INCREDIBLY REWARDING.   I've been teaching in the Jewish Community for over 15 years, I've worked with more than a dozen synagogues, and like the schoolbus, I've watched thousands of little feet turn into big feet. I've traveled with hundreds of students, sharing Jewish adventures and experiences with the hopes of spreading my love of the religion. I've led prayer through song, both in the U.S. and in Israel, with the hopes of spreading my love of the text. I am ready for more. I am ready to share something BIGGER! At the same time, I have always dreamed of downsizing and have been exploring the possibilities of a more sustainable, environmentally-concious life where I would be reducing my carbon footprint. After months of research and planning, I decided that I would recycle an old Miami-Dade schoolbus, and convert it into an eco-friendly, off-grid, tiny house. It was at this moment that SKOOLIE SHABBAT was born. CHECK OUT OUR FLOOR PLAN... although it's changed quite a bit since this sketch!  I am creating a MOBILE CLASSROOM where you can be sure to EXPERIENCE EXTRAORDINARY EDUCATION! I am asking for your help! ALL contributions will be going towards the conversion of this off-grid mobile classroom experience! With exciting and unique programming, Skoolie Shabbat promises to deliver a hands-on, interactive, informal, Jewish, eco-friendly  MOBILE CLASSROOM like no other!  Rolling out 2019... I can not thank any of you enough for your contributions to greatness. They say it takes a village, and I couldn't ask for more amazing villagers! l'shalom,       Mason