Dear Fellow Montessorians,
November 22, 2017. As I prepare for the Thanksgiving holiday, always a time of joy and bounty for me and my family, I cannot help but reflect on the despair that so many others are still experiencing as a result of the devastation wrought by the late-summer hurricanes. At the same time, I am contemplating your extraordinary generosity in helping us to raise $65,511 for our Rebuild Your School Campaign, which will provide support.
Thanks to your open and giving hearts, all 15 schools that wrote to us requesting financial assistance with brick-and-mortar repairs for storm-related damage will be receiving an award from the funds raised through the campaign.
We launched Rebuild Your School immediately after Hurricane Harvey and then expanded it to include any Montessori school that was damaged by Hurricane Irma or Maria, regardless of whether or not it was an AMS member.
Applications for assistance came from schools in Florida, Puerto Rico, Texas, the British Virgin Islands, and St. Maarten—their stories touched my heart.
Our staff and board were affected, too, and we quickly agreed to kick off the campaign with a $10,000 matching grant. (We later added complimentary school memberships for all schools involved in the campaign, bringing our total contribution of funds and in-kind support to just over $26,000.)
Our longtime partner, Heutink USA/Nienhuis USA, also gave a $10K matching grant. The campaign was off to a strong start—and the momentum just kept building. All told, there were more than 120 “hits” to the donate button!
Lest you think the donors were “just” educators, parents, and organizations, that was not the case. For even children responded, including preschoolers who pooled their pennies and older students who held bake sales, crafts sales, and more.
What an extraordinary community we have! You are making the world a better place—and I am honored and privileged to be working alongside you.
Tomorrow, when we sit down to our Thanksgiving dinner, my family and I will be contemplating your generosity, and thinking about those who are struggling—including the Montessori schools to which we’ll be giving assistance. I know that my wife and children will join me in hopes that the repair work goes as swiftly and smoothly as possible,and that despite the travail, those who suffered devastation will find joy and comfort knowing that their wellbeing is important to me—and to you.
With gratitude and thanks,
Timothy J. Purnell, EdD
Chief Executive Officer AMS
Recipient Schools
- Academie de Montessori, Jacksonville, FL
- Century House Montessori School, Tortola, BVI
- Escuela Adrienne Serrano, Vieques, PR
- Escuela Jaime C. Rodríguez, Yabucoa, PR
- Escuela Juana Sánchez, Juncos, PR
- Escuela Santa Rosa III, Guaynabo, PR
- Island Montessori Academy, Marco Island, FL
- Juan Ponce de León Elemental, Guaynabo, PR
- Juana Colon High School, Comerio, PR
- Katy Islamic Academy, Houston, TX
- Kingwood Montessori School, Kingwood, TX
- Montessori Children’s House School, Cole Bay, ST M
- Montessori House Day School, Tampa, FL
- St. Maarten Montessori School, Lowlands, ST M
- Treasure Village Montessori Charter School, Islamorada, FL
Individual Donors
| Anonymous (7) | Kelly Marshall |
| Anita Albers | Holly McCormick |
| Jean Avecilla | Katherine McDonnell-Manson |
| Stacey Baird | Nicole Mead |
| Jane Bonus | Dale Mogaji |
| Julie Bragdon | Megan Myers |
| Karen Branum | Amanda Neill |
| Barbara Brittingham | Lori Northeim |
| Neus Carmona Saus | Susan Nunnari – In honor of Ruth E. Nunnari |
| Tamara Carr | Eva Parrucci |
| Sharon Clark | Wen Peele |
| Patricia Clawson | Clayton Petry |
| Marie Conti | Phyllis Povell |
| Kristine Cooper | The Purnell Family |
| Sharon Damore | Alice Pylko |
| Chanhui Dang | Kimberly Randall |
| Sarah Danielski | Jerry Richmond |
| Patricia Davis | Ginny Riga |
| Marie M. Dugan | Kathy Roemer |
| Nancy Dunn | Susan Ruiz |
| Deirdre Fennessy | Barb Scholtz |
| Chandra Fernando | Patricia Schulze |
| Ellen Firestone | Sarah Severson |
| Julie Gabrielse | Avisha Sharifi |
| Nareida Garcia | Cynthia Sherry |
| Lynette Goss – In honor of Fellow Teachers | Munir Shivji |
| Elizabeth Hedger | P. Donohue Shortridge |
| Priscilla Hicks | Jennifer Skiffington |
| Kristina Hunt | Susan Sloan |
| Susan Kambrich | Beverly Smith |
| Abbie Kelly | Nancy Smith |
| Diane Kelly | Bobbe Spink |
| Mitzie Kelly | Carol Starmack |
| Mary Ellen Kordas | Slayden Thomas |
| Marcy Krever | Laura Webb |
| Carla Koshi – In honor of Jackie Cooper | Julie Winnette – In memory of Bee Pape |
| Nancy Lindeman |
Organization Donors
| Amherst Montessori School | Montessori Center School |
| Athena Montessori Academy | Montessori Child Development Center |
| Bala House Montessori School | Montessori Children’s Academy – Miami, FL |
| Barrie School | Montessori Children’s Community – Sewickley, PA |
| Belfair Montessori Magnet School | Montessori Community School – Honolulu, HI |
| California Montessori Project Carmichael | Montessori Community School of Salt Lake |
| Cambridge Montessori School | Montessori Day School of Brooklyn |
| Carroll Creek Montessori Public Charter School | Montessori Education Center of the Rockies |
| Charles Ellis Montessori Academy | The Montessori School – Morrisville, PA |
| Children’s House Montessori School – Rye, NH | Montessori School of Franklin |
| Country Brook Montessori School | Montessori School of Huntsville – Hampton Cove |
| Country Montessori School | Montessori School of Pensacola |
| Countryside Montessori School | Montessori School of Westminster |
| Creative Montessori School | Montessori Teacher’s Association of Delaware |
| Discovery Garden Montessori School | Montgomery Montessori Institute |
| Dublin Montessori Academy | Mt. Lebanon Montessori School and Academy |
| Forest Bluff School | Nardin Montessori |
| Green Hedges School | New Discoveries Montessori Academy |
| Growing Light Montessori School | Quad City Montessori School |
| Hawthorne Montessori School | Resolute Digital Printing |
| Heutink USA/Nienhuis USA | Reston Montessori School |
| Hilltop Montessori School | Roots and Wings Montessori |
| International Montessori School | Sands Montessori School |
| Knoxville Montessori School | Southern Ute Indian Montessori Academy |
| Laramie Montessori School | SpringStone Montessori School |
| LePort Montessori – Broadlands | Summit Montessori Teacher Training Institute |
| Livonia Montessori School | Summit-Questa Montessori School |
| Madison Montessori School | Thacher Montessori School |
| Malta Montessori | Tuckahoe Montessori School |
| Manalapan Montessori | Village Montessori Center |
| The Marsh-Macmaken Family | The Village School |
| Metropolitan Montessori School | White Rock Montessori School |
| Miami Montessori School | Woodland Hill Montessori School |
| Montessori Academy of North Hoffman-Freeman |