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Dear
Pleasant Ridge Montessori Parents and Friends,
CONGRATULATIONS!
We all deserve to
celebrate how far we have come in creating a new home for learning
in Pleasant Ridge. All of us - parents, friends, volunteers, faculty
and staff - have worked hard this year to create something
important: a neighborhood school worthy of our kids. This year we
moved into our new building, welcomed Maria McDonough, our new
principal, solidified our Montessori faculty and a new generation of
students entered the year with a full all-school Montessori
curriculum in preschool through 6th grade.
We
have many successes to report:
- Enrollment
jumped 85% from 315 to 584 students and our teaching staff
increased from 18 to 33.
- All
of our PreK-6th teachers are either fully Montessori
trained or are in training with
Xavier
University
.
- Parent
involvement has increased exponentially. PTO membership has
increased, with 20 – 60 parents attending meetings regularly.
Hundreds of parents have attended school events.
- Parent
Volunteers log more than 300 hours per month in school support.
- Most
importantly, student performance has improved. While testing is
not the only indication of success, we are glad to say that our
Ohio Achievement Test pre-test results improved 19.1%,
from 53.2% in early fall to 72.3% in January!
Our progress is worth celebrating but our work is far from done.
Bringing a culture of excellence to a formerly failing school takes
time. Our vision is a school that reaches beyond the minimum
benchmarks for behavior and academics, a school that is on par with
any of the top elementary schools in our area.
Setting the
highest standards for achievement comes at a price. Our teachers
need money for materials – all our classrooms have beautiful
basics but many new classrooms need more to enrich and deepen the
learning experience. Further, as a neighborhood school we have a
responsibility to ensure that every child, regardless of means, has
necessary school supplies. That costs money.
That is
why concerned parents and friends formed The Pleasant Ridge
Montessori Foundation.
Schools can’t support top
programs on limited CPS funds alone. Other public schools such as
North Avondale, Kilgour, and
Fairview
raise more than fifty thousand dollars a year to augment their
programs. Private schools such as Nativity and The New School
routinely raise hundreds of thousands of dollars a year above and
beyond their tuition. We too need to give our teachers and students
the materials and opportunities that inspire them to do their best. We
need your help. We are asking you to support the PRM Foundation’s
first Annual
Fund Drive
.
To
Read More, Click Here . . .
To Donate
Securely online to the Annual Fund, Click Here
You can also send a check to:
Pleasant Ridge School Foundation
P.O. Box 36545
Cincinnati, OH 45236
WHAT IS IT, AND WHAT DOES IT DO?
The Pleasant Ridge School Foundation is a non-profit organization incorporated under Ohio Law. Federal status as a tax-exempt organization (501c3), so contributions will be tax deductible. The Foundation was formed in (2007) with a mission to support and promote high standards of academic achievements, arts, athletic performance, student enrichment, health and wellness at Pleasant Ridge Montessori.
HOW DO WE DO IT?
We raise money by applying for grants from public and private sources, indirect fundraising efforts, and gifts from individuals and organizations who want to support the school whether in cash, services or in-kind donations. The “we” means the members of the Foundation. Membership is open to interested community members: families or guardians of current students, school faculty and staff, alumni, local residents, business owners and friends of Pleasant Ridge Montessori. You don't have to be a member of the Foundation to help - the whole school and community is part of this effort.
WHAT DO WE DO WITH THE MONEY?
The Foundation reviews requests for funds from teachers, the principal, and anyone else with ideas for projects, needs for supplies or ways to enrich our students’ lives. Members of the Foundation's board review and vote on all proposals.
HOW IS THE FOUNDATION DIFFERENT FROM THE PTO?
The Foundation is a non-profit organization incorporated under Ohio Law. Federal status as a tax-exempt organization (501c3), so contributions will be tax deductible. Its function is solely to support the school financially. The PTO has a broader mission of communication between parents and the school, enhancing school unity, and creating connectivity within the school. The Foundation reaches out into the community, drawing support in to the school. Money donated to the Foundation will be placed either in a general fund, or allocated to special projects, as directed by the donors and/or the Foundation's board.
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