November 2025 Annual Campaign Letter

Dear Montessori Children’s House Community,

I have been enthralled by the magic of Montessori Children's House for years. Students make paper mache globes and paste on the continents they have perforated themselves. A chain showing the pattern of our number system is laid out for yards down the hall. The traditional, spirited singing of "Don't Let the Lights Go Out" by the student body never fails to capture my heart. Practical life activities, sensorial materials, cultural and natural science - everything beckons the child to explore, experience, and engage in tangible learning. I admit, the dazzling curriculum has often made me wish I were a child again, able to touch those beguiling materials in the classroom and make the connections.

The school looks different from when my daughter began in 1990. There have been many changes, yet the school has the same sparkle. There is still the hum of inventive activity everywhere. A stellar staff continues the dedicated work that has been happening at this school for 53 years. When I am looking for a meaningful conversation, I pop my head into the office to talk with the administrative team.

Imagine my delight when my daughter decided to enroll her daughter in MCH in 2017, as there was now a toddler room! With MCH's commitment to staff support, my granddaughter was able to transition from the toddler room into the very same room her mother had been in 27 years earlier, and I watched her grow in confidence just as her mother had.

The past few years have been a time of substantial growth for MCH, with new spaces opening up. With the addition of Casa Daycare, Osage House (grades 4-6), and White Pine Middle School (grades 7-9), this beloved school has truly become a campus. And to add to the campus setting, there is yet another new edifice that my granddaughter and I see when we head for the parking lot - an artsy shed transformed into a bodega-style market booth. The White Pine students are using it to sell their wares - everything from produce and plants they have grown, to crafts they have made, to food they have prepared. Students are learning production and economic skills needed for the marketplace. Growth indeed.

Through the years, I have witnessed the long-range vision that guides this school. Contributing to this growth is greatly needed and deeply appreciated. MCH now has an established endowment fund that will fully utilize any donation, whether monetary or in the form of a stock transfer. There have been, and will continue to be, profoundly meaningful ways that this support is manifested.

As we enter this season of gratitude and generosity, I hope you will consider making a gift to support Montessori Children’s House - its mission, its students, and its future. Your contribution ensures that the same magic, curiosity, and confidence that shaped our children will be available for generations to come.

I hope you, your family, and your friends enjoy wonderful holiday times.

Warmly,

Katherine (Kathy) Helma

P.S. Every gift - no matter the size - strengthens our endowment and directly supports the children and staff who make Montessori Children’s House extraordinary. Thank you for helping this community continue to thrive.

GROUNDED AND GROWING

Dear Friends,

We are so grateful your family is part of the MCH community! With your support-and through careful planning and saving over the years - as Kathy said, we have been able to bring several long-term dreams to fruition. Over the summer, we moved our Upper Elementary cohort to the newly acquired Osage House, right next door to our White Pine Middle School. In addition to The Casa, the expanded MCH campus now includes these three homes in a row on Bruce Avenue, all adjacent to and connected with the playground and with one another. This fall, the 4th-6th year students started the school year in their new home, making way for us to open a second toddler environment, the Juniper Room, in the school building for our youngest students.

In addition to this amazing growth, we've been tending to the roots as well. There's always infrastructure to maintain. We were finally able to re-roof the school building, replace aging fencelines, update parts of the heating system, and we are currently installing filtered water filling stations to stay on schedule for State-regulated compliance.

All of this - and there is always more to do! We are actively planning enhanced outdoor spaces to best meet the needs of the wide age range of children at play. This includes replacing older climbing installations and implementing thoughtfully designed spaces with safe, age-appropriate equipment for all .

Thank you again for your steady support of MCH and for helping us ensure the school remains vibrant, resilient, and ready to serve future generations of children for decades to come.