Greene Towne Montessori School2014•2015 Year in Review

Helena Grady: 10 Years and

Counting

Alumni Profiles

Annual Report of Gifts

2015 Auction

48th Kindergarten

Class

Letters and News

Ways to Make a Difference

“Every parent contributed in some way: registering students, leading a parenting workshop, building walls and furniture, painting classrooms, paying the tuition of a needy family…” – Portia Sperr

Left to right: Founding parents Mary Anne Hunter, Portia Sperr and Kaki Kriebel.Portia and Mary Anne both served as Greene Towne’s first administrators, initially as volunteers and then in an official capacity. When finding qualified Montessori teachers proved challenging, Portia, followed by Mary Anne, received Montessori certification to teach at Greene Towne. Kaki served throughout the early years as registrar, handling admissions and enrollment from her home. Today, these long-time friends still meet regularly.

Dear Greene Towne Community,

We recently met with three of Greene Towne’s founders, Portia Sperr, Mary Anne Hunter and Kaki Kriebel. What an interesting conversation! They told us about their vision in 1966 - to have their children attend a Montessori school in center city Philadelphia. As young urban parents, they boldly banded together with like-minded moms and dads and made the decision to open our school. Some of these founders even trained to be Montessori educators in order to make their vision a reality. Greene Towne began 49 years ago on the third floor of St. Clement’s Church on Appletree Street with 25 students—full enrollment with a waiting list!

Listening to their stories and reflections, it became clear that their values continue to live on in our current community—the importance of quality early childhood Montessori education, diversity and inclusiveness in our family community, dedication, volunteerism and commitment.

Nearly fifty years later, Greene Towne’s mission remains consistent: to provide a stimulating learning environment for young children, consistent with the values and principles developed by Dr. Maria Montessori, and within a diverse and inclusive school community. At Greene Towne, children develop skills and self-assurance that lead to a lifetime of learning.

As Greene Towne has grown, the same foundation of volunteerism and giving are essential to our community. Our present Toddler, Primary and All Day Montessori programs, as well as our two facilities on Arch Street, are the direct realization of the vision, dedicated work, and commitment of countless volunteers and donors, partnering with Board members, faculty and staff.

As we begin our 2015-16 school year, we gratefully recognize and give thanks for contributions from you. Your gifts to the 2014-2015 Annual Fund, ranging from $1 to $2000, have all made a difference for the students.

Each gift helps us to continue our founders’ vision by funding faculty training, financial aid, special programs and supplementing and replacing the unique classroom materials Greene Towne students use every day.

During this school year, we start work on our next strategic plan and chart a path for Greene Towne’s next decade. We are also busy making plans to celebrate our school’s 50th anniversary in 2016-17. As Greene Towne continues to grow and thrive, we are excited about the possibilities that lie ahead. What are your dreams for Greene Towne? We’d love to hear them.

Please join our Board and Staff with their 100% participation in Annual Giving. It is the easiest and most impactful way to support Greene Towne. To make a contribution, log onto gtms.org and click on "Support Us", or return the enclosed gift envelope. Also inquire with your employer about Matching Gift programs, which can exponentially increase your contribution to Greene Towne. Finally, please learn more about supporting Greene Towne through Pennsylvania’s EITC (Educational Improvement Tax Credit) program. Details are located within this publication. Thank you for your partnership.

With warm regards,

Marnie Simon Helena GradyPresident of the Board of Trustees Head of School

Message from the President of the Board of Trustees and Head of School

The 48th Kindergarten class of Greene Towne was the LARGEST in our school’s history!

The 31 members of this class are attending

18 different schools in 2015-2016

on 3 continents.

10 members of the Class of 2015 have older siblings who completed Kindergarten at Greene Towne. Pictured left to right: Adam and Nicholas (‘13) Attanasio; Lucy (‘12) and Quin Yannella; Darian and Ariana (‘13) Pavri; Max (‘09), Maddie (‘12) and Lucas Daniel; Leah (‘12) and Rachel Cornejo; Cal and Finn (‘13) Tierney; Margaux and Dabney (‘11) Baum; Lachlan, Taylor (‘10), and Avery (‘12) Peterson. In circles: Clara and Josie (‘13) Buller and Philomena and Mark (‘13) Stendardo.

“I like to do the Addition Strip Board; it’s really fun math work.”

9 members of the Class of 2015 completed 4 years in their Primary classroom.Back row l to r: Alexandra Brown, Amelia Marsano, Margaux Baum, Clara Buller, Isabel Mukerjee, Anika Chandra. Front row l to r: Darian Pavri, Lucas Daniel, Adam Attanasio.

“Greene Towne is a good school and you get to learn a lot; that’s from my experience. I learned how to count by 8s and 7s and 5s by doing the chains.”

13 members of the Class of 2015 started in the Toddler House; 6 of them attended Greene Towne for 5 years. Back row l to r: Quin Yannella, Lachlan Peterson*, Misha Bullinga, Cal Tierney, Lucas Daniel*, Clara Buller*, Alexandra Pierce, Rachel Cornejo. Front row l to r: Margaux Baum*, Soren Perrine*, Peter Buonadonna*, Zoe Gibson-Johnson, Harry Tas. *5 years at Greene Towne

“I wouldn’t change anything about Greene Towne!”

“Biggest accomplishment: Reading. I like reading.”

“My favorite thing about Greene Towne is my friends.”

Whether reading to Toddlers, serving lemonade, helping younger classmates, packing Thanksgiving food drive donations, creating works of art, tending our neighborhood street trees, writing a thank you letter, performing for grandparents, or visiting a local museum, Kindergarteners at Greene Towne are leaders; mastering Montessori work, participating in community service, trying foods from around the world, and sometimes coming up with new school traditions. This year Amelia Marsano approached Ms. Grady with an idea for a day when everyone could come to school with messy hair. A new tradition was born and we look forward to continuing it in the years ahead.

The first time Anne Hunter was interviewed for a Greene Towne publication was in 1970; she was 5-years-old. That year Norma Marino and Nancy Wood were teaching 11 boys and girls in the newly established afternoon “extended session” for kindergarten-aged students. Quoted in the March, 1970 Greene Towner*, Anne “gave assurance that the class was a success. Everything begins, she explained, with lunchboxes, which may not be part of the regular Montessori equipment, but which make their own impression, obviously. ‘Elizabeth has Batman; Billy and Daniel have Peanuts; Marty and Stephen have Snoopy; Jamie, Brad and I have Yellow Submarines; Lauren has a Glamour Girl; Cathy has a plaid cover; and Charlie has Gentle Ben**. We make placemats (out of paper towels) and push tables together and clean up afterwards.’ End of interview with Miss Hunter.” Today, Anne lives in Mt. Airy with her partner, Wendy Wiese, and their daughter, Kate, an 8th grader at Springside-Chestnut Hill Academy. Anne wanted to send Kate to Greene Towne when she was little and, with parents who were among the school’s founders, she recalls “the familial pressure was high.” She regrets that living in Mt. Airy and maintaining an active medical practice in Chestnut Hill would have made the twice daily trip to Center City unfeasible.

French native, Elizabeth Tercer, was Anne’s first teacher at Greene Towne. She taught the children a few French words and some English words with a strong French accent. Anne’s mother, Mary Anne Hunter, recalls her coming home from school very excited about something new she had learned, “Anne kept saying ‘osetkraly’ and I couldn’t figure out what she was saying. I finally realized she was saying ‘Australia’ in French!” Anne enjoys this story and all of her memories of Greene Towne, like loving the big staircase in the church Greene Towne was housed in from 1966 until 2001. “We had mats to sit on at circle and I remember being able to do things that I wanted to do: pouring; continent work; the rods, the red ones and the red and blue ones; land and water forms, they were in cookie pans; and the beads. I’m definitely a numbers person, I loved counting!”

Anne has so many fond memories of growing up in Center City in the 1960’s and 70’s and the opportunities it afforded her and her friends. It was a time of great social change and a generation of young urbanites were enacting new resolutions to age-old social injustices. Anne’s parents, Mary Anne and Jack, both Quakers, were committed to raising their children in a diverse, inclusive, and equitable community - values that greatly influenced all of Greene Towne’s founding families. “I never felt like there was anything I couldn’t do if I wanted it. It was a time of alternative approaches. The people around me, my parents and their friends, worked hard to create a community in Center City.” Rallied by Portia and Otto Sperr to found a Montessori school, they also supported Portia in establishing the Please Touch Museum 10 years later. “My parents cared so much about education. They showed me what you

could do. When something didn’t work for us, they changed it. We learned we should do the things we like and that we can try anything.”

After Greene Towne Anne attended her neighborhood public school, Durham Development Center for 1st-5th grades; then AMY, Alternative Middle Years, for 6th through 8th grades. “Durham had an experimental open classroom which was multi-age so it was very much like the Montessori classroom I was familiar with.” Anne recalls. “AMY required a test to get in and had students from all over the city.” After AMY, she attended the George School, a Quaker boarding school in Bucks County.

As college approached, Anne considered many career paths: architecture, engineering, and medicine. She felt any of these suited her skills, “I’m a very kinesthetic, hands on learner. Thanks to Montessori, I

have great spatial ability and finger dexterity.” Anne enrolled at The University of Pennsylvania

as a pre-med student but “didn’t like the cut-throat environment.” Instead, she pursued a degree in

Sociology, a holistic blend of the sciences and humanities. After graduating and working as an analyst for a company

developing HMOs, Anne couldn’t resist the call to help people and she returned to Penn for pre-med and then the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine for her DO degree. “Osteopathic medicine is focused on the whole person. The Montessori and Quaker philosophies are holistic too. My parents worked to make Center City a better place to live; my goal is to make medicine a better experience.” Anne’s medical practice reflects her holistic foundations and approach to life. “I teach residents and in my family practice I see families and patients of all ages.” She is immersed in “the whole cycle of life, birth to death. I am really focused on caring for patients, helping people feel better.”

Between her active medical practice, teaching, and parenting a teenager, Anne is busy. In her free time she enjoys attending Kate’s athletic and school activities, reading, and gardening. Anne stays in touch with the Kriebel family, another one of Greene Towne’s founding families.

*The Greene Towner was a publication written and edited by parent volunteers. This issue was edited by Mrs. Lindley Winston with contributors Mrs. Arthur Bretnall, Mrs. William Spawn, and Mrs. Carter Zeleznik.

** Students in the extended session with Anne were: Elizabeth Kavaler, Billy Holmes, Daniel Winston, Marty Hildebrand, Stephen Field, Jamie Kriebel, Brad Goldfarb, Lauren O’Leary, Cathy Lazorko, and Charlie Unkefer.

Anne in 1968 (below) and today.

“I grew up knowing how important pre-school is; it’s when the brain is being

formed. Montessori was the perfect place for me to start my educational

career. It’s where I built a framework for how to think.”

Alumni Profiles

When Musa Brooker was 5-years-old, he told Anne Arfaa, “In school I like to play with Adrian and John. And I like to play with the thousand chain. After school, I like to look at cartoons and at Sesame Street.” When Musa recently read this quote from 1978 on Greene Towne’s Facebook page, he remarked “I guess the whole watching cartoons thing worked out well!” Today, Musa (that’s “Moo-say”) is an accomplished Los Angeles based stop motion animator, director, and producer. Musa collaborates with a broad assortment of commercial and independent film makers, musicians, and creative colleagues to create quality hand crafted animation. His varied credits include the holiday classic, Elf; series such as Tumble Leaf, Robot Chicken, and SpongeBob SquarePants; ads for Google, McDonalds, Honda, and Bacardi; and music videos for Foo Fighters, Jane’s Addiction, The Raconteurs, and Plain White T’s. Musa is also an educator, teaching in the John C. Hench Division of Animation and Digital Arts at University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts. Whether teaching, directing a big production or producing a small labor of love, Musa approaches each project with a respect and appreciation for the beauty and rich diversity of creative opportunities stop motion animation affords. Maria Kaminstein was Musa’s teacher in his first year at Greene Towne, when he was 3-years-old. She recalls that Musa didn’t want anything to do with art, painting or drawing, which she took note of because Musa’s dad, Moe Brooker, is an artist. Maria remembers having to make Musa do a painting for the end-of-year art show. He thinks that is so funny considering where he ended up. He must not have minded because today the art fair is among Musa’s fondest memories of Greene Towne. “I remember the art fair when all the kids made paintings and hung them up. I couldn't remember what it was called until a friend reminded me, but I do remember the 1000 chain and being excited to use it. I remember the desks with circles and the church we were in. I have really fond memories of the church, the hardwood floors, the openness and that the classroom was very colorful. The colors and beauty of the classroom stand out most. We had graham crackers for snack and even now every time I eat a graham cracker, I think of Greene Towne.” Musa’s mom, Virginia, is a retired school teacher. “My parents saw the value of a Montessori education and we lived nearby; it was the perfect match.” After Greene Towne, Musa attended Friends’ Central School in Wynnewood along with other Greene Towners, Tori Curl Wolgin, Forrest Curl, Walker Gilmore and Alec and Russell Stevens. After graduating from FCS, Musa earned his BFA in Animation from University of the Arts in Philadelphia and an MFA in Experimental Animation from California Institute of the Arts where he was a Jacob K. Javitz Fellow. “I studied all forms of animation in school, 2D, 3D, and CGI but when I was working at MTV as a layout artist they had a show using stop motion and I started doing that and fell in love with it. Stop motion animation is physical and concrete but it’s still animation.”

Musa notes that his work in animation is spatial, very dimensional and hands on. All qualities that one finds in the Montessori materials. “Knowing what I do about Montessori, I see how my experiences in that environment affect me to this day. In my professional work and even personally, I enjoy talking to people of different ages. I work

with students, veteran animators, and people new to the industry and I find it very easy to interact with them, just like in the mixed age Montessori class.” In his own classroom at USC, Musa talks a lot with his students about freedom within limits; “That comes from Montessori too. Having limitations and boundaries in the creative process helps focus the work. When I give my students boundaries I find I get better work from them.”

When we caught up with Musa this summer he was just wrapping up shooting his latest project, directing and overseeing production of the new Bratz web series for Stoopid Buddy Stoodios, the creators and producers of Robot Chicken. Musa was excited to work on this project because the new series takes these formerly controversial dolls and makes them an engine for good, emphasizing friendship, positivity and empowerment for women and girls, encouraging individuality and addressing modern-day challenges like video game addiction. “There are 10 episodes, giving us time to develop the characters and their personalities. The new generation of Bratz are creative and contemporary, engaging in urban farming and crafting, and they really think for themselves.” Above all, Musa remembers having lots of fun at Greene Towne. “When I look at the class photos on Facebook I remember a lot of those faces. I’m still friends with Krista Ruane, who is an artist and a chef. Walker Gilmore too. We all went to Friends’ Central with Tori and Forrest, Alec Stevens as well; we’re still Facebook friends. Greene Towne gave me life-long friends. Knowing that it's where my education started I see that it set me on the right path to combine work in a creative field with the responsibility needed for the business side. It provided me the opportunity to learn how to solve problems in my own time frame and to work collaboratively with others.” “By 5-years-old I knew I wanted to work in cartoons and animation. I feel incredibly fortunate that I actually get to do that every day.” You can view a sampling of Musa’s projects at platypuspictureworks.com.

Musa in 1978 and today.

“The heart of what I do is telling stories, whether comical or serious; it’s evoking emotions. I like telling stories and the

problem solving that comes with telling the story through animation. I especially like the tactile nature of stop motion, touching

an actual, physical thing. There’s something crafty about it that I really enjoy.”

Letters and News

June 10, 2015 To all the wonderful dedicated people who work to make Greene Towne School so very special- Thanks so much for giving our three sons, Kert, Eric, and Geoff such a great start. They were in the early classes in the late sixties and early seventies. Actually, Kert was in the first class with Oona Sperr. Enclosed is a small token of our appreciation. Sincerely, Roland “Rody” Davies and Margaret “Peggy” Davies

P.S. When we came to the open house a few years ago, Toddler assistant, Patty, asked me for this recipe. I had told her how much Norma Marino’s students enjoyed making it. It’s so easy and delicious! We and our boys and their children still make it whenever we want or need a quick, delicious dessert. Hope you all enjoy sharing it with today’s Greene Towners.

Ms. Norma Marino’s Puddle Cake

Set oven temperature at 350 degrees.Mix the following ingredients together in an 8 x 8 ungreased pan. 1½ cups flour1 cup sugar5 Tbsps. cocoa ½ tsp. salt1 tsp. of baking sodaStir well to mix. Then make craters in the mixture. 

Put the following in a tight lid fitting jar and shake to mix:6 Tbsps. of vegetable oil, such as Canola, Safflower2 Tbsps. of cider vinegar 1 tsp. vanilla Pour this in the craters to create puddles.Slowly pour 1 cup of cold water over the cake mixture in the pan. Stir it well, until all the ingredients are well mixed.Check the corners of the pan. All the flour/cocoa mixture should be wet. Put pan in heated oven. Bake for 25 minutes.Check by inserting toothpick in cake to be sure that it is done. If toothpick has any wet cake dough on it, the cake is not done.Bake it for a few more minutes and try another clean toothpick.Do this until the toothpick is completely dry, as if it had not been used, but don’t overcook. The cake should be moist. This is great to make with very young children and the Davies family recommends serving it with vanilla ice cream.

We spoke to Peggy recently to thank her for the Davies’ sustained support of Greene Towne through the years and for sharing this recipe. She recalled the occasion of her birthday, when her son, Geoff, was just 5-years-old. She came downstairs for breakfast and Geoff was making this cake for her!

7-year-old Rana Roosevelt, a member of the 46th Kindergarten class of Greene Towne, stopped by one day in April with her bus buddy and former classmate, Simone Leapheart, 47th Kindergarten class. Rana stepped into the East campus lobby, took a big whiff, and sighed dreamily. Less than an hour later, she returned to school with this note describing her experience.

John Broomall and Anne Arfaa were together again this spring when Anne was back substitute teaching for Michelle Pysher. Anne, a Montessori mom herself and one of many parents that helped Greene Towne get started in the mid-1960s, taught at Greene Towne in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The 2014-15 school year marked John’s 40th year teaching music at Greene Towne.

*Manasory is Rana’s phonetic spelling of Montessori

Congratulations!Michelle and Mike Pysher on the birth of Olivia Blake, born March 17, 2015.

Laura Connor and Steve Gilhool on the birth of Ever Rose, born April 26, 2015.

Photos throughout this report provided by: Lindsay Browning, Anna Chandra, Erika Goldberg, Emily Grant, Mary Anne Hunter, Nicole and Simone Leapheart, Anna Tas and all of the Greene Towne classroom teachers.

10 years ago, Helena Grady joined the Greene Towne community as new Head of School.

At the start of the 2005-2006 school year, 2121 Arch Street was still “our new home;” we were still recovering the loss of Mark Ross, Head of School 2002-2004; Alan Craig was wrapping up as Interim Head of School; and the very first Greene Towne class of Toddlers were Kindergarteners!

On the occasion of this anniversary, Ms. Grady answers questions from some of our Class of 2015 Kindergarteners and we look back at these last 10 years and how much Greene Towne has grown under Ms. Grady’s stewardship.

2005-2006: Enrollment 115Lynn Karoly, Board President· Ms. Grady takes the helm as Greene Towne Head of School· Strategic Plan completed and Mission Statement written· Director of Finance hired· Educational Improvement Tax Credit program begins

2006-2007: Enrollment 118Frank Paiva, Board President· Greene Towne Celebrates 40th Anniversary!· Plans for Toddler expansion begin· School website is expanded· Whole school database system adopted

Looking backon 10 years

2007-2008: Enrollment 128· Toddler House moves to new location on Croskey Street, adding a 2nd Toddler classroom· American Montessori Association (AMS) Accreditation completed · Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools (PAIS) Accreditation: Greene Towne is awarded a 10 year accreditation, a rare accomplishment for 1st time applicants

2008-2009: Enrollment 128Rachel Mirage, Board President· East campus Play deck resurfaced· New website launched· Teacher web pages launched· Ms. Grady joins PAIS Accreditation Commission

2009-2010: Enrollment 128· Greene Towne Calendar begun· Diversity and Programming Committee expands role· Michelle Nowacky completes Montessori Toddler Certification

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Harry asked, “What's your favorite thing to do at your job at Greene Towne?” My favorite thing is to observe the students at work or play and I love to find out what students are thinking.

And “What would you like to do if you were not at Greene Towne?” I would like to have an art studio and paint and paint and paint.

I also like to swim and kayak - outdoors things.

Alexandra P. wondered, “Can there be crazy shoe day at Greene Towne?” What an interesting idea! I'd like to hear more about it and what it would mean and how we can be sure that the shoes would be safe to wear. We do have "Pajama Day" and "Crazy Hair Day" and maybe ...!

Elsa wanted to know “how Ms. Grady gets to work, how long she is at the office and whether it is a difficult or easy job!”I often walk to work and home or I take the bus. Every once in a while I drive. As you know, I live very close to

Greene Towne and right around the block from you. I like to be in my office early - 7:15 or so - but sometimes I walk in at 8! I stay until 4 or 6 or later depending on the day and

what needs to be done. On Fridays, I like to leave by 4! The job has difficult parts to it but the best part is to be with students like you. I really enjoy talking to all of the students, especially the Kindergarteners.

Questions for Ms. Grady

2014-2015: Enrollment 174Marnie Simon, Board President· Brandon Och begins Montessori Primary Certification· Director of Development position established· Board of Directors becomes Board of Trustees· Diversity and Programming Committee becomes the Greene Towne Parent Association· Strategic Plan begun, to finish 2015-16 school year· Plans for Greene Towne’s 50th Anniversary begin!

2010-2011: Enrollment 128Bill Burnett, Board President· Strategic Plan initiated and completed· Toddler & Primary Coordinator positions established· Faculty & Staff Handbook re-written

2011-2012: Enrollment 128· Toddler House expands to include indoor movement area· Plans for new Primary All-Day Montessori community begin· Neepa Dhar completes AMS Montessori Primary Certification· Ms. Grady teaches in Montessori Primary Certification program at Chestnut Hill College · Greene Towne is on Facebook

2012-2013: Enrollment 144Kevin Baum, Board President· New play structures on East campus roof top and in West campus courtyard· New Primary ADM classroom opens at East campus with 14 children· Ms. Grady joins PAIS Board of Trustees· We celebrate Jean Prestas’ 25 years teaching at Greene Towne · We include “Montessori” in our school name

2013-2014: Enrollment 166· West campusexpansion:Primary ADM moves to West and a 3rd Toddler classroom opens· Following record rain fall and ensuing flood, West classrooms are relocated to East campus and Friends Select School· Assistant Head of School position established· New Roof at East campus· Patrick Sutch completes Montessori Toddler Certification

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

The unique Montessori materials are intentionally designed and carefully crafted to give children a foundation for further learning. Find out more about how these high quality materials are used by your child in starting a lifetime of learning.

The extensive set of BEAD MATERIALS and CHAINS teaches composition of teen numbers; addition, subtraction, and multiplication; and the exercises of linear and skip-counting the quantities of the squares and cubes of the numbers 1-10. It prepares the young child for later activities in multiplication, squaring and cubing, as well as base number work.

The PINK TOWER consists of ten wooden cubes in increasing increments from 1 cm3 to 1000 cm3 and is designed to be appealing to children in the Montessori classroom. The material isolates the quality of size, and prepares children for many mathematical concepts including Algebra. The cubes develop visual discrimination of size in 3 dimensions. Exploration with this material prepares the child for mathematical concepts in the decimal system, geometry and volume. Handling the varying sizes and weights of the cubes helps the child to develop large and fine motor skills, as well as providing a kinesthetic experience of the concept of size and gradation.

The series of rectangular prisms making up the BROWN STAIR demonstrate to the child the change in width (breadth), while the length remains constant. Practice with the Brown Stair indirectly prepares the child for concepts in plane geometry, area and volume. As with the pink tower, the size and weight of the prisms contributes to the child’s large and fine motor development. The prisms are crafted in precise progressions from 1 x 1 x 20 cm to 10 x 10 x 20 cm.

Through a variety of activities with the PUZZLE MAPS, children begin to build their knowledge of world geography. The youngest Primary students use the maps as puzzles, developing their pincer grasp when holding the knobs to place each piece on a control map. As the child’s pencil skills develop, she will trace, carefully color in, and eventually label each state or country in the map. The specially designed knobs on each puzzle piece are positioned on the location of the capitals of the countries and states.

The MOVEABLE ALPHABET prepares children for writing and reading. The letters help the child with the analysis and exploration of the language known to him and to reproduce words with graphic symbols. Dr. Montessori realized that children have the mental capacity to analyze the sounds in words (what we do when we write), before they can synthesize the words (how we read.) 

Replacement costs of just a few of the materials in Greene Towne’s Montessori classrooms:PINK TOWER $167 BROWN STAIR $160 BEAD CABINET and CHAINS $1,593 WORLD MAPS and CABINET $1,413 MOVEABLE ALPHABET and TRAY $212.

Anniversary Club $1,966 and aboveAnne and Scott DeitzAleni Pappas and Anthony Kyriakakis

Sustainers$1,000 - $1,965Heather and Kevin BaumJennifer Khoury Newcomb and Andrew NewcombYuli Kim and Stephen GardnerJudy and Peter LeoneJody and David NazarianChristina and Michael PetersonJoanne and Mark SettelenMarnie Simon and Jeff PorterAnna and Menno Tas

Patrons$500 – $999Coco Ban and Ali KuzuAlberta and Derick BrennanAmanda and Bradley CooperRebecca and Luis CornejoNadia and Matt DanielArati Desai and Rajat DeoElizabeth and Michael EaglesRushika Fernando and Adrian IronsideColleen Halfpenny and Allen HoBeata and Kostantinos MacosMimi and Jim McKenzieNatalie and Chris NageleNancy Ogassawala and Renato MonteiroJennifer Parish and J. Paris PierceWendy and Derek Pew FoundationMary Pisculli and Chris FarrellPatricia Riffo and Michael YoungKeiran Rump and John OreficeBeth and Jay StrockMarie and Brett Wright

Benefactors$200 – $499Jane and James AllsoppBridget and Kevin BarberJanuary Bartle and Stephen StarrNella Bloom and Andrew SeabergMargaret and Francis BreslinMegan and Tyler BrodyChrissy and Michael BrownAnahita Deboo and Cavas PavriRachel Gross and H.P. BakerRose HaganKristiana Harkna and Garrett RiemanMaia Jachimowicz and Jeremy SpiegelNancy and Daniel KilpatrickFelicia Lewis and Kermit RooseveltFernanda and Jonathan LiuKarin McGrath Dunn and Michael DunnAndrea and Brian OhtaSuzan and Frank PaivaSheila and Lawrence ParishGene and Bob PratterPaige Pratter and Aaron PerrineOlivia and Timothy RabeKanchan Rai and Sunil MulaniJoan RainerKarina and David ReuterNicole Rosenblum and James WholeyMelissa Sanchez and Christopher DiffeeDianne and Chris SanjenisPam and Tony SchneiderJenna Shanis and Steven JaffeJessica and David SharpApril Trissel and Phil YannellaAnne and Robert Woodcock

Sponsors $100 – $199Elizabeth and James AsaliMichele and David BloovmanAmber and Pierce BullerAnna and Pranav ChandraJulie and Tim Collins

Maryann Connolly and Lyle UngarJennifer Coulter and Kim Bistrong Jennifer and John CurryCasey and Michael DeBaeckeMaria and Frank DeFazioJulia and Igor FraymanEmily and Todd GrantNydia Han and Dennis ReillyEvelyn and Larry KrainMelissa Margolis and Lauren EntrekinAmy and Chris MarvinPricila Maziero and Anderson SchneiderRachel and Jim MirageAmanda Parlett and Gus PelagattiElizabeth Racheva and Danail RachevPriscilla and Kermit RooseveltAbigail Saggi and Martin HershenzonDiane and Josh SchwartzShital and Nilesh ShethVivian Su and Kevin RasmussenMary Jo Ward and Zweli Tunyiswa

FriendsGifts - $99Nicole Amoroso and Pier Nicola D’AmicoAnita and Barry Bloovman Sonia BorishKatie and Julius BrownErin and Pete BuonadonnaAmy and David ChoulesGerry DardenMargaret and Roland DaviesAmy and Grant GiesekeLucille and Morris LeapheartSuzanne and Marshall LeeDorothy Leung and Robert MichelettiTheresa LipinksiJennifer O’Leary and Peter LeeJoan and Hiram OhtaMichelle and Mike PysherLisa Schwartz and Jason SylvesterShana and Rasesh ShahPortia SperrMichelle and Barry Walker

Annual Giving

2014•2015We have taken care to provide an accurate donor list. Please notify us of any errors or omissions so that we may correct our records.

Donations made from July 1, 2014 to June 30, 2015We gratefully recognize the following gifts from the

Greene Towne community. Your contributions totaled $36,696.

100% of the Board of Trustees and Staff participated in Annual Giving, and 54% of current parents made gifts.

Thank you all for your support!

We also appreciate the continued support of alumni, alumni parents, grandparents, and former staff members

2014-15 Board of Trustees 100% participation Marnie Simon, PresidentKevin Baum, Vice-PresidentNancy Kilpatrick, TreasurerPaige Pratter, SecretaryAmber BullerAmanda CooperRebecca CornejoJennifer FlaynikRose HaganMaia JachimowiczBeata MacosKarin McGrath DunnMark SettelenMenno Tas

2014-15 Faculty and Staff100% participation Holly Bailey Patty Bebee Katie Brown Erin Buonadonna Bonnie Clark Laura Connor Jennifer Coulter Alexis Crum Neepa Dhar

Justin Donner Erika Goldberg Helena Grady Tychelle Graham Emily Grant Michele Harmond Ed Kalesse Gina Kalesse Maria Kaminstein Donna Kyle Nicole Leapheart Carl LevieRomina MartinezAnna MatsukevichDesiree McNeillDiana MousetisZuri MusadMichelle NowackyBrandon OchJamie PeterafJean PrestasStephanie PulleyMichelle PysherSydney RotterCherise SistrunkCarly StearnsPatrick SutchJen Tullai

Dominique WellsJasmine WhittAndi WingertJen Wollman

Corporations (Matching Gifts)*Edison InternationalFMC CorporationGlaxoSmithKlineMicrosoftVerizon

United Way*Heather and Kevin BaumNella Bloom and Andrew SeabergAmanda and Bradley Cooper Felicia Lewis and Kermit RooseveltJennifer O’Leary and Peter LeeApril Trissel and Phil Yannella

*Please note that reporting of Matching Gifts and United Way gifts may be delayed.

Retail PartnershipsAmazon SmileTarget Take Charge of Education

Greene Towne Montessori SchoolFiscal Year 2014-2015

Summer Programs2%

Fundraising(Annual Giving & Auction)3% Other

2%

Revenue Expenses

Tuition & Fees93%

Facilities, Maintenance & Repairs9%

Financial Aid5%

Classroom Supplies2%

Other7%

Salaries, Benefits & Professional Development77%

Like all independent schools, Greene Towne relies on strong voluntary giving. With each contribution, we have more resources to fund and sustain the high caliber of our Montessori programs, classroom materials, professional staff, and facilities. Further, providing tuition assistance for families in need has always been a priority at Greene Towne. Annual Giving makes all of this possible.Your gift to the Annual Fund leaves a permanent imprint on the Greene Towne community. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.

ANNUAL GIVING: Please make a tax deductible gift by cash, check or credit card by returning the enclosed envelope or log on to www.gtms.org/support-us. Gifts can be made in recurring installments over time.

MATCHING GIFTS: Does your employer offer a Matching Gift program? If so, you could double or triple your donation to Greene Towne. Please contact your employer for required paperwork. In 2014-15, 2.5% of our Annual Giving total came from Matching Gifts.

EITC: Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program allows businesses in the commonwealth to earn a tax credit of up to 90% for certain taxes when they make a charitable donation to an educational organization such as Greene Towne. The application process is simple but timely compliance with the July 1st application date and deadline is required. To learn more, please contact Bonnie Clark, Director of Development at 215-563-6368.

7 ways to support every Greene Towne child’s start to a lifetime of learning

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AUCTION: Greene Towne’s Annual Auction has been a

beloved community event and fundraiser for the past 29 years! Our tremendous thanks to Auction co-chairs Natalie Nagele and Aleni Pappas and the dedicated team of Greene Towne parents and staff who gave their time, talent and expertise to make the event a success. There are many ways to get involved: volunteer, help procure donations, sponsor the event, advertise in the program and of course, purchase tickets.

RETAIL PARTNERSHIP: Do you shop at Target and are you a Red Card holder? Please participate in the “Take Charge of Education” program. Designate Greene Towne to receive a donation of 1% of your purchases. Sign up at www-secure.target.com/redcard/tcoe/home.

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UNITED WAY: Greene Towne participates in the United Way Donor Option program. Our Donor Option

Code is 03898.

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Amazon customers can also support Greene Towne through the “Amazon Smile” program. Navigate to www.smile.amazon.com and designate Greene Towne to receive a donation of 0.5% of eligible purchases.

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VOLUNTEER: Volunteering enriches our community and is crucial to the success of many programs. All Greene Towne families are invited and encouraged to participate in activities at school and a list of volunteer opportunities is shared each year.

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2016 Greene Towne Auction at The Academy of Natural SciencesFRIDAY, MARCH 4, 2016

The Greene Towne Montessori School Auction, our largest fundraiser, benefits Financial Aid, staff professional development, school programs

and materials. Please join us to make the 2016 Auction a big success.

The 2015 Auction raised $66,135.

SAVE THE DATE

Thank you!for your generous gifts to the Greene Towne Annual Fund

and your support of the 2015 Auction

“It was so inspiring being around so much energy and so many people doing Montessori.”

“There were so many little golden nuggets to bring back to our classroom practice.”

“I thought the conference was absolutely amazing! There was so much practical knowledge I brought back and used the very next day in the classroom.”

“It was great that we could all go together.”

“It was great to touch base with the international Montessori community.”

We’re celebrating Greene Towne’s 50th Year!

Stay Tuned. The 2016-2017 school year will mark our 50th Anniversary. To learn more about the celebrations, friend us on

Facebook or contact Erika Goldberg at egoldberg@gtms.org.

Your generous support enabled 100% of Greene Towne staff to attend the 2015 American Montessori Society

Conference in Philadelphia.

Greene Towne Montessori School2121 Arch StreetPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania19103

Did building the Pink Tower and Brown Stair lay your path to becoming an architect?

Did tracing and coloring the Continent Maps inspire you to travel the world?

Did spelling out stories with the Moveable Alphabet spark your passion for writing?

Did counting the Bead Chains advance your love of math?

Share your memories of Greene Towne and the Montessori work that inspired you and tell us what you are doing today!

Friend us on Facebook. Email your news to alumni@gtms.org.