Pre-Intro:  There is a basket of creek stones on the table.  If you didn’t choose a stone already, please pick one that’s right for you before we start.

This is an exciting evening.

If you’ve been by the school, you’ve seen that the fountain in the middle of our wishing well is turned off for the winter and looks very different.  When you turn the water on, it fills up that top flower and then it flows to the next and pretty soon the whole thing is in motion.  Static,  the fountain is beautiful,

but water makes things happen, some predictable and some not, and the fountain comes alive. And I believe that’s what’s going to happen to our school with this capital campaign -- our school is going to come alive in ways we and the staff and parents have dreamed about, and in some ways we can’t even imagine.

So our theme, wishing well, means not only having a great belief in our school,

but also having a great vision for the future of First Montessori,

and the creativity, the smarts and the discipline to implement it. 

To make this a place where nature, nurture and knowledge come together and come alive for children and families.  I know we have the who -- the talent to achieve such an undertaking, so let’s talk about the what -- what is our vision?

We begin with Maria Montessori,  the brilliant Italian physician and educator who developed a method of education so successful it spread worldwide and is used in over 5,000 schools in the United States alone, and perhaps tens of thousands around the world.

I want to talk about First Montessori’s contributions over 40 years to the Atlanta community,

the challenges and dreams we have today,

outline our goals for the capital campaign and close by Wishing well -- by inviting you to add your dreams and your support to this campaign.

Montessori education has produced some amazing results.  When we are gripped by the anxieties of all responsible parents who want the best education for their children, we can reassure ourselves by looking at the outstanding evidence.  Do you know that Larry Page and Sergei Brin, multi-millionaire founders of Google who were educated in Montessori, who could have the most sumptuous penthouse suites, still share a small, unpretentious office because what they love is the work, and doing the work together?  Doesn’t that sound just like our children?

That is the foundation for excellence First Montessori gives them for brilliant thinking, confident exploring, appreciating and respecting what is important in their lives.

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With forty years of educating Atlanta’s children, we are seen as a school where nature, nurture and knowledge are cherished and taught, providing excellent outcomes, and providing leadership and mentoring for the educational community.

A documented study in Minnesota compares standardized test scores of high school students from similar socio-economic backgrounds.  One group had early Montessori education and the other did not.  The study found a slight advantage of Montessori in GPA scores, but Math scores were significant.  Even 5 years after they left their Montessori school, math scores were significantly higher for children who had a Montessori background.

Our experience shows that students have no problems transitioning to area public schools or distinguished private schools like Westminster, Pace, Lovett, Galloway, Paideia or the Atlanta Girls’ School.

I want you to do something a little unusual for me now.  Hold that stone you chose when you walked in the room -- gently close your hand around it.  Now close our eyes for a moment and imagine FMSA in 2013.  What do you see?

Do you see children happy & calm, confidently focused on their work, teachers respectfully guiding the future leaders of our society?

What resources do they have?   A multi-purpose gym? Multi-media room? Drama stage? Science and arts centers?  Imagine a vibrant, active community of 350 students that thrive in a safe and thoughtful environment confident of the support of their teachers and families.

Now just let that vision flow into your stone, hold it, and open your eyes.

The Board Planning Committee recently conducted a study to assess our challenges and dreams, and wove the feedback we received into a vision for First Montessori that includes Academic Excellence, accreditation, enrollment targets, program enhancements, new facilities to provide a home for the growth we anticipate and the financial requirements for putting these dreams into action.

Academically we are well-respected by those who know us, but not well enough known

………..

I believe the time is right for us to begin wishing well for First Montessori by committing to a phased capital campaign.  How can you help?  Make a sizeable gift early, so others will be encouraged to participate.  Make your contacts available; ask for a donation from someone you think might be supportive, or open the door for someone else to ask.  The campaign will need all of us, even if all you do is talk positively about the value we are creating.

Right now we’re going to take a break and I’d like you to place your stone, the one that holds your energy and your dream for FMSA, in one of the baskets for Yes, if you think the capital campaign should go forward now, or No.  I will take them and place them in the courtyard fountain so that your vision will become a permanent part of this beautiful entry to the school.

Thank you, and I look forward to working together with you in this exciting enterprise.