With Gratitude and Commitment from the National Center

Dear Friends and Supporters,

This season, as the long days of summer give way to the short days of winter, always prompts me to turn inward in reflection. Am I present for others? Am I present for myself? Am I giving and receiving love openly? Am I putting aside judgment and building bridges rather than wedges? If I continue on this path, will I be leaving the world a better place than I found it? Am I living my values? 

Gratitude is a cornerstone of a full and joyful life. As I reflect, I feel enormous gratitude for the privilege I have to live my values through NCMPS’s work with, and for, all of us in the public Montessori community. 

At NCMPS, I get to live my values in an organization that lives its values by:

  • Centering equity, access, and sustainability in building strong schools
  • Honoring agency and empowerment in children and adults
  • Working for Montessori to be a lever of change for a just society
  • Grounding our work in academic, community, and field-based research
  • Meeting partners where they are and working side-by-side with them to build capacity
  • Approaching our work with optimism and hope for the future
  • Honoring and celebrating the strength and joy in each individual’s full humanity

I also feel enormous gratitude for the privilege I have of visiting schools across the country, sometimes on my own and other times with someone new to Montessori in tow. Here is some of what we see when we visit:

Advocacy!

  • Successful local advocacy for a full 3-year Upper Elementary option.
  • Successful local advocacy for a 3-year Children’s House even as the district introduces Universal PreK4.

Team Work!

  • Experienced teachers stepping up to mentor their newly trained colleagues.
  • Level teams looking at data, observational and test, to understand and meet their students’ needs.

Chickens!

  • At one school, parents who have worked to change town ordinances in order for students to raise chickens in the courtyard.
  • At another, a new adolescent program selling eggs from its urban chickens and baked goods from its kitchen.

And, children, so many children, manifesting engagement, joy, and hope for the future. ❤️

The National Center depends on your support to continue its work for children, families, and teachers in public Montessori schools. Whether you are posting on Teach Montessori, reading newsletters, writing for MontessoriPublic, taking courses, using tools, inviting us in to consult or coach, joining us at our conference (yes!), or donating time or money, you are part of our community and your support makes our work possible.  I appreciate and thank you.

If you are curious about our 2022 annual report, click here.

If you would like to make a donation, click here. (Donations will be matched 2:1 by NCMPS board and staff.)

May the year ahead bring joy to you and peace to the world.

In gratitude,

Sara Suchman, Executive Director

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