Community Forum

Every Californian is acutely aware that the State of California budget deficit is impacting the resources available to our schools, our teachers and our children. The impact is so great that each of us knows a family or a friend who is feeling the hurt. In this time of uncertainty, we must come together as a community to help in whatever means possible.

My children, Lily (7) and Olivia (5), attend Montessori Del Mar Learning Center. Montessori Del Mar is a free, public learning center in Fort Bragg. We have 20 students enrolled in grades Kindergarten through third. We envision a free, public Montessori primary and elementary learning center on the Mendocino coast. Our children are blessed to have an amazing Montessori school to attend and to work with such dedicated teachers. It is up to us to provide the tools needed so that their work may continue.

We have formed a non-profit 501(c) 3 corporation, Friends of Montessori Del Mar that provides support to the teachers and families. We raise much needed funds to augment our dwindling state budget allocation. Those funds are used to pay rent and buy classroom materials. This school year the cost to keep our learning center open has fallen to the parents. Our school district pays the salary of our teachers. Nothing more.

Our classroom is in need of many specialty items. Our wish list contains some items specific to a Montessori education and basic teaching materials, which we are not being funded by the state. Our community knows how to come together and help those in need. As our parent group comes together to meet the needs of our educators and our children, we ask our community to join us in helping us fulfill our mission.

- Outdoor cupboard or shed

- Blender and screens for paper making

- Old children’s dictionaries for cutting

- Flag-holder for outside

- Frames for art

- Outdoor thermometer

- Magnifying glasses

- Child sized guitar

- Juicer

- Chapter and story books

- High quality floor or table globe

- Fossils, gems and minerals

- Large sized tracing paper

- National Geographic magazines

- Large Hubble photos of space

- Slides and covers for the microscope

- Animal replicas, small and large

- Insect collection or specimens

- Flower press

- Leaf samples

- Unusual seeds

- Non-electric typewriter and ink

- Clay

- Modeling clay in many colors

- Large paper cutter

- Polaroid camera and film

- High quality ink jet paper

- Photo ink jet paper

- High quality color pastels

- Large sheets of colored pastel paper

- Outdoor child sized workbench

- Little table for potting plants

- Child sized sewing machine

- Fabric, natural materials

- Industrial dishwasher

- Quality, child sized musical instruments

- Keyboard and headphones

- Shoe rack

- Stamps for mailing letters

- Stamps for printing

- Cards and envelopes

“For everywhere we look, there is work to be done…….And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities…All this we can do……And all this we will do” - President Barack Obama, Inaugural Address, January 20, 2009.

We may be contacted at 964-7311 or by mail at 19201 Del Mar Drive, Fort Bragg. Thank you for your support!

Susana Jung

Board President

Friends of Montessori Del Mar

Press Release in FB Advocate May 14

Fort Bragg, CA May 7, 2009 The Montessori del Mar Learning Center announces the formation of its non-profit parent run group “Friends of Montessori del Mar”. The organization will augment the learning center’s state budget allocation, while also providing support to the teachers and families. FMDM is supported by membership dues, public donations and community fundraising.

Friends of Montessori del Mar consists of a seven member board of directors including President, Treasurer, Secretary, Fundraising Chair and Site Planning Council Representative. These positions along with two general Director seats are the backbone of this organization.

“We envision a Montessori learning center where the active participation of family members supports the growing child’s awareness of his place in the world.” says Sharon Richardson, founder and Director of the center. “The Friends organization will help us to achieve this by drawing on the knowledge of the diverse group of parents and by raising much needed funds that will provide supplies, field trips and the like. This spring, we broke ground outside the center, creating a vibrant working garden for the children to experience the wonders of nature. We also built a fantastic playground that provides a fun outdoor space for the children to be together. This would not have been possible without the dedicated group of parents and children we have in our center.”

This passed school year, FMDM has had a number of fundraising events. There was a fundraising holiday card, A Day in the Park, Earth Day and a rummage sale, and upcoming, we have a concert with John Trudell and the Blushin’ Roulettes. This event is scheduled to take place Friday, May 22 at 5:30pm at Caspar Community Center.

Montessori del Mar is a dedicated community of educators agreeing with Dr Maria Montessori that each generation of children has the opportunity to create a united and peaceful world. Founded by Sharon Richardson in 2007, the center currently has 15 children enrolled in kindergarten through 3^rd grade. In addition, Sharon also runs Sprouts Montessori Children’s House, a private primary program for 3-6 year olds. Sharon is an accomplished and credentialed Montessori teacher who has taught in centers around the state and the world for over 15 years.

Follow our happenings on our blog: http://friendsofmontessoridelmar.blogspot.com/

Contact: Sharon Richardson montessoridelmar@att.net 964-7311

Upcoming Events

President's Week February 21-25 Learning Center closed

Presentations February 16

Fundraising Events:

• Ongoing Annual Drive - Make your donation today!
• April 26 Earth Day Celebration with Noyo Food Forest "A Cool Blue Planet" (LC students perform), face painting booth run by Missy Fielder
• May 2 Rummage Sale at Evergreen Church; item drop off May 1 at church
• May 22 John Trudell and Blushing Roulettes benefit with silent auction at Caspar Community Center, time TBD

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