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Dear Hudson Montessori families,
First, thank you to all of those who joined us at the Under the Sea Auction! It is always wonderful to see so many members of our community, and your ongoing support is one of the key reasons that Hudson Montessori School is able to deliver such an amazing educational experience for our students.
On February 5th, the Board of Trustees made our annual State of the School Presentation to the parent community. We appreciate those who were able to attend in person, and would like to provide a brief overview for those unable to join us. Additionally, here is a link to the slidedeck presented that evening.
This year, the Board focused on the theme of “evolution.” When we think about “evolution,” we are focused on building on the quiet, steady momentum of the past few years, with an emphasis on thoughtful growth and continued refinement of our program. Hudson Montessori School remains in a strong position from both an enrollment and a financial perspective. We want to make sure that we continue to reinvest in the school in ways that will benefit our current students while also ensuring that we will be successful in delivering on our mission well into the future.
The Hudson Montessori School Mission Statement is an important guide for the Board in all of its decisions. It reads:
The Mission of Hudson Montessori School is to foster a Montessori educational environment conducive to each child’s unique qualities and abilities for the development of social, emotional, and reasoning skills that are essential for a lifetime of independent, creative thinking and learning in the world community.
This spring, the Board will be updating the school’s Strategic Plan, based on this guidance. The current Strategic Plan, last significantly updated in 2022, may be found here. It establishes Financial Goals and Sustainability Initiatives for the school, as well as a fundamental responsibility to Continued Investment in Excellence, and metrics for which to Measure Success. Implementation of the plan is a collaborative effort between the Board and the Administration. This year’s update will ensure we continue to balance the growth of our community with appropriate reinvestment in not only campus facilities but also the very talented faculty and staff.
We are fortunate to be in a strong financial position, thanks to the efforts of the Administrative team as well as the support of the HMS community, from parents and grandparents to alumni and members of our faculty and staff. Events like the auction are a great opportunity to celebrate our community while also raising significant funds for the school; Raise the Paddle pledges have enabled specific projects like the HMS vans, the ceramics studio, and this year’s rock-climbing wall. The Hudson Montessori Fund, which consistently receives 100% support from both the faculty and staff and the Board, raised a record $187,000 last year. And SGO contributions, which allow Ohio taxpayers to direct up to $750 per individual or $1500 per couple of their Ohio tax payments per year to Hudson Montessori School, raised $140,000. The SGO contributions, in particular, allow HMS to provide scholarships that help make a Montessori education more accessible to more families, and you can find out more about how to participate here. Your contributions to these efforts clearly demonstrate how important Hudson Montessori School is to your families, and we are grateful for your ongoing generosity.
These financial contributions are important because they allow us to do more than we could with tuition alone. The actual cost to educate an HMS student averages $20,805 this year, compared with an average tuition per student of $17,550 (actual tuition costs and cost per student vary across levels). These additional contributions and fundraising help to bridge that gap and allow us to offer exceptional programs while continuing to reinvest in the school. Improvements over the last year have included playground upgrades, significant roof repairs, additional security cameras, and computers for our staff.
One of the responsibilities of the Board is to set yearly tuition, and the Board is very intentional in this matter. We consider many factors, including anticipated costs for the upcoming year, and we appreciate the sacrifice that families make to offer their children this opportunity. The largest expense (over 60% annually) is the cost of personnel, which includes the very talented and dedicated faculty and staff. Ensuring that they are fairly compensated and able to continue to grow professionally is essential to the ongoing success of the school. Please look for an email from Matt Virgil with specific tuition information; reenrollment confirmations are due February 23.
Once again, the Board has opted to participate in the Ohio EdChoice program, which allows all families to benefit from a scholarship based on the family’s adjusted gross income. The Board evaluates this decision on an annual basis, and may discontinue this option in the event that the EdChoice program imposes requirements which result in an administrative burden or curricular changes which are inconsistent with the HMS mission. Please contact Jackie Burdett, Director of Operations, if you have questions about this program.
The Board works closely with the Head of School, who is responsible for the daily operations. At last Thursday’s meeting Matt provided updates on some key indicators of success for Hudson Montessori. Enrollment, which has been strong over the last five years, has grown from 180 students pre-COVID to 257 students today. The addition of the Young Children’s Community program has expanded the school’s reach to infants, and all levels continue to consistently retain existing students. We recognize the positive impact that a Montessori education has on our children, and studies like this one have even associated it with a higher well-being later in life.
The Hudson Montessori Middle School program, which is celebrating its 20th graduating class this year, is one of the highlights of the HMS experience. Hudson Montessori School graduates are not only academically well-prepared and self-motivated, but also go on to make a positive impact on the community around them. This makes them highly sought after by local high schools, and 70% of our graduates continue their education at another independent school. This year’s class is one of the largest in our history, and HMS graduates continually excel in not only the high school of their choice, but also in life. Read more about this program as well as the 20th Anniversary celebration here.
Looking to the next twenty years of our school and beyond, the Board is working on a Campus Master Plan which will help to enhance and expand our current facilities. We are fortunate to enjoy a beautiful campus with not only welcoming academic buildings but also woods and green spaces that incorporate nature into the students’ daily experience. Several years ago, the Board began a Campus Master Plan process with visioning sessions to capture ideas from the community. Since then, we’ve worked with architects and development professionals to help refine a plan that will prioritize our vision and needs while also ensuring sound financial stewardship. We look forward to sharing more information on these plans by the end of the school year.
This is an exciting time at Hudson Montessori School. We take pride in the academic and social growth of our current students as they develop into independent, creative thinkers that make an impact on the world around them. And we look forward to the future, as we thoughtfully evolve our exceptional program and facilities to meet the needs of children and adolescents in the years to come.
Thank you again for all that you do to support the Hudson Montessori School community.
Sincerely,
The Hudson Montessori Board of Trustees
Erin Matson, '89, President
Mayur Shaw, Vice President
Lauren MacLaren, Treasurer
Kara Sygula, Secretary
Jennie Abernathy
Katie Bell
Katherine Bennett
Barron Chambers
James Flock
Demetria Kimble
Daniel Luketic
Dana Mraz
Jay Reidy
Michelle Smith
Dara Steinberg
Christina Utrup
Miles Van Blarcum, '10
Matt Virgil- Ex Officio
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