January / February 2021

Dear TMS Families and Friends, Attaining the milestone of 50 years of Montessori education is worthy of great celebration - and we intend to do that as a community just that as soon as we conquer COVID! As part of our recognition of this milestone, I would like to introduce our current community to another piece of TMS history, the role of the Board of Trustees. This is a group of dedicated individuals who over the course of the last 50 years have given their time and talent to insure that the school would live in perpetuity. The job of a trustee is to look to the future, rather than only to the present, and to inspire the community to give to the school so that it may serve future generations of children in fulfillment of the school’s mission. Trustees lead by example, giving generously to the Annual Fund every year and participating in supporting TMS community events both for fundraising and “friendraising”. As a community, we have a debt of gratitude to both our current trustees and their predecessors, because without their dedicated service, their wisdom and their financial support, TMS would not be celebrating its 50th birthday this year!

Laura Stulb, Head of School

The Board of Trustees

The first Board of Trustees, the founders of New Horizons Montessori School (now The Montessori School), was a group of visionaries who wanted their children to have an authentic Montessori education in their elementary years. These first board members served as administrators, classroom support and facilities managers in the early years of the school as a parent run school. The succeeding trustees continued this kind of broad service until 2005, when the school achieved its first accreditations both as a Pennsylvania independent school (through PAIS) and as a Montessori school (through AMS).

At this time the TMS parent community voted to cease being a parent co-op and to become an independent, non-profit school. This change required that the Board of Trustees focus their role on governance and stewardship and step away from involvement in the day-to-day operations of the school. From that point forward, TMS trustees began to implement the rigorous governance guidelines established by the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS). This has been an evolving process which each Board Chair since accreditation has worked diligently to advance. As Head of School, the Board’s sole employee, I am grateful for this transition work shouldered by each of my Board Chairs since I started as Head in 2008. Their adoption and implementation of the "Principles of Good Practice" (download a copy here) for independent school trustees, has provided strong collaboration for me and strategic leadership for The Montessori School.

SPOTLIGHT Karen Walsh, Chair Emeritus of the TMS Board of Trustees

Karen Walsh has served on the board of The Montessori School for 10 years, actually extending her term as Board Chair into the current school year to see the school through the COVID disruption. Karen and her husband, Jay Lipschutz, came to TMS in 2007 as new parents enrolling their son, Sean, in Children’s House. As Karen tells the story, she met Sue Zaharchuk on her admissions tour of the school and was “sold” on the spot by Sue’s enthusiasm and testimony to the value of TMS education. Karen and Jay decided that this was the education she wanted for their son. And the rest is history.... Sean graduated from 6th grade in 2016! Karen joined the Board of Trustees 2010 while it was under the leadership of Lucinda Duncalfe. Within five years of joining the board Karen was elected Chair by her trustee colleagues, serving until this year - three years after her son graduated fromTMS! This kind of passion for Montessori and loyalty to TMS is rare and needs to be recognized and celebrated by the community. Karen’s service as trustee and chair initially focused on the strategic role of the Board and governance of the school. Karen worked with the board, in its fiduciary role to identify “Four Pillars” that must be monitored by the Board to ensure the sustainability of The Montessori School; Financial, Program, Environmental and Community. In 2015, Karen led the successful modernization of the school building. She called upon a personal colleague with experience in the construction area to join the TMS board and oversee the project, driving it to an on-time, on-budget completion. This project transformed a tired, traditional school building into a model Montessori environment. Through her personal stewardship, Karen has contributed significantly to the financial health of TMS and her enthusiastic support has strengthened the fabric of our community. Karen’s contributions by the numbers:

10 years ★ Board service 13 years ★ Personal gifts to Annual Fund  8 years ★ Matching gifts from employer (first matching in 2012 from the auction technology appeal)  7 years ★ Employer gifts for volunteer hours (first gift of this nature in 2013)   5 years ★ EITC participation

As Karen assumes the role of Chair Emeritus of the Board, I personally thank her for her unwavering support of me and of TMS. In addition to our thanks, let us all be inspired by Karen to support TMS!

The Montessori School 1701 Jarrettown Road, Dresher, PA 19025 215-542-0740 office@themontessorischool.us discoverTMS.org

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