HURRICANE KATRINA: Offers of Help

HOUSING
SCHOOL AVAILABILITY
HOUSING/SCHOOL AVAILABILITY
SUPPLIES
JOB OPENINGS
DONATIONS/CLASSROOM MATERIALS
DONATIONS

HOUSING

From: Melanie Campanis
Sent: Tuesday, September 06, 2005 8:48 PM
Subject: Apartment offer to Montessori hurricane victims

We live in Nashville and our 4 year old daughter goes to Montessori Acadamy in Brentwood, TN (10 minutes away by car), where I also taught Spanish for a year and a half. We would be happy to let a Montessori teacher (and family) live in it for a couple months or so rent free to help get them back on their feet. It is a spacious two bedroom apartment plus kitchen and large living room area. The school often needs subs, so I would imagine there would be opportunities there for work too. We have a link showing what the apartment is like.

It is currently unfurnished, but we will be able to help get whatever is needed through local friends happy to help. We do have a little wooden crib for a newborn plus a larger crib suitable for up to 2-3 years of age (can’t remember when my daughter progressed out of it – my husband made both of these beds and the latter he made extra deep to prevent her from climbing out too soon!). So we are thinking this would be most suitable for a married couple with 2-3 children. We have already spoken to some friends who think that they could provide us with a double bed. All the other relative information can be found at the weblink.

Best wishes
Melanie Campanis

From: Dan Driscoll
Sent: Tuesday, September 06, 2005 10:11 AM
Subject: Hurricane relief

Is AMS doing anything we could connect with regarding hurricane relief efforts? I am also wondering if there are Montessori schools in particular that we could try to help…some folks here in Indiana are offering their homes to hurricane victims, and I had a parent ask if we could sponsor a Montessori family that has been left homeless.

Let me know if you have any info, or if there is someone you could direct me to.

Thanks,
Dan
Daniel W. Driscoll
Head of School
Good Shepherd Montessori School
1101 East Jefferson Blvd.
South Bend, IN 46617
574-288-0098
574-288-0077 (fax)
www.gsms.org

From: Carla Strong McGrath
Sent: Saturday, September 03, 2005 11:48 AM
Subject: hurrican relief

I am a Montessori Primary Directress originally from New Orleans, now living in Huntersville, NC. My husband and I have two bedrooms we can offer to Montessori families who may be in need of shelter this far away. One bedroom has a double bed; the other is a twin. However, if necessary we can utilize the lower portion of our 12 year old son's trundle bed as well.

Families with pets are welcome.

Additionally, I have an unoccupied summer camp house on Lake Cherokee in Longview, TX, near Shreveport. That can sleep 4-6 people, and my parents live next door.
Please share my information with those who may be in need. I have posted both my home and the Lake Cherokee house on other sites as well.

THANKS for your assistance!
Carla Strong McGrath
csmtiger@bellsouth.net
704-875-8782

From: information@montessoriofmacon.org
Sent: Thursday, September 01, 2005 10:52 AM
Subject: Hurricane help

Montessori of Macon would like to help with hurricane relief efforts by offering our homes and our school to affected families.

We can house approximately 3 families immediately. Please post this to the Montessori community in the affected region, with our contact info. Tanya Melville
Education Director (478)757-8927 or
information@montessoriofmacon.org

From: poppedana@mac.com
Sent: Wednesday, August 31, 2005 9:54 AM
Subject: Hurricane Help for Children

This is the message I just posted on the AMS Bulletin Board. Let's get AMS behind this effort, for the benefit of everyone involved.

"What if Montessorians set up temporary Children's Houses, to help give a little bit of order to the young hearts and minds that are suffering the chaos? Surely there are retired teachers, and teachers whose schools would support an absence, who could set up environments that are calm and reassuring.

How can we get this done?"
Thank you,
Edana Popp, AMS 3-6
Alabaster, Alabama
205-664-1905

SCHOOL AVAILABILITY

From: Jill Mohr
Sent: Friday, September 16, 2005 4:44 PM
Subject: Hurricane children in San Antonio

Hi from San Antonio,

I am the admissions Director here at Judson Montessori School and we were wondering if you have a clearing house or list of students from New Orleans Montessori schools looking for placement in Texas.

Please advise.
Thanks,
Jill Mohr
Director of Admission
Judson Montessori School

In a message dated 9/16/05 11:12:53 AM, Emily_surovick@wmsde.org writes:

I wanted to respond to your email about schools offering to help with those families displaced by the hurricane. We would like to add our name to the list of schools willing to help that is on the website. Our information is below. Thank you.

Sincerely,
Emily Surovick
Wilmington Montessori School

ill make space available for children ages 18mos through Sixth Grade
(For Grades 1-6, we request that they were previously in a Montessori
school)

Tuition free enrollment for 1 year

CONTACT: Emily L. Surovick, Admissions Director
Phone: 302-475-0555
Email: Emily_surovick@wmsde.org

From: McCrae Harrison
Sent: Monday, September 12, 2005 10:06 AM
Subject: Katrina

My school, the Elementary Workshop Montessori School in Wilmington, DE is interested in helping the Katrina refuges. Our teachers are working on several plans for raising money. We would like to do as much as we can, though we are small. If you learn of Montessori students whose families have ended up in New Castle County, DE, we would be able to offer places to a some. Please contact me if you hear of a need in this area.

Thanks,
McCrae

E. McCrae Harrison
Director
Elementary Workshop Montessori School
502 Pine Street
Wilmington, DE 19801-4433
302-656-1498

From: ddriscoll
Sent: Sat 9/10/2005 8:34 AM
Subject: hurricane reliefMimi,

Thanks for everything AMS is doing for the hurricane efforts. Your webpage of offers for help is inspiring.

I noticed Good Shepherd's offer was under "housing." It was implied, though not made explicit in my original email, that that includes an offer to accept Montessori students as well. Could you insert the following into our offer?
Thanks.

We have 3 - 5 spaces available for Montessori students in Elementary (6 - 12).

Thanks,
Dan

Daniel W. Driscoll
Head of School
Good Shepherd Montessori School
PO Box 671
South Bend, IN 46624
574-288-0098 (phone)
574-276-3152 (cell)
ddriscoll@gsms.org
www.gsms.org

From: Jill Roshon
Sent: Sun 9/11/2005 11:57 AM
Subject: Katrina

Dublin Montessori Academy would like to offer any assistance needed to any families arriving to the Columbus/Powell, Ohio area. We can offer placement for any children ages three to six who were currently in a Montessori program before the disaster. We currently have a few afternoon openings. Also we would like to offer to help with any material replacements.

Thank you.

Please contact:
Jill Roshon
mjroshon@juno.com
Dublin Montessori Academy
10465 Sawmill Road
Powell, Ohio 43065
614-761-2020

From: SMADLE@tampabay.rr.com
Sent: Thursday, September 08, 2005 9:54 PM
Subject: Re: RE: RE: fundraiser for schools affected by Katrina

We are located in St. Petersburg, FL and have openings for 3-6 year olds as well as a few elementary students. In addition, if there is a teacher or assitant relocating to the area we would be able to arrange at least part time employment. I'm sure we could help with housing if need be for either student families or staff.

Thank you!
Sara Madle
Gulfwinds Montessori Academy
3747 34th St. S.
St. Petersburg, Fl 33711
727 866 1901
sara@gulfwindsmontessori.org

From: Montessori School of Westminster
Sent: Thursday, September 08, 2005 2:16 PM
Subject: Katrina assistance

We are the Montessori School of Westminster in Westminster, Maryland. We have students in primary, lower, upper and middle levels. We can offer several tuition free spaces for this school year. You are doing a great job -thank you! We hope to help.

Nancy J. Title
Head of School

The Montessori School of Westminster
P.O. Box 1126
Westminster, MD 21158
410-848-6283
fax - 410-848-3217
email - montwest@infionline.net

From: Kathy O'Reilly
Sent: Tuesday, September 06, 2005 9:05 PM
Subject: Hurricane offer of help

Thank you for coordinating our efforts, since no one else seemed to have made it to the Bulletin Board.I have offers of two teachers who could go help wherever it is needed and I think I can arrange to go for a week.

We would like to do something for the children. We can loan some and donate some materials from my personal items and The Montessori School of Huntsville. One teacher is an art teacher who has worked extensively with handicapped children and would like to help children record their memories of New Orleans or other places - or whatever they want to do. We can send supplies. We would bring our own food & water if we come.

We have one more opening in our Toddler Program that we will provide a scholarship for. We are donating one place to a family that just arrived. We have a short waiting list for all our 3-6 classes,so if there are any teachers who want to relocate and start a 3-6 class I would be interested in talking to them.

Please contact me at school (256) 881-3790 (it will forward to my cell phone if no one is in the office) or mshadministrator@knology.net

Thank you!
Kathy O'Reilly

From: kate_k@kingsley.org
Sent: Tuesday, September 06, 2005 7:52 AM
Subject: Boston

Boston is having 2,000 refugees come to the Hynes Convention Center which is two blocks from Kingsley Montessori School, in the Back Bay section of Boston. We have both elementary school openings (Lower and Upper Elementary) and a host family (Renee & Gary Farkes) who can take siblings in 4th - 6th grades. The Farkeses live within blocks of the school.

Please list my name as the contact (see below).

Thanks so much!
Kate Kimball
Director of Admissions
Kingsley Montessori School
30 Fairfield Street
Boston, MA 02116
617.536.5984
617.536.7507 (fax)
email: kate_k@kingsley.org

From: Leif Rideout
Sent: Sunday, September 04, 2005 10:11 AM
Subject: Hurricane Victims

I am writing to you from Santa Cruz Montessori School in Santa Cruz, California. I know we are far from New Orleans and Mississippi, but we also know there were at least eight Montessori schools in New Orleans including at least one public Montessori School. We would like to offer our support in any way we can, and have tried to find ways to contact these schools, but have not been successful. If there was a way to contact these Montessori families, if any have family or would be interested in coming all the way to California, I believe we could offer free tuition at our school and perhaps housing with our families and help finding temporary employment.

Also, hopefully these schools will be able to open again in the future, and perhaps our school could raise the funds to purchase new Montessori materials if their environments have been damaged.

Do you have any ideas of how we might be able to contact those schools or families? Could we begin some organized campaign among Montessorians to provide for the children and schools?

Thank you for providing a means of communicating with other Montessori schools to offer our support.

Sincerely, Kathy Rideout
Director, Santa Cruz Montessori School
831-476-1646 kathyr@scms.org

From: Terrie Sampson
Sent: Thursday, September 01, 2005 2:55 PM
Subject: Katrina refugees

I am writing from Lamplighter Montessori School in Memphis, TN. Many Katrina refugee families have made their way to the Memphis area and are in need of schooling for their children. We, at Lamplighter, would like to work with Montessori families who have landed in our area and are in need of assistance, schooling or otherwise. I am asking you to help us get the word to these refugees if they contact you, give them our number, (901-751-2000) or help us be in contact with them.

Thank you for your help

Sincerely,
Terrie Sampson
Head of School
Lamplighter Montessori School

From: Dave Carman
Sent: Wednesday, September 07, 2005 2:01 PM
Subject: Offer of help

The Montessori School of Raleigh would be honored to educate any child whose needs we can meet whose AMS affiliated Montessori school is unable to operate. We are just beginning to look for ways to make this offer known. Is there a way to post it? Are you aware of any private schools in particular that have needs.

Thanks for any information.
Dave Carman
Interim Head of School

From: DrBCoe@aol.com
Sent: Wednesday, September 07, 2005 3:09 PM
Subject: Fwd: help for montessorians

Greetings from Atlanta. I'm sure you must be fielding many questions similar to mine, so apologies in advance if you are repeating yourself; like so many other people, I'm saddened and so concerned for all the folks in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama that are directly affected by the hurricane. Atlanta, like many other cities in the south, is serving as a temporary home to many people with no other home right now. I asked our Head, Sandy Mitchell, if she has heard from other area administrators of a way that we can help any displaced Montessori families. While we have heard from one or two families with Primary-aged children in search of schooling for this year, I imagine there maybe more out there. I checked out the NAMTA directory, but I'm afraid my knowledge geography isn't what it could be - I don't know what schools in the affected states might have been hit or not. If you are aware of how I might be able to lead our school in offering assistance to Montessori children, I hope you'll let me know.

Nikki Torre

HOUSING/SCHOOL AVAILABILITY

From: firelandsmontessori
Sent: Monday, September 26, 2005 10:15 AM
Subject: Offer of Assistance

I am Donna Heilmann, Administrator of Huron Firelands Montessori Academy in Huron, Ohio. Our school is prepared to take one Montessori family. My husband, Hank, and I will house the family. Our school will accept all Montessori prepared children with consideration of other children in the family. We provide grades preschool through eighth grade. This effort must be coordinated with the government offer to suppliment displaced students.

Please let us know how we can proceed.

Sincerely,
Donna Heilmann

From: Ellen Lucius
Sent: Wednesday, September 21, 2005 12:53 PM
Subject: Adding onto our ad

We are interested in hiring a Katrina evacuee, as available. We also have a family who would be willing to temporarily host his/her family. Depending on our enrollment, space may be available for children ages 2 1⁄2 - 6 years.”

Thank you,

Ellen Lucius

Ellen Lucius, Head of School
Woodland Montessori School
1301 Virginia Ave., Harrisonburg, VA 22802
(540) 432-6111
wmsh.org

From: Krista Ericson
Sent: Saturday, September 10, 2005 2:26 PM
Subject: Offer of Housing

Dear AMS,

Since our children are now grown and have left home, we have a large house with two empty bedrooms. We live on one acre in Concord, CA. I have been a Montessori teacher for more than 25 years and my private Montessori preschool, Myrtle Farm Montessori School, is located on 1/2 of the property. I am also the founder and on the board of Eagle Peak Montessori Charter School, a public Montessori elementary program located in Walnut Creek, CA. I know we could offer at least one (maybe two) placements in the preschool (free of charge). I don't know about the charter school since we have a waiting list that is established by lottery. If you know of a family who would be in need of an elementary placement, I will call the charter school's attorneys to see if there is a way we could accept a displaced student.

I doubt that any displaced families would be interested in accepting a housing offer so far away unless they were open to permanent relocation. The ideal family for us would have one or two young children who have been displaced from their Montessori school(s). If you encounter anyone that you think would be interested, please pass on our offer to them.

Krista Ericson
Myrtle Farm Montessori School
Concord, CA
925-356-2482 (work)
925-676-2040 (home)
kericson@earthlink.net

From: Belkis Young
Sent: Friday, September 09, 2005 3:23 PM
Subject: Hurricane

Our school would like to offer a Montessori teacher who is interested in relocating to Florida. We will house them till they are able to afford a place to live. Our school will collect food, clothing, furniture and whatever essential needs the family has. This will include a scholarship for the persons children to attend our school. Please let me know how I should go about advertising this.

Thank you in advance,
Belkis Young

A Young Children's Montessori Academy
3221 Chiquita Blvd. South
Cape Coral, Fl. 33914
239.540.9400 Telephone
239.540.9401 Fax
Belkis Young, M.S., Ed.
Belkis@aycma.com
www.aycma.com

From: SMADLE@tampabay.rr.com
Sent: Thursday, September 08, 2005 9:54 PM
Subject: Re: RE: RE: fundraiser for schools affected by Katrina

Thank you!
Sara Madle
Gulfwinds Montessori Academy
3747 34th St. S.
St. Petersburg, Fl 33711
727 866 1901
sara@gulfwindsmontessori.org

From: kygabriel@comcast.net
Sent: Thursday, September 08, 2005 4:15 PM
Subject: Katrina Relief for Montessori Family

My name is Ky Gabriel and I live with my family in Lakewood, a suburb of Denver. I am a co-founder of a Montessori charter (public) school in the area. My husband and kids and I are interested in possibly sponsoring a Montesorri family that has been displaced by Katrina. We have a finished basement with a queen bed and a double futon. There is also a private bath with shower. If we find a family that is a good match the Montesori school has openings in 1st through 6th grade tuition free!!!! We also have a wonderful community of families that would pitch in all kinds of donations for our new members. There may even be an employment opportunity with my husbands company. We have an extra vehicle that can be borrowed most of the time and I am a stay at home mom with a big car who can also help with transportation.

If you know or hear of anyone or any organization that might help match us up, PLEASE contact me ASAP. I will also be calling and faxing those of you I have info for. I am determined to help!

Thank you,
Ky Gabriel
kygabriel@comcast.net
(720) 937-8360

From: John F Williams
Sent: Monday, September 05, 2005 1:03 PM
Subject: Disaster Assistance

I am the vice president of a smaller Montessori school in Omaha NE. Our school has roughly 50 families and offers programs for children between 18 months through 6th grade. We currently have opportunities to accept a number of students in our elementary program for children/families displaced by Hurricane Katrina. We have also had a few families offer to provide housing for displaced families who may want to bring their children to our school.

Our school is:
Montessori Parent's Co-op for Children, Inc
2616 S 30th St
Omaha, NE 68105

My contact information is:
John Williams
2328 S 32nd Ave
Omaha, NE 68105

Home phone: 402 553 3548
Work phone: 402 498 6928
email
home: jwilli84@netzero.com
work: jwilli84@ford.com

Please let us know what opportunities are available to assist some of these families.

Thank you.

From: leonard presberg
Sent: Monday, September 05, 2005 11:17 AM
Subject: Hurricane Assistance

I am running a new Montessori school in the south Atlanta suburbs and could take any Montessori-experienced children tuition-free for the rest of the year. I could possibly also help with finding housing.

Leonard Presberg

++++++++++++++++++
Leonard Presberg (www.fayettecommunityschool.org)
Elizabeth Moore (www.womensmedical.com)
387 Buckeye Road
Fayetteville, GA 30214
770-964-4808
678-232-6183 (Leonard Cell)
lenliz@bellsouth.net

From: Jane Calbreath
Sent: Sunday, September 04, 2005 6:15 PM
Subject: AMI school offering help

Our school is in Marin County California just north of SF. We have room for two children ages 3 - 12 and could arrange housing for a family to recover from the flood. I haven't seen anything on the AMI website yet, but I will call them on Tuesday. It would be great to match families with schools that have openings. I see that NAIS is already doing this.

Jane Calbreath
Montessori de Terra Linda
www.mdtl.org

From: Eileen Minarik
Sent: Tue 9/6/2005 6:27 PM
Subject: Katrina assistance

Although my school is near Washington, DC and that is a long way to relocate I can offer the following:

I would be happy to offer a full scholarship for a child in 3-6 and one in 9-12. I cannot accommodate any more children at this time since we are building an addition that isn’t finished and some of our classes are in temporary space in the former sanctuary of a former church (which will be our assembly hall/gym/multipurpose space when the addition is completed sometime in the next few months. I don’t have space for a 6-9 year old. Taking a 3-6 child even puts me over my limit, however … If there were a family with a child at each level, call me, who knows what we might be able to arrange.

My daughter can offer free housing in a small condo not far from the school. My daughter currently spends most of her time with her boyfriend at his house on the base at Fort Belvoir Military Base and she and her boyfriend say they can live together fulltime if someone could use her condo. Some facts: there are two cats in residence that are ten years old and were adopted together. The cats must stay in the condo. There is currently an odor when first you enter the apartment since my daughter is waiting to have the flooring replaced and the remaining carpet tack boards in the foyer need to be taken up by the carpet people. The condo is walking distance to a middle school. The condo is two bedrooms but one is set up as an art studio/storage room. It has 1 full bath and one half bath, washer and dryer.

I can offer a job to a 3-6 teacher who is credentialed.

I would be happy to have a material making session or sessions with parents to help replace handmade materials. We can make general materials or can be in touch with a school or teacher that tells us some specific needs.

I will contact some of my neighboring schools and see if we might coordinate a material making effort.

I could give shelves, tables and chairs for a 3-6 classroom that are currently in storage at my school waiting for me to finish building an addition. The only problem with this would be getting them shipped south but I will contact some local moving companies tomorrow.

I can offer temporary living quarters at my house for an individual or family while they look for permanent housing.

I will put out a newsletter on this subject to the families of my school as we start the new school year this week to see if anyone else can provide shelter.

I would be particularly happy to help a school/family/teacher connected to a school that had limited resources to begin with. inner city? Subsidized? It is obvious from reading the New York Times and the Washington Post and listening to NPR that there is a huge disparity in the help provided to the haves and have nots. However, whatever I can do for whomever, please let me know.

Eileen Dowds Minarik
Sunset Hills Montessori School
11180 Ridge Heights Road
Reston , VA 20191
703.476.7477 school
703.507.4731 cell
703.435.0936 home

Since we are not that far from Houston, and we have been seeing on the news how many people from Louisiana are already in Houston or are on their way there, we would like to extend an offer to help.

Several of my teachers have proposed that there might be Montessori families from Louisiana that would want their children to continue their Montessori education as soon as possible. I liked the idea immediately.

Sagebrush Montessori Academy in Edinburg, Texas (just a hop, skip and a 6 hour drive South) would like to offer a welcome to any such family. Our teachers and our families would be willing to house displaced Montessori families, and our school will open its doors, free of charge as we can accommodate.

Please let me know if there is anything else we, as Texas neighbors, can do. We are already having our students collect change, which I will forward on to you as well in the near future.

We want to help.
Eliza Garcia, Head of School
Sagebrush Montessori Academy

SUPPLIES

From: Kbhowlett@aol.com
Sent: Sunday, September 25, 2005 8:27 PM
Subject: katrina help

We are a small Montessori school in Ithaca NY, and we have collected school supplies. We would like, of course, to help a fellow Montessori school, if there is such a need.

We have paper, notebooks, paints, markers, pencils.

Even if schools are not open and there is a way to simply distribute the materials to children, we would welcome that. We will pay for shipping to any location.

It is a small gesture...but perhaps there is a need.

Kathryn Howlett
Stepping Stones
Ithaca, NY 14850

From: "Scott Wright"
Date: September 21, 2005 12:26:51 PM EDT
Subject: Personal Care Kits from Ann Arbor, Michigan

Many people in our parish have offered to help & to commit to a longer-term or ongoing assistance. For now we are preparing "Personal Care Kits" for you at Houston Montessori Center, Houston. We hope to get between 1000-2000 kits by October 10. Then we will get them to you as soon as possible.

Your thoughts? Do you still need them? Suggestions for shipping?

Learn more about St. Francis Parish response to Katrina at: www.stfrancisa2.com/hurricanekatrina

In Christ,
Scott Wright (734-821-2121)
www.stfrancisa2.com/socialministry
Scott Wright, BSW, M.Div.,
Parish Social Ministry Director,
St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church,
2150 Frieze Ave., Ann Arbor, MI 48104.

From: Gila Burke
Sent: Thursday, September 15, 2005 11:30 AM
Subject: RE: Hurracane Katrina - Montessori Schools

Our School is preparing a donation for the children affected by Hurricane Katrina. All the staff, children, parents and families are collaborating to get this ready as soon as possible. This donation consists in back-packs with useful and educational/fun items and is aimed to kids 2-6 years old. Our main concern now is where to send it. That's the reason of this e-mail. Do you know of any Montessori School, somewhere in the country that is receiving kids of 2-6 years old affected by the hurricane so that we can send them things?

Please let me know if you can help us.

Thank you and best regards.

Gila Burke
Directress
Rainbow Mont4essori School
gillaburke@earthlink.net

From: Sheehy
Sent: Monday, September 05, 2005 7:48 AM
Subject: Hurricane Relief

My name is Jennifer Sheehy. I am an elementary teacher at Winchester Montessori School in Winchester, Virginia. My students want to "adopt" a school that was affected by hurricane Katrina. Do you know of one (or two)?

They are planning weekly bake sales to raise money to send supplies or equipment.

Thanks for your help,
Jennifer Sheehy

From: Paul Raymond
Sent: Tuesday, September 06, 2005 4:13 PM
Subject: Hurricane Relief

On behalf of the Montessori School of Raleigh I have been asked to let you know that MSR stands ready to contribute to those in need with both cash and supplies, including Montessori materials, child sized furniture and computers. Please let us know who would be best served.

Regards,
Paul

Paul Raymond
Director of Educational Programs and Technology
Montessori School of Raleigh
7005 Leadmine Road
Raleigh,NC 27615
(919) 848-1545

JOB OPENINGS

From: Martha Thompson
Date: November 25, 2005
Subject: Montessori Directress positions for new startup all day school

For any displaced Montessori Directresses, looking to relocate. Montessori Fields Learning Center is a new all day school for 99 students, ages 3 months to 6 years, that will be starting up in the Summer of 2006 in Champaign, IL. Montessori Fields is seeking candidates with a strong interest in nature education. Three visionary Montessori Primary Directresses are needed. Positive, creative, solutions-oriented team-members desired. Experience and Bachelors degree preferred, AMS or AMI. Annual contract. Submit letter of interest, salary requirements, resume and references.

Martha Thompson
Montessori Fields Learning Center
3902 Crowwood Dr, Apt 104
Champaign, IL 61822
217-417-6969
montessoriwow@aol.com

From: Resources Human
Sent: Tuesday, October 04, 2005 6:42 PM
Subject: Employment ad for Katrina survivors

The Boyd School located in Northern Virginia has openings for a Primary (3-6) Classroom Directress/Director and Campus Director/Director of Admissions. Classroom Director/Directress positions require Montessori certification. A four-year degree or equivalent in work experience is preferred and required at certain levels. Ideal candidates must be positive, mature, professional, team-oriented, and most importantly dedicated to the Montessori philosophy and the education of children. Previous experience preferred for all positions. Excellent salary and benefits package. Paid relocation costs for exceptional candidates. For additional info on our school please visit our website www.theboydschool.com. If you have any questions or would like to apply for a position, please email us at hr@theboydschool.com or fax resumes to 703-669-5998.

Again, thank you for all of you assistance.

Sincerely,

Micah Earle
HR Director

From: "Ellen Lucius"
Date: September 26, 2005 10:58:52 PM EDT
Subject: Montessori position available

I understand that you are helping relocate Katrina evacuees. Here is an ad for a position that we have available. Please let me know if there is anything else that is necessary. Thank you!

Primary Montessori guide position available in 4 year-new school in lovely Shenandoah Valley. AMI or AMS certification desirable. Join an enthusiastic staff in a successful school with growth potential located within a diverse university community. Washington, D.C. is two hours away and the Shenandoah National Park's hiking and camping are available to you within an hour's drive. Host family has offered their home as temporary housing for family displaced by Katrina. Please send resume and reference list via email to woodlandmont@wmsh.org. Phone (540) 432-6111. View our website at wmsh.org. Academic year position. Available immediately.

Sincerely,

Ellen Lucius

Ellen Lucius, Head of School
Woodland Montessori School
1301 Virginia Ave., Harrisonburg, VA 22802
(540) 432-6111

From: W. Nora Yee
Sent: Friday, September 23, 2005 9:31 AM
Subject: teacher positions

Montessori World School
11659 Ruby Lake Rd.
Orlando, FL 32836
407-239-6024
407-239-6582 (fax)
wnyee@montessoriworldschool.com

We have an opening for an Elementary II teacher and would like to see if there is a way to get this information to Montessori teachers who may have been displaced by Hurricane Katrina. We also placed an ad in your AMS website. They can fax, call or e-mail their info to us. Thank you for getting this info out to the teachers.

Nora Yee

Wednesday, September 21, 2005

Dear Friends,
My school, Parkview Montessori Magnet School, is a public Montessori school in West Tennessee. We have an immediate opening for a kindergarten teacher that is Montessori trained. If you know of anyone that might be interested please let us know. I thought there might be some displaced Katrina friends that might be looking for a position. Our school phone number is 731-422-3116, and our curriculum co-ordinator is Melinda Harris, or you can e-mail me and I will pass the info along. Have a great day! Peggy Smith

From: DrBCoe@aol.com
Sent: Thursday, September 15, 2005 2:43 PM
Subject: Wilson job openings

Wilson Elementary is a new Montessori public school in Houston. Currently they have positions for the early childhood and lower elementary Montessori teachers who may want to work while their schools are being rebuilt in Louisiana and Mississippi. Interested applicants should send their résumé to Norma Perez-Gwynn at perezgw@houstonisd.orgor call her at 713-942-1470.

From: MelanieAlexis@cs.com
Sent: Wednesday, September 14, 2005 2:44 PM
To: Mimi Basso
Subject: welcoming hurricane victims

Please allow the Montessori community to know that we also are offering two scholarships in Early Childhood (3-6) to a family who was previously enrolled in a Montessori program devastated by Hurricane Katrina. We also have a place for any Montessori assistants or teachers who are displaced due to Hurricane Katrina. Thank you.

Please contact:
Melanie Petersen
Petersen Montessori Academy
Miami, Florida
(305)463-9085
MelanieAlexis@cs.com

From: Katherine Arbiter
Sent: Sat 9/10/2005 2:49 PM
Subject: posting for teachers

Katherine Arbiter here, from Houston -- we met in Chicago. I am the crazy one starting the first all Montessori campus in HoustonISD.

Anyway, we are still in need of a couple of certified Montessori teachers and Gretta Yeager, of the Houston Montessori Center, suggested I contact you about a posting on the AMS website. I contacted Gretta to see if any Katrina 'refugee' teachers might be looking for immediate work. . .!

Thanks,
Katherine

From: SMADLE@tampabay.rr.com
Sent: Thursday, September 08, 2005 9:54 PM
Subject: Re: RE: RE: fundraiser for schools affected by Katrina

Could you please add this to the AMS HELP section?

Thank you!
Sara Madle
Gulfwinds Montessori Academy
3747 34th St. S.
St. Petersburg, Fl 33711
727 866 1901
sara@gulfwindsmontessori.org

From: Eileen Minarik
Sent: Tue 9/6/2005 6:27 PM
Subject: Katrina assistance

Though my school is near Washington, DC and that is a long way to relocate I can offer the following:

1. I can offer a job to a 3-6 teacher who is credentialed.

Eileen Dowds Minarik
Sunset Hills Montessori School
11180 Ridge Heights Road
Reston , VA 20191
703.476.7477 school
703.507.4731 cell

From: Lynn Barras
Sent: Tuesday, September 06, 2005 12:26 PM
Subject: Hurricane Katrina & Upper Elementary Position

My name is Lynn Marie Barras and I am the Executive Administrator for the Montessori Elementary Charter School in Key West, Florida. In response to the call to aid those who were affected by hurricane Katrina, I have been directed by my Charter Board President, Steven Pribramsky, to offer a teaching position to an AMS certified upper elementary directress/director from the affected areas. I have also been authorized to include an incentive offering of temporary housing for the new upper elementary instructor, as well. My Charter Board of Directors is meeting next Monday to discuss the salary range, and I am happy to forward that information to you as it is available.

As a charter school in Florida our directresses must hold a valid Florida Educator’s Certificate. Because this criterion may not be found in any candidate from Louisiana or Mississippi, the individual would be working in a co-teaching position with our current upper elementary directress until a Florida Educator’s Certificate is issued. Florida’s Commissioner of Education, John Winn, has issued a memorandum stating that the certification fee is waived for the initial application for a Florida certificate for any displaced educator from Louisiana, Mississippi, or Alabama who is now seeking certification and employment in a Florida school system.

The upper elementary position could become a permanent position, for our upper elementary program will be large enough next school year to warrant two upper elementary classes.

Our school serves students from grades one through five on a compound of converted houses in beautiful Old Town Key West. We have 64 students enrolled among our three classrooms: two lower elementary and one upper elementary. Our current upper elementary program serves 18 students in grades four & five. The current directress is beginning her third year in the upper elementary position, and currently has a full-time assistant in the classroom.

I am very encouraged at the possibility of helping a teacher in need, while improving our charter program. I am happy to discuss the position further with you, or with a viable candidate. Please feel free to contact me via email or telephone (see below).

Have a great day,
Lynn Marie Barras
Principal/Executive Administrator
Montessori Elementary Charter School
1127 United Street
Key West, Florida 33040
305.294.4910, ext. 114
305.304.3995 (cellular)
www.KeyWestMontessori.com

Dear Dr. Coe,

In addition to the things that you have requested, I have a teaching vacancy for a 6-9 teacher in Prince George’s County, Maryland. I would allow them stay with me until they felt comfortable to go out on their own. If anyone is interested and would like to know about our school, they can go to www.pgcps.org and look for Robert Goddard French Immersion and Montessori School.

Sherra Chappelle
Principal

DONATIONS/CLASSROOM MATERIALS

From: Teacheranna13@aol.com
Sent: Thursday, September 29, 2005 10:01 AM
Subject: katrina relief

Hello, my name is Anna Penta Mondaca from Totowa Montessori School in NJ, i have been collecting new and used Montessori equipment to aid those that lost their schools in new Orleans. so far the offers and deliveries have been overwhelming. although i am a bit set back with a broken foot we are still going forward, we are just not sure where the equipment will be going. we have no desire to send these gifts off to someone that has no idea of it's value and wind up in storage. Hopefully we will be taking it there on a donated truck in person.
We would greatly appreciate if you could post this and give all our info to anyone you can and help spread the word for us.

Thank you and God Bless
Anna Penta Mondaca
Totowa Montessori School
717 Riverview DR
Totowa NJ 07512
973,626,6397 or
teacheranna13@aol.com

From: Papercutstm@aol.com
Sent: Tue 9/27/2005 5:39 PM
Subject: PaperCuts Teaching Material

Since I have been contributing to the Red Cross financially, I am interested in helping the schools who have been impacted by the hurricane, which, by the way, hit my area before going up to New Orleans. For any schools who have been destroyed or had serious material damage, even if they have not been a customer of PaperCuts Teaching Material, I will provide blackline masters to help them get restarted. I would appreciate it if AMS can confirm any interested school's situation.

Thank you,

Roger Brown
PaperCuts Teaching Material
Deerfield Beach, FL
800-995-0014

From: Cynthia Brashear
Sent: Tue 9/27/2005 5:08 PM
Subject: Montessori materials

I am a retired Montessori teacher with many materials I have been saving for grandchildren. I would be happy to donate them to schools in need. I can be contacted at madrun@bee.net or at my home address: 144 S. Main St., Pennington, NJ 08534.

Sincerely, Cynthia Brashear

We have paper, notebooks, paints, markers, pencils.

Even if schools are not open and there is a way to simply distribute the materials to children, we would welcome that. We will pay for shipping to any location.

It is a small gesture...but perhaps there is a need.

Kathryn Howlett
Stepping Stones
Ithaca, NY 14850

From: PAM OR JOHN R.
Sent: Sun 9/18/2005 4:02 PM
Subject: supplies

I have a shed with many Montessori materials that I have accumulated over the course of 12 years. I have a truck that I can take the supplies south in. I am currently working and would need to do this on a weekend. I live in the Shreveport area and work at a Montessori school. We have some used chairs, I think they would like to donate. I could bring those, also. If I can help, let me know. Pam Richard

jrichard@sport.rr.com
Pam Richard
1071 Chipper Ln
Keithville, LA 71047
318-925-2843 hm
318-861-6777 wk
318-347-1227 cell

From: Jill Roshon
Sent: Sun 9/11/2005 11:57 AM
Subject: Katrina

Thank you.

Please contact:
Jill Roshon
mjroshon@juno.com
Dublin Montessori Academy
10465 Sawmill Road
Powell, Ohio 43065
614-761-2020

From: mchdirector@verizon.net
Sent: Friday, September 09, 2005 1:14 PM
Subject: montessori materials

I'm the Director of a Montessori school in Southern California. We have a large surplus of materials we would like to donate. Please contact us
at 562-431-8880.
Thank you,
Rachael Cabos

From: Kathy O'Reilly
Sent: Tuesday, September 06, 2005 9:05 PM
Subject: Hurricane offer of help

Please contact me at school (256) 881-3790 (it will forward to my cell
phone if no one is in the office) or mshadministrator@knology.net

Thank you!
Kathy O'Reilly

From: Teacheranna13@aol.com
Sent: Sunday, September 04, 2005 10:29 AM
Subject: KATRINA AID FROM TOTOWA MONTESSORI

HELLO I, AM ANNA PENTA MONDACA FROM TOTOWA MONTESSORI SCHOOL, TOTOWA NJ. FOR NOW OUR SCHOOL IS CLOSED FOR POSSIBLE CONSTRUCTION AND EXPANSION. OUR IDEA IS TO ASK "ALL AMS" SCHOOLS "EVERYWHERE" TO DONATE AT LEAST ONE COMPLETE, PIECE OF MONTESSORI EQUIPMENT OR WORKSHOP SO THAT WE CAN PUT IT ALL TOGETHER ON A TRUCK AND BRING IT DOWN TO THE GULF STATES AND HELP THE STUDENTS AND SCHOOL OWNERS RESTART THEIR EDUCATION AND BUSINESSES.

THE HIGH COST OF PURCHASING MONTESSORI EQUIPMENT IS DIFFICULT WHEN A SCHOOL IS JUST BEGINNING, ADD TO THAT YOUR STARTUP FUNDS ARE NOT THERE AND EVERYTHING WAS LOST, MAKE IT SEEM IMPOSSIBLE.

WORKING IN THE MONTESSORI COMMUNITY FOR MORE THEN 15 YEARS NOW I ALSO KNOW THAT MOST SCHOOLS HAVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF OVERSTOCK OR DUPLICATE ITEMS. THINGS GET SHABBY AND NEW ONE'S ARE PURCHASED, HOWEVER A GOOD MONTESSORIAN WILL NEVER DISCARD THE OLD EQUIPMENT, IT JUST GOES INTO THE CLOSET AS PARTS REPLACEMENT OR BACKUP.

THESE ITEM MAY NOT BE NEW BUT THEY ARE NEEDED, AND I GUARANTEE THAT WE CAN SET UP QUITE A FEW CLASSROOMS WITH WHAT OTHER SCHOOLS CONSIDER DUST COLLECTING SPARE PARTS.

ALL IT WILL TAKE IS FEW E-MAILS AND PHONE CALLS TO AMS SCHOOLS WITH OUR INFORMATION AND OFF WE GO. WE ARE ALSO STARTING A "CASH FOR GAS" ACCOUNT TO HELP GET ALL THE EQUIPMENT THERE.

IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO HELP US WITH, WE FEEL IT IS A WONDERFUL WAY FOR THE MONTESSORI COMMUNITY TO HELP OUR OWN, AND START NEW.

THANK YOU, WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FORM YOU

NEW AND USED DONATIONS ITEMS OR CASH CAN BE SENT TO
TOTOWA MONTESSORI SCHOOL
ANNA PENTA MONDACA
717 RIVERVIEW DR.
TOTOWA NJ 07512
(973) 626-6397

DONATIONS

BidGive will provide assistance in completing and filing grant and aid requests for AMS member schools damaged by Katrina. Schools desiring assistance should contact info@bidgive.com AFTER they have received the grant or assistance application from prospective funding sources. Schools damaged by Katrina that need assistance with an internal fund raising or capital development campaign will be provided consultation service without cost.

From: jodi@kalmont.com
Sent: Monday, October 17, 2005 3:22 PM
Subject: Katrina Helping Hands

Dear Mimi,

My name is Jodi Harms and I am the office coordinator at Woodland Montessori School (early childhood) in Kalispell, MT. As we started the school year, we had wanted to create a project with the children to earn money to donate to hurricane relief in the Gulf region. We came up with the idea of Helping Hands Magnets. Each child made a butterfly out of their hand prints which we have scanned and will mount on adhesive magnet sheet to create refrigerator magnets. The magnets have been offered to parents to purchase and the response has been fabulous!

We have collected over $850 from the magnet sales and the school will be contributing a percentage of another recent school fundraiser to the effort - I estimate we'll have about $1000 to give. This is, sadly, just a drop in the bucket of what is needed, but nevertheless, much more than we expected. We are thrilled with the response and the kids have been able to feel like they are really contributing and are learning so much from the experience of giving.

It has been very meaningful to be able to focus our effort within the Montessori community. Thank you at AMS for creating a forum to connect those in need with those who want to help directly. Of the Statements of Need on your website, we think it makes the most sense for us to give the money we have raised to The Children's House in Ocean Springs, LA to help them replace their materials. Please let us know if we should contact them directly by the information listed with their letter or if there is a plan to distribute donations through AMS. If there is greater need with any of the other schools impacted by the hurricanes please let us know.

Sincerely,
Jodi Harms

From: diann keliikoa
Sent: Fri 10/7/2005 9:39 PM
Subject:

Aloha...We have a Shoebox Ministry that we have been filling shoe boxes with things children might like/need..a lot of which is on your website listing October/December Children Care. We wish to send these but do not have a specfic site to mail. Is this something that we could do through you?

My e mail is tutubow@hawaii.rr.com Diann Coito Mana Christian Ohana in Waimea, Hawaii

My telephone number is 808 883-9751

We have a deadline of October 31st to get all our boxes and donations together. Please let me know any information that would be applicable.

Mahalo Ke Akua Pu
Thank you and God Bless you
Diann Coito

From: Tanni@infotreeinc.com
Sent: Fri 10/7/2005 11:32 AM
Subject: Katrina fund

We, the children and parent at Oak Meadow Montessori school in Littleton Massachusetts have put together an ice cream fund raising for the children of Katrina. We have raised over $470. We would like to help the Montessori students who are in need. Can you let me know what is the best way to each these Montessori students.

Thank you,
Tanni
978-263-8558x115

From: EOster@oakfarmschool.com
Sent: Wed 9/28/2005 3:22 PM

I am the assistant teacher for Oak Bridge Montessori Middle School. Recently I suggested to our director that our school (Oak Farm Montessori School) support a family affected by the hurricane/s for Thanksgiving. Normally we do a "basket brigade" taking food to struggling families in the area. This year we would like to look into the possibility of making Thanksgiving a little easier for one or two families in the south. I checked the website, but found it a bit daunting to narrow in on a specific avenue to take. Can you help? I am sure you are super busy with everything that is happening. I appreciate any assistance you can give.

Thank you,
Elise Oster
Oak Bridge Montessori Middle School with Oak Farm Montessori School
502 Lemper Rd.
Avilla, IN 46710
(260) 897-4270 Ext. 25242
FAX: 260-897-4250
eoster@oakfarm.com

From: Helen Barnes
Sent: Tue 9/27/2005 9:45 PM
Subject: AMS Hurricane assistance

Just to let you know that my class, in Miami, were greatly concerned about the survivors of Katrina and immediately collected children's clothes and soft toys for survivors. These were sent off to Donalsonville Primary School within the week. I think the children would like to help other Montessori children, as they did in the Caymen Islands, after Ivan, last year. If you know of a small Montessori school, in the stricken area, which would benefit from our efforts, I would be grateful to receive details with mailing address and phone number. My husband's company has undertaken to cover the shipping costs of the things we collect.

Many thanks

Helen Barnes
The Children's House,
7701 SW 76 Ave,
Miami, Fl. 33143

From: Carrie Green
Sent: Friday, September 23, 2005 11:55 AM
Subject: Montessori School Nurse and Red Cross Volunteer Returns from Serving Hurricane Katrina Survivors

Libertyville resident Sue Schory returned Thursday, September 15th to her regular full-time job as a school nurse at the Montessori School of Lake Forest (MSLF), in Lake Forest, IL. She has returned with stories and photographs of the devastation, empowered by her experiences to move her community to help. She was one of only five Red Cross nurses stationed at a shelter serving over 300 people in Laurel, Mississippi, a small town outside of Hattiesburg. This town suffered significant damage due to both sustained winds up to 120 miles per hour and the tornados. Those living in the shelter included evacuees from New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, as well as county and local residents affected by hurricane Katrina. During Sue’s deployment--September 5th – 14th, only half the town had power. The shelter itself was run on generator. The hopelessness felt by those living in the shelter, in her words, was beyond comprehension.

Even before her return, Sue had e-mailed the teachers at the Montessori School of Lake Forest about the desperate need for school supplies. The MSLF families, faculty and students have responded and are collecting supplies to donate to several elementary schools that were severely damaged by the catastrophe. In addition, MSLF will be making a donation (collected from students, families and faculty) directly to the regional Pine Belt Chapter of the Red Cross, servicing the residents in Jones and the surrounding counties.

Sue is available to discuss what is like to be a Red Cross volunteer and, to hopefully, inspire other local schools to set up similar programs in connection with other districts in storm ravaged areas. Families in these areas look to the schools to meet many of their most fundamental needs. The school systems provide the breakfast and lunch programs and often access to health care. It is imperative that they become fully operational as soon as possible!

To contact Sue, you may reach her at work at (847)918-1000 ext. 320 or on her cell at (847)927-7878. Thank you.

Carrie Green
Administrative Assistant
Montessori School of Lake Forest
(847)918-1000 ext 301
Carrie@MSLF.org

The Montessori School of Lake Forest is a nationally acclaimed 32,000 square foot school located on 5.5 acres of woodlands and prairie. Spacious classrooms overlook gardens, playgrounds, and walking paths. Since 1965, the Montessori School of Lake Forest has provided academic excellence in a safe and loving environment for children from birth to age fifteen. To learn more, please visit www.MSLF.org.

From: michael wagner
Sent: Thursday, September 22, 2005 9:08 AM
Subject: hurricane relief

I am writing you on behalf of Bay Farm Montessori Academy in Duxbury, Ma. We have formed a hurricane relief committee and are looking for ways to help throughout the year, financial and otherwise. My name is Tracy Wagner, my phone number is 781-829-9670.
... Thanks for being a clearing house for this project it really helps those of us who want to help from far away.

From: mslgstaff@comcast.net
Sent: Sun 9/11/2005 11:29 AM
Subject: Montessori school that may need help

We would like to "sponsor" a Montessori school in the New Orleans area who might need our help. If you have any information on such a school, please let me know.

Lyn Pearson

From: mmooiweer@verizon.net
Sent: Saturday, September 03, 2005 10:26 PM
Subject: Massachusetts school wants to help - tell us how?

The parent and teacher community of Keystone Montessori School in Chelmsford, Massachusetts would love to give assistance to the victims of the hurricane. We have started to raise funds which we plan to send to an official relief agency. However, we would also like to hear directly from individuals or schools who have specific needs that we might be able to help recover from this tragedy with clothing, food or school materials, for example.

It is possible that our families could host victims of the flood who need temporary housing and/or schooling in the Boston area, but we are located in an area with very little access to public transportation.

Please contact me at this e-mail address with questions or suggestions.

Thank you,
Mara Mooiweer, Lower Elementary teacher

From: jbragdon
Sent: Thursday, September 01, 2005 11:01 AM
Subject: Hurricane relief

Mimi – Please let us know if there are some specific Montessori schools that need assistance. We want to target our money raised to a specific need and feel that a fellow Montessori school would be a wonderful target. Thanks so much!

Julie Bragdon

Director of Primary Education
Montessori School of Denver
email: jbragdon@msd-co.org
303.756.9441 ext 11
www.montessoridenver.org

From: Junemsp@aol.com
Sent: Wednesday, September 07, 2005 4:15 PM
Subject: Helping Katrina schools

It's all of us at The Montessori School of Pensacola. We are anxious to help a school that has been damaged by providing fund-raising funds and other items. Have you heard from any schools on the Gulf Coast that need a helping hand?
Sincerely,

Kathy, Mary and Maria and everyone else here

Contact us at 850.469.8138
or
junemsp@aol.com
kturtlemes@aol.com

From: SMADLE@tampabay.rr.com
Sent: Wednesday, August 31, 2005 4:48 PM
Subject: fundraiser for schools affected by Katrina

A few weeks ago our 9-12 students were wondering who should be the recipients of their first spaghetti lunch fundraiser. It has become apparent that perhaps several Montessori schools were hit hard by Hurricane Katrina and we are thinking one or a combination of those schools would be good for us to donate to. We will have the lunch next Thursday and advertise it to our families and church members (our school is is located at a church). Would you or someone else at AMS be willing to take on the role of receiving the money and getting it to schools in need?

Thank you,
Sara Madle
Gulfwinds Montessori Academy
3747 34th St. S.
St. Petersburg, FL 33711
727 866-1901