The Summerland Montessori School needs the help of your donations.
We are a not-for-profit independent school that plays a vital role in our community as an alternative to the public education system. We are committed to offering a high-quality program and have been voted #1 private school in the South Okanagan for two years in a row. In addition to our elementary school program, we also run a licenced preschool and summer program. Our students come from Summerland, Penticton, Peachland, and West Kelowna.
Our school is non-denominational and inspired by the philosophy of Dr. Maria Montessori, who believed in hands-on learning that is adapted to the specific needs of each child. We have small class sizes so there is more one on one attention. We offer daily French and P.E. and music classes twice per week, as well as a full BC Ministry of Education approved curriculum. Students are provided an opportunity to learn in a safe, creative, and challenging environment that suits their individual needs.
Why should I donate to an independent school?
This is a question that comes up frequently when we are trying to fundraise for the school, and is a fair question. When people think of independent, or private, schools they typically think of well-off families sending their children to a “fancy” prep school. Our school is not that kind of school. We are a very small, not-for-profit independent school geared towards families who share our philosophy of education and who are looking for an alternative to the public school system. We offer small class sizes and a more individual education experience, which is especially beneficial for both students who are struggling and students who need a bigger challenge.
We do everything we can to keep our tuition and fees as low as possible. Our families come from all financial backgrounds, and we have an extensive bursary program to help make that happen. Between tuition and government funding, we get less money per student than public schools do and we are running a school on a small scale for less than 50 kids, as opposed to school districts with thousands of students. We also have to pay the costs to lease our property, as opposed to public schools that do not. All of this means that we are dependent on fundraising to help us continue to offer our programs.
Our issue is not staying on budget; our issue is managing our cash flow due to the funding cycle for our government funding. We get our first installment at the end of October, after we have been up and running for two months, and then the rest comes at the end of January, March, and June. So, while our expenses are the same all school year-long, our money coming in is very inconsistent. This year, we are trying to raise a larger amount than in previous years to take the pressure off our constant efforts to manage our cash flow, which will allow our programs to flourish rather than to just survive.
We believe that families in our area deserve to have choices in how their children are educated, and that we offer a program that is very beneficial to our students and their families. The simple fact is that public school is not for everyone and having an affordable, nondenominational option is a benefit to those children specifically and our community as a whole.
We are a CRA approved charity, so can provide tax receipts for your donations. Please help keep this school moving forward and give the children and families in our community more educational options.
