Pines Montessori School 2014 Annual Appreciation Report

PINES MONTESSORI SCHOOL
K I N G W O O D
T E X A S
Annual
A p p r e c i at i o n
Repor t
Pines Montessori
School prepares
children for life through
learning experiences
based on authen c
Montessori principles
and prac ces.
2014 — 2015
F r o m t h e B o a r d o f Tr u s t e e s
Jeff Choyce
Board of Trustees
Dear Families and Friends,
Executive Committee
The Board of Trustees offers the 2014-2015 Annual
Appreciation Report of Pines Montessori School as a way to
keep you informed of how we utilize our resources to plan and
prepare for our future. We are guided by our commitment to
Montessori principles and practices, and also by the mission
and vision of our school.
Jeff Choyce, Chair
Joe Dunleavy, Finance
Member-at-Large
Connie Chandler
Yvonne Catala
Administrative Team
The Board’s commitment to building a foundation for growth,
realizing the vision of a school that offers state of the art
facilities, and maintaining our amazing professional staff continues. In the past
year, our school has accomplished so much, including:
Head of School
•
•
•
Patricia Sobelman
Finance, CPA
A growing infant community with a waiting list
Lower elementary that is growing and improving
A new Upper Elementary Classroom
Joy Fields
~ With your support, the vision is being realized! ~
Facilities
“Growth is not merely a harmonious increase in size,
but a transforma on.” - Maria Montessori.
Libby Egan
Communications & Media
Sabrina Padgett
Enrollment
Wendy Stephens
Our work is not complete. The Board of Trustees needs your talents, effort, and
enthusiasm to complete the vision. Leadership and support opportunities are
available through participation on the Board or on a Board committee.
Opportunities include:
Legal advice, Advertising, Development/Community Relations,
IT/Communications, Finance, Human resources
Christine Rock
The possibilities are endless. Contact me if you are interested at
board@pinesmontessori.com.
Table of Contents
I challenge you to show your support for our amazing school through your
talents, service, or financial support. With the dedicated effort of our parents,
staff and our community, we can realize this vision and fulfill the hopes and
dreams or our children.
2
2
From the Board of
Trustees
In my final year as the President of the Board of Trustees, I want to thank all of
you for your support and prayers.
4
From the Finance
Committee
Sincerely,
6
From the Head of
School
8
Facilities
Jeffrey S. Choyce
President, Pines Board of Trustees
Pines Montessori School Facts...
1/2
7
7
38
112
Of Upper and
Middle School
students have
been enrolled at
Pines between
5-8 years.
Years is the
average tenure
of a staff
member at
Pines.
Teachers are at
10 plus years of
employment.
Years as a
school Established in
1977.
Families with
enrolled
students.
10+ years faculty
Hina Patel—18
Maria Nicholls—16
Maria Spinnato—16
Adriana Anderson—13
Jessica Aylesworth—13
Kahkashan Sohail—13
Libby Egan—10
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From the Finance Committee
Joe Dunleavy
The Bylaws of Pines require the Treasurer to carry out the mandates of the Board of Trustees and to oversee the
financial affairs of the school. In this regard, the Treasurer is responsible to work with the Head of School to:
•
monitor the school's financial accounts and records;
•
report financial information to the Board;
•
direct the preparation of the annual audit; and
•
assist with the annual budgeting process.
These responsibilities are carried out under the umbrella of two overarching financial goals: i) to achieve
financial stability; and ii) to secure the long term growth of Pines. The economics of Pines are reasonably
straightforward. Our operating costs are comprised primarily of fixed costs and our revenues are highly
correlated to our enrollment. Thus, as our enrollment increases or decreases, our revenues should increase or
decrease, correspondingly. However, our operating costs are less likely to move in correlation with enrollment.
Thus, we need to carefully monitor enrollment in order to ensure we will cover the costs of operating Pines.
During the 2014 fiscal year, which ended June 30, 2014, our financial metrics, as noted in the accompanying
table, remained consistent with the prior fiscal year. Additionally, the results of our 2014 financial statement
audit indicate sound financial policies and fairly stated results of operations and financial condition. This
combination of consistency and robustness of financial performance have helped to solidify our financial
stability. With regard to securing the long-term growth of Pines, Administration of Pines undertook two
significant projects in fiscal 2014:
•
the refinancing of our long-term debt; and
•
the construction of a new upper elementary building.
The refinancing of our debt provides Pines more security related to interest rates and future cash out flows than
allowed under the terms of previously existing indebtedness. The receipt, and now opening, of a new
upper elementary classroom provides Pines with additional enrollment opportunities and greater flexibility
related to facility usage and available programming.
Our Head of School, Patty Sobelman, Chief Financial Officer, Joy Fields, and Head of Facilities, Libby Egan,
have the appreciation and thanks of the Finance Committee and Board for their hard work this past fiscal year
and their commitment to Pines.
Looking ahead, we currently have about 160 students enrolled at Pines. This enrollment is up from 150
students at this time last year. As Pines grows, our need for additional infrastructure and support also grows.
To meet this need, the Finance Committee proposed, and the Board approved, the creation of a new
administrative position to ease the increased work load resulting from this growth. Additionally, the Board
currently is soliciting feedback and assistance with the development of a plan to meet the future maintenance
and infrastructure requirements of Pines. Your input and active participation to create Pines of tomorrow is
greatly appreciated. Finally, Administration currently is preparing the budget for the 2015 – 2016 academic
year. Consistent with prior years, the Finance Committee will consider this budget after taking into account
our goals of financial stability and sustainable growth.
The Finance Committee welcomes input from Pines Community on this annual report or any other financial
matters to ensure that we are being responsive to the Fundamental Values and Beliefs of Pines.
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2012—2013 Income
2012—2013 Expense
Income
Didyouknow?
Many families double their
donations to Pines Montessori School
by applying to matching funds
through their employers.
Pines is a 501(c)3 non-profit educa onal ins tu on. The school’s opera onal
financial expenses are covered through tui on revenues, while major capital
budget projects are typically funded through fund raising, donor
contribu ons and other ini a ves. The Board of Trustees and the Finance
Commi ee, along with the school’s administra on, prepare a budget that is opera onally
balanced. This is then approved by the Board.
Federal Tax ID Number is 74-296448
Expense
Box Tops for Education—
With this year’s earnings, we
have purchased a large brew
coffee pot and a sewing
machine for our campus.
Play in the Park Bake
Sales—Money raised
enabled Upper Elementary to
donate over $480.00 to St.
Jude’s Research Hospital and
helped Middle School on their
Adventure Trip to Heifer
Ranch in Perryville, Arkansas.
Grant Awarded—Pines was
awarded $125.00 from the
Bring Back the Monarchs to
Texas Grant.
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From the Head of School
Patty Sobelman
Alumni Note
Our graduate, Sheillagh
O’Brien, received the C.V.I.
Recently, I had the pleasure of presenting a lesson to our Robotics
team. This year our team represents four Upper Elementary
students, one Middle School student and a Lower El junior team
member. The 2014 theme for the First Lego League Robotics
competition is Learning, a perfect fit for Montessori
students. I began my presentation with a very simple question,
“How many teachers are in your classroom?” When our Middle
School student said, “One”, I turned my head slightly and looked at
her to which she changed her answer quickly to, “Seven!” I turned to the
Upper El students who figured out where I was going with this line of
questioning and said, “Seventeen!”
school, to Incarnate Word
Montessori students recognize that they are teachers as well. Every
person should consider him or herself a teacher. The popular
phrase Life Long Learner is only half of the equation. Learning is
valuable, but teaching your knowledge to someone else multiplies that
experience. As educators and as parents, we must also be open to
learning from these young teachers. Their insight and passion is
inspiring! We all have a lot to learn as well as a lot to teach!
Academy in Houston.
Best Wishes,
Scholar award, that
recognizes the efforts of
exceptional incoming
students who have excelled
academically in middle
Polski-Texas?
Over the past 4 years, our school has developed a very close
relationship with the Montessori schools in Poland. This
collaboration began over ten years ago when my family lived in
Toronto, Canada. I had the distinct pleasure of developing a
friendship with a passionate Montessori teacher, Joanna Maghen. Her dream was to return to her
home country of Poland and bring back to life the Montessori schools that were thriving before
World War II. During the years of communist rule, both during and following the war, Montessori
all but faded away. In 1989 Poland emerged as an independent country once again. Since this time
the country has lourished and now, with the founding of the Polski Instytut Montessori,
Montessori teacher training is taking place in Poland and neighboring countries and more and
more schools are opening. With great excitement, Pines Montessori School will host 10 Montessori
teachers from Poland this December 1st-10th. During this time, our guests will observe our school,
and other Montessori schools throughout Houston. We are so very honored that they have chosen
to visit us and we look forward to learning from our Montessori colleagues.
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Community Speaker Events
New This Year
Pines, along with LoneStar College Kingwood, began a
Community Education Speaker Event. These informative
talks focus on child development are open to the
community. Our irst speaker was the National Bestselling
Author and International Speaker, Barbara Coloroso. Ms.
Coloroso spoke about her book, TheBully,theBullied,and
theBystander. We continued the series by inviting
Dr. Andrew Cutler to speak about TheADDBrain. Dr.
Cutler has been a Principal Investigator on over 400
psychiatric and medical clinical trials. He has also been
published in numerous scienti ic and medical journals.
EarthConnections—this school year began
our new afternoon exploration of the
environment.
SpringSing—Lower El began this new event,
now a new tradition.
Ecofair&Kleenwood—Partnering with
Kingwood Chamber of Commerce, Pines held
our irst ever EcoFair event after Kingwood’s
Kleenwood community cleanup.
FamilyDance&Picnic—Many families came
out to dance on the Gazebo, under the stars,
and enjoy a picnic dinner.
Building the Pink Tower
Pines played an important role in
supporting the BuildingthePink
Tower documentary being produced right now. This ilm
will reimagine schools and learning through the lens of
Montessori education. In a climate of concern and criticism
about schools, BuildingthePinkTowerwill remind us of
what we want in education: eager learning, creative
thinking, and collaborative work. The ilm will change the
debate about education by showing how the 100-year-old
Montessori method nurtures the imagination of children
and lays a solid foundation for their success in life. Visit
their website Buildingthepinktower.org to ind out more.
NAEYC
2014-2015 school year will be busy as we prepare for
our upcoming NAEYC (National Association for the
Education of Young Children) re-accreditation visit.
Thank you to all the parents this past summer who
returned your surveys as we gather our documentation
to continue our 20th year as an accredited school for
children birth through age 6. Pines Montessori continues
to be the only NAEYC accredited school in our area.
InternationalPeaceDay—Peace is an
important part of the Montessori curriculum.
We celebrated this special day by sharing
displays of works and giving demonstrations
of peace lessons to other classes and to
attending parents.
Faculty Training &
Professional
Development
In March, Eleven of our
teachers attended the
American Montessori
Society conference in Dallas, TX. The
conference featured keynotes by Montessori
leaders and famous promoters, such as Temple
Grandin PhD, John Chattin-McNichols PhD,
Andrew Solomon PhD, and Rob Evans EdD.
Our teachers attended workshops on everything from Cosmic Curriculum to Sensorial and
Practical Life Extensions. With renewed minds
and fresh perspective, the teachers returned to
share their training experiences. The
opportunity for Pines to send these
representatives was made possible with
donations from the 22nd Annual Gala. Thank
you for investing in your teachers!
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Fa c i l i t i e s
PERGOLA
The summer months were very busy ones here at Pines. One of
the big projects that was inally completed was that of our
Infant Playground Pergola. This has been something we have
been planning for since we opened our Infant Community.
Thanks to the funds from our 2014 Gala, the project was
completed this past summer. Don Arnold of DonArnold’s
LandscapeArchitects created the structure out of cedar. This
was no small task to do, during the hot summer months. Don
has been a wonderful friend of Pines and continues to be a
familiar face around campus, working with us on many of our
grounds projects.
We are always grateful for the generous support of our Pines
families with our projects around the school grounds. We look
forward to continuing to add small structures to enhance, not
only the Infants’ outside environment, but other areas as well.
Be sure to be on the lookout for the changes and additions, as
well as little hands and feet enjoying the space!
PEACE GARDEN
We hope that everyone has had the
opportunity to enjoy the new additions to our
Peace Garden. We received delivery of our
beautiful benches over the summer months,
and what a wonderful space it has created to
enjoy. Our Lower Elementary students have
been able to use the space for reading. Moms
and Dads have been given a quiet spot to await
their children at the end of the school day. We
have even spotted a teacher or two taking a
quick break! We invite everyone to take
advantage of our Peaceful space.
As you sit and enjoy the surroundings, please notice all the new bricks that have been added over the past
few months. As an on-going fundraiser, bricks and tiles will continue to be available for families to
purchase throughout the year. If you are interested in getting your own, please contact the of ice. We have
order forms available at school, or, if you would prefer, order forms can be emailed
to you directly.
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It’s a great way to pay tribute to those closest to you, while supporting Pines all at
the same time! Order forms are online on the Giving tab of PinesMontessori.com.
A New Building
QUAD
When we began thinking of the possibility for growth here at
Pines, we never imagined what an involved journey it would turn
out to be. We maneuvered through the ins and outs from site
plans to construction and everything in between. We have
learned how the process of receiving a City of Houston
Building Permit can be long and frustrating. But we have
learned a tremendous amount from so many
professionals who have taken the time to teach us. We
have discovered that perseverance, attention to detail,
and slow and steady will win the race!
When our new building arrived, it was a sight to behold as
we watched the workmen slowly, carefully move the
pieces into place. But the moment that made the entire
journey worthwhile, was the day we were able to bring
the children out, open the door and let them look inside.
To see the joy in their faces and know that every frustration was worth it made the end result that much sweeter.
We are blessed to have the ability to utilize every inch of
our campus as a learning environment. With the addition of this
new space, we can see the potential that awaits as we look
forward to the future.
With the hours and hours of time that were spent in the process
of gaining this new beautiful space, we know that we are
prepared to put the hard work into the growth of our school.
Thanks goes out to our families for their patience and support, as
well as to all those who helped in the process, from the truck
drivers to the engineers and everyone in between!
Start to
Finish!
Ribbon Cutting
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4th Annual Snowball Run
This family fun event for adults and children, from the Kingwood and surrounding
communi es, could not be produced without the support of so many individuals.
Volunteers, family and corporate sponsors, running groups, adver sers, Bear Branch
community, and the runners, all make this event a success. Close to $10,000 was raised
and will be put to use maintaining the play structures and adding some wonderful new
signage for our Infinity Science Park.
Corporate Sponsors
Babette Bourgeois & Jamie Lavigne
Paul & Schura Normand
Brite Success, LLC
Bo & Catherine Hall
Phillip & Kathleen Goerner
BRW Architects
Brian & Nanette Baker
Stephan & Sara Perry
Crossfit 1836
Charles & Stacey Higginbotham
Steve & Tammy Dietrich
The Dietrich Family
Clinton & Jennifer Richey
Theresa Head
Fish Tales Kingwood
Connie Chandler
Tim & Christy Duncan
Hallmark Technologies
Dale Lutz
Planning CommiƩee
Johnny’s Pizzeria
Dave & Jennifer Bohner
Angela Mahmood
Minuteman Press
Don & Courtney Pearce
Catherine Hall
The Mudpie Company
Glenda Borne
Jennifer Bohner
Northshore Medical Supply
Jeff & Christina Nieland
Kathleen Goerner
Pines Board of Directors
Jeff & Regina Choyce
Linda Harris
Richey Insurance Agency
Jim & Sarah Berry
Tammy Dietrich
South Coast Terminals
Joan Schnepp
Tina Thibodeaux
Talos Energy LLC
Joe & Karen Wadsworth
Twice the Ice
Joe & Nora Dunleavy
Family Sponsors
John Arthur
Ali Athar & Fariha Ashan
Len Kluft & Yvonne Catala
Angela & Shahid Mahmood
Margaret Fraissinet
Meredith Sharp
Save the Date…
6th Annual Snowball Run
Saturday, December 5, 2015
@ 9:00 am
Visit PinesMontessori.com/Events for more information
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Giving Fund
Brian & Nanne e Baker
Equip TX
Gary & Chris na Spears
Jim & Sarah Berry
Joyce Webb
Jus n & Jennifer Ma hews
Kevin & Kim Murphy
Kelly & Pa y Borders
Mark & Valerie Wanner
Ryan & Lindi Kudlacek
Stacy & Charles Higginbotham
Tim & Christy Duncan
*We hope every donor has been included on these pages, but if you were
inadvertently le off the list, please know how much you are appreciated.
23rd Annual Spring Gala “Flora & Fauna”
A Big Thank You!
Maria Pham
Adams Tea Shop
Mathnasium
Allegro School of Music
Ma and Kathleen Veley
Amaryllis Floral Design
Mike Stock & Dr. Jennifer Browning
Antonio Armstrong
Minuteman Press
Atascocita Dental, Dr. Gary White
The Mud Pie Company
Baby’s 1st Furniture
The Nail Spot
Becker Vinyards
Nhan Nguyen Photography
Beau & Catherine Hall
Pirates Cove Car Wash
Ben and Susan Awalt
Rebecca & Bud Hall
Bill’s Cafe
Rebecca Steinberger
Bone Spirits
Redneck Country Club
Central Market
Rick and Pa y Sobelman
Chris an Brothers Car Care
Rowland Ballards
Clinton & Jennifer Richey
Sacred Emo ons Photography
Conservatory Day Spa
Sco and Joy Fields
Cordua Restaurants
Shine on Tanning
Crossfit 1836
Showbiz Cinemas
David and Jennifer Bohner
Silverlight Photography
David Hyde
Skeeters Mesquite Grill
Denise Cowan Photography
South Texas Flyboard
Don Knight
Spectrum of Hope
Dosey Doe
Steve & Tammy Dietrich
Doug & Carol Greve
Steve Sobelman
Dr. George & Melody Nunez
Theresa Head
Dynamic Cheer
Tim & Christy Duncan
Eastex Rentals
Timeless Barn
Emily Hall (doTerra oils)
Walden Country Club
Fireheart Photography
Wildca er Ranch
Gold’s Gym
Which Wich
Golf Advantage School
Zachary’s Cajun Café
Greenling.com
Hope Sarver
Thank you to all the participants of the Gala
The Houston Zoo
Committee; the amazing team of decorators,
Hun ngton Learning Center
coordinators, and volunteers that made this
Jamberry Nail Design
year’s Gala a night to remember. It could not
Jeff and Catherine Waters
have been done with out your help!
Jeff and Regina Choyce
Joan Schnepp & Theresa Head
Joe Goerner
Joe and Karen Wadsworth
Joy Fields
Kimberly Rehmeyer (Bidinger)
Kingwood Country Club
Kingwood Skin Essen als
La Tore a Lake Resort & Spa
Lassiter Graphic Architecture
Len Klu & Yvonne Catala
Libby Egan
Lone Star College
Magnolia Hotel
Mann Eye Clinic—Dr. Amanda Hunt
Gala Underwriters
Monarch
Beau & Catherine Hall
Joan Schnepp & Theresa Head
Monarch
Jeff & Chris na Nieland
Steve & Tammy Dietrich
Texan Crescent
Dr. George & Melody Nunez
Jeff & Regina Choyce
Michael & Amanda Snowden
Paul & Schura Normand
Tim & Christy Duncan
Miami Blue
David & Jennifer Bohner
Mike Stock & Dr. Jennifer Browning
Pros Revenue
AdverƟsers
Fireheart Photography
Gap Plumbing
George Poe Band
Maegan Simmons with Scentsy
Minute Man Press Humble
Night Light Pediatric Urgent Care
Richey Insurance
Spectrum of Hope
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Pines Montessori School
3535 Cedar Knolls Drive
Kingwood, Texas 77339
(281) 358-8933
PinesMontessori.com
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