Investing for a Stronger Community

by Sonja Everson

Director of Admissions and Enrollment Management

Last year we, the Admissions Office, received a gift that now has a prominent place on our bookshelf—a small, glass jar filled with colorful folded slips of paper, topped by a beautiful origami crane. When unfolded, each slip of paper reveals a thoughtful note of appreciation, carefully written by the many students in first through third grade who make up Eton’s Lower Elementary. There is one common theme of the notes in this jar that helps keep us grounded during the busy admission season:

“Thank you for finding us new friends to play with here at Eton.”

In the admissions office, we use many strategies to find these future friends. We seek the most curious, creative, and compassionate students who come from a diverse array of backgrounds. These students, as new friends, will bring in their unique perspectives, offer helping hands, and have the courage to tackle challenging problems together. As part of our strategy to find these students, we host tours and open houses, attend school fairs, design marketing campaigns, and connect prospective families with current families. Of all the strategies we use, one that has an oftenunrecognized impact is our intentional commitment to and investment in our financial aid program. Many families never even consider investing in an independent school education, causing us to miss out on students who have the potential to help strengthen our community. To encourage families from diverse socio-economic backgrounds to join us, Eton School dedicates a significant portion of its budget to provide equitable access to the vibrant learning that happens here every day. We can do this because we are an independent, mission-driven, non-profit organization with generous donors. In fact, currently 1:8 of our students receives some level of tuition assistance, and our community, classrooms, and the educational experiences for all are stronger because of it.

Supporting a diverse and inclusive community takes a prominent place in all our guiding philosophies. Maria Montessori’s original commitment to peace education and Eton School’s vision, mission, and strategic plan all recognize that to create positive change and prepare students to contribute peacefully to our world, the skills of “honoring the diversity of each individual” must be actively modeled and taught. We are grateful to the Eton community for embracing this commitment to diversity and inclusion and supporting the tool of financial aid to provide equitable access for all families, ultimately strengthening our community and the education for all. ❧