Neal McDaniel - Tesseract School Annual Report

Tesseract School

2004- 2005 Annual Report

Every child

HAS A DREAM.

2004 - 2005 Board of Trustees Kathleen Ferris, Chair - Attorney-at-Law Robert Engelman, Treasurer - EIC, Inc., MRE, Inc. Peggy Stemmler, M.D., Secretary - Pediatrician Earl de Berge - Behavior Research Center Paul Domingue - Verde Valley School, Headmaster Francine Hardaway - Stealthmode Partners Roger A. Hughes - St. Luke’s Health Initiatives Carrie Rao - Parent Mills Sinclair - Pentad Holdings, Inc.

OUR MISSION Tesseract School fosters each student’s intellectual and emotional development, love of learning, and strength of character in an encouraging and collaborative environment.

Contents Core Values Message from Head of School Board of Trustees 2004-2005 Financial Summary Project Updates Targeted Giving Campaign Arizona Scholarship Fund Special Events TPA Faculty Profiles

page 1 page 2 page 3 page 4 page 6 page 7 page 8 page 9 page 9 page 10

C O R E VA L U E S

Core VALUES

Respect for the Individual We recognize the uniqueness of each individual. We respect diversity and value the common experiences that bring us together. We believe intellectual and emotional growth are optimized when students are known by their teachers and classmates, feel appreciated for what they do well, and are encouraged to look beyond their own current achievements and perspectives.

Dedication to Life Long Learning We do not teach for the test, we teach for a lifetime. At the core of our philosophy is educating students to lead lives of purpose and excellence. Development of individual talents, social responsibility, critical thinking and problem solving skills allow Tesseract graduates to connect thoughts with actions, deeds with results, and the past to the present and the future.

A Nurturing Environment that Fosters Academic Excellence The pursuit of academic excellence is accomplished in an environment where students feel safe and free and are encouraged to fully explore their interests and passions. An exciting, cooperative atmosphere characterizes teacher-student and student-student interactions throughout the learning process. A commitment to individual goal setting and multiple teaching modalities allow our students to become engaged learners, to develop a strong sense of self-esteem and to meet their full potential.

Parents in Support Parents play a vital role in the life of the School, providing the encouragement and support for their child and contributing their time, energies, and financial support to events and programs critical to their child’s development and the School’s advancement.

Teamwork A collaborative environment allows Tesseract students to prepare themselves for their post-graduate years. An open dialogue among administrators, faculty and parents models cooperative behavior. Shared teaching, interactive, challenging and integrated curricula, student team projects, and community service all help build the skills and framework necessary for students to apply their knowledge and ideas in a group setting. Students learn to work as a team and to constructively resolve conflicts, establishing a foundation for becoming caring, thoughtful, responsible, and more effective participants and leaders in our society.

Focus on Faculty We recruit and retain the finest faculty by providing the best possible environment to spark the faculty’s passion for teaching and love of learning in every child. Our educators are given the freedom to develop and share their expertise, supported by professional development funding and carefully structured planning and in-service time. Their commitment and dedication are balanced by the School’s priority to provide highly competitive compensation and benefit programs.

1

A MESSAGE from the Head of School As another academic year comes to a close, it is a time to reflect on the changes that have moved Tesseract School closer to its goal of becoming the premier private, independent school in Arizona and the Southwest. With the help of our families and the community, new opportunities were created to provide our students with improved learning opportunities. The impact was felt inside the classroom, with the addition of new faculty and increased resources. The impact was also felt through learning adventures outside the classroom. Our 7th-graders experienced a lifetime of history through their trip to Boston, Philadelphia, and Washington. The 5th and 6th-graders went to San Diego and explored the oceanic environment.

Changes were also noticed with the development of the Annual Fund. A Development Committee was established by the Board of Trustees, and an Annual Fund Committee helped phone our parents, encouraging them to support the School and its growth. With this increased involvement and knowledge of the Annual Fund, this year we raised more than $135,000 to help meet the needs of the School. These gifts have enabled the School to continue to provide the essentials for our students, while continuing to offer new experiences.

Thank you to all who have helped make our dreams reality. With the donations we have received, the School was able to recreate our library program, offering research and library skills for all grades. New classroom resources were purchased to enhance the learning opportunities of the students. Many faculty members were able to attend educational conferences, ranging from Responsive Classroom to subject specialties.

Additional thanks go to all the volunteers who helped support the School’s mission. From the special event committees, to the TPA, to our parent ambassadors, to the individual parents who provided a helping hand every day. All of our volunteers have embraced the values of the School and taken them to new heights.

The end of the academic year is also a time to look to the future. What we have accomplished over the past year is just a start to where we plan to be. Hopefully, as you read through these pages, you will be inspired by these acts of kindness. They have started the foundations for the many things that we want to accomplish here at the School. However, even though the foundation is set, we will depend on others to pick up the charge and help us follow the path to becoming a model for other schools to follow.

As a non-profit, independent school, donations are essential for continuing to improve facilities and technology, and to provide financial aid for students. Tuition is an important part of our funding, but without donations, we will not be able to become the premier private, independent school we know we can become. We can already see the importance these gifts have made to our students. Our hopes are to raise additional funding to continue improving the opportunities for your children. I invite you to be part of the change.

Nigel Taplin, Head of School

MY DREAM MY DREAM...

is to work to create a brighter future.

2

A WORD from the Development Chair As I look back on our first full year of even having a Development Committee, I see how much we have accomplished, as well as how much more we can and will do. As our School continues its transformation from a private corporation into a not-for-profit entity run by a foundation and its board of trustees, we experience the change from a “customer” culture into a culture of giving and support. The learning curve may be steep, but we are an eager and intelligent community ready to climb mountains!

A MESSAGE from the Board of Trustees In November 2004, the Board of Trustees adopted a Strategic Plan developed through the work of parents, faculty members, administrators and trustees. The Plan, which will be implemented over the next three to five years, will guide our efforts to establish Tesseract as one of the Southwest’s premier independent schools.

During the 2004-2005 school year, Tesseract School has made significant progress in implementing the Strategic Plan, including continuing to retain and recruit superior faculty, developing and implementing marketing plans to meet enrollment needs and moving forward on the goal of creating a quality school facility.

The Board has been particularly active in exploring the options for improving our school facilities. In the fall of 2004, the Board contracted with DWL Architects to evaluate the options for campus expansion. In the spring of 2005, after extensive research and deliberation by a special committee of parents, administrators and trustees, the Board approved the construction of a new middle school and high school campus on the school’s 40th Street and Shea site. The Board also commissioned Young & Company, a professional capital campaign consulting firm, to determine the feasibility of raising the necessary funds to build the new campus.

Our planning efforts have been successful in large part because of the dedication of so many members of the Tesseract Community.

On behalf of the Board, thank you for the generous commitments of time and energy. Thank you, also, for your generous financial contributions to the Annual Fund, the Arizona Scholarship Fund, and the School’s “Straight from the Heart for the Arts” and “Fairways and Runways” fundraisers. Your continuing support will ensure Tesseract’s future as a premier independent school.

Kathleen Ferris, Chair - Board of Trustees

Tesseract could probably provide a quality education to each of our students on tuition alone, but the Annual Fund and other fundraising activities help make our School GREAT, and raise us to the level of a premier independent school for the Southwest. Annual Fund contributions help pay for programs such as Spanish, Performing Arts, Visual Arts, Library and PE, as well as facility improvements, teacher training and development, scholarships and technology in our classrooms. The 2004-2005 Annual Fund met with positive reception, raising over $135,000 from over 25% of our families and over 90% of faculty! With this in mind, I challenge our parents to equal or exceed faculty participation in the 2005-2006 Annual Fund, and feel confident that this goal is attainable. If you have never contributed to the Annual Fund, now is the time, no matter how large or small the amount.

The Development Committee has the unique opportunity to work with many other committees on various projects, such as the Library Committee for Borders Book Day, and events committees for Fairways and Runways. We have also enjoyed meeting (at least by phone) many school families outside of our usual social circles during our two Annual Fund “phone-a-thons” this year. Participating in this committee represents a wonderful way to support a great school, shout its many attributes from the mountain tops (or in the parking lot) and meet others who either feel the same way or can be convinced. You will find that the more you give, the more you will receive.

In the coming year, the Development Committee will work closely with the Facilities Planning Task Force and the Campaign Study Advisory Committee as we begin to forge a path to our new campus. We will simultaneously continue to grow the Annual Fund, possibly training our 8th-graders to participate in the phone-a-thons. The Development Office has already begun planning a beautiful evening for the spring auction, and we hope to see you there in continuing support of this wonderful school.

Finally, I would like to personally thank the members of the Development Committee, who have demonstrated their commitment to great independent education and the Tesseract mission as they have worked on events, made phone calls and talked with other parents about contributing. I would also like to thank all of you who have contributed your time, talents and treasures to Tesseract. We have come a long way, and, with your help, our lofty goals remain in sight.

Carrie Rao, Chair - Development Committee

3

Statement of FINANCIAL POSITION Paradise Valley Private School Foundation for Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 2005.

Operations Revenue 2004-2005 Tuition & Fees

78.83%

Auxiliary Programs

10.31%

Other

6.12%

Contributions

4.74%

The Paradise Valley Private School Foundation preliminary draft of the auditors’ annual report has been received and reviewed by management. While there may be some reclassification adjustments to be made it is acknowledged these adjustments will have no material affect on the information reported.

Statement of ACTIVITIES Paradise Valley Private School Foundation for Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 2005.

Operations Expenditures 2004-2005 Salary/ERE

62.27%

Administrative

18.02%

Auxiliary

8.31%

Student Services

5.66%

Physical Plant

4.22%

Financial Aid

1.52%

“W HAT IS A T E S S ER ACT ?

A TESS ERACT I S A CONCEP T. A CONCE PT T HAT OFFE R S S U CH S TUFF AS DRE AM S AR E MADE ON.” - A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle

I DREAM

I DREAM...

that people all around the world will learn to work together.

PROJECT Updates Library Through the generosity of several parents, Tesseract School’s Library was once again a thriving part of the curriculum. The School’s librarian, Jody Rounds, was able to bring her years of experience into the library. Whether reading books about an author having a birthday, learning about L. Frank Baum’s The Wizard of Oz before seeing The Wiz production or getting to know the Dewey Decimal System, this year the students were able to regularly visit the library and learn about all it has to offer.

Kindergarten Thanks in large part to a donation from a kindergarten family, Ms. Kate and Mr. Jared were able to expand the learning opportunities in their classroom. A new digital camera allowed the students to take pictures of their learning activities and send them to Mom and Dad before the day even ended. A wide selection of new books broadened the scope of reading materials in the classroom, allowing the students to continue improving their reading skills.

Class Gift Our graduating class even stepped up to leave a legacy for future students. Throughout their eighth-grade year, this class spent afternoons hosting doughnut sales. Their efforts paid off when they made their donation during graduation and presented the School with new printers and copiers. This gift will help all the faculty and students produce new materials for the classroom. Thank you to this group of students who made a lasting impact on the School.

I WISH

I WISH... that children everywhere will have the opportunity to follow their dreams.

6

LEADERSHIP GIFTS ($2,500+) Anonymous (3) Mr. and Mrs. Robert Barker The Brown Family Celebrity Fight Night Mr. and Mrs. John Donofrio Ms. Kathleen Ferris The Geddes Family Mr. and Mrs. Ernie Harazim Honeywell Honeywell Hometown Solutions Mr. and Mrs. Douglas LaBelle Dr. and Mrs. Lawrence Kahn Mr. Michael Lacey Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Learner Ms. Kathryn Lincoln Mr. and Mrs. John Schottenstein Dr. Patrick Liu and Dr. Peggy Stemmler Dr. and Mrs. P.K. Rao Mr. and Mrs. Francisco Rodriguez Mr. David Sease and Ms. Tami Romano Dawn and Jay Schlott Rodney K. Smith and Michele Rene’ Smith Mr. and Mrs. Ray Thurston Tesseract Parents Association Ms. Lynn Van Buren and Mr. Robert Engelman

HONOR ROLL of Donors Other Gifts Mr. and Mrs. Mark Allen Mr. and Mrs. Eric Anderson Mr. and Mrs. Jett Anderson Mr. and Mrs. Phillip Anderson Anonymous (3) Arizona Sport & Tourism Authority Mrs. Renee Ballard Ms. Lynn Beairsto Ms. Kim Boehne Mr. and Mrs. David Brachman Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Cohen Mr. and Mrs. Michael Cordier Mr. and Mrs. John Curtin Mr. Thomas Dubrul Ms. Lynn Elberson Ms. Nicole Gayton Mr. and Ms. William Goethe Mr. and Mrs. David Greenberg Ms. Marge Haakstad Mr. and Mrs. John Hersey Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Howard Mr. Peter Hunger and Mrs. Sharon Buell Mr. Roger Hughes John Hancock Life Insurance Company Dr. and Mrs. David Kasper

Dr. and Mrs. Raj Khona Ms. Kimberly Kremer-Ensor Barbara and Jerry Landau Mr. Benjamin Liu Drew Mayer Ms. Carole McBride Ms. Holly McCune Merrill Lynch & Co., Foundation, Inc. Kathleen Dunne Millar Ms. Jo Minich Mr. and Mrs. Rod Mullen Mrs. Shannon Ostrowski Carol and Tom Peganoff Mr. and Mrs. Alan Prince Mr. Prem Rao Miss Roschan Rao Mr. and Mrs. Jean-Michel Richard Joanna Rounds Mr. and Mrs. Todd Rowe Ms. Terri Scullin Mr. and Mrs. John Shoecraft Mr. David Silverman and Mrs. Leslie Lerman Mr. and Mrs. Mills Sinclair Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Slovin Ms. Suzanne P. Smith Mrs. Adrienne Springfield Ms. Catharine Steffens Mr. Ted Strickland Mr. and Mrs. Nigel Taplin Target Stores, Inc. - Take Charge of Education Mr. Timothy Tolman & Ms. Jessie Soto-Tolman Lisa Wagenhals Wick Pilcher Insurance Ms. Catherine Wilkes Ms. Jessica Winget *The Development Office made every effort to ensure the accuracy of information contained in this Annual Report.

The School regrets any omissions or discrepancies. If an error has been made, please accept our sincerest apologies and please notify the Development Office.

7

ADDITIONAL DONORS TO TESSERACT SCHOOL through the Arizona Scholarship Fund In 1997, the state legislature passed the Private Scholarships Tax Credit, allowing Arizona taxpayers to make a voluntary contribution to a scholarship funding organization in Arizona and receive a tax credit. Through a partnership with the Arizona Scholarship Fund and the Arizona School Choice Trust, many donors made contributions, and designated Tesseract School as the recipient of those scholarship dollars.

The ability to make this contribution and designate students at Tesseract to receive the scholarships is truly invaluable to the School, and to the families it helps. Thank you to all those who supported the School through this program.

Arizona Scholarship Fund Mr. and Mrs. Mark Allen Mr. and Mrs. Eric Anderson Mr. and Mrs. Jett Anderson Anonymous (2) Mr. and Mrs. Robert Barker Mr. and Mrs. Larry Bell Mr. and Mrs. Tom Breece Suzanne and Earl de Berge Mr. and Mrs. John Donofrio Ms. Mary Louise Esche Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Feuer Ms. Kathleen Ferris Patti Flint, M.D. Mr. and Mrs. David Greenberg Mr. Curt Hannaman Mr. and Mrs. Ernie Harazim Mr. and Mrs. John Hersey Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Howard Mr. and Mrs. John Huber Mr. Gregory Johns and Dr. Kerry Schlecht Mr. and Mrs. Randy Johnson Dr. and Mrs. Lawrence Kahn Dr. and Mrs. Raj Khona Mr. Kevin Kudlo Mr. and Mrs. Douglas LaBelle Barbara and Jerry Landau

8

Mr. and Mrs. Kent Lang Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Learner Ms. Kathryn Lincoln Dr. Patrick Liu and Dr. Peggy Liu Mr. and Mrs. Richard Lund Dr. and Mrs. Lubomir Manov Mr. and Mrs. Robert Marsh Mr. and Mrs. Tom Mattioni Ms. Virginia McBride Mr. and Mrs. R.T. McKee Mr. Mike Michaels Dr. and Mrs. Phillip Moeser Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Nolan Mr. Bradley Oswood and Dr. Julie Henderson-Ernst Mr. Maitray Patel and Mrs. Indu Gupta Carol and Tom Peganoff Ms. Mara Pernick Mr. and Mrs. Alan Prince Dr. and Mrs. P.K. Rao Mr. and Mrs. William Reaves Mr. and Mrs. Francisco Rodriguez Mr. and Mrs. Todd Rowe Mr. and Mrs. James Rowland Dawn and Jay Schlott Mr. David Sease and Ms. Tami Romano Mr. and Mrs. Mark Shook Mr. and Mrs. Harry Sim Mr. and Mrs. Mills Sinclair Rodney K. Smith and Michele Rene' Smith Mr. and Mrs. Nigel Taplin Ms. Lynn Van Buren and Mr. Robert Engelman Mr. and Mrs. Armando Viteri Ms. Connie Wilhelm-Garcia Jana and Mark Wilke Ms. Catherine Wilkes Drs. Mark and Barbara Wix Mr. and Mrs. Farley Yang

A LETTER from the TPA Dear Tesseract Parents and Community,

FUNDRAISERS Provide Opportunities for Fun and Support The inaugural “Straight from the Heart for the Arts” was held February 14, at ASU’s Kerr Cultural Center, to support the performing arts program for Tesseract School. Food for the evening was provided by AJ’s Fine Foods, Mancusos, Paradise Bakery, Restaurant Hapa, Seven Sisters Sweet Shop, Starbucks Hilton Village and Whole Foods. Prima Donna Productions, featuring the School’s own Terri Scullin and Elizabeth Elizardi, provided entertainment for Valentine’s Day, with a collection of songs on relationships.

Broadway performer Kelli James followed with a selection of her favorite songs. “I would personally like to thank all of the parents and staff who showed their support for the Tesseract Performing Arts fund by attending or helping with preparations for the ‘Straight from the Heart for the Arts’ benefit concert. It was a great evening and an event that I hope will become a Tesseract tradition,” said Ms. Terri.

On April 8, golfers and fashionistas alike came together for a fun day at Camelback Golf Club. Fairways and Runways, sponsored by the Home and Landscape Show, started with a round of golf. Taking home first place were Craig Ault, Rick Federico, Roy Garibaldi and Craig Rock. Second place went to Bob Engelman, Lynn Van Buren, Nathan Learner and Pat Shaughnessy. Meanwhile, over lunch, Tesseract moms modeled some of this spring’s and summer’s fashions from Judy Arizona, Objects and Via Veneto. The silent auction was a huge hit, with guests bidding on the ever popular class art projects and outings with faculty. The best part was that about $35,000 was raised to help the Tesseract library, curriculum development and financial aid. Thank you to the committee for all its hard work and to everyone who participated in the event.

“Special events are a wonderful way to bring together those who support the School,” said Nigel Taplin, Head of School. “Not only do they raise funds for projects to improve the School, but they also allow parents the chance to meet each other and build a greater community. Thank you to everyone who supported the special events held this year.”

The Tesseract Parents’ Association enjoyed a banner year! We started the school year with an enthusiastic new executive committee, and a goal to continue with some favorite traditions, as well as to try out a few new ventures. We began with a gift, supporting the Peer Mediation Program for the middle school. We were also very proud to be able to offer financial support to parent volunteer, Sue Brachman, as she introduced “Tesseract Bloomers,” a gardening program, to the curriculum. Parents, teachers and children alike fell in love with the program, and we were even able to donate some of the fruits of our labor to local food banks!

The TPA‘s Cultural Enrichment Committee brought in visiting Plein Air artist, Carrie Curran, and hosted a Student Art Show after she had worked with all the children during a two-week period in the spring.

The show highlighted the impressive self-portraits, landscapes and stilllife paintings that the students had created. In May, our other visiting artist in residence, Mei Kuei Chan Cruise, was at Tesseract for a bit more than a week. She taught the students many things, including Chinese culture, folktales, calligraphy, music philosophy, games, classical dance, painting, poetry, and the humming Chinese yo-yo.

We also hosted two fun new social events: a winter holiday party, which was a lovely cocktail hour for all the parents and faculty, and a volunteer appreciation luncheon at the end of the year, for all of our hard-working volunteers. Each grade also hosted a pot-luck for parents in the fall. We hope to continue many of these new activities in the years to come!

Of course, the Fall Festival was as popular as ever, despite the rain.

Parent, Joelle Peruch, headed the Teacher Appreciation Committee, with many fabulous lunches and birthday cookies for the teachers!

Our Sports and Performing Arts Booster Committees both did stellar jobs in supporting Coach Mayer and Terri Scullin, “boosting” their wonderful contributions to the school and curriculum, and the Library Committee organized a very successful Borders Book Day, which provided additional literary resources to the curriculum. We ended the year by giving a gift of a new misting system for the back patio area.

This is something that will be enjoyed by all the students, parents and faculty for many warm days to come.

The Parent Association had a truly successful year, continuing to grow a true sense of community among the students, parents and faculty at Tesseract. We sincerely hope that more parents will get involved with us next year, and into the future, to support the school and our children, as the rewards are too numerous to name, and the experience is priceless.

The TPA Executive Committee Sharon Hunger, Lynn Van Buren, Lynn Kahn, Carrie Rao, Michele Cohn

9

Faculty Profile: ERIKA GOETHE Erika Goethe joined the Tesseract team of educators in 2001, with five years of Middle School experience in the public school system. Erika’s philosophy leads her to focus on, and value, building strong relationships with her students, colleagues and parents. The School’s environment supports her focus. The small classes allow her to get to know her students on a very personal level, which is a prerequisite for connecting with them academically and facilitating their learning. Erika strongly believes that Tesseract’s well-rounded, comprehensive approach to education distinguishes us from other schools.

As the parent of a first-grader, Erika knows first-hand the value of including Spanish, music, drama, visual arts and physical education along with the core academic program. She sees the benefits for her young child, and, as a Middle School English teacher, she also sees how those benefits continue for the Middle School students.

Erika looks upon herself as an educator, rather than solely as a teacher. Her own growth and development is very important to her. Most recently, she attended a Differentiated Instruction program and integrated it into her classroom. This ongoing development supports her in keeping every student challenged in their academic journey, while encouraging choice for Middle School students - critical for this age group.

At the same time, she models her belief in the importance of professional development with her colleagues. She has presented workshops to the faculty in the Six Traits program and the Differentiated Instruction program.

Erika is also very active in other leadership arenas. She was one of two faculty representatives to serve on the Strategic Planning Committee, which led the strategic planning process. She is a member of the Curriculum Council that is focused on helping lead the school in program alignment and review, and is a member of the International Reading Association and the Association for School Leadership and Curriculum Development.

A natural and outstanding educator, Erika originally started out pursuing a law degree. After entering law school, she soon discovered that a career in the practice of law was the wrong career choice for her. She then took some classes in Education and quickly found that the right choice was teaching. Erika has a Middle School Endorsement, Reading School Endorsement and a Master’s in Education. Community service and outreach are a very important part of Erika’s life: at Tesseract she led the Susan B. Komen Breast Cancer Run and the Ride for the Children, a fundraiser for the Pappas School. Ask any student what he or she thinks of “Mrs. G.” - without hesitation, the response will be that she really cares for each and every child.

10

Faculty Profile: KATE WILKES Kate Wilkes has taught for 11 years, eight of which have been at Tesseract. Kate earned her Bachelor of Education degree in Early Childhood from the University of Brighton in the United Kingdom. She originally came to the United States as part of an exchange program associated with ASU, while in her second year at the University of Brighton. A few years later, she returned on vacation to visit her former ASU professor, met her future husband, and eventually decided to stay.

Kate taught first, fifth, and sixth grade in the United Kingdom. In downtown Phoenix, she taught kindergarten, first, and second grade, before joining Tesseract to teach kindergarten. Ironically, she first heard of Tesseract School when she was studying at the University of Brighton, within the context that Tesseract offered best practices in education. Kate’s philosophy of teaching is centered on her belief that all children have the ability to learn and, as an educator, it is her responsibility to find the connection by knowing every facet of each child’s personality, how he or she thinks and who she or he is. Kate believes in educating the whole child, and not being tied to artificial standards, but connecting with the children in a deep and meaningful way. She also believes that the Tesseract environment and educational philosophy provide the ideal environment for every child to be successful.

Kate takes her responsibility as a professional educator very seriously. She reads extensively on brain-based learning and has adopted a variety of methods to reach the children, including Simultaneous, Multi-sensory Instruction of Language Arts (SMILA) and Responsive Classroom. She is actively involved at Tesseract beyond the classroom: she was a member of the compensation committee, she chaired the search committee for the Academic Dean last year, and currently serves on the Curriculum Council and the Sustainable Development Task Force.

I HOPE I HOPE...

that I will always be fascinated by the world around me.

11

About TESSERACT SCHOOL At Tesseract School we stimulate the “Love of Learning and Joy of Discovery” in every child. Our highly talented and committed educators connect with the children in small, nurturing, and interactive classes.

Our students master the fundamentals of reading, writing, social studies, science, and mathematical skills while experiencing a broad-based integrated curriculum that includes music, drama, art, Spanish, and physical activity.

We invite you to experience firsthand what makes the Tesseract Way the pathway for your child’s academic and social success.

Please contact us today.

WAYS TO GIVE Your gift supports the people and programs that make the Tesseract School so special. Below are the ways you may contribute: Gifts of cash Contributions made by check, cash or credit card are tax deductible in the year the donation is given. Checks should be made payable to Paradise Valley Private School Foundation. We accept MasterCard and Visa.

Make a pledge You can also pledge a gift to the annual fund or other area by contacting the Development Office. Pledges can be satisfied through a single contribution, or in multiple installments, at a time that is convenient for you.

SUPPORT >

Shea Blvd.

N

4800 East Doubletree Ranch Rd. Paradise Valley, AZ 85253 p: 480.991.1770 f: 480.991.1954 www.tesseractschool.org

Tatum Blvd.

E. Doubletree Ranch Rd.

©Tesseract School. Design: Neal McDaniel

Gifts of securities It is becoming more common for donors to make gifts of securities. If the security has appreciated greatly in value, you can avoid capital gains taxes by gifting the stock directly to the school. We recommend that donors consult their financial advisors before making any final decisions. For details about how to make a gift of stock, contact the Development Office.