Board of Trustees
Dear Princeton Montessori School Community,
Our motto to nurture the potential and ignite the passion in every student is evident in the ways members of the PMonts community have come together in service to our school and students over the past year. It is an honor to be part of a community that is so passionately committed to furthering Dr. Maria Montessori’s unique mission, values, and cosmic education. As Andrea O’Brian concluded her first year as Head of School, her unwavering commitment to reinforcing our Montessori foundation and fostering collaborative relationships among families, parents, and students has been exemplary. We aim for this annual report to offer insights into our strategic progress, support our mission, and demonstrate responsible financial stewardship of our nonprofit organization.
As a school, our commitment lies in delivering the highest quality education in accordance with Montessori principles, while adhering to best practices in independent school management. We endeavor to cultivate and sustain a vibrant and well-informed community by fostering meaningful and timely communication, upholding transparency in our school’s governance, and engaging our families to meet their academic and social needs in support of the educational journey of the student.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
2024-25
Chair James Chambers
Scott Eckstein
Pete Egbert
Rehana Farrell
Jennifer Ni
Andrea O’Brian
Caroline Scriven
Chance Van Sciver
Beverly Smith
Justin Yi
Rita Zetterberg
This collective effort, undertaken by excellent professionals on behalf of the children in our care, is evident daily within our school. Your generous support ensures our ability to not only meet but exceed our strategic objectives for the betterment of our community. We extend our heartfelt gratitude for your contributions of time, talents, and financial treasure. Princeton Montessori School will continue to thrive for generations to come thanks to the efforts of our students guided by dedicated and passionate faculty and staff with support from our families, and sound governance from our trustees.
With Gratitude, James Chambers Jr., Chairperson, Princeton Montessori School Board of Trustees
2023–24 Board of Trustees (left to right)
Back row: Scott Eckstein, James Chambers (Board Chair), Pete Egbert, Chance Van Sciver, Justin Yi
Front row: Rehana Farrell, Andrea O’Brian, Kelly Hart Hoyes, Rita Zetterberg, Caroline Scriven
Missing from photo: Jennifer Ni
Congratulations Class of 2024! Accepted: Blair Academy, George School, The Hill School, The Lawrenceville School, The Peddie School, The Pennington School, The Pingry School, Princeton Day School, Solebury School, The Taft School
The 8th-grade class of 2024 gifted the school with new benches for the Main Entrance/Primary dismissal area.
Students at all levels enjoyed learning about the April 8, 2024 solar eclipse.
Parent Association
Dear Parents,
The Parent Association of Princeton Montessori School is a vibrant, dedicated, and diverse organization of parent volunteers with a mission to build upon and celebrate our strong partnerships with parents, faculty, and school administration. We are inspired to nurture this incredible community by both creating opportunities to connect with other Princeton Montessori families as well as inviting families to participate in activities at the school. Parents or legal guardians of students currently attending Princeton Montessori School are automatically considered members and are welcome to actively participate.
At its core, the four pillars of the Princeton Montessori School Parent Association are:
WELCOME ~ GATHER ~ APPRECIATE ~ VOLUNTEER.
We WELCOME families to our community, We create opportunities to GATHER,
We APPRECIATE our teachers and staff, and We VOLUNTEER to help with school functions and initiatives.
Last year, we had the pleasure of welcoming Andrea O’Brian as the new Head of School. She built upon the incredible legacy of Michelle Morrison and offered her own vision for the school while meeting families at program coffee socials, Back to School Night, and during the Fall Festival. With the help of our dedicated room parents, we ensured that everyone had information about the ParentSquare app and our ongoing WhatsApp groups, which offer parents easy and efficient communication channels. Room parents used WhatsApp to plan activities including Halloween and Thanksgiving gatherings, spontaneous meetups, and fall/spring playdates. ParentSquare offered official school communications and information, including the school calendar, student directory, and important announcements. Similarly, the PMonts Community Facebook Group page is a place to share local events, seek recommendations, and promote local, family-friendly activities.
In 2023-24, the Parent Association organized and supported a number of events to benefit child-focused charitable organizations in the greater Princeton area. Such events included The Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK) Food Drive and the Holiday Giving Drive. Each of these efforts gave students the opportunity to learn about the needs of others and empowered them to make a difference in their own communities.
We also celebrated the phenomenal Princeton Montessori faculty and staff with a catered holiday party and an end-ofyear faculty luncheon, thanks to generous donations from the Princeton Montessori community.
I am grateful to have served as your Parent Association Chair for the last few years. But the time has come for me to pass the torch, so I am excited to introduce Riya Smith, who led the Community Service pillar of the Parent Association last year, as the new Parent Association Chair for 2024-2025.
It has been an incredible honor partnering with Princeton Montessori School administration, faculty and staff, the Parent Association, as well as community members, on a myriad of initiatives aimed at enhancing our collective experience here at Princeton Montessori School. I hope you will all take time to enjoy the Free Little Libraries placed at the Toddler and Elementary entrances and feel inspired by the beauty of our campus. Princeton Montessori School has truly become a second home to our family. The school’s passion, joyful spirit, and inclusive, collaborative approach perfectly embody Dr. Montessori’s vision of a thriving educational community.
On behalf of the Parent Association, we look forward to another year of connecting with families, faculty and staff, and our larger community. We encourage all families to get involved!
Warmest Regards,
Marisa Young, 2021-2024 Parent Association Chair
The Parent Association organizes several Community Service projects throughout the year. They include a Food Drive for TASK, a winter drive for toys, hats and mittens, and assembling Valentine’s Day dinner bags.
Each year the school holds a Book Fair. It is a great opportunity for parents to get involved by volunteering their time. Thank you to everyone who volunteered at the 2023-24 Book Fair, helping to make it such a big success!
PARENT ASSOCIATION OFFICERS 2023-24
Chairs
Kristen VonWachenfeldt
Marisa Young
Faculty & Staff Appreciation
Rachel Pereira
Desiree Reitknecht. Chair
Community Service Coordinator
Riya Smith
Social
Rupa Mohan
Princeton Common Ground
Representative
Catherine Hilton, Zoey Ye
Room Parents
Infant - Sam Page
Toddler
• Robin - Gina Herrara, Emily Kriner
• Hummingbird - Julia Benedict, Monika Friedman
• Cardinal - Hina Patel
• Goldfinch - Chelsea Etse
Primary
• Rose - Danielle Perlman
• Pansy - Vanessa Limbrick
• Tulip - Catherine Hilton
• Sunflower - Monika Friedman
LE - Rachel Pereira
UE - Rupa Mohan
MS - Shabnam Salih
2023-26 Strategic Plan
MONTESSORI
Makes a Difference
Our three year strategic plan is simple – to ensure that Montessori education continues to make a difference in the lives of children through three pillars: our Programs, our People, and our Prosperity.
As we look to the future of the school, we envision a thriving institution that offers an exceptional student experience through our PROGRAMS which offer strong academics, student-centered learning, best practices in education, and firmly-based on the principles of Montessori education.
We believe that our PEOPLE - parents, students, faculty, staff, and alumni - are at the heart of our community. We strive to foster a diverse, equitable, inclusive, and welcoming environment that celebrates the uniqueness of each individual and promotes a sense of respect, inclusion, and belonging for all students, staff, and families.
Finally, we want to secure our PROSPERITY for the future by applying our mission, vision, and values to ensure PMonts continues to serve the needs of children and adult learners for generations of students.
The strategic work we do in the coming years will be to this end. The following outcomes support our three pillars of our 2023-26 strategic plan.
Programs
Princeton Montessori School strives to provide an exceptional student experience through strong academics, student-centered learning, best practices in education and firmly-based on the principles of Montessori education.
Outcome: Communicate a clearly defined curriculum aligned with the Montessori philosophy and International Baccalaureate (IB) Middle Years Program (MYP) framework that prioritizes curiosity, creativity, communication, collaboration, critical thinking and problemsolving skills, and clearly-defined learner outcomes.
Year One Progress: In November 2023, PMonts hosted an Upper School Curriculum Night intended to explain more about the Montessori curriculum in Elementary and the IB curriculum in Middle School. We will continue to share more about the curriculum and the Montessori philosophy as part of the school’s American Montessori Society’s re-accreditation process.
Outcome: Create classroom environments that respect and honor our shared values and individual identities, fostering inclusion and belonging.
Year One Progress: The teachers have been continuing their ongoing DEIB work within their teams. In Grades 5-8, the School continued its DEIB work, and switched to having Mrs, Manley teach the lessons instead of an outside provider. Finally, an equity audit was completed in preparation for the school’s accreditation process occurring in 2024-25.
Outcome: Offer extracurricular and enrichment activities that promote physical, social, and emotional development.
Year One Progress: In 2023-24, we hosted guest artists for the MS music curriculum and we continue to host TGA Fitness to provide fitness and sport activities for our students.
Outcome: The role of the teacher training center (PCTE) is elevated so it is known as the “gold standard” in Montessori teacher-training and is a profit center for the organization.
Year One Progress: The PCTE director has been attending national conferences and this year, was honored with an AMS community service award. The PCTE website has been redesigned to be more current, visually appealing, and user-friendly. In addition, the business office worked with PCTE to develop a dedicated PCTE budget, so leadership can track profitability
People
Foster a diverse, equitable, inclusive, and welcoming environment that celebrates the uniqueness of each individual and promotes a sense of respect, inclusion, and belonging for all students, staff, and families.
Outcome: Create a culture that encourages the well-being of faculty and staff to retain a missiondriven, compassionate, and diverse community.
Year One Progress: In spring 2023, we hired a true HR professional to support f/s and their needs. The HOS supports a healthy work/life balance, and throughout the organization, there is an intentional understanding of trying not to schedule emails on weekends. The School also provides program coordinators with time out of the classroom each week for observations, and responding to parent and faculty needs.
Outcome: Enhance our student services program to promote the well-being of students and better serve a broader range of learning styles.
Year One Progress: In 2023-24, the entire teaching staff, from Toddler through Middle School, participated in a school-wide professional development initiative for teachers, based on the Positive Discipline approach as developed by Jane Nelson. Teaching staff worked with their teams for the year to learn more about the Positive Discipline Approach in the Montessori Classroom. We have made a dedicated effort to broaden our support services so that we can better serve more children. We also implemented an off-the-shelf curriculum, Second Step, for social emotional learning in Grades K-8. Finally, we created a new position in Primary, Montessori Inclusion Specialist, to help identify learning differences as we realize this is key for success in Elementary school years
Outcome: Establish engaged alumni and volunteer networks.
Year One Progress: The community Engagement Director has been busy putting plans in place to foster positive relationships with alumni. In spring of 2024, we created a new tradition of having the graduating class come together and identify a need of the school, then collaborate to make it happen. In spring 2024, families of the soon-to-be graduates donated funds which supported the purchase of the beautiful new benches at the front entrance of the school. These young alumni now have left their mark on the school so when they come back to visit, they feel connected. We have also been working to increase the visibility of alumni visits, and celebrating their achievements. Finally, a significant number of alumni have been visiting the classrooms for presentations or talks about high school and/or careers.
Outcome: Create strong partnerships between teachers and families, built on trust and transparency.
Year One Progress: All of the faculty and staff are committed to fostering an environment of open and honest communication between school and home. Each fall, we offer HOS coffees to support our “open door” policy for issues and to build connections. We have made a commitment to increase parent education offerings to position teachers as trusted partners in their child’s education.
Prosperity
Apply our mission, vision, and values to ensure PMonts continues to serve the needs of children and adult learners for future generations
Outcome: Long-term plans are in place that prioritize the administrative infrastructure needs and long term financial sustainability of the school.
Year One Progress: In 2024-25, through sound fiscal planning, the school is in a solid financial state. In January of 2023, moving forward to a Professional Employment Organization (PEO) helped to streamline internal HR and administrative processes. In addition, implementation of the Ramp card system streamlined business office operations for petty cash allocation and accounts payable reconciliation, helping to improve the efficiency of the administrative team.
Outcome: The community embodies a culture of community service, giving, and philanthropy.
Year One Progress: Parent Association led several community service drives that students participated in, including: Thanksgiving and Holiday food pantry drives. We also introduced the 8th grade legacy gifts, where all graduating students come together to decide on an appropriate gift to give back to the school. Finally, in 202324, we returned to offering Gifts of Gratitude as a way for parents to honor teachers who have made a difference in their child’s life.
Outcome: Ensure our campus supports the needs of our students for future generations through building enhancements and enhanced outdoor learning spaces.
Year One Progress: While campus maintenance is ongoing, this year we completed a few new projects. Yuki’s garden was restored for all to enjoy and upkeep of the outdoor classroom in the woods continued. Several building improvements were completed, including: new carpeting in the Primary and main foyers, new windows throughout the toddler wing, and refinished flooring in the Vitality room. The school refined its five year capital improvements plan to ensure that needed maintenance and care of the building is adequately planned and budgeted for into the future.
Financials
Dear Princeton Montessori School Community,
I am very pleased to share with you Princeton Montessori School’s healthy financial standing for the twelvemonth period from July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024. Revenue for the 2023-2024 fiscal year totaled $8,171,780 against $7,539,734 of expenses. 90% of our revenues resulted from tuition and fees, 3% from PCTE programs, with the Annual Fund, Interest Income and a one-time government refund contributing the remaining balance. Thanks to the generosity of parents, staff, alumni, and the Board of Trustees, the Annual Fund totaled $116,855.
With respect to the school’s expenses, 62% of the revenues were used to cover personnel salaries, benefits, and professional development, with the remaining spent for operating expenses, debt service coverage, premises, and supplies/ class activities. Specifically, we paid $217,530 for debt service coverage this year. The school’s mortgage was refinanced in early 2020 with favorable terms compared to the current interest rates and carries a balance of $6,142,544 as of June 30, 2024.
Our investments in the school were at another record level this year, with $527,191 invested in building improvement and accessories plus $33,371 in technology and furniture.
We closed the 2023-2024 fiscal year with a net surplus of $631,046. This amount was added to our reserves for future building and program improvements.
Thank you for your commitment to the school and your continued support.
Kind Regards, Chancellor Van Sciver Board of Trustees, Finance Committee Chair
Financials
$8,170,780
Financials for the 2023-24 Fiscal Year
Total
Revenues: $8,170,1780
$7,007,943
n Net Tuition and Fees - $6,789,382
$5,076,574 62.1% $577,279 7.1%
n SummerQuest - $581,734
n PCTE - $270,549
$7,007,943 $5,076,574
n Annual Fund - $116,855
n Other - $412,260
refund of $286,536): $1,162,837 14.2%
refund of $286,536): $1,162,837 14.2%
Total Expenses: $7,007,943
n Personnel - $5,076,574
n Supplies and Class Activities - $577,279
n Operating - $776,857
n Premises - $359,703
n Debt Service Coverage - $217,530
Surplus Income: $1,162,837 = 14.2% (includes a one-time refund of $286,536)
Capital Expenditures:
$527,191 Building Improvements and Accessories
$26,900 Technology Software
Furniture
Above presented figures are our unaudited financials for the 2023-24 Fiscal Year. They are sourced from the school’s financial management reports. Each year, an external auditor audits the school’s financials records and prepares an independent report on its findings by the end of November. This audit report is used for official filing purposes.
Annual Giving
Dear Princeton Montessori School Community,
On behalf of the Princeton Montessori School Board of Trustees, we extend our deepest gratitude to each of you who contribute to the vitality and success of our community. Your generous support of the 2023-2024 Annual Campaign has been instrumental in furthering our mission. Thanks to your contributions, we have advanced faculty development, acquired new educational materials and equipment, and secured essential operational resources. The impact of your generosity resonates across all areas of our programs, and for this, we are profoundly grateful.
The 2023-24 school year marked a significant milestone, as it was Andrea O’Brian’s first year as Head of School. Andrea’s leadership has been characterized by her deep commitment to our community and her vision for the future of Princeton Montessori. With 19 years of dedicated service to the school, including her prior role as Assistant Head of School, Andrea has successfully guided us through this transition, ensuring that the excellence and forward momentum of Princeton Montessori School continue to flourish.
Like many independent schools, tuition alone does not fully cover our annual operating expenses; it accounts for only 86% of the total cost. To bridge this gap, we rely on the generous contributions of trustees, parents, alumni, and friends of the school. Please remember that all donations to the Annual Campaign are 100% tax-deductible, offering an additional incentive to support our cause. We remain deeply thankful to those who contributed last year and are honored by the participation of so many families in our community.
As we look ahead to the coming year, we ask you to consider making Princeton Montessori School a priority in your family’s philanthropic plans. Every contribution, no matter the size, plays a critical role in advancing our mission and ensuring that our students continue to receive an exceptional education.
We extend our sincere thanks for your unwavering support in sustaining and strengthening this remarkable institution. Your generosity is the cornerstone of our shared success, and together, we are building a brighter future for our children.
Warm Regards,
The Princeton Montessori School Development Committee
Caroline Scriven, Trustee and Development Committee Chair
Montessori Moments
Special thanks to Tamara Gillon, professional photographer and Princeton Montessori School parent, who visited the school throughout the year to capture some of the magical moments that happen throughout the day. Her donation of time and talent have helped us to convey the benefits of a Princeton Montessori School education.
2023-24 Campaign Donors
2023-24 Donors
The Abi Family
Ralph Andujar
Anonymous (7)
Nat Anisimova
Mr. Louis Barrood and Ms. Amal Skaff
Baskin Family
Mireya Benedetti
Rob and Laura Berness
The Betz Family
Mr. Colin Britton and Ms. Marina Myers
Mr. Kevan Burnfield and Dr. Lisa Steinberg
Olivia Burns and Family
Alexander Cardona
Dr Marlene Carrasco
James E Chambers
Ms. Martha Chaux
Mr. and Mrs. Jaskamal Chawla
Pengqi Cheng and Zi Ye
B Chin
Jennifer Christiano-Boyle
Elizabeth Clarke
Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Connelly
Mrs. Lynn Crow
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Cusack
Nancy D’Andrea
Mr. and Mrs. Lee Davis
Ms. Yashuo Deng and Ms. Tingting Xu
Mr. Kevin Dsouza and Ms. Binaisha Rebello
Mr. and Mrs. Anup Dutt
Scott Eckstein
The Egbert Family
Robyn Elkholy
Banu Eser
Lori Evans
Rehana Farrell
John and Morgan Flannery
Friedland-Parker Family
Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Friedman
Lee Gardner
Raphaelle Gelineau
Amy Gerstacker
Tamara Gillon Photography / Tamara Gillon
Kelly Glenfield
Mr. and Mrs. Vikas Goela
Teresa Gray-Piper
Judy and Jim Fink
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Gregov
Vanita Jeet Gulati
Harrington Family
Barbara Hart
Catherine Hilton
Patricia Hlafter
Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Hopkins
Barbara Houze
Ms. Kelly Hart Hoyes
Mr. Colin Hu and Ms. Faye Wan
Hwang
Maria Johnson
Gery Juleff
Mr. Sumesh and Ms. Shemi Kalappurakal
Huma Kazmi
Craig and Beth Kennedy
Toyoko Kitade
Ms. Anjum Khan and Mr. Sajjad Ladiwala
Koyluoglu Family
Amy Krupa
Alexis & Matthew Lazarus
Mina Leszczuk
Dr. Max Leyherr and Dr. Tanja Ulle
Derry Light
Srujan Linga
Mrs. Leslie Magliaro
Kathy and Rob Marmion
Marsha & Joe Stencel
Lisa Meisenbacher
Mr. and Mrs. Sufyan Mesameh
Ms. Sue Ellen Miller
Mr. and Mrs. Ram Mohan
Ms. Vandana Monteiro
Michelle & Rick Morrison
Mr. Jim Nawn and Dr. Carol Senkler
Jennifer Y. Ni and Wei Sun
Lee Noriega
Dr. Xan Nowakowski
Christopher O’Brian
Mr. and Mrs. Amit Patel
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Perkins
Mr. and Mrs. Jeremy Perlman
Mrs. Deborah Peters
Alona Procaccini
Rafalovsky Family
Mr. and Mrs. Krishan Ramessur
Mr. and Mrs. Edward Reed
Desiree Reitknecht
Mary Reuter
Shazah Sabuhi and Razi Hasan
Mr. and Mrs. Gabriel Saltarelli
Ms. Kristina Scheckel
Ms. Nili Schnitzer
Ms. Tali Schnitzer
Mr. Adam Schnitzer
Mrs. Caroline Scriven
Parul Sharma
The Choi-Shields Family
Shomaila & Saif
Steven, Kathleen, Amelia and Colin Spinner
Anna Suh
Kathryn Sullivan
Carla Tagliente and Jess Vamvas
Ms. Peggy Thompson
Senator Robert Torricelli
Elese & Alex Turok
Mr. and Mrs. Ankit Vahia
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Watson
Sarah Yang Mumma & Nathan Weaver
David & Carys Webb
The Wimmers Family
Joe and Lisa Wolfe
Justin Yi
Peter and Alice Yi
The Young Family
Rita Zetterberg
Mr. Laiyong Zhao and Ms. Yangyang Chen
Zheng and Yang Family
We are grateful to all of those who have supported the 2023-24 Annual Campaign. We have worked diligently to properly attribute all donations to the proper donor name(s). Please let us know of any misspellings or omissions.
Our Mission
Princeton Montessori School is dedicated to developing passion and nurturing the potential in each child, through the values and principles of the Montessori philosophy. We promote intrinsic motivation, independence, social responsibility, and a love of learning so that as global citizens, our students can lead fulfilling lives and work to better the world.
Princeton Montessori School
609-924-4594
www.princetonmontessori.org