Statement of NewGate's FOM Fundraising Committee Chair

Good morning,
Thank you for participating in the Friends of Montessori (FOM) savings and fund raising program. Our first day Kick Off was a great Success thanks to you!

Can you believe that we distributed over #200 cards the first day? Simply put if all #200 are sold for the retail price of $25 we would have raised 200 x $20 (80% of price that comes back to us) = $4,000 wow!! And all that can be reinvested into our school.

Let's get started, here are some selling points:
With the FOM card one has discounts and or deal savings at close to 100 retailers, restaurants and local service providers. And the list keeps growing, if your favorite store is not on the list, tell them to go to www.FriendsofMontessori.com, click on "List Business" and be sure to note "NewGate" as the school, advertising is FREE.
Easy access, you can go to www.FriendsofMontessori.com and view all businesses, click on "Sarasota", then "Deals/Discounts", you may PRINT the discounts see on the right hand side of business list.
If you have a Smart phone simply scan the back of the card or enter the number as directed on the back of the card.
We have a low annual subscription fee of $25, lower than any entertainment book. All our deals can be enjoyed over and over again, not like one coupon.
Cards are good for one year, but as an added bonus all who purchase now are getting an additional 6 months...you can't bet that!

Payment and Processing:
All checks should be made payable to "NewGate School" you may indicate FOM on the memo line, and remitted to the office.
If you receive cash, please make it exact so that Carmen at the office does not have to make change, and request a FOM receipt.
Credit card purchases may be made online at www.FriendsofMontessori.com or at the office.

Let's get those cards sold within the next couple of weeks, we have a fun and friendly competition going between the classes, stay tuned...more to come!

Best regards,
Thetu Kishoiyian
FOM Committee Chair

New Gate School, an international Montessori academy in Sarasota inspires its students with an extensive arts program.

The Arts play a vital role at NewGate. Like all great Montessori schools around the world, we nurture each student’s curiosity, creativity, and imagination. We encourage young people to think for themselves and to find their own voice. The Arts play an important role in achieving our goals.

In addition to integrating art, music, poetry, and drama into our curriculum and after school studios, our students have the opportunity to participate in a wide range of exceptional experiences.

The NewGate school year is highlighted every spring by our annual Youth Opera. This year’s fully costumed production involves the talents of a nationally noted team of youth opera educators, and all of our Elementary student body participates. This year’s performance will be held at The Glenridge Performing Arts Center on April 20.

Since 1995, NewGate’s Elementary students have also produced an annual, full-dress production of a Shakespearian play. This year’s production will be The Taming Of The Shrew, with the live performance at The Glenridge Performing Arts Center on December 8. In addition, our students will normally produce two or more less formal productions over the course of a year. And, of course, we take our students to local plays, performances, and cinema, and we invite local artists to bring their talents to the school.

Secondary students are also involved in play writing and production with local theaters such as Florida Studio Theater and The Asolo Theater. Plays written and produced by our students were selected for public performance twice in the last year alone. One our seniors also took third place in last year’s annual Florida State Poetry Competition.

For several years, our Secondary students have served as the Junior Jury of the Sarasota Film Festival, which has included a month of intensive classes on cinema and criteria for evaluation of competing works. During the week of the festival, the students facilitate the youth programming events at the festival and interact with all the professionals involved in the film industry, gaining a keener sense of visual literacy. As the only school in Sarasota selected by the Film Festival to participate in this manner, our older students take pride in their work and look forward to being an integral part of each year’s celebration of cinematography.

NewGate is a small school when compared to some. But here children can express themselves, learn joyfully, and hold on to their sense of joy and celebration of life.

by Time Seldin

NewGate

The International Montessori Academy of Sarasota

NewGate School, Sarasota 

NewGate is Partner of Friends of Montessori, a global fundraising program for Montessori schools. The main idea behind this fundraiser is promoting the school and creating awareness for Montessori education in Sarasota and surrounding communities.

Friends of Montessori

New Gate School Sarasota starts Friend of Montessori Fundraiser

What’s all the Buzz about?
by Thetu Kishoiyian (Parent of New Gate School, fundraising committee member)

A little over a month ago, Tim Seldin our Head of School and President of The Montessori Foundation shared the “Friends of Montessori” Fundraising program with the parents at our April community meeting. I approached Tim following the meeting stating that I could get a couple of parents together to form a parent committee for the fundraiser.

Our First Step
At our first committee meeting we were briefed by Guenther Edelsbacher, founder of the fundraiser, how the program works. We were informed that twenty businesses were already in the database at that time. We determined that if we were going to attract people in our community to use and purchase this card we would need a considerable number of businesses. So the goal was fifty (50) businesses in two weeks, which we met easily I’m proud to say.

Our Experience with our Local Businesses
Most businesses responded very positive. It was interesting that many business owners or general managers already knew our Montessori school, and those who didn't, got informed who we are. It’s really a WIN..WIN…WIN as Lori Cutler one of our committee members puts it. We get the great deals, the businesses get more customers and the school profits from the cards sold. It’s that simple!

What is Friends of Montessori

• It is similar to a Club Card or an Entertainment book and has the size of a credit card.
• It’s a fundraising program for the school in which we are able to raise quite an amount of money: The card sells for $25 and we as the school keep $20.
• It is an opportunity to support local commerce.
• There is an additional educational component: An Entrepreneurial Leadership curriculum that will lead our students through the course of how businesses are run.
• A wonderful way to share information about our school.
• To promote the Montessori approach to Education.
• Montessori schools around the world can implement the fundraiser and form a global Montessori community.

Our Next Step
Our goal is to enroll 200 businesses by the start of school this fall. Would you help us? Advertising at this point is free. If you know anyone who owns a business please contact us or visit the website and click on “List your Business”. It’s quite simple.
Our second goal is to sell 500 cards by the start of school. Would you help us? If you have a business consider getting cards for your employees. The card is a good “thank you” or “Birthday” gift or even a seasonal "Thinking about you" gift.

For more information about Friends of Montessori or to purchase cards contact Friends of Montessori at email or go to the website Friends of Montessori

Montessori Foundation presents Friends of Montessori

Sarasota, Fl

The Montessori Foundation presented Friends of Montessori at their 14th Annual Montessori Foundation and International Montessori Council Conference in Sarasota, Florida. The idea to create a fundraiser for Montessori schools worldwide and create awareness of Montessori within their communities came to a great start! Many international schools signed up to participate. Supporting parents and local businesses listed in the online directory can be seen within their city and also by Montessori friends all over the world. It will bring the international Montessori community together and connects Montessori Friends worldwide.

For further information go to FriendsofMontessori.com

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Fundraiser for Montessori Schools

Friends of Montessori and the Montessori Foundation are opening a possibility for Montessori Schools worldwide to participate in a fundraising concept that makes it easy for your school to raise money and make it also an educational experience for your students.

With the sale of Montessori Friends Discount Cards, the school promotes businesses owned by parents and supporters and also advertises the school itself. All cards come co-branded with the school logo for brand recognition.

              

 How it works:
1. We list your businesses on your very own FriendsofMontessori.com website.
2. Each business offers a great Deal or Special to Friends of Montessori Cardholders!
3. You get co-branded cards and sell them to friends, family and business partners.
4. When Cardholders show their card they get the Deal or Special. It's that simple.


What can you do?
• Integrate as many businesses as possible, giving our Friends of Montessori card the utmost value.
• Pick up cards at the school office and sell them among friends, family and business partners!

 For more detailed information please visit www.FriendsofMontessori.com