montessori ed

Posted on this site with permission from the Association Montessori International / USA

Dear Members of the AMI/USA Community,

Seeing images and hearing reports of the unfathomable devastation and loss in Haiti has been shocking and humbling.  Our hearts and thoughts have gone out to the hundreds of thousands of people who have been affected by the earthquake. Unfortunately, our own community is not untouched by this disaster. Marie-Margurite (Maguy) Clérié is an AMI teacher at the Boucledart Maison des Enfants in Haiti; she is also part of the AMI elementary Training of Trainers program. While Maguy herself is unharmed, the school itself has incurred serious structural damage. Perhaps more urgent, however, is the impact that the earthquake has had on the teachers and staff at the school, many of whom have lost not only their employment but also their homes and family members.

As Montessorians, we are acutely aware of the human responsibility we have as citizens of the world. In our effort to support our larger global community, AMI/USA is launching a campaign to raise funding for the Boucledart children’s school to begin the rebuilding process. I have been in touch directly with Maguy, who was incredibly touched by the campaign. She wrote, “I sincerely thank you for your offer of support for the process of rebuilding and reestablishing our school and our mission of bringing quality Montessori education to Haiti. I am unable to express the degree to which this offer of support has touched and encouraged me.”

On behalf of all our AMI students and teachers in Haiti, I hope you will consider donating any amount to this campaign to help this urgent cause.

In Maguy’s own words, “The greatest hope provided by the promise of aid is the ability to help the school faculty, staff and their families rebuild and bring some normalcy back into their lives…Words cannot express how profoundly touched I am by the generosity and support I have received from AMI/USA. I am truly fortunate to be part of such a wonderful community.”

If you are able to donate to this cause, please send a check made out to AMI/USA to the Montessori Haiti Relief Fund, c/o AMI/USA, 410 Alexander St., Rochester NY 14607. If you would like to make a donation by credit card, please call the office at (585)-461-5920.

Your gift is tax deductible to the extent provided by law.

In Peace,

Virginia

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Your donations will benefit theBoucledart Maison des Enfants, a Montessori school in Haiti. The school, pictured here before the earthquake, has suffered serious structural damage. Perhaps more urgently, the teachers and staff at the school have lost not only their employment, but also their homes and family members.

Donorschoose.org is an interesting way for Public Montessori Schools to make it easy for families to donate online for specific school projects while also reaching out to a larger internet community of possible donors.

Here is a brief description of How it Works

onorsChoose.org is a simple way to provide students in need with resources that our public schools often lack. At this not-for-profit web site, teachers submit project proposals for materials or experiences their students need to learn. These ideas become classroom reality when concerned individuals, whom we call Citizen Philanthropists, choose projects to fund.

This type of donation could be especially useful when a public school classroom is transitioning to Montessori and needs many auto-didactic materials.  A Montessori alumnus might be donating to the site and choose your school.