Annual Giving Campaign 2022-2023

Renewal & Growth

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Mountain Laurel Waldorf School is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Your tax-deductible gift to the Annual Giving Campaign also helps keep tuition more affordable for many families and ensures the continued vibrancy of Waldorf Education for our children. Thank You!

Dear Mountain Laurel Families and Friends,

We have come a long way since the start of the pandemic. After several years of contraction, it has been exhilarating to experience renewal and growth as we move into the next chapter of our school. As Mountain Laurel’s enrollment grows we envision a healthy and bright future. We are delighted to share the following highlights of what we have been able to do.

Connecting, again

The 2022-2023 school year illustrates the importance of human connection. We have indeed waited a long time to be able to meet in person again and bring back our festivals and events that so beautifully mark the passing of the seasons and bring us together as a community. Though Covid is certainly not gone, we have finally resumed school as we want it to be. The College, individual Mandate Groups, the Board of Trustees and the Parent Council are now meeting in person for study, discussion and planning together – reenergizing their work, creating more collaboration and forming important relationships.

​Growing at all ages

  • With an additional kindergarten class,our early childhood program is pulsating with the vibrancy and playfulness of our little ones.
  • Our grades students are benefitting from an expanded curriculum, which includes Mandarin as an additional world language.
  • We now have a full Eurythmy program, from Nursery through 8th grade.
  • Our Aftercare Program is back in full operation, offering quality care after school hours every day of the week until 6:00pm.
  • We reintroduced the popular Sunflower Garden Parent & Child program, bringing together young families whose children were born during the pandemic, in a nurturing setting where support and friendship grow out of weekly conversations with other parents and a facilitating teacher, while the babies and toddlers explore the world.

Expanding learning spaces

The Campus Expansion Committee realized its vision for a dedicated Arts Building (the “Carriage House”), with the completion of a bright new sculpture studio and handwork room. Moving our art classes to the Carriage House actually made room for a third early childhood room, as well as a dedicated Parent & Child program room in the main school building.

Building operational efficiency and sustainability

  • The administration department, which has been historically short-staffed, is now humming with the support of a full-time Office Manager and a full-time Development & Marketing Director.
  • We are in a two-year contract with Alma Partners, a diverse, multiracial group of experienced consultants and facilitators to help us with our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion work.
  • As a member of the world-wide Waldorf movement, Mountain Laurel Waldorf School remains an active participant in the regional (mid-Atlantic) meetings of the Association of Waldorf Schools in North America (AWSNA).
  • Mountain Laurel’s excellent retention not only of our students but also of our dedicated faculty members over the last few years, is a testament to the vigorous health of our school.

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Giving gratitude and looking ahead

So much of what we do would not be possible without your support and we are grateful for your trust in Mountain Laurel Waldorf School – and for your conviction that our students receive the enriching Waldorf experience they deserve.

As Mountain Laurel’s enrollment grows we envision a healthy and bright future. With your 2022-2023 gift, together we will be able to:

  • Provide tuition assistance and scholarships to make Mountain Laurel accessible to anyone who wants a Waldorf education for their children.
  • Consciously incorporate diversity, equity, inclusion and social justice (DEIJ) into all that we do.
  • Offer competitive salaries, benefits and professional development to attract and retain top quality teachers and staff.
  • Host professional speakers on topics of interest to families.
  • Offer after school clubs and summer camp.
  • Create a robust farm program.
  • Ensure environmental sustainability by installing heat pumps in the main school building.
  • Continue to expand our campus to support our growing community.

We hope you will consider making a gift to the Mountain Laurel Annual Giving Campaign. Our budget relies on financial acts of kindness. Each contribution is essential, and gifts of all amounts make a tremendous difference in our ability to become an even stronger and more connected community.

Patricia Dewitte-Kuyl
Head Administrator & Enrollment Director

Amy Hannes
Development & Marketing Director

DONATE

How To Give

  • Donate online by clicking the button above
  • Donate via Venmo: @Mountainlaurel
  • Check, cash or credit card can be accepted
  • Arrange for Sustaining Gifts in the form of annual or monthly donations from your bank account or credit card
  • Ask your employer if they match your charitable gifts

Other Ways to Give

  • Participate in various fundraisers held throughout the year. Email us if you’d like to get involved.
  • Purchase merchandise from the School Store. All proceeds go to the Annual Giving Campaign, unless otherwise noted.
  • Sign up for AmazonSmile at smile.amazon.com. Sign in to your account and select Mountain Laurel Waldorf School as your non-profit of choice.

100% of MLWS income including fundraising is spent on operational expenses.

Mountain Laurel Waldorf School is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Your tax-deductible gift to the Annual Giving Campaign also helps keep tuition more affordable for many families and ensures the continued vibrancy of Waldorf Education for our children. Thank You!

Annual Giving Campaign FAQs

What is the Annual Giving Campaign?

The Annual Giving Campaign is a yearly appeal to board members, parents, grandparents, alumni parents, alumni, faculty, staff, family, and friends for financial contributions to support the school’s operating expenses and tuition assistance program. This year, Mountain Laurel Waldorf School’s Annual Giving Campaign goal is $50,000.

Why is the Annual Giving Campaign necessary?

MLWS families already make a significant financial contribution to the school by paying tuition.
However, there is a gap between tuition income and MLWS’s annual operating budget. Mountain
Laurel is not alone in this; many Waldorf schools and independent schools ask their communities to
support them in this way. We are sustained by the collective generosity of parents, grandparents,
and friends who make tax-deductible gifts of all sizes, each year, through Annual Giving.

How does Mountain Laurel raise money besides the Annual Giving Campaign?

In addition to the Annual Giving Campaign, Mountain Laurel depends on fundraisers (including incentive giving opportunities, making a purchase from the school store, attending and supporting the Spring Soiree, and others) and grants to raise money.

Why is participation important?

The school’s financial strength is dependent on the participation of all members of its constituency.
Your participation generates enthusiasm and encourages others to join in supporting the school,
and it is a key indicator to prospective foundation and corporate donors that we have consistent
support from those we serve, both past and present.

By way of example, the Rudolf Steiner School of Ann Arbor received a grant notification letter from
the Waldorf Schools Fund President Gloria Kemp. She wrote: “It is indeed a pleasure to support an
initiative at schools where the enormous success of the Annual Fund Appeal speaks of the high
degree of commitment and support coming from the school community.”

How much should I give?

You are the only one who knows how much you are able to give. One hundred percent of Mountain
Laurel’s Board members give to the Annual Fund, and we count on every MLWS family to do the
same. What matters most is your participation. Each gift, no matter the size, makes an impact.

Another possible resource is employers who are willing to match an employee’s contribution. If
you think this might apply to you, please ask your employer if that is an option.

How do I give?

Ways To Give:

  • Donate via PayPal
  • Donate via Venmo: @mountainlaurel
  • Mail or deliver in person a check or cash
  • Donate via credit card online or contact MLWS office directly
  • Ask your employer if they match your charitable gift

We will keep you updated on the progress of the campaign through the Parent Council Newsletter, the website, and the school’s bulletin board.

With deep appreciation for your contributions and support.