May 2008

Welcome to another update on the Envision the Future Capital Campaign to establish a new home for Hilltop Montessori School. As many of you know, we have set our sights on a beautiful 43 acre property less than a mile from our current location. We have a purchase-and-sale agreement in hand contingent upon, among other things, making our way through the intricate maze of zoning and permitting.

 

First, an update on that permitting, zoning and Act 250 process: All of the moving parts are working in tandem, from the architects at Breadloaf who are creating 3D modeling the project-to-be, to the good folks at Stevens & Associates who are busily filing heaps of paperwork in order to meet all of the local, state and federal ordinances necessary to build a school. Who knew it could be this complicated? But we are in good hands and holding to a very tight schedule for a September closing date by which we should be fully permitted and able to commence building. Look for an early autumn ground breaking.

As Campaign Chair, I am thrilled to report that the Capital Campaign is going extremely well. We are closing in on gifts or pledges of two million dollars, which represents fully half of our goal of four million dollars. We are on track to have $750,000 in the bank to purchase the property outright by summer, well in time for our September closing date. We are still in the quiet phase of the campaign, reaching out to our community-at-large who are positioned to make leadership-level gifts. But, we consider this the calm before the giving storm, because on Grandparents Day, Friday May 23rd (before Memorial weekend) we will be hosting the entire grandparents and special friends gathering at the breathtaking site of our future home, and will also be opening it up to a community-wide reception (adults only) at 5 pm that evening. If our recent benefit auction was any indicator of our capacity to enjoy our Hilltop community, this reception should be a wonderful celebration with live music by our own Jay Cook, hearty hors d'oeuvres, wine and beer, and the chance for everyone to experience the magic of these spectacular 43 hilltop acres. Once we are all together you will see how easy it is to Envision the Future campus–the classroom buildings, the orchards and the sugarbush, the farm and the animals, the greenhouses and the windmills, and all the real possibilities befitting a setting that will become a home away from home for our children and for generations to come.

We have been overwhelmed by the generous outpouring of giving since the Campaign began in earnest a few short months ago. Now we will begin to reach out to our entire community, recognizing that our family is small, the need is great, and each and every one of us can come together as a community of parents to be as generous as possible to truly enable such a remarkable permanent home to become a reality for our children.

I genuinely look forward to welcoming each of you to Hilltop's future campus on Friday, May 23rd as we join hearts and hands to Envision the Future.

All Best,
Melany Kahn, Capital Campaign Chairperson