Montessori School

Giving the Best to the Youngest

2012 REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY OUR MISSION

To discover the child

in inclusive Montessori environments

and inspire a movement

for educating the human potential

2012 REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY

Board of Directors Dear Family Star Community, 2011-2012 I am again proud to share with you how hard we at Family Star have Chair Nancy Cohen worked to give the best to the youngest, providing our students with Legal Counsel the most optimal experiences. From wide open, beautiful classrooms MiletichCohen PC to high quality materials and Montessori certified Lead Teachers to new facilities designed specifically for their needs, 2012 was Vice Chair Jim Barrett incredibly successful for Family Star in providing beautiful things to our children. The Enterprise Architect/ Family Star Board of Directors has established very ambitious goals – to sustain an System Engineer early childhood education program of uncompromising quality, and to be part of the Xentity Corporation vision of providing quality early childhood education for all. This past year, we are Finance Committee Chair proud to have worked tirelessly towards these goals. Adam Newman CPA, GHP Horwath, P.C. Family Star provided services to 369 children during the 2011-2012 school year. 225 children were served in our full-day year-round center based program. An additional Candice Chacon-Jaramillo 59 children were served in our home based program, receiving weekly home visits Community Volunteer from a Family Star Parent Educator. Finally, as part of our commitment to having a broader impact beyond our walls by making high quality ECE programs available to all Cory Councilman Director, Operations who need them, we provided our package of comprehensive services (health, mental Xentity Corporation health, nutrition, disabilities and family support) to 85 children enrolled in other center-based and family childcare provided ECE programs. Alanna Farley Head Start Parent I want to thank our board members for their time commitment, their financial Martha Eubanks giving, and their innovative thinking that has helped to put Family Star on a path for Community Volunteer continued growth and success. Board members spent a tremendous amount of time Lauren Giuffra with incredible enthusiasm and energy, in board meetings, committees and working Marketing Director together with staff and parents. Through all of their dedication, the board has also R.W. Beck helped guide Family Star as we launched our Illuminating the Stars Legacy Campaign. John Latino Attorney Our annual Lunch with the Stars fundraising event was a success, with a record Mark West breaking 240 people in attendance. It was an opportunity for our Family Star Eric Liebman community to come together and celebrate our renowned blend of Montessori and Attorney comprehensive services. Additionally, we raised almost $900,000 as part of our Legacy Moye White Campaign that allowed us to remodel the former Curtis Park Community Center Lee Pannier into a beautiful center designed specifically for Montessori education and Family Attorney Star. Thank you to the foundations, businesses and individuals that came together to Davis Graham & Stubbs, LLP help us achieve this dream. I would also like to acknowledge the support we receive Vienna Presley from public and private donors, including the wonderful foundations, corporations Program and Development and individuals who so generously give to Family Star each year to support and help Specialist Dress for Success us improve our programs. Without this support, we would be unable to continue to serve the Denver community with what we strive to make the finest early childhood Bruce Sattler education available today. Retired Attorney

Reed Stilwell As we move ahead into 2013 and beyond, I am happy to state that our commitment to Design Principal quality early childhood education only continues to grow, and that our passion to give Studio TBD CO_LA(B)_orative the best to the youngest, as Maria Montessori stated, continues to flourish. We are not Jeff Tucker only reaching for the stars; we are bringing the community with us to reach them. Director of Human Resources Mental Health Center of Denver Sincerely, Martha Urioste, Ph.D. Education Consultant Nancy Cohen Chair, Board of Directors Dear Friends of Family Star,

At Family Star, our mission is all about providing a program that allows every young child, and their parents, to realize their potential and make a great positive difference in our world. I would like to take this opportunity to share 2012 successes for Family Star’s vision to inspire a movement for educating the human potential. We presented very well-received national workshops on developing executive functions in young children. We received the 2012 Independent Voices award from Denver Open Media award for giving very young children the opportunity to find their voices. And, the National Center for Montessori in the Public Sector identified Family Star as one of only four exceptional early childhood programs in the United States.

This recognition only strengthens our resolve to maintain steadfast commitment to sustaining and strengthening our exceptional early childhood education program in Denver. Some of the ways we have strengthened Family Star in 2012 -- Educating Young Minds, Strengthening Families, and Transforming Community:

1 . Newly renovated facilities – we moved our Northeast Denver program into a beautiful, newly renovated facility in Curtis Park. We also renovated 8,000 square feet of unfinished space in our Northwest facility. Our students have a gymnasium!

2 . Investment in exceptional staff, leadership, and a healthy, productive culture— a. Well-trained, professional staff—Family Star has long invested in ensuring that Family Star students have skilled Montessori teachers and attractive, well-prepared learning environments and we continue to make even greater strides in that regard. b. A healthy, productive organizational culture – Family Star has invested in developing leadership throughout and leaders are working together to establish a healthy, productive culture and make Family Star a great place to work.

3 . Measuring outcomes— we have been working to institute a new system of assessment and outcomes reporting, to be able to demonstrate the difference our services make.

Like any school -- or any business, for that matter-- Family Star must adapt to changes in the world. But, no matter what changes, Family Star is steadfast about sustaining our commitment to providing an exceptional early education program to children, continuously seeking ways to improve and strengthen our ability to maximize the potential of young children.

We deeply appreciate all the incredible support we have received from the community in recent years, including approximately $1M in grants and donations to achieve facilities improvements in the past year. It’s about investing in our community, creating change for early childhood education on a broader scale. As we broaden support for Family Star’s mission and vision, the entire community benefits. Thank you for being part of our vision!

Best regards,

Ginny Trierweiler President & CEO FAMILY STAR’S GUIDING PRINCIPLES

Individualization Educational and support services are individualized because each child and each family is unique and treasured

Respect and caring Children, families, and staff feel respected and cared for

Order, consistency, and predictability Families and children can count on consistent and fair treatment as well as physical order and predictability of routines

Empowerment, high expectations, and fulfillment Expectation of great capability and excellence among our children, families, and staff

Independence, self-reliance, and self-efficacy Children ages 0 – 6 are supported to do for themselves what they can, as are their families

Intrinsic love of learning Support for all children’s intrinsic interest in learning, allowing them to learn from their own experiences as much as possible

Whole child Early childhood development occurs within a larger context, a child’s health, nutrition, physical activity, and living environment all influence their functioning in our environment

Belonging and inclusion Every infant, young child, and family, regardless of ability or difference, has a right to participate fully in the program and community, and to feel a high sense of belonging in the Family Star community

Peace and happiness Family Star values the peace and happiness of the children, families, and staff we serve and intend that this extends to the community at large

Creating community Engaging highly diverse children, families and staff

Transforming the community through the child and giving a head start to children who need it Giving the Best to the Youngest: Overview

Maria Montessori once stated how students the utmost support in their educational important it was to give the best development, setting them up to excel in a to the youngest, and we here at Family variety of school settings once they leave Family Star agree, serving 369 unduplicated children Star. From interests in chapter books to learning during the 2011-2012 program year, including about countries around the world, our students 280 from Head Start and Early Head Start develop passions for learning that will stay with Families. Whether it is the high quality materials them throughout their lives. we have in our classrooms, the amazing new facilities we’ve created to support our students’ We encourage staff to develop their leadership learning, or the excellently trained teachers in capacities and ability to effectively share each and every one of our classrooms, we strive leadership. One key effort has been Pathways constantly follow Maria Montessori’s advice to to Leadership work with Verus Global. We have provide the youngest among us with the very experienced great benefits associated with these best. In the program year 2011-2012, we served efforts—greater shared leadership, improved 280 unduplicated children, from 202 families, communication and mutual support among staff, in our Head Start and Early Head Start slots. and a happier environment to work in. All of this These program spaces had an average of 94% leadership work translates to greater retention monthly enrollment. We are proud to offer all of of staff and a better environment for children’s our children screenings for medical and dental learning! needs. During last program year, 187 received vision, medical and dental screenings, 169 Lastly, we’ve also worked to increase our received disability screenings, and others opted Montessori training for teachers, continuing to be screened by their family providers. to send teachers to The Montessori Institute’s Assistance to Infancy training, and branching At the end of 2012, we moved our Northeast out to send a teacher out of state for 3-6 Primary Center from its original location to the newly training for the first time ever. We’re also working remodeled building on 29th and Curtis that to develop and provide Montessori training to all had formerly been used as the Curtis Park of our classroom staff, so that everyone can give Community Center. This space was designed their best selves in the classroom. By optimizing specifically for Family Star and our high quality our already wonderful staff, we are giving our Montessori programs, so the classrooms are large students the utmost support in their educational and full of natural light, the materials are made development, setting them up to excel in a of natural materials like wood, and everything variety of school settings once they leave from sinks and counters to toilets and tables are Family Star. From interests in chapter books to made on a child-size scale so that children can memorizing countries and capitols around the actual be a part of their environment. world, our students develop passions for learning that will stay with them throughout their lives. Additionally, we’ve worked to shift our culture and invested in well trained staff and leadership. All these efforts are undertaken as part of our We consistently prioritize Montessori training commitment to give the best to the youngest— for our teachers, no matter what, and our and also to those who care for them. At Family partnership with The Montessori Institute Star, we value each individual and we value (TMI) is central to our success with these community. 2012 was a great year for our efforts. This year, for the first time, we sent a children and our families, demonstrating our Family Star teacher out of state for Primary great belief in the inherent human potential in Montessori training and we partnered with TMI our children. It allowed us to continue to our to develop a brand new training opportunity determination once more to give the best to for the other classroom staff. By optimizing the youngest among us! our already wonderful staff, we are giving our Measuring Outcomes

We have long heard from parents, funders, students’ progress in 9 distinct developmental realms. and other key stakeholders that they would Teachers appreciate how the tool allows them to like to see proof of the benefit of Family Star capture children’s authentic progress, and parents love early education. We know from observing being able to see their children’s progress explained our students how much they benefit from so well. And we are so glad to have results to show the Montessori learning—we observe amazing community the incredible benefits of a high quality development in all areas—physical, cognitive, Montessori program. Stay tuned for results! social-emotional, language, literacy, and more. They are developing foundational skills as successful and contributive human beings— some people call it “school readiness”—we call if readiness for life!

Now, it is time we produce evidence of Family Star outcomes to share with our community! Using the highly trained observational skills of our Montessori teachers, we also identified an objective outcomes measure that provides authentic assessment and fits our values. The Teaching Strategies GOLD measure allows us to collect ongoing assessment data reflecting New Facilities

In the past year, Family Star has achieved major Our Northeast Center classrooms are all in one facilities improvements – thanks to generous building, instead of spread across two buildings, support of our wonderful community! improving staff cohesion and program management, and reducing operating costs. At our Northwest Center, we had the In general, our wonderful Montessori early opportunity to convert 8,000 square feet education program is no longer constrained by of unfinished and unusable space into an inefficient facilities. expansion wing that allows for indoor gross motor/ activity space for our students, private IWe were able to achieve these wonderful meeting rooms for staff to meet with families, facility upgrades because of tremendous additional restrooms, and office space for non- support from our community. For our Curtis classroom staff. This newly expanded space Park project, we embarked on an historic has significantly improved the quality of life for $2,000,000 capital campaign. At the end of children, parents, teachers and staff. 2012, we were completing phase one of this campaign, thanks to tremendous support from Family Star sought a site in Northeast Denver our wonderful local foundations, individual that would be ideal for our program, and we donors, leaders from our board of directors, and found one! We had the opportunity to partner corporations. (Please see our back page for with Urban Land Conservancy to renovate the more information about our generous donors 13,000 square foot property at 2940 Curtis Street. and supporters.) The beautiful, newly renovated Family Star Curtis Park facility was complete at the end of We are so happy about our 2012 facilities 2012. upgrades, because it means that Family Star students start their learning and school lives What difference has this made? Our students experiencing beautiful, bright, well-prepared have wonderful indoor and outdoor play and learning environments. In this way, we are truly learning areas, which improves their learning giving the best to the youngest—and this allows in every way. The classroom environments them to make the most of their early learning are bright and beautiful and have access to and development experiences. outdoor learning and gardening spaces.

The new Northeast Center at Curtis Park, 2940 Curtis Street in Denver Artist’s rendering courtesy of Studio TBD CO_LA(B)_orative Our Montessori Trained Teachers: Growing Our Own

Observers often ask—“where did you get these Many of our Lead Teachers have been with wonderful teachers? They are truly remarkable!” Family Star for five, ten, fifteen and even twenty One of Family Star’s founding principles is that years, and have supported Family Star in many teachers must have comprehensive Montessori roles before completing the Montessori training. training, so that they can truly implement We are incredibly proud of “growing our own” authentic Montessori in the classrooms. and working to transform our communities by supporting the Something that many education and careers folks are not aware of of our staff members. is that Montessori is not a trademarked word or 2012 marked the first curriculum – anyone year that we were able to could open their own send one of our current child care or early Lead Teachers (who is childhood education 0-3 Assistance to Infancy facility and call it trained) to the Primary Montessori without any Training, allowing her further training. However, to work towards her 3-6 that isn’t how we work Primary certification. This at Family Star. From training takes place outside our inception over two of , and we are decades ago, we have proud to have been able worked hand in hand to support her training with The Montessori and provide a stipend Institute (including for her to complete the bringing an Assistance first summer in this three to Infancy training to summer long training. Denver) to ensure that a Lead Teacher in each of Also in 2012, we began to classrooms is Montessori support our Teachers and certified. Our dedication Teacher Assistants with to maintaining these Montessori training so that certified Lead Teachers they too can work to give helps us to ensure the best to the youngest our fidelity with the in our classrooms. From Montessori method. Lead Teachers providing Montessori centric Over the past 20 years, continuing education we have sent many of our teachers and teacher during Professional Days to setting up more assistants through The Montessori Institute’s long term training for those interested, we are 0-3 Assistance to Infancy Training. It is a two excited to share our love and knowledge of summer long program with observations and Montessori with all levels of classroom staff. practicum work during the year in between.

We thank our many donors 2012 Rising Star Giving Circle* $5,000 - $9,999 Joan and Lawrence Brennan Beth Ganz and Mitch Phillips Catherine Cole Karey Lontz Bruce and Martha Sattler Foundation for Educational Excellence Kathy Bridges-McMahon Dale Cantwell and Pamela Ray Jeff and Gina Vaughan Maggie and Adam Gimbel Jim Barrett and Maggie Gourd-Barrett Martha Urioste, Ph.D. Dano and Kelly Rivas Mike O’Shaughnessy Matt and Natalie Mansi Erin Murray and Zeke Williams The Colorado Health Foundation Ray Merenstein Ginny Trierweiler, Ph.D. The Piton Foundation Shannon and Todd Sainer Helen Hayes The Schramm Foundation Venoco, Inc. Honoria Niehaus and Paul Caouette Vienna Presley $1,000 - $4,999 Jennifer Hinderliter Wendy and Steve Kaeuper A. Louis Eubanks Jim Barrett and Maggie Gourd-Barrett Anonymous $100- $499 Lucia Guzman and Martha Eubanks Beth Ganz and Mitch Phillips Adam and Sarah Bialek Lucy Black Creighton and Tom Creighton Bruce and Martha Sattler Adam Newman and Mindy Greenwald Martha Urioste, Ph.D. Dale Cantwell and Pamela Ray Advantage Credit, Inc. Mary and Dan Strizek Davis Graham & Stubbs LLP Allyson Dodge Eugene and Barbara Sternberg Family Amy Friedman Matt and Natalie Mansi Fund Andrea Reynolds Nancy Cohen and James P. Wason Gerald Unruh Andrew Dodgen Nina Wang and Doug Hargrave Ginny Trierweiler, Ph.D. Angie Durlin and Candice Fondal Nora Jacquez Gwen Ann Huitt and Carol Hunt Anita Cuevas Pinnacol Assurance Harmes C. Fishback Foundation Trust Anna Jo Haynes Reed and Claire Stilwell Helen Hayes Cari Wheat Jennifer Hinderliter Catherine Hance Sheana Bull and Paul Salyers June Stool and Evelyn Waldron Chris Haugen Stacey Fischer Katherine Archuleta Chris Perreault Vienna Presley Lucia Guzman and Martha Eubanks Christy Cutler and Bill Walters Lucy Black Creighton and Tom Creighton Clinton Eubanks $100,000 + Mary and Dan Strizek Colette Beneski Anonymous Nancy Elkind and Skip Hibbard Colorado Women’s Bar Association Daniels Fund Nora Jacquez Corinna Robbins Mile High United Way Sam S. Bloom Foundation Cynthia Kahn Temple Hoyne Buell Foundation Stacey Fischer Danzena de Guzman Wells Fargo David and Ana Hill $50,000- $99,999 Wells Fargo Foundation Deborah Silvis Helen K. and Arthur E. Johnson Foundation Denise Corley Qualistar Colorado Capital Fund $500 - $999 Denver Community Service Fund Allen Balczarek $25,000- $49,999 Ann Weaver Elizabeth Hall The Anschutz Foundation Anne Sneed Eric and Nicole Oblander The Denver Foundation Bea Romer Eric Liebman Charles and Martha Hansen Estella Almanza-Schonewise $10,000- $24,999 Community Shares of Colorado Forrest Cason I. A. O’Shaughnessy Foundation Cory Councilman Frederic Lewis Megastar Financial Corp. Dano and Kelly Rivas Gene Giron and Amy Smith Nancy Cohen and James P. Wason GHP Horwath, P.C. Gerri Stirlacci and Cynthia Clark Reed and Claire Stilwell Harold Pratt Gregory and Chermarie Crichlow Rose Community Foundation Jack N. Blackstock Helen Hand and Mike Bender

*This group of individuals is ensuring Family Star’s long-term sustainability through multiple-year gifts. Hollie Velasquez Horvath and Byron Tammy Aaron Kathryn Mattis and Zeke Peters Hovath Ted and Carol Colburn Keith Ambuhl Honoria Niehaus and Paul Caouette Terence Weatheral Kelly Costello J P Morgan Chase Thiensa Nguyen Kenneth Crichlow James Pedler Todd Laurie Larry Dominguez and Beverly Tafoya Janice Sinden Tom Van Ness Dominguez Jeff and Elena Tucker William Milnor Laura Gabbay Jeff Seifried William Munn and Gina Spicola Linda Ebner Jerry Yager Linn Stanley and Greg Baumhauer Jessica Caouette $1-$99 Lisa Hough Jim and Sue Okerson Alanna Kimmel Lisa Montagu Joe Haines Alba Millan Marcia and Jeff Goldstein John Latino Alicia Sheridan Marcia Sainer John Wasserman and Esther Starrels Allana Farley Marisela Castenda Josh Beezley Amanda Pedraw Mary Frances Jaster Judi Orion Amanda Skrzypchak Mary Hanes Kappy Hall Andie Lyons Matt and Kim Lemme Katherine Caouette Andrea Castaneda Michael Fritschen and Lorraine Kathleen Farley Anya Aylesworth Wikstrom Kellie Teter and John Connell Beth Hamilton Michelle Tenorio Lee Pannier BP Foundation, Inc. Mollie O’Brien Moore and Richard Leo and Shanna Kattari Brian Smith Moore Lisa Flores Bridget O’Toole and David Finch Natalie Sullivan Lisa Flores and R. Tallman Chris Watney Natalie Vimont Loren Faye and Ed Dressel Clare Barrett Nathan Bunge Lori Casillas Claudia Jones Pam Harris and Brad Clemmons Lydia Prado Conor Bancroft Paul Caouette Dale and Clarissa Y Gaubatz Renee Kraemer Mariana Enriquez Daniel Wason Richard Romero Marianne and Lester Woodward Deborah Covill Sarah Parady Mark Canjar Devon McCune Sarah Shikes Marshall and Janine Vanderburg Diana and John Romero Campbell Scott Kinnamon Max and Susan Tyler Ed and Denise Rivas Sheri Lockhart Michael’s of Denver Catering Elizabeth Williams Shirley Brown Molly Ross Ellen Van Ness Seymour Sonia Chawla Nancy Ewing Erin Martinez Stacey Saggese Nelnet Foundation Esther Romero Stefanie Winfield Patricia Gonzalez Fernando Pineda-Reyes Stefin Woolever Paul Lhevine Gill Foundation Stella Milan Paul Wember Harriet Strobel Steve Durlin Rachel Weston Rowell Holly Storm Susan Pfabe-Wiggans Ralph Stephens Jace and Addison Woodrum Sylvia Farley Raymond Satter Jennifer Barr Target Ric Durity Jennifer Labarbera The Gary-Williams Company Richard Stonich Jessie Ulibarri Employee Fund Risa and Hal Aqua Jill Haver Tom and Sandra EubanksAlma Vargas Robin and Brian Wolff Joann Sandoval Maria Venturini Robyn McVicker Joseph Salas Rose Marie Villari Roy Knoedler Joshua Daugherty John Weiler Saint Catherine Greek Orthodox Judy Dowling Lauren Wolf Church Judy Goldberg Stacia Harris Kaitlyn Anderson If you see any errors or omissions Susan Kay Karen Black in this list, please notify us and Suzanne Linenberger Karen Martinez kindly accept our sincere apology. Revenue and Expenses 2011-2012

ACTUAL AS OF REVENUE 11/30/2012 Individual and Corporate Contributions $160,955 Curtis Park Capital Campaign 58,570 General Operations 102,385 Foundations 760,598 NW Renovations 50,000 Curtis Park Capital Campaign 330,000 General Operations 380,598 Government 2,134,507 Early Head Start 1,573,387 Head Start 194,329 Early Head Start NW Renovations 150,000 Other 196,792 Local & State 20,000 Tuition 1,025,668 In-Kind 216,120 Other Income 40,524

Total Revenue $4,338,372

EXPENSES

Education and Family Support Programs $3,516,244 General and Administrative 575,237 Fundraising (including Capital Campaign) 209,322

Total Expenses $4,300,803

In Kind Fundraising 5% 5% Other Individual & Corporate 1% Contributions 4%

General and Foundations Administrative 17% 13% Government 49% Education and Family EducationSupport andPrograms Family Tuition Payments Support82% Programs 24% 82%

REVENUE EXPENSES 2013 Operating Budget

REVENUES Individual contributions $ 85,000 Corporate/other contributions 13,300 Grant revenue-Foundations 1,363,500 (including Curtis Park Project of $700k) Grant revenue-Federal gov’t 1,857,262 Total USDA Reimbursement 75,217 Total Denver Preschool Program and Colorado Preschool Program 104,953 Total Tuition Revenue 555,116 Total CCAP Revenue 435,880 Special events revenue 26,548 Rental Income 7,200

TOTAL REVENUES $4,523,976

EXPENSES Total Classroom Expenses $1,644,898 Total 7000 Program Expense 1,300,288 Total General & Administrative Expenses 911,306 Total Facilities Expenses 605,138

TOTAL EXPENSES $4,461,630

Net Profit/Loss $62,347

Key Management Staff

Ginny Trierweiler, PhD, President & CEO Jennifer Olson, Director of Operations Zena De Guzman, Finance Director Karen Black, Development Director Dolly Hull, Head Start Director Main Office: Northwest Denver 2246 Federal Boulevard Denver, CO 80211 (303) 477-7827

Northeast Denver 2940 Curtis Street Denver, CO 80205 (303) 295-7711

FamilyStar Montessori School

www.familystar.net