FAQ

Q: Why does Gladwyne Montessori ask for philanthropic support in addition to tuition?
A:  Gladwyne Montessori has beautiful facilities, intellectually stimulating classrooms and the best qualified teachers making it easy to assume the school’s financial need is minimal.  On the contrary, it costs Gladwyne Montessori more to educate each student than what is paid in tuition. Gifts are necessary because tuition gives your child access to more than you are paying for.  That’s why Gladwyne Montessori, like all independent (“private”) schools, must turn to parents, Board Members, faculty and staff, grandparents, past parents, alumni, corporations and foundations for support in the form of tax-deductible gifts to the Annual Giving Campaign in order to close the gap between tuition and expenses.

Q: How is Gladwyne Montessori funded?
A: As an independent school, Gladwyne Montessori relies on tuition to provide the largest segment of revenue to the school.  Other funds are derived from tax-deductible contributions to the Gladwyne Montessori Annual Giving Campaign.  Annual Giving is an essential element of our overall operating budget, and gifts to the Annual Giving Campaign enable Gladwyne Montessori to advance our unique mission.

Q: What does the Gladwyne Montessori Annual Giving Campaign support?
A: Gifts to the Gladwyne Montessori Annual Giving Campaign are unrestricted and allow Gladwyne Montessori to allocate resources where they are most needed during the current school year.  Annual Giving is a budgeted line item, covering expenses and supporting ongoing priorities such as:
• Building & Grounds Maintenance and Improvements
• Financial Aid to Students
• Maintaining Reasonable and Competitive Tuition Levels
• Material Expenses for all Specials (Art, Music, Gym, Library & Spanish)
• Field Trips
• Technology Initiatives
• Special Projects (in recent years these have included educational computer software, window replacements and roof and skylight repairs)

Q: Is a gift to Gladwyne Montessori tax-deductible?
A: Yes!  As allowed by the IRS, all charitable gifts are tax-deductible.  Gladwyne Montessori is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization (our tax identification number is: 23 162 8684).  As such, our donors can make tax-deductible gifts based upon their capability, thus enabling Gladwyne Montessori to maintain reasonable and competitive tuition levels. 

Q: How much should we give to the Gladwyne Montessori School’s Annual Giving Campaign?
We respectfully ask every Gladwyne Montessori family to participate in the Annual Giving Campaign each year at a level that is personally significant.  For some that is $10,000 and for some it is $100 – please know every single gift, regardless of the amount, has an enormous impact on a school of our size.  Each gift is a caring reflection for the well being of Gladwyne Montessori and our students. 

Q:  Can we designate how our gift should be used?
A:  Families and friends of Gladwyne Montessori who have a specific area of interest are encouraged to make a contribution in support of their passions.  Options for Designated Giving Funds currently include:

The Ann Schwarz Scholarship Fund in Memory of Lauren Freundlich – This Scholarship Fund was established in honor of Ann’s retirement after 35 years of teaching at Gladwyne Montessori as a way to commemorate “Apple Annie’s” indelible mark left on the Gladwyne Montessori community.  Lauren Freundlich was Ann’s beloved student who died in 1991 when Senator Heinz’s plane crashed at Merion Elementary School.  It is Ann’s wish that this fund be used to increase the accessibility of a Gladwyne Montessori education for generations of future children.

The Adrianne Slattery Nature & Earth Science Enrichment Fund – Upon Adrianne’s retirement from Gladwyne Montessori, her dream was “to establish a fund that would enhance our fantastic science program by bringing specialists in to share their knowledge and inspire our Gladwyne Montessori students.”  Gifts to this fund enable the Montessori experience to come alive as elementary students learn through science.

OR you can designate your Annual Giving Gift to support one of the following budgeted areas of operations: Arts, Athletics, Building & Grounds, Classroom Materials, Financial Aid, Library, Nature Studies, Professional Development, or Technology.

The above information represents just a few of our most frequently asked questions; if you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact our Development Office.