SUPPORT
WHY GIVING IS IMPORTANT
Oak Grove Montessori School, like all independent schools, relies on fund raising and fund raising events to help off- set the difference between tuition and the cost of maintaining the quality of our school and our programs. Tuition at Oak Grove covers 76% of the cost of a child’s education. The school must make up the difference by depending on the generous giving of friends, alumni, families current and past, and grandparents. It is these generous gifts that enable us to keep our tuition lower and still meet the needs of our operating budget.
Generous giving to the school can come in a variety of forms, including donations of time, supplies as well as dollars.
Please consider donating in support of our Annual Fund for the 2024-2025 School Year
The OGMS’s Annual Fund is the base of the school’s yearly giving programs. As a non-profit school, OGMS relies on the unrestricted dollars to support our annual needed budget. Giving accounts for 14% of our needed operating budget.
We greatly depend on the generosity of our current families, grandparents, past parents, friends and area businesses to support our Annual Fund helping us to maintain our high quality programming and to ensure the longevity of our school.
- $15,000 plus Visionary
- $10,000 – $14,999 Investor
- $5,000 – $9,999 Champion
- $2,500 – $4,999 Guardian
- $1,000 – $2,499 Sustainer
- $500 – $999 Ambassador
- $250 – $499 Supporter
- Up to 249 Friend
All donations to Oak Grove are tax deductible.
Please contact Sherry D’Alessandro to discuss our Seth Brody Scholarship Fund or any questions regarding the Annual Fund.
OTHER WAYS TO GIVE
Contributions to Oak Grove may be made in a variety of ways, some of which provide tax advantages to the donor.
The easiest and most expedient way is to make a contribution is a cash gift. However, some donors may wish to contribute an item for a specific purpose. These gifts-in-kind are as diverse as the interests of our friends and have included trees, benches, computers and software, outside play area materials. The school is happy to accept gifts-in-kind such as these, provided there is appropriate need.
Stop and Shop
Register for Stop and Shop’s A+Bonus Bucks. With every purchase made using your Stop and Shop card, the our school will earn money that will be used to purchase supplies. Stop and Shop sends us a check at the ends of each school year for the Bonus Bucks that are earned. Our ID number is 07710.
Box Tops for Education
Buy the brands you already love and make a difference for Oak Grove Montessori School! Just scan your receipt within 14 days of purchase to earn cash for your school with every participating product you buy. The Box Tops app makes it easy to earn cash for the school of your choice, whether it’s your child’s school or a local school that could use a little help. Go to https://www.boxtops4education.com/s/ to download the app and get started with scanning today!
Land's End
Show off and showcase OGMS by ordering your needed clothing through Land’s End. Our beautiful logo can be put on any of their clothes. The school makes a percentage of the sales and by wearing our logo our name is seen by more and more people.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
About the Oak Grove Montessori School Annual Fund
Why is the Annual Fund so important to OGMS?
Gifts to the Annual Fund are gifts from the heart. Funds from these gifts go directly to this year’s operating budget and Oak Grove is able to use this money where it is most needed and most effective.
What is the goal of the OGMS Annual Fund?
This year, our goal is for 100% of our current families to participate with a gift of any amount.
Who gives to the OGMS Annual Fund?
Oak Grove has touched the lives of many people and families. We receive Annual Fund donations from parents, former parents, grandparents, and other friends of the school.
Doesn’t my tuition payment cover costs?
No, tuition alone does not cover the cost of educating a child. The Annual Fund helps to bridge the gap between revenue and expenses, and to offer the student the best possible educational experience.
Why does OGMS not charge what it costs?
We strive to make the Oak Grove Montessori education accessible to as many students as possible. At full cost, our school would no longer represent the vision of the founders. Greater diversity in our school enriches the educational experience for everyone in the Oak Grove Community.
If I am receiving financial aid am I still asked to give?
Everyone in the Oak Grove community is asked to participate in the Annual Fund as a symbol of our collective commitment to OGMS. Every donation, no matter the size, makes a difference in the lives of our children
How much should I give?
We ask each family to consider what OGMS gives to our families, and to make a gift that is accordingly meaningful. Every gift matters. When we each give to OGMS, we are demonstrating our commitment to the school and its mission and endorsing its outstanding faculty and staff and the programs they teach.
When should I send my gift?
The Annual Fund Drive runs from October through the end of January. Although gifts are accepted through June, gifts before December 31st may be deducted from the current year’s taxes. You may pledge a gift to be paid in monthly installments.
Please contact Leela Pahl, Head of School at OGMS for more information
(860-456-1031 or leela@ogms.org)