I wanted to share some extraordinary news. This past December we were informed that a home on Burton Woods Lane, adjacent to the Ginkgo House (our 9-12 program) went up for sale by owner; 5 remarkable sisters, one of whom had a daughter who went through the TNSM program.
Their hope was to reach an agreement with TNSM. One of their emails was so touching I have to share some of it:
“The beauty of getting to “yes” would be entering into an agreement with an organization that’s clearly aligned with our family’s values: the importance of a quality education, embracing diversity in all of its forms, and respecting yourself, others and the planet. There is indeed mutual resonance. We have lived those tenets because of the familial legacy passed from one generation to the next, most of that imprinting taking place at 33 Burton Woods Lane during the nearly 60 years our family has lived there. It’s now our DNA!
With joy, our parents embraced TNSM when it first opened its doors on Burton Woods Lane and when you literally became our neighbor. With confidence, TNSM was selected to provide the external nurture and foundation to those we hold dear (our children and nieces). And with a sense of gratitude, one of our sisters, Patrice Borders Esq., invested her time and talent in serving on the Parent Advisory Board.
She and her husband Keith Borders Esq. entrusted TNSM for their daughters’ holistic education during their formative years. Now their daughters – Candace & Camille Borders – make us all proud. Candace is pursuing her PhD at Yale University and Camille, a Rhodes Scholar, is a 2020 graduate from Oxford University and is pursuing her PhD at Princeton University. Their success in and commitment to bringing out the best in themselves and others answers the question posted on your website: “Will a Montessori Education Prepare Students for the Real World?”
Due to the condition of the house, we shared our interest in razing the home to transform it into a green space, increasing our natural environment and adding to the beauty of our campus and the neighborhood. The family was delighted with the idea and offered to sell the property SIGNIFICANTLY under the appraised fair market value as a donation to the school!! This opportunity was too good to pass on. After board discussion and outside consultation, we agreed to offer.
Due to zoning, there is no intention to build, but rather to plant trees, grow grass and celebrate the expansion of nature and our campus.
As we continue with our Kaleidoscope Campaign with a focus on being environmental stewards, I thought that this gift was a double blessing and something for our community to celebrate!
Reaching toward a better tomorrow,
Jeff Groh
Comments 1
What heartwarming and extraordinary news about the Borders family’s generous offer! I imagine TNSM families would be willing to donate a native tree to develop this new green space.