Update from Aidan's Board of Trustees

By now, you should have received re-enrollment notices for the 2022-2023 academic year. On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I wanted to follow-up with a note of gratitude: Thank you for being part of our community and for committing to Aidan Montessori.

I also wanted to provide some context about changes to tuition and After School Program (ASP) rates for the coming academic year. Recent years have been challenging on many fronts. We are fortunate that, long before COVID-19, the Board of Trustees and school leadership pursued responsible budgetary and operational policies. At the outset of the pandemic, the Board and school leadership made the conscious decision to operate the school at a deficit in order to meet the demands of the pandemic and keep our community healthy, without compromising Aidan’s Montessori curriculum.

Nearly two years into the pandemic, the Board is pleased to report that Aidan has weathered the storm remarkably well. Not only was the school able to make essential updates to its physical infrastructure—including the installation of a brand-new ventilation system and windows—but we have also maintained a high-quality Montessori environment for students while keeping our community safe. We are thankful for the hard work, creativity, and dedication of Aidan faculty, staff, school leaders, and parent volunteers, who helped make this possible.

The 2022-2023 tuition and ASP rates that were approved by the Board of Trustees build on the budgeting and operational lessons that we have learned over the years. The annual budget that the Board has designed underscores our commitment to the resilience of the Aidan community and attempts to balance multiple competing priorities. It allows for appropriate increases in teacher salaries commensurate with the current economic climate and also represents our ongoing commitment to financial aid. Providing competitive salaries and benefits will help us continue to attract and retain the excellent Montessori faculty for which Aidan is known. And investing in financial aid is consistent with Aidan’s mission and values, and will make our community a stronger and more welcoming one.

Aidan’s tuition and ASP rates for the coming year will remain below the rates of comparable independent schools in the area. As members of the Aidan community, my fellow Trustees and I remain thankful for the contributions of our parents, faculty, and staff, as well as the Aidan Fund, the Auction for financial aid, and special giving. Together, we will continue to uphold Aidan as the gold standard for Montessori education in the region.

Sincerely,

Rachel Li, President

Aidan Montessori School Board of Trustees