November 22, 2022
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Do you remember the first time that school was magical? Whether falling in love with reading, observing frog eggs hatch into tadpoles, or receiving a standing ovation at a class play, the magic that we experience in childhood remains with us for our entire lives. Magic at The Community School looks like a sound studio in the forest and a bright red salamander darting under wet leaves; it looks like students pressing cider during Apple Festival and planting garden beds during Stewardship Day.
Most of all, it is the everyday magic of place, people, and community: the collective efforts of our teachers, families, and friends such as yourself who make our school days possible.
Your contribution to our Annual Fund ensures…
A small student-teacher ratio, with two teachers in each classroom.
Weekly Outings on MDI and across the region.
Specialty classes in music, practical arts, and ecology.
Hands-on, authentic learning experiences with community mentors.
Quality tools and materials so that our students are equipped for high school and beyond.
A place-based learning experience that engages the head, heart, and hands of each child.
As a member of our community, your involvement is integral to our continued success as a school, and we are eager to deepen our relationship of place with you. Ever since our school moved into our home at Babson Creek, the surrounding woods and marshes have been transformed into outdoor classrooms, art studios, craft workshops, and a source of solace and reflection. With the land as our greatest teacher, our students learn to care for each other and the environment in the context of a home ground with shared responsibilities. That’s why, in partnership with Maine Coast Heritage Trust, we are establishing the Babson Creek Learning Forest: the only preserve on the island dedicated to education and a child-centered experience.
This year, we are raising funds to support our operating expenses so that we can continue to make bold strides toward a future endowment for The Community School and the successful inauguration of the Babson Creek Learning Forest. As one of the few Place-based schools in Maine, this acquisition carries far-ranging impacts for the next generation of teachers and outdoor educators, who will equip our children to respond to the 21st-century changes affecting our local and global community. Your support means that our school will continue building pathways for the conservationists, scientists, artists, and writers of tomorrow to deepen their connection to this special place.
Perhaps the magic of the everyday at The Community School can be best summed up by one of our Sweet Fern students, who recently exclaimed, “This is the best day of my life!” as we gathered for our morning circle in the heart of an old apple orchard, lit with golden autumn light.
We are honored to provide our students with experiences that are joyful, meaningful, and engage deeply in a sense and appreciation for the world we share.
Please consider contributing to the magic that is alive at The Community School by making a tax-deductible donation to our annual appeal this year, helping us reach our $300,000 goal. Thank you for your continued support in endowing the next generation with a deep sense of place, stewardship, and connection to Mount Desert Island and beyond.
With deep gratitude,
Jasmine Smith, School Director
Eloise Schultz, Assistant Director