Walnut Farm Montessori School
Annual Report 2010-2011
Building a Foundation for Growth
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Table of Contents
Letter from the Director .......................................................... 4
Letter from the Board ............................................................. 5
About Walnut Farm ................................................................ 6
2010-2011 Faculty and Staff .................................................... 7
2010-2011 Board of Directors ................................................. 8
Programs and Enrichments ..................................................... 8
Additional Enrichments ......................................................... 13
Community Connections ....................................................... 14
Parent Involvement .............................................................. 15
Summary of Finances ............................................................ 16
A Culture of Giving ................................................................ 17
The Future of our School ....................................................... 18
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A Year in Review
From Director Judy Dunn
We have accomplished so much in the past 19 years. For me, it is impossible to
imagine my life in Arkansas without the community of Walnut Farm. This past
school year, as is every year, was a year of hard work and diligence. Ensuring
that we continue to provide an exemplary Montessori school that is authentic to
Montessori philosophy and practice is essential for our sustainability, as well as
our integrity as an accredited Montessori school.
We have many things to be proud of this year. In September, we opened our
first toddler community for children 18 to 36 months of age. We sent two teachers to training in Boulder, Colorado. They returned to make our programs richer
and stronger and we have grown our elementary program from 30 children to
40 children. Our board of trustees has grown from 8 members to 11 members.
Our Art Experience raised a record breaking $40,000.00 toward a new playground. This is a showcase of our community’s high level of volunteerism, which
is paramount to our continued success. Additionally, some of the other highlights of 2010-2011 were our Peace Celebrations, Thanksgiving Dinner, performances by the children and the pure joy of seeing your children each day.
Looking forward, there is much to do. We have outgrown our current space. It is
time to expand. We will begin the process of expansion this summer by relocating the playground to the back of the property. This will allow us to build a natural playground that will be cohesive with our mission. With the addition of our
toddler community and the growth of our elementary community, the time has
come to renovate our facilities to provide space for all our programs in a way
that will be logistically more efficient. This process will not be easy and will bring
about change. Change is good and a necessary part of the health and longevity
of Walnut Farm. We owe it to those who have not yet come to make sure that
Walnut Farm will be here for them.
In conclusion, I thank you all for your devotion, time and financial support over
the last year. Next fall we will begin our 20th year as an authentic Montessori
school. This is surely great cause for celebration! It is with deep gratitude and
enthusiasm that I look forward to serving you in 2011-2012.
With peace and respect,
Judy
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A Letter from the Board
From President Wednesday Arend
Dear Fellow Parents,
As we look back at the 2010-2011 school year, we should all feel a sense of pride to
be part of such an incredible community. Trustees are but one part of this community and the role of the Board is to act as the governing body for Walnut Farm. We
are primarily concerned with ensuring the financial stability of WFMS through short
and long-term strategic planning and policy development. We work in conjunction
with the School Director and are ever mindful that every decision the Board makes
supports and upholds the mission statement of the school.
Over the past years, our school has experienced both wonderful moments and
times of challenge – and this year was no different. Though we began the 20102011 with a budgeted shortfall; we were able to end our fiscal year with a surplus.
This is due to full enrollment in all programs, careful budget planning, strong monitoring of the budget and generous donations to the school from our community.
Being good stewards of your money is one of the most important jobs our trustees
perform. The trustees wish to express our appreciation to all faculty and staff for
their support in these areas.
This year, the work of the board focused on significant policy and procedure development along with recruitment of new trustees. Our committees worked diligently
to create procedures for development of trustees, document the preparation and
administration of the annual report and the annual giving campaign, and to establish a fully-formed new trustee handbook to help guide all future trustees as they
begin work with the Board and the school. These policies and procedures will help
to set the course for continued growth of Walnut Farm and allow the school to
thrive in the future.
Please, take a few moments to read through this annual report as it is prepared for
you – our fellow parents, alumni and community members. All programs and areas
of the school have contributed to this document and provide a wonderful glimpse
into all the beautiful work done throughout the year. My hope is that you will be
able to identify all the hard work and dedication that have added to making our
school a success. And, personally, as my family gets ready to start our final year at
Walnut Farm – our tenth – we know that our son has been given the best possible
foundation for all his future endeavors. I look forward to the future of Walnut Farm
and to sharing that future with all of you.
Thanks for listening.
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About Walnut Farm Montessori School
Mission Statement
The Walnut Farm Montessori School provides an authentic Montessori education to children ages 18 months to 12 years, empowering them for life-long
learning.
We are a community that promotes peace by using authentic Montessori methodology to cultivate self confident and
independent life-long learners who are stewards of the
earth. As a community, we feel three factors help us achieve
this action: consistently teaching peace education to all
members of our community, providing authentic Montessori classrooms complete with didactical materials and
trained teachers, and empowering children to gain awareness of the natural world through work in our Outdoor
Classroom.
Our community consists of students, alumni, parents and
staff members. We are a diverse group, ethnically, educationally, and experientially. Our families and faculty come
together to embrace Montessori education and find unity in
their parenting philosophies. The Walnut Farm Montessori
School community is one of peace, kindness and compassion. At WFMS we find that our students, both current and
alumni, possess many academic skills that are utilized not
only for academic achievements, but for life long practical
skills.
The distinction between being academically well versed and
using academic skills to be successful in life is what we believe sets our school apart from many traditional schools.
What is a Montessori School?
An authentic Montessori School is an environment that embodies the educational principles established by Dr. Maria
Montessori as she consistently and scientifically observed
how children learn. It is designed to help children with their
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task of inner construction as they grow from childhood to maturity. It succeeds because it draws its principles from the natural development of the
child. The inherent flexibility allows the method to adapt to the needs of the
individual, regardless of the level of ability, learning style or social maturity.
“We are the sowers-our children are those who reap.
We labor so that future generations will be better
and nobler than we are.”
~Maria Montessori
2010-2011 Faculty and Staff
Judy Blahut
Director
Karel Hayre
Administrator
Laura Munos
Financial Officer
Lyndall Chrystall
Upper Elementary Teacher
Lynette Goss
Lower Elementary Teacher, Music
Ana Kniseley
Lower Elementary Assistant, Spanish
Heather Incao
Primary Teacher, Classroom A
Stephanie Marquess
Primary Assistant, Classroom A
Jamie Van Horn
Primary Teacher, Classroom B, Primary team leader
Kristy Jackson
Primary Assistant, Classroom B
Mary Jespersen
Primary Teacher, Classroom C
Tania Mahoney
Primary Assistant, Classroom C
Whitney Kimbro
Toddler Teacher
Misty King
Toddler Assistant
Tony Pusey
Outdoor Classroom Specialist
Tim Bare
Aftercare Coordinator
Adrian Carbajal
Aftercare Teacher
Lindz Dolan
Aftercare Teacher
Christy Seidle
Kitchen Coordinator
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2010-2011 Board of Trustees
Wednesday Arend
President
Natalie Suarez
Vice President
Andres Lopez
Secretary
Bryan Koon
Member
Jody Ayers
Member
Terri Weisser
Member
David Scott
Member
Nicole Johnson
Member
Keri Wilkinson
Member
Chad Smith
Member
Joe West
Member
Manuel Haro
Member
Sarah Corbin
Member
Programs and Enrichments
Every year begins anew…new children, new challenges, new personalities,
new growth, etc. This year in primary was no different. We all began with the
usual fervor, proceeded to get comfortable with our classrooms, and ended
having grown yet again. It is always amazing to see the growth of the children,
and just as amazing is the growth of the staff.
This year classroom A made adjustments. We adjusted to a new teacher, as
well as learning about each others personalities and learning styles. The classroom saw adjustments in decor and furniture arrangement to suit the style
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and personality of the new teacher and students. Our class motto became the
Golden Rule, "Do unto others as you would have others do unto you", as we
practiced treating each other with respect and courtesy. Classroom expectations and defining "freedom within limits" was also an important part of our
year.
Classroom B worked diligently with temperance and tolerance in the first half
of the year. Learning to cope with different personalities is a big undertaking
in any workplace, but when the element of early childhood is added, the challenge becomes even bigger for all. The teacher realizes that the lessons of
temperance and tolerance are front and center for teaching as the school
year begins, and the materials become secondary. Eventually, the tides turn
and the materials become the main focus. So many of the materials came
alive after normalization such as pricking, bank game, I Spy, labeling the classroom, and all the geography puzzles. It was beautiful to see all the wonderful
materials being laid out throughout the classroom. This lust for work and
growth carried through to the end.
In classroom C, the year was truly a year of academic growth. It was amazing
how many sounds and how much knowledge even the three year olds acquired. The journey continually changed, and yet we charted the waters and
found our path through every rough patch. The year’s progress was satisfying,
and the journey next year will be even better. Next year we will begin strong!
Lower & Upper Elementary Summary 2010-2011
Here are some highlights of group lessons that Lower Elementary focused on
this year: Europe and Asia countries, culture, biomes, animals, and peoples;
Geometry basic concepts, lines and angles; and Parts of Speech. Together
with the upper elementary students, we wrapped up our European studies
with an Italian dinner and presentations from countries around Europe. In the
spring semester our focus shifted to Asia. We had the opportunity to study
the Chinese New Year with guests such as Mrs. Jenny Kung. Ms. Kung visited
our class to showed us how the Chinese celebrate the holiday as well as share
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a tea ceremony with all the elementary children. We all enjoyed her rose
petal tea! All of the elementary students culminated their Asian studies with a
scavenger hunt led by the upper elementary children. Countries of Asia with
samples of foods and adornments were enjoyed by all during this event.
This year the weather got in the way of some of our field trips, but we were
still able to take an Autumn hike, visit Ms. Jo Ann’s art studio frequently, see
Terra Studios, the Botanical Gardens in Fayetteville, and watch a performance at the Walton Arts Center. The lower elementary children performed
community service around our campus weekly by cleaning and maintaining
our grounds. The upper and lower elementary students put on musicals at
White Hall Auditorium this spring. Upper Elementary performed “Snow White
and the Six Dwarfs”, in which they wrote the entire production. Lower Elementary performed the classical children’s performance “The Pied Piper”.
During the fall semester, a buddy system was created for the elementary children. Each child in lower elementary was paired with an
older child from upper elementary. We used these groups
to organize cooperative games, kindle new friendships and
lend a hand in problem solving and peaceful conflict resolution. The older children enjoyed this company and the opportunity to mentor several younger children throughout
the year. The younger children loved coming for lunch in
the upper elementary classroom!
During the spring semester upper elementary participated
in Heifer International’s Global Explorers program in Perryville, AR. Six children went on an accompanied field trip to
spend two nights with a partner Montessori school from
Tulsa, OK. The groups were well matched, and many new
bonds created as a result. The children anxiously awaited
their evening in the Global Village, where each child was
assigned to a country. Each country was provided with limited supplies and encouraged to scavenge and trade for
their success in the village. The children were set out to
prepare their own fires and meals with very limited resources. Much confidence was gained as a result of this
experience, as well as problem solving strategies for what
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one could have done. The experience at Heifer was full of
reflection and deep thought into what we can all do to ensure the success of the earth’s resources for generations to
come.
The year ended for upper elementary in a highly anticipated camping trip to the Buffalo National River. The group
came together for meals and shared many laughs during
cooperative games and sport. Some children engaged in the
experience of camping for the first time, others practiced
what they had learned before. All of the children returned
home with a lot of soiled clothes and memories from this
trip!
The elementary children end the academic year with a
week of fun, we call Spring Fling. We participated in a Carnival Day, a Water and Bubbles Day, a Talent Show and a
Field Day! We all enjoyed our time together outside as we
engaged with our buddies and the primary children for
these days. This week there was a great deal of responsibility and leadership observed by our staff and parent community. We got to lead the school in a closing ceremony
known as the Bridging Ceremony during this last week as well. This was our
second annual event, where each elementary child was honored for his or her
progress during the year. The teachers and the director highlighted our progress in speeches delivered to each year of students. We acted as a superb
audience with the primary students and all the parents and we look forward
to a new medal next year! Thanks for a great year Walnut Farm!
Toddler Classroom
This was the Toddler Classroom’s first year at Walnut Farm. The environment
was set up to allow for as much independence as possible. It was a year of self
development in an atmosphere where the teacher respected and supported
each child and where they were developmentally. Language and Practical life
were two of the biggest activities offered in the classroom. The growth observed from the beginning of the year to the end was incredible to see and
very rewarding.
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Outdoor Classroom
There are so many distractions in today’s world that some children may never
see the sun come up or set, except by watching it on television. Research indicates that most children spend little or no time observing or interacting in
their natural environment and surroundings. Children need assistance to understand the ecology of our natural resources. This understanding is fundamental to environmental education. One way to achieve this is through the
use of an outdoor classroom or outdoor learning facility.
The outdoor specialist strives to extend indoor classroom lessons and student interests to activities outdoors. Group activities that require care for tools and
materials, care for animals, and care for wildlife augment respect for the environment and for each other.
Rudiments of the Outdoor Classroom 2010-2011:

School Landscaping and Gardening: Students had the opportunity to work
in the outdoor gardens and to participate in beautification projects and
grounds maintenance.

Nature Walks: Students participated in discovering the local environment
surrounding the school.

Community Service: Lower elementary students participated in selfless
acts of kindness around the school campus. Students were encouraged to
volunteer not only for the experience, but also to help in the development of building character.

Care of Farm Animals: Students participated in learning the basic information regarding the care and feeding of a goat and a rabbit.
Going Out Activities
Both the Lower (6 to 9 year olds) and the Upper (9 to 12 year olds) elementary classes enjoy “going out” activities that make use of community resources to extend the four walls of the classroom.
Elementary Enrichments
Elementary students experienced afternoon enrichments in art, music, Spanish, physical education and outdoor classroom. In art, they created pieces
using a variety of media including clay, paper mache, wire, fabric, paint, and
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pastels. Music lessons were the backdrop for two plays in the fall and a spring
concert that included singing, drama, Orff instruments and recorders.
Additional Enrichment Opportunities
Library
All students are given a weekly opportunity to explore our campus library and
to check materials out for enjoyment at home. Parent volunteers help to provide this opportunity by assisting the children in the library, as well as maintaining the library materials and facilities.
Virtue Curriculum
All Walnut Farm students were exposed to a virtues curriculum, where a
value, such as peace or gratitude, is defined and explored for a month. We
emphasize peace education at all levels of the school daily and participate in
yearly all- school peace celebrations.
After Care
After Care is a service offered to families who desire extended care for their
children beyond the regular school hours. After Care children enjoy games
and toys, as well as outside play time, in a peaceful Montessori setting.
Camp Gratitude
Camp Gratitude is our eight week summer program, offered to enrolled students and their siblings, ages 18 months to 12 years old. Special lessons and
guest speakers allow the children to further explore our outdoor classroom
with a strong focus on gardening and nature studies, encouraging them to
become stewards of the earth.
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Community Connections
Walnut Farm is a community of families bound by friendship and trust in the
Montessori Method. This year we have had many opportunities for fellowship
and celebration. We started the school year with a peace celebration to mark
the United Nations International Day of Peace. In October the faculty held a
moving Silent Journey that led parents deep into the heart of the Montessori
curriculum. Our annual Thanksgiving dinner is always a treat as it brings all the
families together for a chance to share a delicious Thanksgiving meal as well
as enjoy entertainment from Walnut Farms best; our children. In winter, we
mark the shortest day of the year by acknowledging the winter solstice and
make a call to our families to instill peace in all they do for the upcoming New
Year. Each school year we hold a Discovery Night (open house) that gives the
children an opportunity to bring their families into their classrooms and show
them the many lessons they have learned. We ended the school year with an
elementary production of Snow White and gathered on the campus for the
volunteer appreciation picnic, which included our first ever book fair.
In addition to making time to recognize celebrations, peace and the rhythms
of life, our school reaches out into the greater Northwest Arkansas community. We have adopted the one-mile stretch of highway in front of our school
and have a highway clean up four times during the school year. Each December, we pick a charity to help during the holiday season. This year we delivered over 100 sets of pajamas to the Northwest Arkansas Children’s Shelter as
well as supplied can goods to those less fortunate. The entire school participated in the Bentonville Holiday Parade. We welcome the University of Arkansas early childhood education students into our building each semester, hoping to inspire a new generation of teachers to embrace the Montessori
Method. As a community, we are stewards of the earth and work to maintain
a vigorous recycling program and instill a love of nature in our students.
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Parent Involvement
Parent’s Association
The Walnut Farm Parent Association (PA) acts as a support group to the children and the faculty of Walnut Farm Montessori School (WFMS). It is our belief that children benefit by seeing their families “Caring through Action.”
Thus, it is the PA’s goal to provide the WFMS community the opportunity to
become involved in the school community through volunteering and fundraising activities. Heather Soukal (President), Virginia Force (Vice President), Bonnie Cram (PR) and Megan Griem (Secretary) lead a strong Parent Association
that greatly supports the entire school. The PA graciously gives time to provide support events including but not limited to:

Fundraisers: Stuck on You labels, WFMS T-shirts, and WFMS Decals

Social Events: Beginning and End of Year Picnics, Thanksgiving Dinner,
Parent Socials, End of School Celebration

Other Events: providing meals for staff during staff development days,
classroom gifts at holidays, teacher appreciation week, grounds cleanup,
recycling, Scholastic book clubs and other various school needs
Art Experience
The 2010-2011 school year brought with it our sixth annual Art Experience
fundraiser, enjoyed by nearly 350 people. Twelve local artists displaying and
selling their work attended the event. Proceeds from the artist’s sales, and
both a live and silent auction, supported the construction of a new natural
landscape playground. Over 50 Walnut Farm parents volunteered to make the
event possible. Special thanks to this year’s event chairs: Keisha Scott, Jennifer Koon, and Dan Feder.
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Summary of Finances
Fiscal Year 2010-2011
(FYE June 30th, 2011)
This was also a good year financially for Walnut Farm. Our
school saw solid results driven by effective budget monitoring and cost control from everyone in the school. This,
paired with your generous donations and successful fundraising events, resulted in a positive surplus. The surplus will
be used to increase our operating cash reserve to a bare
minimum level*, and funds specifically earmarked will be
used to build the new natural playground (the Art Experience fundraiser). We start the new fiscal year with the confidence that with the support of our community and the
school’s staff, we will be able to continue positive growth.
Operating Income
Tuition Income
Childcare/Summer Program
All Fees
Total Operating Income
$ 670,355.57
$ 141,376.00
$
49,578.00
$ 861,309.57
Operating Expenses
Operating Expense
Principal Mortgage Payment
Total Operating Expenses
($797,272.19)
($ 23,402.00)
($820,674.19)
Operating Surplus
$
40,635.38
Other Income
Fundraising - Art Experience**
Fundraising - Other Events
Earned Interest
Total Other Income
$
$
$
$
36,380.28
31,162.50
1,388.35
68,931.13
Total Surplus
$ 109,566.51
* The Board of Trustees set up a reserve account two years ago to cover
operating expenses for several months in the event of an emergency. To
be fiscally responsible, surplus is used to bolster this reserve account.
** All monies raised through the Art Experience were specifically earmarked
to support the building of a new natural playground on the Walnut Farm
campus. Construction is scheduled to begin in Fall of 2011.
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A Culture of Giving
As a small, not-for-profit Montessori school we have the
potential to greatly affect the lives of hundreds of children.
Like all private schools, our tuition only covers a portion of
the operating budget for the school. The annual fundraising
campaign is essential to bridge this gap. Working to keep a
balanced budget is essential to keep our school strong and
maintain our accreditation through the American Montessori Society, while enabling Walnut Farm to continue to offer the programs and experiences only a true Montessori
education can provide. A culture of giving is evident
through the generous contributions we received in the 2010
-2011 campaign.
Annual Giving Donors for 2010-2011
Mr. and Mrs. Chris Alsip
Mike and Wednesday Arend
Mr. and Mrs. Jody Ayers
Mr. and Mrs. Ethan Beckcom
Mr. and Mrs. Carlos Cantor
Lyndall Chrystall
Dr. and Mrs. Phillip Corbin
Mr. and Mrs. David Cram
Tyler and Azusa Crawford
Mr. and Mrs. Shep Crumpton
Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Cunningham
Mr. and Mrs. Eric Dalton
Matt and Amy Davis
Mr. and Mrs. Adam Evans
Mr. and Mrs. Sean Fitzgibbons
Mr. and Mrs. Damon Force
Mr. and Mrs. James Hancock
Mr. and Mrs. Manuel Haro
Nina Clare Helms
Mr. and Mrs. Jamie Henry
Mr. and Mrs. David He
Mr. and Mrs. Craig Herkert
Mr. and Mrs. David Incao
Dr. and Mrs. Brad Johnson
Mr. and Mrs. Dale Johnson
Bryan and Jennifer Koon
Mr. and Mrs. John McCraney
Mr. and Mrs. Adam McDougal
Mr. Chase Milford
Mr. and Mrs. Jeffery Mortensen
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Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Pate
Mr. and Mrs. Ali Phillips
Rob and Shawna Price
David Smith & Hillary Quarles
Mr. and Mrs. Ken Radecki
Mr. and Mrs. Russell Rhodes
Mr. and Mrs. John Rhodes
Cara Riley MD and Phillip Riley MD
Mr. and Mrs. David Scott
Mr. and Mrs. Chad Smith
Mr. and Mrs. Derek Smith
Natalie Suarez
Mr. and Mrs. Scott Vandiver
Mr. and Mrs. Greg VanHorn
Michael and Terri Weisser
Mr. and Mrs. Shane Wilkinson
Mr. and Mrs. David Wilson
The Future for our School
Since its founding in 1991, Walnut Farm has remained centered and steadfast
in its mission as a Montessori school. Over the years, Dr. Maria Montessori’s
ideas have had a profound effect and growing influence on education. We see
the importance of our school in the greater community. We believe a diverse
educational landscape is hugely important to the health of the Northwest
Arkansas community. Walnut Farm is celebrating its 20th birthday. We plan to
be here for many decades to come. Here is our vision:
Our Vision for growth:

Continue to provide the most authentic Montessori education possible

Train teachers and have a quality, well-educated faculty by offering more
training to current teachers and training new staff to become teachers.

Expand the toddler community to two groups of 12-18 children ages 1836 months
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
Expand the primary community to four classrooms of 21-24 children ages
3-6 years

Expand the lower elementary community to two classrooms of 25 children ages 6-9 years

Expand the upper elementary community to two classrooms of 25 children ages 9-12 years

When we reach 75% of this growth: the addition of a 4th primary classroom, two lower elementary classrooms and upper elementary of more
than 15 children, we will add an adolescent community to serve children
ages 12-15 years
How will we achieve this vision?

Launch a capital campaign to solicit large donations for funding by school
year 2011-2012. Funds will be used to build additions to the existing facility and purchase the rented property adjacent to the primary property,
which currently houses the elementary program.

Move the playground to the back of the property.

Build a large addition to the existing primary building. The addition will
provide for two toddler classrooms, a fourth primary classroom, four elementary classrooms, reconfigured office space, meeting room, large storage closet, large multi-purpose room, commercial kitchen. Buy the existing elementary building and land from current owner.

The plans will include expansion to support an adolescent program in the
future.

Develop and train staff and faculty for new classrooms

Add development director position to administration staff to ensure financial security through marketing strategy, grant writing and building an
endowment.
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Walnut Farm Montessori School
4208 East Central Avenue
Bentonville, AR 72712
479.271.9424
www.walnutfarmmontessori.com
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