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Virgin Islands Montessori School (VIMS) has seen considerable growth since its modest beginning in 1964 with twelve students.  We currently have close to 200 students enrolled in our Toddler – Upper School programs.  Our campus encompasses 6.5 lush tropical acres.

In keeping with our mission of the total development of each student, we recognize the need for sources of income other than tuition.  Fundraising income pays for the balance including financial aid and scholarships, student program development, professional enrichment, and campus enhancements.  

As a 501©(3) private nonprofit organization, VIMS depends on the generosity of parents, relatives, alumni and friends to support its activities through financial contributions, and by volunteering their time.

Fundraising Activities:
Annual Fund
Birthday Book Club
Capital Campaign
Las Vegas Night
PTA Special Events
Read-a-thon
Fine Wine Celebration

Ways to Contribute
VIMS is a registered 501©(3) nonprofit organization.  All contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.

1.  On Line Secure Donation
We accept these credit cards: VISA, Discover, and Master Card

2.  Cash
We accept cash and checks made payable to: Virgin Islands Montessori School.  Mail to:  VIMS, 6936 Vessup Lane, St. Thomas, VI  00802 (PDF – Donation Form)

3.  Matching Gifts
If your employer or parent company has a matching gift program, your gift to VIMS could be doubled or tripled.  Inquire at your personnel office for a matching gift application form.  Complete the employee section and forward to our Development Office to initiate the process.

4.  Planned Giving
Please contact: development@vimontessori.com for more information.

5.  Pledges
Pledges to the Annual Giving Fund or Capital Campaign may be paid over a multi-year period.

Annual Fund
For the past 43 years our students have experienced the joy of learning.  A Montessori education guides children in developing to their fullest potential socially, emotionally, physically and intellectually. 

“My children go to the same school that I went to – Virgin Islands Montessori School.  Montessori taught me how to think. All other educational experiences have been relatively easy for me because of the Montessori foundation that I received.”
(Tommy Brunt, ‘83)

Dr. Maria Montessori created this unique method 100 years ago. It is the most widely used method of education in the world. According to a study published in the journal, Science, a Montessori education provides better outcomes than traditional methods (9/29/06).

To ensure the continued growth and success of our Middle and Upper Schools, we have applied to be a candidate school for the International Baccalaureate (IB) Middle Years and Diploma Programmes. We will be joining an elite group of schools around the world with immediate recognition for academic excellence in the field of international education.

We ask for your support as we continue to invest in our facilities and programs. Through a generous grant from the Kimelman Fund for Children and Families at the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands and matched with donations from alumni, we are able to purchase state-of-the-art science equipment. Over the past two summers our students have participated in Read-a-thon and rose over $13,000 for library materials.

Your tax-deductible gift does make a difference. As a result of generous contributions to last year’s Annual Fund, we were able to substantially increase financial aid and introduce merit scholarships. This year one-third of our students were able to obtain assistance. Our students clearly reflect the richness of our diverse Virgin Islands culture.

Join Us in Growing Our School
Gift Circles

In honor of each gift of $5,000 and above, a Royal Palm or Mahogany tree will be planted on the campus, accompanied by a plaque with the donor’s name.  Gifts of $250 and above will be acknowledged by planting a grove of the appropriate trees, accompanied by a plaque with the donors’ names.

Birthday Book Club

Virgin Islands Montessori School offers a Birthday Book Club for all students who choose to participate.  To participate, we request a $25.00 annual donation per student.  All donations are used to purchase a special collection of “Birthday Books”.

A special card will be sent to your child one week before his/her birthday.  On the Library Day closest to his/her birthday, your child is invited to present their card to the library.  He/she then selects one book from the “Birthday Book” collection to be his/her gift to the school library.  A bookplate with your child’s name will be placed in the book.  Your child will have the first opportunity to check it out.
Registration Form:  (PDF form)

Capital Campaign

Las Vegas Night

PTA Special Events

Read-a-thon
Read-a-thon is a reading enrichment program that teaches children about the pleasures of reading while raising funds for our school library.

The success of Read-a-thon is that there is value inherent in the activity - reading!  Unlike walk-a-thons, swim-a-thons and all other “thons” where the results are tired arms and feet, the end result of Read-a-thon is that children read books!  It has been proven to be a valuable reading motivational tool.

Over the past two summers, our students have read over 1,600 books and rose over $13,000!

Sponsor forms and registration cards for the summer of 2008 will be distributed in class during late May.

Thank you to the following 2007 Read-a-thon sponsors

• Coral World, Smith Bay

• Get Licked, Red Hook

• Dockside Books, Havensight

• Senor Pizza, Red Hook

• Winners Golf, Wyndham Sugar Bay Beach Resort

• VI Ecotours

Fine Wine Celebration
This annual event at the Ritz-Carlton is sponsored by Premiere Wines & Spirits and features 40 booths with over 200 wines for sampling and complimentary hors d’oeuvres.  The wine producers are present to talk about their wines and answer questions.  Along with a portion of the ticket sales, the proceeds from the silent auction and a portion of the wholesale wine sales are also donated to VI Montessori School.  This event is usually held on a Monday evening in November.