Dear CNS Families,
My name is Kris Bloch and I am the treasurer for CNS’s Board, a role that I have held for two years. My daughter Ruby is enrolled in PreK4s, NS4s, and several afternoon enrichment programs, and my son Henry is a recent CNS alumnus.
As treasurer, I am responsible for developing the school’s annual budget, in close partnership with CNS’s director and board. Put simply, budgets are about dollars and cents; at CNS, we aspire to align the budget with our values and allocate resources towards our priorities. Last spring, the board adopted a strategic plan that guides our budget process, and includes the following key priorities:
Keep tuition affordable to maintain broad access for the community;
Augment investments in our talented staff;
Increase capacity and financial aid to support enrollment growth; and
Diversify revenue sources to meet rising costs.
The board’s commitment to promoting equity and inclusion is embedded in all of these priorities.
Despite rising costs, the current school year’s budget holds tuition steady for the third year in a row. We approved a cost of living raise for our staff and tripled our investment in financial aid. We continued our investment in school facilities, which allows us to remain competitive and directly impacts our families. We increased funding for classroom materials, which allow teachers more flexibility to plan engaging activities for their classes.
Holding tuition constant while expanding investment in our community is no easy feat. We owe tremendous credit to our Director, Rachel Daniels, who has evolved CNS’s programming to make more efficient use of the school day, resources, and building, allowing us to serve a record number of families this year; developed new curriculum, such as Nature School and Art & Artists, that differentiates CNS’s offerings compared to other local schools; and relentlessly pursues grants to fund enhancements to our facilities and programs that we otherwise could not afford through our existing tuition and fundraising sources.
I am excited to share with you that the board recently voted to approve tuition for the 2024-2025 school year, keeping tuition steady once again.
As always, we strive to be responsible stewards of the funds that have been entrusted to our organization, using them to further our mission and priorities while working to manage costs where we can. CNS’s cooperative model, which relies on family participation, is critical to maintaining our financial sustainability. Through your positive engagement in our coop model, we are able to create an environment where all students can learn to love school.
We know that you have many choices for pre-school education - we are sincerely grateful to you for choosing CNS for your children and your investment in our school in ways too numerous to describe.
We invite your input in our priorities or changes you’d like to see at the school, which can be sent to theboard@guilfordcns.org. All board meetings are virtual and this year we have posted the meeting links on the CNS website on the events page. All families are welcome to attend.*
Thank you,
Kris Bloch
*Rules for non-board member participation & agenda items are listed in the calendar invites on the website.
What's New
CNS receives outdoor mindfulness Grant from GFFE
CNS was awarded a $5,000 grant from Guilford Fund for Education (GFFE) to support efforts to expand our mindfulness program. The grant will fund an outdoor yoga platform on the back playground to be used by CNS students and equipment for the children. “Developmentally, young children's brains are in the here and now,” says CNS teacher Heidi Outtrim. “Yoga and mindfulness strengthens a child's ability to be present as their brains develop. As a result, we see improved emotional regulation, a skill that will benefit them through later childhood and adolescence.”
The new materials will expand on recent staff investments in early childhood yoga instruction certification, creating a dedicated space to practice mindfulness in the open air. Says Outtrim, “when [Yoga is] practiced in nature, children are better able to focus, relax and optimize sensory development.”
A winter work party led by Bonnie Braley will be organized for the construction of the platform, offering another opportunity for CNS families to meet their annual participation obligations. Once the platform is complete, children will be free to use the platform to practice mindfulness.
2024-2025 Programming Announced
2024-2025 programming and enrollment forms have been released. Programming remains relatively similar to our existing offers with just a few small improvements. Currently enrolled families are able to submit their enrollment applications during the priority enrollment period (Jan 1-14). We recommend submitting your form before the school opens to the public for enrollment; we anticipate programs will fill early.
CNS Co-op Participation Survey
We want to know how the participation model is working for you! Let us know by taking this survey.
Family Spotlight: The Jacksons
Michelle & Brian Jackson are parents to Hailey, in Mrs. Cruz’ 4s class, and Avery, in Ms. Sullivan’s toddler play group.
Michelle is an interior designer at Pottery Barn and brings her design eye to CNS with monthly imaginative play stations in the muscle room. Brian works in program finance at Sikorsky Aircraft.
Brian is originally from Madison while Michelle is from Cape Cod. They lived together in East Haven before moving to Guilford in 2017.
The Jacksons are big Boston sport fans. Hailey has been in attendance for Celtics & Red Sox games at an early age. They also love swimming, traveling, and their yellow lab, Sydney. Hailey and Avery have six cousins all under 12 and ALL GIRLS!
Classroom Corner
Solstice celebration
Nature School children of all ages gathered together with their families in the evening for a Solstice celebration. Families enjoyed the artwork made by their children by lantern light and enjoyed various crafts. During the school day this month, several nature classes worked together decorating winter wreaths courtesy of CNS-family owned Balsam + Berry.
Enriching Afternoons
Tuesday & Thursday enrichment classes have been exploring mindfulness. Here the students are practicing rainbow pose.
Cooking Science enrichment classes have been learning where their food comes from thanks to the bounty provided by the CNS greenhouse. These students picked their own veggies to make a salad.
Purchase CNS T-Shirts
All new CNS 3 & 4 students will receive a free t-shirt from the school. Adults should order their t-shirts online (they are needed for community events such as Little Folks Fair.
Questions or need financial support? Email Agata Rzucidlo.
Interested in 2024-2025 Board Service?
All board members are current parents of students at the school (hello natural term limits!). As we look ahead to the 2024-2025 school year, we anticipate new openings as students graduate. If you have an interest in stewarding the long term vision of one aspect of the school and believe you will have students attending CNS for two more years, we’d love to hear from you! There is an FAQ sheet below, and you can also chat with existing board members about their experience as you see them at school. A form to express interest in board service will be coming soon.
