Our Appeal

Dear Friends of the Center for Teaching and Learning,

This fall CTL embarked on its twentieth year as a non-profit demonstration school serving children of midcoast Maine and teachers from across the country and around the world. Your friendship and gifts have played an important role in keeping CTL alive.

A crucial part of CTL's mission is to teach a K-8 population that represents a cross-section of the local community, as well as a typical range of student abilities. We know that CTL deserves its credibility as a demonstration school from our wonderful crew of regular kids and their parents, who are carpenters, house cleaners, boat builders, farmers, retail employees, military personnel, small-business owners, teachers, and a handful of other professions. Educators who read about the teaching methods we develop here, attend our national seminars, or visit the school as interns recognize their students in ours because we've been able to keep tuitions at a rate that's one-third that of other Maine independent schools. Last year's average tuition fee was about $30/day—less than the cost of local daycare.

This means that tuition income covers only about 60% of CTL's annual operating expenses. The balance comes from the faculty's hard work beyond the classroom—revenues from the teacher-intern program and seminars—and donations from our friends. More CTL families than ever have requested financial assistance. The school responded by providing substantial, direct reductions. We are determined to continue to serve a representative population of children, even in these tight financial times, when so many families are struggling. Your gift will supplement tuitions and support tuition assistance.

And your gift will help CTL fight the good fight. Teachers across the country continue to be besieged by the movement to standardize methods. Their time with their students and their professional energies are consumed by mandates from on high, along with batteries of context-stripped tests. It's more important than ever that CTL survive; that its faculty document, publish, and speak out about what's possible for all children as writers, readers, mathematicians, historians, scientists, artists, and learners when the curriculum is meaningful, authentic, and engaging; and that we demonstrate that effective schools depend on smart teachers who are supported as they inspire their students and work together to create a culture of excellence.

I believe that CTL is a rare place and an important one. I hope you will deem it worthy of your tax-deductible support. A contribution of any size will make a palpable difference in the lives of countless children and their teachers.

Please, this year may we count on you?

Sincerely yours,
Nancie Atwell, President
Board of Directors