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BRILLIANT

“I like the Montessori method.

It teaches through play.

It makes learning a pleasure.

It follows the natural instincts of

the human being.”

T h o m a s E d i s o n

The Montessori method combines freedom with responsibility, a

more active role for children in their own learning, high standards of

academic excellence, social awareness, and a vision of humanity

and its accomplishments that inspires children to take their place in

their communities as responsible, contributing adults. Its graduates

and advocates have included some of the world’s most innovative

thinkers, world-changing inventors and talented creatives.

BRILLIANTth inkers

Helen KellerAuthor and Political Activist

Devi SridharYoungest Rhodes Scholar

Jeff BezosAmazon.com Founder

Yo Yo MaChild Prodigy Cellist

Will WrightVideo Game Pioneer

Anne FrankMemoirist and Author

Sergei BrinCo-Founder of Google

Gabriel Garcia MarquezNobel Prize Recipient

Joshua BellGrammy-Winning Violinist

Larry PageCo-Founder of Google

T. Berry BrazeltonHarvard Medical School Professor Emeritus

Julia ChildChef and Author

Dr. Montessori described her methods as focused on “the

development of a complete human being, oriented to the

environment, and adapted to his or her time, place and culture.”

They encourage thought and problem solving. They cultivate

inventive ideas. They create a discovery mentality and a love of

learning students carry with them throughout their lives.

BRILLIANTmethod

“One of the most valuable things I learned at Undercroft was how to work with others through group work and games outside. Also, the desire to learn that Undercroft instilled at a young age has proved valuable many times over. I think the teachers at Undercroft did a great job preparing me with skills I will use for the rest of my life through practical life in middle school as well as community service opportunities like Meals on Wheels.”

D a v i s C h a p p e l l e

2 0 1 5 U n d e r c r o f t G r a d u a t e

S t u d e n t a t H o l l a n d H a l l

Undercroft’s learning environment and teaching

methods generate enthusiastic, inquisitive and confident

students who are well prepared for high school and

beyond. Some attend public schools, while others

continue in private schools. No matter where they end

up, they are ready for what the world has to offer.

BRILLIANToutcomes

“I think the most important skill Undercroft gave me was the ability to realize I could do anything myself. I’ve always been a very autonomous person, but there was still a part of me that looked for the acknowledgment and approval of others. I learned if I want something for myself, I have to be willing to take the initiative and make the first move. It all boils down to intrinsic motivation. Undercroft gave me a safe environment to test these theories, and for that I am extraordinarily

grateful.”

S o p h i e O ’ R e i l l y

2 0 1 6 U n d e r c r o f t G r a d u a t e

S t u d e n t a t T u l s a S c h o o l o f

A r t s a n d S c i e n c e s

O U R G U I D E S

29% of our guides have served as

Montessori teacher trainers and

field consultants for accredited

training centers

With a master’s degree and ten

years experience at the primary

level, a primary guide is half way

through her Montessori Elementary

I & II training and internship

A certified primary guide with an

engineering degree and 2 years

experience at the primary level

began work to earn her Montessori

Elementary I & II training and

internship

All staff engaged in staff retreat

and Emergenetics training to

build understanding about

characteristics, strengths and

individual preferences among

our staff

Middle school guide and

head of school attended ACT

Aspire workshop for training in

appropriate use of standardized

testing

Hosted ETC Montessori consultant

to work with elementary guides on

refining sequencing, pacing and

assessment in our implementation

of Montessori math curriculum

Head of School participated in

Independent School Management

workshop on comprehensive

faculty development

Five guides and the Head of

School attended the annual

American Montessori Society (AMS)

conference in Chicago

Middle School guide participated

in AMS webinar on Socratic

Discussion

Art specialist participated in Wet

Felting workshop, developing new

skills immediately implemented in

art classes for students

O U R S C H O O L

ENROLLMENT This year, Undercroft’s enrollment was 206 students – the

highest enrollment in six years,

FULLY ACCREDITED Since 2013, Undercroft is the first and only

accredited Montessori school in Oklahoma through both the American

Montessori Society and AdvancEd.

EXPERIENCED, DEDICATED STAFF All guides have earned a

minimum bachelor’s degree and Montessori certification (usually a 2

year training program through an accredited Montessori training center).

Additionally, 23% of our guides have earned advanced degrees. Our fully

certified guides have an average of 11 years tenure at Undercroft.BRILLIANTmomentum

M I D D L E S C H O O L( 7 t h - 8 t h G r a d e )

U P P E R E L E M E N T A R Y( 4 t h - 6 t h G r a d e )

L O W E R E L E M E N T A R Y( 1 s t - 3 r d G r a d e )

2016 GRADUATING CLASS consisted of

nine graduates with combined history of 80 years at

Undercroft.

COMMUNITY SERVICE Students completed 421

hours of community service at Schusterman-Benson

Library, Tulsa Children’s Museum, Tulsa Hub, and

collecting data for the State of Oklahoma Blue Thumb

Water Monitoring Program at Cole Creek.

CLASS LUNCHES Graduates each earned food

handlers certificates through the City of Tulsa and

shared responsibility for planning menus, making

grocery lists, shopping for food and preparing 43

lunches for nearly 20 classmates and guides.

EXISTING SMALL BUSINESSES Students

continued successful operation of business ventures,

including two Scholastic Book Fairs, cleaning

Undercroft fleet of vans, Middle School Kids’ Camps

and Peace, Love and Honey; raising over $17,000 in

their eighth grade year, alone.

MIDDLE SCHOOL BANK ACCOUNT Managed over $27,000 flowing through their middle

school business account in their eighth grade year.

Used these funds to cover costs of business ventures,

food costs for lunches and snacks, and costs of some

overnight trips away.

TRAVEL Planned itineraries, activities, reserved

lodging, created budgets and menus and did shopping

and cooking for meals for overnight trips, including:

• three day away trips to Eureka Springs, War Eagle,

Robber’s Cave State Park and Turner Falls/Deer

Creak Lodge.

• Horseshoe Canyon Ranch for a five day adventure

trip in Jasper, Arkansas

MEALS ON WHEELS Upper elementary students learn their service

to the community makes a difference as they share responsibility for

delivering weekly meals on wheels to a route Undercroft students have

served for a dozen years. Students learn they are not only providing food,

but also friendship and conversation, when desired. Many on the route

look forward to the interaction with our students and develop meaningful

relationships over years of service.

SWIMMING LESSONS Each week, upper elementary students go

to the YWCA for swimming instruction, developing their swimming skills

and learning practical lessons like remembering to bring gear to school,

consideration for others and self care in the locker rooms.

GOING OUT IN THE COMMUNITY Students in upper elementary

classes have an expanding sense of community and go out regularly on

field trips related to their studies. This year, students went to the Will

Rogers Museum, Route 66 and Pops, Sam Noble Natural History Museum,

Schusterman Benson Library, Martin Regional Library, TASM Planetarium,

Keystone Park and Sand Spring Water Treatment, Turkey Mountain, San

Soo, Tulsa, Keystone Lake and toured historic places in Tulsa,

SPRING CONCERT AND PICNIC ON THE PLAYSCAPE

Upper elementary steel drum band performances are a highlight of one

of our favorite family events – the spring concert and picnic on the

Playscape. This performance is a culmination of a year of learning and

hard work in their weekly steel drums classes.

FIELD TRIPS AND SPECIAL GUESTS Lower elementary students

enjoyed opportunities to explore the greater community through trips,

visiting performers and special guests. These activities included:

• a presentation by the Tulsa City-County Library and received a writing lesson from visiting author Stacy Nyikos

• learning about string instruments with a demonstration by visiting harpists

• watching a performance by Tulsa Symphony musicians

• experiencing a visiting art car parade

• hiking at Turkey Mountain

• visiting the Oklahoma Aquarium, Main Event, Red Bud Valley, Keystone State Park, Lorton Performance Center, TASM Planetarium, and the Helmzar Challenge Course

REVENUE Net Tuition and Fees $2,066,625

Net Special Events and Contributions 119,074

Net Assets Released from Restriction 95,124

Other Income (Primarily interest on tuition) 27,327

$2,308,150

EXPENSES Program Services: $1,726,958          

Program Staff Salaries and Benefits 1,190,831  

Facilities ($201,644 depreciation expense) 387,329 

Educational Materials and Supplies 89,661 

Other 59,137

General and Administrative 393,155Fundraising 12,835

$2,132,948

*Excludes middle school business revenues ($29,152) and expenses ($24,632)

Our community’s support for fundraising is tangible evidence of its generosity and high level of commitment to our school and students. This year’s annual giving campaign concluded with the highest participation since it’s reinstatement in 2010 - 89%! We achieved 100% board, 100% staff and 83% family participation and raised $57,404. These funds made it possible to enhance our facilities through projects like adding a new maintenance work shed, correcting campus drainage, supporting the upper elementary remodel and more. Our spring fUNDERaiser was a great costumed celebration that raised $42,878. These funds were used to purchase classroom furniture and materials, instruments, technology and more. In addition to our community fundraising, we received $76,131 in grant funding from the Hale Family Foundation toward the purchase of lower elementary literature, IT infrastructure, classroom garden improvements and a remodel of our upper elementary classrooms. All of this was achieved through the enthusiastic support of our entire community of families, staff, board members and Tulsa vendors and foundations, making it possible for us to pursue our school’s mission with excellence.

Allen, Brian & KellyAmazon SmileAmerican Foundry Andrews, Arlan & Kathleen PlunkettArmstrong, Ben & AmandaBallew, Jed & MeganBarney, Todd & HayleeBenevity Community Impact FundBerger, Molly & SheldonBlake, ChristineBlanchette, BarbaraBlevins, Richard Blevins, LauraBluestone Natural ResourcesBox Tops for EducationBrander, KatyBrightmire, Jon & KristenBrown, DebbieBruns, Cris & Matthew MeyerBryan, Eddie & AnaBurns, John & KodyBynum, G.T. & SusanCalbes, ChristineCarlson, RachelChappelle, TracyCoffey, Alex & SaraColbert, Randal & TaraComan, David & ShannonConnections Education, LLCCoretz Family FoundationCornelius, Carl & Amber Howard CorneliusCrader, Katrina & Rattana LekskulchaiDant, KlariceDavid, Kevin & KellyDavis, Nancy & DennisDecker, Jason & Cindyde Verges, Guy & StephanieDodd, Andrew & KerrieDozier, PaulDozier, YvonneEdwards, Jordan & ElizabethEitnier, Jared & YocaretEshelman, Jay & KimFaisal, Abunaser & Rizbana HuqFarr, JamesFaudree, Laura

Flesner, Samuel & MadalenaFlippo, CarolynFord, BartFord, MonikaFox, MaryFritts, Mike & SherylFuller, Philip & AshleyGalbraith, Les & Lori RogersGaloob, Stephen & MindyGeorge Kaiser Family FoundationGoldfarb, Jared & KellyGoldfarb, Lisa & PhilGourdie, Brennan & JenniferGreco, Jeff & TheresaGreen, Brice & AmyGreen, Tom & AngelaGrimes, MikeGutierrez, MiaHale Family Foundation Hall, Lynnah & DerrickHarmon FoundationHarris, Luke & Kim Williams-HarrisHelms, Jessica & TimothyHoagland, Terrel & ChristineHope-Hernandez, Heather & Chris HernandezHotz, Daniel & CassidyHouston, Bevan & EvieHundley, Eric & AnitaJacob, Tvli & Valarie Blue Bird JerniganJamar, Adam & AngelaJohnson, Robert & DeborahJones, Dave & JamieJuergens, JaneKaiser, Phil & MirandaKarmazin, Lori & JohnKasparek, Justin & MaikoKeesling, Dave & BeckyKelly, Doug & Lorie TripplehornKumar, Naveen & ShilaLamberton, Jeremy & BarrieLangham, Trevor & AmyLangley, Bryce & TraciLehman, Kate & Jordan WestbrookLevit FoundationLittle, Mark & CherylLong, Kerrie

Low, KenLowe, Richard & DematraLynn Taylor PhotographyLytle, Joe & StacyMahaney, Augustus & MelanieMakhani, Jogi & KristinMangrum, Craig & AmyMassey, Shawn & TriciaMcCartney, Mike & TammyMeeks, John & AlisonMeza, Manuel & IrmaMicrosoft Matching Gifts ProgramMisak, Marvin & NancyMobiius Technology, LLCMoore, Lydia & PaulMossburg, TeresaMotazedi, Dean & TammyMunsell, Jeff & JenniferMurray, Bryce & SunshineMyers, Andrew & MeganNewman, Derick & LisaNielsen, Peyton & JillianO’Donoghue, Jamie & GraceOpp, Nathan & HeatherO’Reilly, Stephen & NatalieO’Stasik, TomO’Stasik, JenniferPalmer, Braden & PenelopePalmer, Brett & MelaniePeluso-Verdend, Gary & CheriPerrier, KalonPerson, Jason & BethPeters, Michael & MeredithPhillips 66 MatchingPhipps, Russell & Su AnPhoenix, Jay & SarahPoenaru, Razvan & CeliaPoplin, KatiePorter, John & BeckyRamp, JenniferRedmond, Doug & DebbieRegan, Christopher & MaggieRichardson, AmyRippy, Todd & Heather OakleyRitzhaupt, William & KameranRodrigues, Hendy & JoyceRogers, Aaron & Jill

Rogers, Bryan & VanessaRush, TylerRuss, MandyRuth Nelson Family FoundationSachse, Brian & KatieSalehy, JollySantee, Stephen & AmySawyers, Matthew & AndreaSelf, Stephen & Leigh AnneShadid, Sean & HeidiShilling, JamieSmaligo, Norman & DianaSmith, Aaron & SarahSmith, Renee & ChuckSnedegar, Todd & LauraStinson, James & Stacy DunnStuart, Andrew & BarbaraSummers, Waylon & RachelSwenton, Eric & JuliaTargetThomas, Robert & LauraThomas, Ronnie & LanaTimoshenko, Ronald & StacyUndavally, Kalyan & Lavanya KolliparaVanDeventer, Jim & TerriannVandiver, Ray & DonnaVivar, Mauricio & AdrienneWalderich, Jeff & LoriWaldo, Robert & TorreWalker, Chad Wallace, Adam & LoriWalters, Mike & SaraWhang, Jae & NoelleWhitmarsh, Mark & BetsyWilkin, LesleyWilliams CompaniesWilmoth, Amanda & Buddy IngallsWilson, Jeff & BlissWolf, Nick and AliciaWolfe, Crista PatrickWood, KelseaWoodard, KathrynWoodward, Nick & RachelYancy, Rod & ErinYarbrough, Brent & Sonia

2 0 1 5 - 2 0 1 6 F I N A N C I A L S

7/1/14 - 6/30/15

G I V I N G

3745 S. Hudson Avenue | 918.622.2890 | Undercroft.org

“Young Jeff would get so engrossed in his

activities as a Montessori preschooler that

his teachers would literally have to pick him

up out of his chair to go to the next task.”

T h e M o t h e r o f J e f f B e z o s

F o u n d e r o f A m a z o n . c o m