Cornerspring Montessori School, in Belfast, is hosting an online auction to raise tuition assistance funds that help local families access a Montessori education and childcare. The auction bidding will take place Friday, May 14 - Sunday, May 16.

The auction is open to the public and items can be viewed at the online auction site ourschool.auction/cornerspring.

Auction items donated by Cornerspring community members range from luxury items to unique experiences, including a 2-night stay at the Appleton Retreat, catered Arabian Night dinner, day-long sailing trip around Penobscot Bay on a 28’ Sabre Sloop, lobster dinner on the beach, Russian language lessons, and more. The fundraising committee hopes to raise a minimum of $12,000 through the online auction.

Interest in Cornerspring Montessori school has increased due to the pandemic, with more than 40 families inquiring about spots for their children in the past year—a 50% percent increase over the previous year, according to the school, in a news release.

“With 42 acres for students to explore—including outdoor classrooms—and a focus on fostering children’s independence and self-awareness through Montessori principles, Cornerspring is uniquely poised to meet the needs of families in Midcoast Maine,” said the school. “However, in addition to the increased interest in Cornerspring’s programs, there’s also been a pronounced increase in requests for financial assistance. Equity and inclusivity are written into the founding principles of the school, part of that being a commitment to offering financial assistance to families in need.”

Funds raised through Cornerspring’s 2021 auction are crucial to meeting this need.

“The impact of the ability to access consistent, quality education and childcare is not to be understated,” says Sue Beemer, Head of School. “This past year has been incredibly stressful for parents. Cornerspring has been extremely fortunate to be able to continually provide a safe environment for children in our community, taking the weight off of parents’ shoulders.”

“As I watch my children grow, their excitement for learning also grows,” said Heather Johnson. “Their patience and ability to teach their younger peers in the most patient way has been one of my favorite parts of their early education experience at Cornerspring. We are forever grateful for the tuition assistance program at Cornerspring because without it, I truly believe my children would not be where they are today. Cornerspring means everything to us; they are family.”

“We are grateful for Cornerspring’s bravery and leadership in keeping school open full time during this past school year; our children’s experiences were certainly better for it,” says Dr. Allison Piper of Belfast Dental Care, the lead sponsor of the event. “We are happy to be a part of helping other children access such high quality education.”

Event sponsors include Belfast Dental Care, First National Bank, Front Street Shipyard, OPAl Architects, Little River Veterinary Hospital and Worth Real Estate. Sponsors are recognized for their generosity at the online auction and through social media. Both sponsorships and contributions made through the auction are entirely tax-deductible. 

Online bidding will open Friday, May 14, at 9 a.m.

For more information about Cornerspring Montessori or this year’s online auction, please visit cornerspringmontessori.com, Cornerspring on Facebook, or call 338-5800. 

About Cornerspring Montessori School:

Established in 2001, Cornerspring Montessori School is an inclusive community dedicated to providing an environment for individualized education in which the partnership of child, parent and teacher nurtures lifelong learning skills and a deep sense of compassion and social responsibility.