In celebration of our 15th-year anniversary (2009-2010 school year), MSS Trustee Frank Coleman challenged our community to raise money for scholarships that promote student diversity. The challenge for our community was to raise $25,000 to match Frank’s contribution of the same amount. The number of students bringing diversity to our school is higher than ever at 35%; we hope this challenge will help us maintain and even increase that number.

THANK YOU MSS FAMILIES & FRIENDS -- Together we raised $50,000 for MSS!

WHO IS FRANK COLEMAN?

Frank Coleman, a MSS Trustee since 1997, is Executive Vice President for Christian Brothers Investment Services, Inc., a multi-million-dollar investment advisory firm committed to work in partnership with Catholic institutions to help them achieve their financial goals through the socially responsible management of their investments. Mr. Coleman receives multiple invitations to sit on many not-for-profit boards. Though Frank has no family members enrolled in MSS, nor is our school located in his own community, yet he invests his time and money in MSS, as he feels that investing in the future of education is the most critical socially responsible investment we can make in the future of our society. Frank was identified in fifth grade as an “underachieving, talented youth.” He was referred to the Monsignor Kelly School in NYC, and he recounts, “My years there were transformative, not just because of the rigorous curriculum but because my soul was nurtured.”

The faculty there insisted that community members be: 1) vital, 2) accepted, 3) seen, 4) accountable, and 5) generous. They required this because they saw these demands as powerful determinates of human character. “As a boy, I knew that the school needed me to be my best, and I knew deep down inside that I needed the Monsignor Kelly School to be its best. I belonged. It is because of my transformative school experience … that I am a strong proponent of schooling that is character building. Of all the places I have the opportunity to invest my time and money, MSS has the best chance to maximize my return … an investment in MSS has the potential for making a huge difference in our society and for making the world a better place. My investment strategy is to invest in society and the future … and MSS is a strong investment because the return is unlimited”.

“The MSS ‘feel’ resembles my primary education with its emphasis on community-oriented education. There is fundamentally important work going on at MSS, and talented leaders who humbly call themselves teachers and school administrators implement it daily. I believe that the professionals at MSS are on target in the way they structure the educational processes. They teach academics and social responsibility. MSS nurtures each student’s intellect, sense of self, and sense of community. A smart child who is not deeply connected to his own soul and his own community grows into an adult who is of limited use to himself, his family, and the world of large. I know that is a big statement, but I know from experience in my world of investment management that intelligence alone does not make for a balanced professional. This world needs children who will grow up to become educated individuals capable of seeing how their decisions will impact not just themselves but the community at large. Generally speaking, it is the individuals with a sense of connectedness who are out there working to make this planet healthy, sustainable, and safe. MSS is in the process of creating tomorrow’s compassionate leaders. That is why I am involved in Montessori education. It is my way of investing in tomorrow.”