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Montessori Education Since 1977

Montessori Education Since 1977

Community Service

Community Service is an integral part of the culture of The Village School. Each of our Program Levels leads their own community service initiative annually.  These initiatives are in addition to ones run by the whole school in partnership with the community service arm of our Parent Association. We also support student initiated service projects on an ongoing basis. All of our outreach is centered around causes that are meaningful to our students and provide hands-on learning opportunities that allow them to  truly feel the impact of their giving efforts.

Annual Program Level Service Projects

Coat and Food Drive
upper elementary students holding a sign and a coat for the community service coat drive project

Our Upper Elementary students support the Social Service Association of Ridgewood by collecting food, grocery gift cards, and gently used coats annually for those in need. 

CASA Holiday Drive
primary students hold gift donations for the CASA program

Our Primary students decorate collection boxes and distribute wishes to help children in the local Foster Care system.

Baby Basics
a photo of a lower elementary student carrying a box of diapers for a fundraiser

Each year for Mother’s Day, our Lower Elementary students collect diapers and financial donations to support the Baby Basics program, which provides free diapers, formula and infant essentials to low-income families in Bergen, Passaic and Essex Counties. 

Parent Organized Service Projects

Center For Food Action
students holding food items for a community service food drive

The Parent Association runs a food drive and packing event for the Center For Food Action’s Snack Pack Program.  This program provides proper nutrition to food insecure children over the weekend and on school holidays, when other meal programs are not available. Village School students collect the specific items requested by the CFA and pack them into “Snack Packs” for delivery to children in need. 

MLK Day of Service
a poster for MLK day random acts of kindness

MLK Jr. is quoted as saying, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’” In this spirit, our students perform random acts of kindness within the community and deliver cards to encourage others to “pay it forward” to honor Martin Luther King Day. 

Used Toy Drive
a lower elementary student carries two tote bags full of donated toys

Initiated and organized by The Parent Association, students donate their used toys and books and put together gift bags for children from Head Start Programs in Bergen County and The Bronx. 

Student Initiated Service Projects

Cards for Ukranian Students
a student draws a card to send to Ukraine

One 5th grader led The Village School elementary and middle school students in creating cards to show their support for kids in the Ukraine. 
 

Assisted Living Chorus Visit
chorus students dressed in holiday clothes ready to sing at a nursing home

Our Junior Chorus lifted the spirits of some of our older community members by performing for residents  around the holidays.

Aid for Ukraine
student holding bucket stands next to a chalkboard sign ready to collect donations for the Aid for Ukraine Drive

Initiated by students’ desire to help those affected by the crisis in the Ukraine, our older students solicited funds for donation to refugees.

Hurricane Ian Relief Fund
a student dressed in a wizard costume holds a donation jar for the hurricane ian fund

Run by The Parent Association, students collected coins over Halloween to support the reconstruction of schools damaged by the Hurricanes in South Florida. All donations went to The Education Foundation of Sarasota County.