Support MCS Beloved Teachers and Staff!
Donation protected
Manhattan Country School and MCS Farm is a school worth saving.
MCS parents, alumni and friends have had to fundraise for the entire payroll and benefits cycles to keep our doors open since May 23rd.
A new transitional emergency board led by the Parent Association and alumni is now in place, centering the history of and love for MCS and its teachers and staff, who still need to get paid and keep their healthcare. As an MCS parent of 15 years, to a current 8th grader (Class of 2025) and an alum (Class of 2020), I have started this fundraiser to help us keep our school open through June and pay our teachers and staff for the work they have already completed. There are no words to adequately explain their dedication and love for our children and our school community.
Your entire donation - whether $5 or $50,000 - will be transferred directly to MCS’s Chase account. 100% of this fundraiser will be put into payroll and benefits for our teachers and staff.
Manhattan Country School:
Every school that values progressive pedagogy and social justice can trace some of its roots to MCS: started during the Civil Rights Movement by Gus and Marty Trowbridge to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as a school with no racial majority, wide economic diversity and a farm curriculum rooted in rural-urban partnerships and environmental justice, MCS is a home for generations of families dedicated to making the world a better place. As we face imminent closure, we are reaching out to anyone who believes that schools like these must be kept alive - now more than ever.
If you are an educator or know one, you understand - please consider giving the price of a metrocard, or more if you are able.
We have a generous donor who will match up to $50,000 - please consider a larger gift and sending this to those who can support at this level - see below for wire transfer information.
Regardless of your capacity to support financially, you can help by sharing this with your networks and communities.
Our beloved staff and teachers have already gone above and beyond, completing their work for the year and, in this tumultuous time, ensuring our children have closure together.
Whatever your capacity, please share this widely today. Every dollar will ensure that Manhattan Country School staff and teachers are supported, paid for their work, and continue to receive their health coverage and benefits.
Thank you!
How we got here:
****
June 1 Update:
Today, we can confirm that at our request, Kiran Kulkarni’s counsel officially asked the court to withdraw that motion, and both he and his appointed directors have officially resigned from the MCS Board of Trustees. In order for the current board to step down and no longer lead or represent MCS, the bylaws required a new board to immediately assume governance. We chose two community representatives, Viviana Benitez '94 and Daniel Green, for their specific legal, financial, communication, and organizational expertise to join us in forming a new PA-led Emergency Board to guide us through this critical transition. Princess will join them in her role as Interim President and will sit on the board in an ex-officio, non-voting capacity.
We are organizing a community Town Hall to take place later this week, where we will share more details about our immediate next steps, including a community-driven nomination and election process for a new MCS Transition Board, to be elected on or around Friday, June 13, 2025. This MCS Transition Board will serve for 6-9 months to shepherd MCS through its current situation.
While this accomplishment represents a major win for Manhattan Country School, it is the first step on an extremely challenging journey. Once elected, the transition board will need to manage the bankruptcy process, support transition for families, and shape a plan for the future or legacy of MCS, whatever form that may take. In the hands of the community and guided by the values of MCS, we believe this is the best way forward for MCS at this painfully challenging time.
We are deeply grateful to our community members who have shown strength and courage in upholding the core values that define MCS. We are committed to transparency and will continue to keep you updated.
Please join us for a virtual community Town Hall on Wednesday, June 4, at 9:00 a.m., to discuss next steps and answer your questions. Please submit any questions by Tuesday, June 3, at 3:00 p.m. here. Please reach out to us if you’d like to learn more about the transition board and think about how you might get involved! If you are wondering what you can do between now and our meeting later this week, we’re focused on the current past payroll, which is the next big milestone.
Please continue to encourage your networks to donate via wire, check (preferred), or online here. Former board members Kiran and Jim are no longer associated with any of our bank accounts.
Manhattan Country School Chase Bank Account #5072350160 Routing #021000021 International wire transfers: Swift Code# CHASUS33
In community, Elka Samuel Smith Slavina Zhelezova Jully Hong
Organizer and beneficiary
Alexandra Lopez Reitzes
Organizer
New York, NY
Princess Lyles
Beneficiary