About Us

Our Mission

The mission of the Morningside Elementary School Foundation is to foster teaching excellence and enhance student achievement through strategic investments in curriculum, technology, training, and facilities at Morningside Elementary School.

Curriculum

Technology Programs

Teacher Training

Facilities Enhancement

Since its founding, the MES Foundation has invested over $1 million in critical funding for strategic curriculum programs, teacher training, facilities enhancement, and technology in every classroom.

A Word from the Principal

I continue to be overwhelmed by the tremendous support our Morningside Elementary School Foundation provides to all of our children. Since first meeting with the Foundation, I have been in awe of their commitment to our school, each individual child, our teachers, and truly our entire Morningside Community. Your generous financial giving to our MES Foundation results in your students experiencing a first class education, with our staff and school having the resources they need to provide that top quality instruction each day. These resources played a critical role in Morningside being designated by the U.S. Department of Education as a 2016 National Blue Ribbon School, an honor bestowed on only 244 elementary schools in the country (public and private).

Through donor contributions, the Foundation funds additional curriculum programs, technology enhancements, and staff training and development. Our staff researches the best curriculum programs in the country and we are able to support those in our classrooms. Our MES staff is one of the most expert in the state with the majority being Complete Reading Series-certified and 28 having benefited from additional coveted Orton-Gillingham training. Our teachers also have the opportunity to attend national conferences, bringing back the best practices from classrooms across the U.S. Last year, with field trips in question, your donations helped fund in-school learning opportunities including a hands-on STEM bus and the creation of a robust, portable STEM lab with 3D printers, lego programming materials and professional development training that helps teachers build STEM into the day-to-day. Without you as a donor to our MES Foundation, these advancements and opportunities would simply not be possible.

Thank you for your generous donation to the MES Foundation for this year and years past. Together, we will provide the learning experiences that all children deserve, so that they build a solid educational foundation to achieve and fulfill their dreams in life!

Your Principal,
Audrey Sofianos

Teacher Testimonials

“Positively impacts the success of all my students for years to come!”

I want to thank the Foundation for funding the Complete Reading Series teacher training. The instruction I received from the training has benefitted me tremendously. Now I have been equipped with accurate rules and a plethora of strategies for decoding words as children learn to read. The training that the Morningside Foundation funded not only impacted me as an individual, but it has and will continue to positively impact the success of all my students for years to come!"

Kristle Waye, 2nd grade teacher

“They can’t wait to get their ideas down on the page!”

"Because of the Foundation, the third grade ELA teachers were given the opportunity to attend the Writing Institute at Columbia University. It was an absolutely transformative experience! We’ve seen an incredible change, not only in the quality of writing from our students, but also in their excitement during Writer’s Workshop. They can’t wait to get their ideas down on the page!

Holly Acton, 3rd grade teacher

“We believe this program was a key to our success”

"4th grade would like to thank the Morningside Foundation for providing the IXL program for the 2nd year in a row. This program uses adaptive technology to develop vital skills in math, science, social studies, and ELA. Each child receives individualized work that meets them at their skill level and challenges them appropriately. We believe this program was a key to our success in such high Milestones scores last year as well as in retention of the necessary skills for each subject area.”

Jenna Nelli, 4th grade teacher