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Maharishi School students, teachers all receive gifts from anonymous donor
School is looking forward to reopening a renovated fieldhouse, plus expanding its boarding program next year
Southeast Iowa Union offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
FAIRFIELD – An anonymous donor gave a gift to every student and teacher at Maharishi School last month.
Maharishi School Development Director Laura Bordow said students in the lower school each received a stuffed teddy bear, while middle and upper school students got to choose between a glass water bottle and a cap, each with the school’s logo on them. When the teachers met for their appreciation luncheon at the end of the first semester, they all received a Maharishi School cap.
“This donor has been very generous for many years, mainly by giving products from his company,” Bordow said. “These are some of the nicest products we’ve received over the years. He always wants to honor the people at the school. There’s a woman who donates money for the Teacher Appreciation Luncheon. They’re both very committed to helping teachers and students, and it’s from the heart.”
BOARDING PROGRAM TO EXPAND
The donation isn’t the only good news to report from the school. Head of School Dr. Richard Beall said the school’s boarding program has been so successful that it’s going to expand next year. Twenty-nine students, from across the country and the world, are living in the lower level of Hildenbrand Hall, a dormitory of Maharishi International University just west of the school. Bealll said the university is willing to let the school have more rooms in the dormitory, and he thinks there could be perhaps 40 boarding students next year.
The ground floor of Hildenbrand Hall had not been in use for several years until Maharishi School renovated it to begin its boarding program seven years ago. It has a girls’ wing and a boys’ wing, with a commons area in between.
“Next year, we’ll expand upstairs to take on another wing, which will more than double our capacity,” Beall said. “Kids comment on the diversity they get exposed to. This year, we have students from China, South Korea, Vietnam, India, [Ukraine] and across the United States.”
The boarding program isn’t the only source of international diversity. Beall said the school’s enrollment of 160 pupils come from 30 countries. He wants the public to know that the school has more capacity at every grade level, including in its preschool program that starts at age 2.
ALMOST 90 STUDENTS USE VOUCHERS
One factor that Beall hopes will increase enrollment is a change to the state’s education savings account, or voucher program. A few years ago, the Iowa Legislature created the Students First Education Savings Account, a stipend of $7,635 students could use at accredited private schools. Next school year, the program will be open to all students in Iowa, without income restrictions. Beall said 89 students are taking advantage of the program this year, compared to 70 last year.
“We expect that we’ll have even more families qualify next year,” he said.
Beall said he appreciates the collaborative relationship Maharishi School has with the Fairfield Community School District, a partnership that allows Maharishi School students to participate on the public school’s volleyball, tennis and soccer teams.
“Our students also work together through the Rotary Club’s Interact organization, and we hope to be able to share special programs with more Fairfield students as well.”
FIELDHOUSE BEING RENOVATED
The school has sought to make much-needed repairs to the fieldhouse east of the school that dates back to the Parsons College era. Beall said a donor stepped forward to fund roof repairs and interior renovation that will make the fieldhouse available for community events.
“Our vision is to reopen the fieldhouse as a multi-purpose school and community recreation center,” Beall said. “We hope to have a grand reopening later this winter.”
The fieldhouse has been used by both Maharishi School and Maharishi International University, and Beall said it’s going to be used even more now that the university has established an intercollegiate athletic program.
Volition Skate Co. has hosted pop-up skating events at the fieldhouse the past few years, and Beall said he hopes those will continue.
“I know there are a lot of different recreational activities that could be done there like laser tag, a golf simulator and escape rooms,” he said.
Call Andy Hallman at 641-575-0135 or email him at andy.hallman@southeastiowaunion.com
