Dear Hammer Montessori Community,

This week’s Thursday HMF Update is dedicated to expressing our heartfelt gratitude to three valued board members who are stepping down. We will return to our regular updates next week.

• Alicia Vento – President (Leaving due to a conflict of interest with her new position)
• Carolyn Huynh (Changed schools)
• Nina Chantalat (Changed schools) 

While we will miss all these amazing individuals, we especially want to acknowledge Alicia Vento for the incredible impact she has had on both Hammer Montessori School and HMF. 

Alicia has been a tireless advocate for our students, pouring her heart and energy into countless initiatives, including Project Cornerstone, the Yearbook, Walk-a-Thon, Teacher Appreciation Week, and even stepping in as a substitute teacher. These are just a few of the ways Alicia has contributed to our school. If something was happening at Hammer, chances are Alicia had a hand in making it a success!

This year, she stepped up in a huge way by taking on the HMF President role, helping to guide and support our school community. However, as she now moves into a part-time position with SJUSD, district policies prevent employees from serving on the board of a School Connected Organization (SCO). While this means Alicia can no longer serve as our president, we are incredibly grateful that she will remain involved in school activities. We sincerely hope she continues to share her insight and leadership in other ways. 

If you see Alicia around campus, please take a moment to thank her for everything she has done and wish her well in this new chapter.

Despite these transitions, we are fortunate to have dedicated individuals stepping up to serve on the board through the end of the school year. In May, we will hold open elections for next year’s board, and we encourage all parents who want to make a difference to attend our meetings and consider getting involved. We are a “kids first” organization, and we thrive with as much parent input and participation as possible!

📌 Our next board meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 5, 2025, from 6:30-7:30 PM in Room 120 at Hammer Montessori School. We welcome all parents to join us!

🔗 View the minutes from our most recent board meeting here: MINUTES

Thank you for being a part of this wonderful community and for your continued support.

Warmly,
Kristen Vlietstra
President, Hammer Montessori Foundation