The Monarch School of New England http://monarchschoolne.org is a year-round school for children with severe physical and developmental disabilities. Approximately 40% of the students are diagnosed with autism; others, are medically fragile. The student body of 30+ students come from 20 towns in central New Hampshire and southern Maine. There is a staff of about 60: administrators and support staff, teachers, therapists, and nurses.

I am the school's Development Director. I immediately fell in love with the kids and staff; and found to my delight that a sign over a door in the school was completely true:

"Love spoken here".

When I came to the school, about three years ago, it was with a "phased-retirement" plan. You know: getting ready to retire but not q-u-i-t-e there yet. Ready to stop working at impossible jobs with crazy expectations and hours but not ready to stop working. The school advertised half-time; that suited me just fine. Of course, over the three years I've continued to respond to need by adding more hours.

This Saturday, we have a very special fundraising event planned:

The Matt Savage Trio http://savagerecords.com

Rochester Opera House http://rochesteroperahouse.org

Rochester NH

7:30 PM.

What's so special about that? Well. For starters, Matt Savage is only 14 years old and he has played the BlueNote. Birdland. The Kennedy Center. He's played with Wynton Marsalis, Dave Brubeck, Chaka Kahn. He's appeared on the TODAY show. He's won the ASCAP Young Jazz Composers Award 2 consecutive years. He just released a new CD on September 19, QUANTUM LEAP on a national record label.

Matt was diagnosed with autism at the age of three; he taught himself to play the piano at the ago of 4; studied at Berkley Center at the age of 7 and cut his first CD at the age of 9. CNN just ran a special news report entitled, "Genius" which featured Matt and several others who are termed, savants.

Matt is a busy young man: he is playing the Regatta Bar in Boston tonight and opening for Wynton Marsalis in early October (I've forgotten where?). We are proud to bring him to the seacoast community and I am so excited to see him play!

So, take a look-see on the Monarch School's website and while you're there, view our videotape, a visually and emotionally appealing look into the school and its students that was done by a wonderful volunteer, a professional videographer. By the way, our website took a first place award in the education category in a state competition just months after it was launched in 2005. The website was designed Rainer Schwake at http://artstreamstudios.com. A great art gallery, art school and design studio in Rochester NH.

And when you have a moment, do visit Matt Savage at his website. You can sample bits of his music and look at a photo album covering his musical career.

And you can probably tell that I LOVE my job!