LAWRENCE — The image from over 30 years ago has never left Tom Maher's mind.

His late mother, Jeanne, volunteered at a Nativity school in New York's Lower East Side, taking the children out to play and donating clothing.

"I remember how hard they worked for the simple pleasure of being able to stay in a safe environment," said Maher, who now lives in Andover.

Maher, who attended private schools in his native New York, wants girls in Lawrence to have the same opportunity as the boys his mother worked with.

Two months ago, Maher and his wife, Nancy, donated $50,000 to Esperanza Academy, an all-girl Nativity middle school (grades five to eight) scheduled to open next September. Esperanza will be the only all-girls school in Lawrence since St. Mary High closed in 1996.

Nativity schools incorporate Episcopalian values along with solid academics and extracurricular activities so students can develop academically, spiritually, socially and culturally.

The Mahers have offered the school a challenge grant of $50,000, which will be matched once the school raises $500,000.

Maher, a 1984 graduate of College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, also established a $100,000 scholarship fund at Holy Cross to assist graduates of Esperanza Academy to attend the college. He has done the same for students in Nativity schools in Manhattan and Worcester.

"There is no better place to make the investment," said Maher, principal of Eastern Development Co., a real estate investment and development company, and a member of the board of directors for the Worcester Tornadoes minor league baseball team.

Their donation will help the school reach the $1.2 million it needs by January so it can start physical improvements to the school.

"This journey that we're on is exciting," said Laurie Bottiger, headmistress of Esperanza Academy. "But this journey is going to take a lot of people to work together."

Esperanza Academy will be in the former educational wing of Grace Episcopal Church, 172 Garden St.

The building is equipped with classrooms, a gymnasium, an auditorium and a kitchen, all of which need to be updated. Other improvements include an elevator to accommodate people with disabilities, upgrading the electrical system, adding sprinklers and installing showers in the locker rooms.

The school board signed a 10-year lease with Grace Church, with an option of renting the building for 30 more years.

Esperanza Academy is a joint effort between Christ Church in Andover and Grace Episcopal Church in Lawrence. Both congregations have several members who work in education.

Esperanza Academy has received $300,000 in cash already. In addition to the Mahers' donation, the Stevens Foundation of North Andover contributed $50,000 and the Cassin Educational Initiative Foundation of Newton gave $200,000.

Part of the money from the Cassin Foundation was used to pay for the school's feasibility study and $150,000 will be used as startup money for the free middle school.

Financial support has also come from youngsters.

Maher's son Peter, 13, organized a car wash with youth from the Andover and Lawrence churches which raised $1,000.

"Education is a priority in our family and providing the same opportunity for children in the inner city as my own children, is rewarding," Maher said, who also has a daughter, Colleen.

"In an inner city school with proper resources and small classes you can make a difference in a girl's life," Maher said.

Others are rallying behind the school. Mayor Michael J. Sullivan hosted a breakfast for it and Larry Becker, headmaster at Brooks School, the Episcopalian-sponsored prep school in North Andover, sponsored a cocktail hour at Brooks' Lehman Gallery.

Among those attending the reception at Brooks were the Most Rev. Thomas Shaw, Episcopal bishop of Massachusetts.

"Everything about the school appeals to me," Becker said. "Since there was no strong educational program for girls in the city, we wanted to support it. That is an important part of Brooks' role in the community and my own personal role."

Brooks has not only offered Esperanza students the use of its facilities, two Brooks faculty members have joined the school's board.

When Esperanza opens next school year, there will be 20 girls each in fifth and sixth grade, all from the city. Within three years, there will be a total of 80 students, 20 in each of the four grades. Students will be selected based on financial need. Bottiger said the school is committed to having 20 percent of its students be foster children.

"The girls in Lawrence will thrive and find within themselves the talents they have," Bottiger said.

Bottiger said Nativity schools have an impressive track record with 98 percent of the students graduating from high school and 92 percent going on to college.

Board treasurer Parker Gallagher said Esperanza Academy will be good for the North Common neighborhood.

"Poverty is not conducive to a good education. We want to be part of the solution," Gallagher said.

Upcoming events sponsored by Esperanza Academy

* Coffee hour Nov. 17 from 8 to 9:30 a.m., at the school, 172 Garden St., Lawrence.

* An after-business meeting Oct. 20 from 6:30 to 8 p.m., at the school. For more information, e-mail Laurie Bottiger at esperanzahead@hotmail.com.