2016 State of the School and Annual Fund Challenge!

State of the School

During the recent State of the School presentation, I was pleased to welcome new families and see the familiar faces of many returning parents in the audience. For those of you who were unable to attend in person, I encourage you to view (and share) my screencast of the presentation which displays 14 photos and 14 graphs that convey news of increased enrollment, the CSS advantage, and some basic information about finance at our member-supported institution. We have much to be proud of and build upon as we begin the 2016-2017 year, the 54th year of the school’s history.

The presentation is guided by the following questions:

• How is The Colorado Springs School different?
• What are our strengths?
• How are we getting better?
• Why are we worthy of your support?

Impact of Indexed Tuition

Last year, we rolled out a commitment to excellence and access through the school’s innovative Indexed Tuition program. An intensive marketing effort of this program put a spotlight on our fine school and we are pleased to report significantly increased enrollment for the first time in 12 years (details of enrollment are conveyed at minute 5:38 in the State of the School screencast). Welcoming 62 new students to CSS (for a school-wide increase of 8.7% over last year) has been a highlight of the last few months. As we continue to spread the word of our dynamic learning community, we encourage families to watch and share this simple 2-minute video.

Claremont Challenge Accepted; Annual Fund Launch

All current parents should look for a personalized Annual Fund letter from Heather and Leon Kelly (Parents to Eloise ‘30 and Milo ‘27) in your mailbox this week as they champion our current parent Annual Fund efforts.

Please take a moment to read our one-page Fundraising Overview and Impact (PDF) or investigate our Annual Fund FAQs on the website if you would like to know more about our fundraising priorities and our strategy.

This year, an inspired donor has stepped forward with a $25,000 challenge gift to launch our Annual Fund. We’ve been challenged to secure 50 gifts at the Claremont Society level of $1,500 or more by October 5, 2016.

To meet the challenge, these gifts must be paid in full or coordinated through an automatic recurring monthly payment ($1,500/10 months = $150 per month) with the Advancement Office. We will celebrate Claremont Society donors at a leadership giving event on Wednesday, October 26, 2016, at Johnny Martin’s Car Central. The combined efforts of voluntary giving and the challenge gift would create incredible momentum toward reaching our Annual Fund goals.

We ask every current family to make a personally meaningful gift to the Annual Fund. No gift is too large or too small. Participation matters. Our faculty/staff and Board of Trustees have had 100% giving for many years, and it is important for parent participation to reach those numbers as we seek external donors and funding from grants. Many families make a commitment to an indefinite recurring credit card gift which is automatically charged monthly (e.g., $25 per month X 12 months = $300 gift).

Say “Yes!” Make a Gift Online Today!

Annual Report: Honor Roll of Donors for 2015-2016

Thank you for considering a 2016-2017 Annual Fund gift that supports our innovative and high-quality student programs. And thank you for the many ways you contribute to the success of your child.

All the best,
Aaron Schubach
Head of School