Message from the Advancement Office

messa ge Fr om the ADVANCE

MENT OFFICE

Dear Country Day Community,

Each year, the Annual Report is our opportunity to look back on the year and reflect on how we made a positive impact at Country Day through charitable gifts and volunteering. I am so grateful to be part of a school that celebrates philanthropy and gives back to our community so generously. Our focus in the fall of last year was to highlight and reflect on the ways we care for each other and our community, yet we had no idea that the spring of 2020 would call on each of us to demonstrate our commitment so strongly.

On Pledges and Pastries morning in support of the Annual Fund, Director of Advancement Rachelle Doyle and Head of School Lee Thomsen hand out tasty treats to the morning drop-off line. Last year, the High School Student Philanthropy Ambassadors, a new group formed to foster a culture of philanthropy among students, worked to encourage a spirit of giving among their peers. They designed a new thank-you card highlighting student art, helped develop our 2020 Cavalier Cup Challenge, and led student communications about the challenge by making announcements in their morning meetings. It has been a joy for me to listen to them strategize ways to incentivize giving within the community. When COVID-19 separated us from each other, Ambassadors came up with creative new ways to connect with the community by creating a video for our online auction, and leading an initiative to connect high school students to lower school students through personal postcards.

This inspiring approach to philanthropy comes from an education that focuses on the deep-seeded value of giving and being of service to others. The seeds of philanthropy are first planted in Lower School, when our students learn about our sister schools in Rwanda and how, even though we are miles apart, we can still make a friend and make a difference.

Country Day middle school students volunteered for a number of local organizations and supported worthy causes by committing themselves to a December Day of service benefiting a number of charities and nonprofit organizations.

Country Day’s culture of giving is rooted firmly in the mission of the school, “to engage a diverse community to think critically, live creatively, and act compassionately.” In the face of a global pandemic that will forever change our lives, our Board of Trustees, employees, students, and parents remain dedicated to our mission to inspire intellectual discovery even as we embark on uncharted remote learning territory. This massive shift would not have been possible without the many members of our community who donated time and resources to ensuring our success.

As I reflect on my second year here, I am grateful for the generosity I have seen and I am thankful for the opportunity to lead it.

Our community has shown that “No Matter Where We Are, #WeAreCountryDay.”

While the 2021 school year will look like no other, I look forward to collaborating on new ways to rise to the unforeseen challenges that we may face, because I know that I am surrounded by generous, kind, and inspiring people.

With gratitude,

Rachelle Doyle Director of Advancement

The young black and white cow behind the poster (who will eventually provide much-needed milk), was purchased with playathon money, and the poster created at Country Day School is proudly displayed at one of the Rulindo Schools. From the early beginnings of the garden over a decade ago, several rows of crops have been set aside for donating to the River City Food Bank. Pre-kindergartners may be too young to sort clothing or clean animal kennels, but they joined the “habit of helping” team by recording good deeds among their classmates and posting heart messages in their classroom.

Middle school students rake and bag leaves for composting at the Bill Bean Jr. Community Garden, a haven of 31 separate garden plots, some

of which are ADA accessible.

Top fundraising awards are center stage at the Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services award ceremony. (l to r) Assistant head of school, Tucker Foehl, Andrew Burr ‘25 holding his top fundraiser plaque, and Blake Young, President/CEO of the Sacramento Food Bank & Family

Services.

High school students take time from cleaning kennels to play with kittens at the Front Street Animal Shelter.