SOUTH
KENT SCHOOL PARENTS ASSOCIATION
THANK YOU!
The purpose of the South Kent School Parents Association is to support, enhance, and promote the Mission of South Kent School as well as foster a sense of community between parents, faculty, and students. To make this happen and create the biggest impact for the School, teachers, staff, and parents, we need your time and talents!
The South Kent School Parents Association is a vital resource to our school, and every parent is a member. Reinforcing a sense of connection to our community will set a powerful example for our students through the lens of volunteerism. We are proud of our vibrant community here on the Hillside, and we encourage parent participation in ways that suit their interests and schedule. The Parents Association plays a critical role in advancing South Kent School’s Mission, helping us build a stronger community, and further improving the South Kent experience for all students.
This document provides the framework of the Parents Association, individual committees and their objectives, the School calendar, and key contact information. It also includes various ways to stay involved and an explanation of the importance of The South Kent Fund. If you know of other South Kent families interested in this partnership, please let us know.
Your engagement and support make a meaningful difference in the lives of our students and our community. Thank you for your commitment to South Kent School!
Brian D. Sullivan, Head of School
MISSION
South Kent School prepares young men to succeed in college and thrive as thoughtful and engaged citizens in a rapidly changing and intensely competitive world.
SOUTH KENT SCHOOL PARENTS ASSOCIATION OVERVIEW
Fundraising Committee
The Fundraising Committee works closely with the Advancement Team with a focus on achieving 100% parent participation in The South Kent Fund. The committee is composed of parents from each Form and plays a critical role in supporting the experience of every South Kent student.
Parents Association fundraising supports South Kent School by increasing parents’ awareness of philanthropic opportunities. Parental philanthropy and contributions to The South Kent Fund directly affect the work that happens on campus daily. Gifts to The South Kent Fund ensure that South Kent has flexibility in addressing short-term needs while maintaining the long-term financial stability of the School.
Outreach Committee
The Outreach Committee works closely with the Admissions Office to provide contact between existing parents and prospective families. The admissions process is competitive for prospective students and South Kent School, with families often choosing between South Kent and another institution. The Outreach Committee communicates with prospective parents via phone and in-person meetings and participates in or hosts regional events for applicants and newly accepted families. Conversations and gatherings with our current parents help demonstrate the warmth and strength of our community.
Additionally, when current parents represent South Kent at admissions fairs, it gives prospective parents a greater understanding of who we are, what makes South Kent special, and why current parents and their sons chose South Kent School for their education.
Community Engagement Committee
The Community Engagement Committee works closely with the Advancement Team to help organize regional events and gatherings to support relationships and build community with other South Kent School families. Events provide a wonderful opportunity for grandparents and special friends to become familiar with your son’s life on campus. The Community Engagement Committee's help organizing this event makes it more personal and family-focused.
In addition, community engagement can be as simple and fun as sporting your South Kent School and Cardinal gear out in the community, hosting zoom gatherings for other parents, and sharing ideas about on-campus events. It shows your school spirit and can spark a conversation about why you love South Kent.
ADVANCEMENT TEAM
Brian D. Sullivan Head of School
headofschool@southkentschool.org (860) 927-3539 x 209
Jennifer Haase Director of Alumni Engagement & Data Operations haasej@southkentschool.org (860) 927-3539 x 206
Carol-Ann Bruen
Director of The South Kent Fund & Parent Engagement bruenc@southkentschool.org (860) 927-3539 x 205
Lara Hanson Barrett Director of External Affairs
barrettl@southkentschool.org (860) 927-3539 x 217
Rich A. Brande '88 Director of Constituent Engagement & Stewardship
brander@southkentschool.org (860) 927-3539 x 222
Dillon Duncan '04 Director of Constituent Relations
duncand@southkentschool.org (860) 927-3539 x 210
PARENTS ASSOCIATION VOLUNTEER RESPONSIBILITIES
• Lead by example with your giving.
• Make a philanthropic gift (or pledge) by December 31 and follow that with a participation gift for South Kent School’s Annual Day of Giving, Spring for South Kent. Pledge payments must be received by the end of the fiscal year in June.
• Attend committee meetings.
• Attend quarterly Parents Association meetings.
• Take part in volunteer opportunities determined by committees. These may include soliciting fellow parents for The South Kent Fund, outreaching to prospective families, and planning events for your son and his classmates.
• Encourage other parents to participate in South Kent School events, such as Fall Family Weekend, social receptions, admissions events, and more.
• Support South Kent School staff in specific requests relating to community engagement.
2024-2025 CALENDAR
August
Students
Academic Trimester 3 ends; Last day of classes
Summer Break begins for Underform students
Class of 2025 Prize Day Banquet & Awards Ceremony
Class of 2025 Prize Day Ceremony
Summer Break begins for Sixth Form and Postgraduate students
Summer Break school-provided airport bus departs campus at 2:00 p.m.
Campus Closed at 5:00 p.m.
THE SOUTH KENT FUND
What is The South Kent Fund?
The South Kent Fund represents the unrestricted dollars and quasi-restricted dollars donated by members of the South Kent community that support the operating budget. Apart from tuition, The South Kent Fund is the most important method for funding South Kent’s continued excellence. The greater the support we receive from our constituencies, the more significant impact The South Kent Fund will have on our faculty, staff, and students.
This fund is critical to all we do, and it provides us with the immediate flexibility to direct our resources where they will make the most impact. Without The South Kent Fund, our students would not be able to enjoy the many things we take for granted: weekend activities, paintball games, Broadway shows, outdoor adventure trips, movie nights, PERCH, and more. South Kent relies on gifts from alumni, families, and friends to make up the difference. Alumni participation and the overall performance of The South Kent Fund have never been more important to the success of our School.
The South Kent Fund allows the School to offer the following:
• A full range of extra-curricular opportunities in the arts, science, technology, future literacies, etc.
• An exceptional student experience through activities, clubs, speakers, intramural programs, entertainment, local trips, and weekend activities
• Exceptional faculty who we can attract and retain through professional development opportunities, like pursuing advanced degrees
• Financial aid grants to the outstanding students and families who otherwise would not be able to afford the South Kent experience
The South Kent Fund Goals
In 2023-2024, The South Kent Fund raised over $1.6M from alumni, parents, and friends of South Kent School. We are extremely grateful for the generous philanthropic support from so many, and we continue to strive towards giving levels on par with our peer schools. While many independent boarding schools see parent participation rates near 70%, and alumni participation north of 30%, we are still catching up to our competitors.
This year’s goal is to grow our alumni participation rate by 5% and raise more than $1,000,000 from our alumni, parents, and friends. We believe these goals are very achievable through strong engagement, enhanced communication, and a continued focus on delivering South Kent’s first-class, student-focused experience.
This level of financial support will position South Kent School to further establish itself as the leader in whole-student education. We are grateful for your time, energy, and leadership. Thank you for your willingness to help make South Kent a better place for all of us.
MAKING YOUR GIFT TO SOUTH KENT SCHOOL
Methods of Payment
Gifts to South Kent School can be made through various methods. Listed below are the most common ways to make a gift to South Kent School. If you do not see the information you need, please contact Jennifer Haase.
haasej@southkentschool.org
(860) 927-3539 x 206
Credit Card, Venmo, or PayPal
Please visit our secure Giving Page: www.givecampus.com/campaigns/30409/donations/new
Checks
Please make checks payable to The South Kent Fund, and mail to:
South Kent School Advancement Office
40 Bulls Bridge Road South Kent, CT 06785
Matching Gift from Your Employer
Wire Transfer or Gifts of Stock
Please contact Jennifer Haase.
haasej@southkentschool.org
(860) 927-3539 x 206
Check to see if your employer will match your gift. Please mail your company’s matching gift form to:
South Kent School Advancement Office
40 Bulls Bridge Road South Kent, CT 06785
Donor-Advised Fund
Individuals, families, and businesses can make tax-deductible charitable gifts directly from a Donor-Advised Fund. If you have questions about Donor-Advised Funds, please contact Jennifer Haase (contact information above).
IRA Charitable Rollover
The IRA Charitable Rollover provides you with an excellent opportunity to make a gift during your lifetime from an asset that would be subject to multiple levels of taxation if it remains in your taxable estate. This special provision allows donors to transfer assets that would count toward their required minimum distribution.
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
The South Kent Fund
The South Kent Fund is money raised annually by parents, alumni, and friends of South Kent School that directly supports the operating budget.
Donor
A Donor is a parent, alumnus/ae, or friend who has made a philanthropic gift to South Kent School.
Endowment
The endowment is South Kent School’s “savings account.” The endowment is another source of income for South Kent School, but the School can only draw a certain percentage from the endowment each year.
Fiscal Year
A fiscal year is the start and end dates for the School’s operating budget. South Kent’s fiscal year is July 1 – June 30.
Unrestricted Gift
An unrestricted gift is a philanthropic gift made to South Kent School without a restricted designation. The money can be designated by the School to areas where it is most needed.
Quasi-Restricted Gift
A quasi-restricted gift is a philanthropic gift made to South Kent School with a restricted designation, but also budget relieving. Examples include financial aid, faculty support, scheduled programming, etc.
Giving Levels
Giving Levels are South Kent’s way of recognizing its donors. We hope that each family will give at the level of their ability.
Centennial Society
Hillside Society
Founders Society Spooner Hill Society
Headmaster’s Circle
Prefects Society Pigtail Society
Young Alumni Society (up to 5 years)
CONTACT INFORMATION
Daily Point Person
860-248-5277
DPP@southkentschool.org
In case of an emergency, or if you need immediate assistance, contact the Daily Point Person (DPP).
Dean’s Office
Craig Carter, Dean of Students
860-927-3539 x 298 carterc@southkentschool.org
Rich Chavka, Assistant Dean of Students 860-927-3539 x 229 chavkar@southkentschool.org
Contact with questions or concerns regarding residential life, disciplinary matters, and other non-academic topics.
Registrar
Cathy Boyle, Registrar 860-927-3539 x 200 boylec@southkentschool.org
Contact with questions or concerns regarding transcripts, school attendance, and travel.
Academics Office
Alicia Jordan, Dean of Faculty and Academics
860-927-3539 x219 jordana@southkentschool.org
Contact with questions or concerns regarding grades, course schedules, and other academic topics.
College Counseling Office
Lindsey Lefevre, Assistant Head of School, Director of College Counseling 860-927-3539 x 250 lefevrel@southkentschool.org
Contact with questions about the college search and application process, academic testing, scholarship and financial aid opportunities, and other college preparation topics.
Athletics
Raphael Chillious, Director of Athletics 860-927-3539 x 297 chilliousr@southkentschool.org
Contact with questions or concerns regarding sports and activities.
Health Center
Elizabeth McCarthy, RN, Director of Health Services; School Nurse 860-927-3539 x 245 healthcenter@southkentschool.org
Contact with questions or concerns regarding health forms, medical information and transportation, and other health-related topics.
Technology
Derek Porter, Director of Technology 860-927-3539 x 237 techhelp@southkentschool.org
Contact for network connectivity issues, the access and use of academic-related applications, hardware issues, and other technology-related topics.
Business Office
Luz McCarthy, Assistant Head of School, Chief Financial Officer 860-927-3539 x 215 mccarthyl@southkentschool.org
Trisha M. Laundry, Controller 860-927-3539 x 213 laundryt@southkentschool.org
Contact with questions or concerns regarding tuition billing and payments.
School Store
Kim Larkin, School Store Manager 860-927-3539 x 216 larkink@southkentschool.org
Contact with questions or concerns regarding the South Kent School Store and Cardinal gear.
