Guide to Engagement and Philanthropy

GUIDE TO ENGAGEMENT AND PHILANTHROPY

GUIDE TO ENGAGEMENT AND PHILANTHROPY

Our approach to education is both aspirational and goal-oriented.

We offer a trans-disciplinary curriculum with high academic standards, coupled with a strong athletics and arts program. At the heart of the St. Mary’s experience is a values-driven atmosphere that helps children become caring, compassionate individuals who are not just critical thinkers, but young people who take ownership for improving the world.

We are cultivating world-sized hearts and world-class minds.

Our community plays an integral role in providing this phenomenal educational experience. Our parents, grandparents, alumni and community’s investment is key to the long-term success of our school and its outstanding programs. This guide is designed to introduce you to the most impactful opportunities to support St. Mary’s School — Engagement and Philanthropy.

MAKING A POSITIVE & MEANINGFUL DIFFERENCE IN THE LIFE OF OUR SCHOOL.

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PARENT ENGAGEMENT AND FELLOWSHIP

2020-2021 COMMUNITY EVENTS Thursday, October 1 Virtual Book Talk with Author Jo Boaler

One of St. Mary’s strengths is a continued sense of community among students, families, faculty and staff. We foster an inclusive campus culture, which supports and encourages family engagement. Our students, as well as our IB curriculum, benefit when our parents are actively involved in school and community-based activities and events.

Our Parent Teacher Fellowship (PTF) is the volunteer organization that highlights the value placed on community at St. Mary’s. Our PTF provides and builds experiences through all-school

Friday, October 2 Founder’s Day Recognition Monday, November 9 St. Mary’s Golf Classic

Friday, January 22 Father Daughter Dance Friday, March 26 Mother Son Game Night Saturday, April 24 St. Mary’s Gala

November 30 – December 4 Giving Week

Thursday, June 3 Community Appreciation Breakfast

Monday, November 30 Kick-off to Community Candy Canes

*All events and dates submit to change

events, service learning and parent education. There are many ways to support our children and impact St. Mary’s with your time and talents. Participating in these activities makes your St. Mary’s journey that much more rewarding and contributes to the success of our school.

GET INVOLVED Our volunteer opportunities are outlined on www.smaa.org/volunteer.

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For more information on how to get involved, please contact:

Lindsay Winn

Parent Engagement and Events Manager

(949) 448-9027 x328 lindsay.winn@smaa.org

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The St. Mary’s Fund is the single most important philanthropic priority for our school. This fund supports our community by providing substantial financial support, separate of tuition, to develop and advance our programs.

Contributions to the St. Mary’s Fund are directed toward our school’s highest priorities while augmenting the difference between tuition and necessary programming to cultivate students’ world-sized hearts and world-class minds. This funding is imperative to the health of our school.

Healthy funds represent the difference between a solid education and a truly exemplary one, where innovative ideas and state-of-the-art resources for teaching and learning practices are not held back by operating budget constraints.

Like tuition, the St. Mary’s Fund supports the daily operations of our school. Your donation enables low student-to-faculty ratios and our ability to hire exceptional faculty to carry out our mission. Unlike tuition, gifts to the St. Mary’s Fund are tax-deductible.

St. Mary’s relies on contributions to the St. Mary’s Fund every year from trustees, parents, grandparents, parents of alumni, faculty and staff. It is our expectation that 100% of our families will partner with us in providing our students with an exceptional educational experience by contributing to the St. Mary’s Fund. How much each family contributes is a personal decision.

Our hope is that every family is able to be as generous as possible given their financial circumstances. Every gift, of any size, has a direct impact on all St. Mary’s School students.

PHILANTHROPY For 26 years, St. Mary’s School has benefited from the generosity of our community. The campus and programs we enjoy today are the result of the philanthropy of those families who came before us. We depend on your annual gift to augment current expenses in addition to specific donations toward capital improvements to ensure a strong future for the next generation of Falcons. Your ongoing support, beyond tuition, directly impacts every student’s experience.

GIVING LEVELS VISIONARIES CIRCLE

$25,000

HEAD OF SCHOOL CIRCLE

$5,000 - $9,999

PATRONS: $1,000 – $1,499 SUSTAINERS CIRCLE

$3,000 - $4,999 MILLENNIUM CIRCLE

$10,000 - $24,999

SUPPORTERS: $500 – $999 FRIENDS: UP TO $499

BENEFACTORS

$1,500 - $2,999

Donors at the $3,000 level and above are invited to the Fall Leadership reception.

All donors are recognized in our Report on Philanthropy.

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2020 - 2021 ST. MARY’S FUND CAMPAIGN OCTOBER

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JUNE

3

DECEMBER

Fund kick-off.

Donate now!

Thank you!

Please join our Donor Appreciation Breakfast.

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Year-end donation for tax benefits.

JUNE

15

Pledges are due.

Thank you!

100% PARTICIPATION IS OUR GOAL

BUILDING OUR FUTURE: CAPITAL CAMPAIGNS To accommodate growth and meet the educational needs of our students, St. Mary’s periodically mounts capital campaigns to reshape the learning environment, to enhance programs and build its endowment. Capital campaign gifts are significantly larger than annual fund contributions therefore pledges are paid over multi-year periods.

In the spring of 2017, St. Mary’s launched the Imagine More Campaign — its first major capital campaign — to transform its campus.

The first phase of this transformation was

PROGRAMS ENHANCED

BY THE ST. MARY’S FUND

completed over the summer of 2018 and

Our Fund strengthens and sustains the educational experience of a St. Mary’s student each and every day. The following six areas represent the core elements of our unique curriculum.

Every donor has the ability to choose where to direct his/her gift.

Academic Programs Fine Arts

Technology and Innovation Athletics

Faculty Professional Development Science

SeneGence Security Entrance. The second

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included the renovation of the Bhathal Merage Academic Center, creation of The Green Family Commons and the new phase of the Imagine More Campaign will include a new building to house the Early Education Program, new STEAM classrooms, and complete our outdoor spaces.

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WAYS TO GIVE CASH OR CHECK Either as a single donation or as payments towards a pledge, simply make your check payable to St. Mary’s and direct it to the Development Office.

CREDIT CARD Make your donation or pay your pledge with a credit card online at www.smaa.org/give or visit the Development Office.

PLEDGES Pledges are a popular way for families to show their commitment to support St. Mary’s. Families can defer payment and maximize tax deductions.

Pledges can be fulfilled by cash, check, credit card or securities in one installment or monthly installments before a specified pledge payment period or online at www.smaa.org/pledge.

MATCHING GIFTS Many corporations demonstrate their support to St. Mary’s by matching their employees’ donations to our school. Matching gifts can double your contribution to St. Mary’s. Donors are recognized for the total of the combined amount of their gift plus their employer’s matching gift. Please consult your company’s Human Resources Dept. to inquire about a matching program or the Development Office, so we can research that information for you.

GIFTS OF SECURITIES Gifts of appreciated stock and/or securities represent a two-fold savings opportunity. Donors avoid paying capital gains taxes on the increased values of their stocks. In addition, donors receive a tax deduction for the full market value of the stock on the date of the gift.

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PLANNED GIVING Planned gifts are made now and distributed in the future. Including St. Mary’s in an estate plan provides for long-term fiscal health for our school. Donors receive immediate or deferred tax benefits while leaving a legacy. All parents and grandparents are encouraged to consider naming St. Mary’s in their will or trust; and let the school know of their gift.

CORPORATE AND FOUNDATION GIVING St. Mary’s strives to attain grants and funding from foundations and corporate giving entities for school needs. Because these grants are quite competitive, it is extremely helpful to have a contact within the funding organization. Please let us know if you or your extended family has contacts with philanthropic agencies.

OTHER WAYS TO FINANCIALLY SUPPORT ST. MARY’S SCHOOL • • • •

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Gifts of tangible personal property.

Attend fundraising events.

Event sponsorship/underwriting.

Register your debit and credit cards with eScript (ID 137122061) and your Ralph’s grocery card (#80397); these stores will make contributions to St. Mary’s when you use those cards.

Support St. Mary’s when you shop on Amazon at smile.amazon.com.

YOUR GENEROUS GIFT MATTERS

HOW TO GIVE • Donate online at www.smaa.org/give or make a pledge at www.smaa.org/pledge • Bring your donation to the Development Office • Mail your donation to: St. Mary’s Development Office, 7 Pursuit, Aliso Viejo, CA 92656 As a 501(c)(3) corporation, your gifts to St. Mary’s are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowable by law; tax identification number 33–0771131.

For further information regarding these opportunities, please contact Christine Downie, Director of Development at (949) 448-9027 x324 or christine.downie@smaa.org.

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7 PURSUIT ALISO VIEJO CA 92656