EXPANDING THE VISION breakingnewground The Capital Campaign for Tesseract School
“WHAT IS A TESSERACT? A TESSERACT IS A CONCEPT. A CONCEPT THAT OFFERS SUCH STUFF AS DREAMS ARE MADE ON.” - A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
TESSERACT SCHOOL IS PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THE SECOND PHASE OF ITS STRATEGIC GROWTH CAMPAIGN WITH A GOAL OF $4.5 MILLION. THIS IS THE NEXT STEP IN THE SCHOOL’S MASTER PLAN.
THE CAMPAIGN WILL SUPPORT CONSTRUCTION OF TWO DISTINCT VILLAGES FOR TESSERACT’S MIDDLE SCHOOL. MONIES RAISED WILL ALSO FURTHER FUND FINANCED COMPONENTS OF THE INITIAL CAMPUS EXPANSION, REDUCING ONGOING INTEREST EXPENSES AND, AS A RESULT, INCREASE FUNDING FOR FINANCIAL AID WHILE FURTHER ENHANCING THE QUALITY OF TESSERACT’S MANY DISTINGUISHED PROGRAMS. THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF THE MASTER PLAN, WHICH WAS DEVELOPED IN 2005, IS TO CREATE A QUALITY FACILITY CONSISTENT WITH A PREMIER INDEPENDENT SCHOOL. THIS GROWTH WILL FURTHER ENHANCE TESSERACT STUDENTS’ OUTSTANDING EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE ENABLING THE SCHOOL TO ACCEPT INCREASED ENROLLMENT AND SERVING AS AN ASSET FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
A SUCCESSFUL CAMPAIGN WILL ENSURE THAT TESSERACT SCHOOL CONTINUES TO BE THE STANDARD-BEARER FOR ITS CORE VALUES OF ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE, RESPECT FOR THE INDIVIDUAL AND IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNITY, EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP AND GLOBAL RESPONSIBILITY.
breakingnewground The Capital Campaign for Tesseract School
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A NEW TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE Originally founded in 1988 as part of a for-profit venture, Tesseract School has since become an extraordinary non-profit, independent private school giving its students the essential skills, knowledge and perspective to be successful in college and in life. Tesseract understands if students see the value and importance of their education-and are encouraged to explore their interests and passions-they will take greater ownership of their learning. The school gives them this vital sense of ownership in three ways: by allowing students to actively experience in the process; by using different modes of instruction in recognition of the fact that students learn differently and develop individually; and by offering an integrated, thematic approach to uncovering and understanding real, meaningful knowledge. This is achieved with outstanding educators who support each student in small classes, acting as a “guide on the side” rather than an impersonal “sage on the stage.” While Tesseract recognizes linear, and analytical thinking continues to be essential, the school also understands, the realities and demands of the 21st century require individuals to be creative, critical thinking, communicators, synthesizers of knowledge and collaborators in all life’s pursuits. Furthermore, by exposing the students to diverse cultures, the digital revolution, the global economy, and issues such as social and environmental responsibility, students graduate from Tesseract with a broad understanding of their role in the larger interdependent, interconnected, competitive community in which they will lead their lives.
DEFINING THE VISION – A CAMPUS FOR EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE Tesseract became a non-profit private school in 2001. The original campus at Tatum and Doubletree was home to all Tesseract students, which, at the time, included preschool through fourth grade. The limited facilities of approximately 22,000 square feet had the capacity to serve no more than 300 to 320 students and were not adequate for middle, let alone upper school students. Tesseract School’s vision was clear. Developed as part of an extensive 2004 strategic planning process, Tesseract would provide a high-quality alternative for education in the Phoenix metropolitan area. It would be a premier independent private school offering a unique educational experience from early childhood through grade 12. Doing so eventually would bring enrollment to 750 students housed on two campuses-one for early childhood through fourth grade and a second to accommodate middle and upper school students. Tesseract would become a “community asset” equipped to educate more students who would not otherwise have the opportunity to attend an independent private institution to prepare for their pursuits of higher education. As part of the strategic planning process, Tesseract’s leadership conceived the plan for the campus on Shea Boulevard. In 2006, the school launched its first capital campaign-Breaking New Ground-to support the acquisition and construction of the new Shea campus. Despite the challenging effects of the recent economic recession, Tesseract successfully secured $6 million in gifts and pledges from Tesseract families and caring supporters throughout the community. The philanthropic support, along with $6 million in bank and vendor financing, funded the initial project cost of $12 million. As a result, the Shea campus opened in September 2008 on time and on budget. With two academic halls and 21,000 square feet of academic space, the existing campus includes: 16 classrooms (currently serving both middle and upper school) Three science labs • Visual and performing arts spaces • 10,000 square foot gymnasium/sports pavilion • Outdoor basketball court
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Regulation soccer field Outdoor dining plaza • Student courtyards • And much more
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TESSERACT UNDERSTANDS IF STUDENTS SEE THE VALUE AND IMPORTANCE OF THEIR EDUCATION -AND ARE ENCOURAGED TO EXPLORE THEIR INTERESTS AND PASSIONS -THEY WILL TAKE GREATER OWNERSHIP OF THEIR LEARNING.
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“A SCHOOL IN WHICH NO TWO CLASSROOMS LOOK ALIKE, NO SCHOOL DAY REPEATS THE ONE BEFORE, AND NO CHILD MISSES AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN, SHARE, AND GROW.”
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PHASE 2 CAMPAIGN – STRATEGIC GROWTH CAMPAIGN To advance the vision for the Shea campus, Tesseract has embarked on a $4.5 million second phase to the Breaking New Ground Campaign. The campaign seeks the support of parents, grandparents, friends, corporations, foundations and other individuals throughout the school community. Contributions to the campaign will support construction of both Middle School Villages – one for the fifth and sixth grades and another for the seventh and eighth grades. Funds raised will also be designated to strengthen the school’s financial position. By further funding currently financed components of the initial campus expansion, Tesseract will significantly reduce ongoing interest expenses, and, as a result, increase the availability of funds for financial aid and enhanced academic programming.
ADVANCING THE CAMPUS MASTER PLAN Tesseract School has enjoyed tremendous growth and success. Now, as the school approaches its 10-year anniversary as a non-profit institution, it seeks to enter the next stage of the school’s Campus Master Plan. Tesseract now has all four years of both middle and upper school in one building on the Shea campus. This has added pressure on an already limited space. The existing instructional space will not be sufficient to meet the increased number of students, creating a new urgency for Tesseract’s continued expansion. The next step is to build-out the separate middle school facilities, beginning with a Fifth and Sixth Grade Village and then another village complex for Tesseract’s seventh and eighth grade students. Both Villages will become living examples of Tesseract’s commitment to global responsibility as the school intends for these state-of-the-art facilities to meet the Gold Standard for LEED Certification by U.S. Building Council. The buildings will be smart, adaptive, efficient and cost-effective. As opposed to traditional school construction and design, the Villages will create a special sense of community, encouraging students to interact with their physical environment, educators and each other. Classrooms will be spacious and supported by breakout rooms to encourage interactive and collaborative learning. The acoustic design will provide an optimal classroom environment for educator and student communication with very little external noise or sound reverberation. The Villages will provide the natural lighting, enhanced acoustics, and high-quality air, which have been shown by recent studies to create a healthier, advanced student-learning environment.
THE SCHOOL MUST CONTINUE TO EVOLVE AND GROW. 6
GROWING AND ENHANCING OUR SIGNATURE PROGRAMS As the School envisions building the physical spaces essential to meeting the demand for increased enrollment and student success, we are also seeking to increase the depth, breadth, and quality of our signature programs. We will make an already rich curriculum even more academically robust. We will increase the number of scholarships and financial aid for more deserving students; and we will expand electives and out-of-the-classroom opportunities from the arts to athletics, to real world experiences gained through service projects, internships and class trips across the globe. At the same time, we will continue to invest in recruiting and developing the most talented faculty available as well as innovations in technology, infrastructure and instructional tools that support the quality of the instruction they deliver.
MOVING FORWARD Tesseract will construct the Middle School Villages on the northeast corner of the Shea campus. The construction of these classrooms using structurally insulated panel (SIP) design will allow for flexibility in the building process. This will enable the school to start with four, six or eight classrooms and easily add on as needed. In the longer-term, Tesseract remains committed to implementing its full Campus Master Plan responsibly and in stages. Future construction plans include a 500-seat performing and visual arts center, a student center to house a state-of-the-art media center, an indoor dining hall with outdoor eating area, and a fitness center and swimming pool.
THE BENEFITS OF YOUR SUPPORT Great communities and their academic institutions are in many ways defined by the quality of their campuses. The academic halls, classrooms and courtyards represent the level of investment we make in our children as students. And while Tesseract School has already become a wonderful place of learning, the school must continue to evolve and grow. Now is the time to join together and fulfill Tesseract’s promise of becoming the “premier independent school in the Southwest.” Contributions to the Breaking New Ground campaign represent the next significant investment in this vision for the future. Donors will have the satisfaction of knowing they have helped to prepare the next generation of persuasive communicators, critical and innovative thinkers, scientists and engineers, creative artists, confident leaders and global stewards. Together we will build more than classrooms. We will build a premier physical environment in which the children of our community will further their education. Tesseract School will become the standard in sustainable design and construction for other institutions to follow. And most importantly, we will help Tesseract School continue its tradition of excellence with the school’s uniquely innovative approach set in a one-of-a-kind learning environment. Please join us as Tesseract School continues to Break New Ground. Your support will have profound impact on our children, our community, and in due course, our children’s children.
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WAYS TO GIVE A gift to Breaking New Ground, the Capital Campaign for Tesseract School, now in its second phase, is an investment in your children, your community and future generations. Whether large or small, giving at all levels is welcome. Commitments to this program can be made and paid in a variety of ways including:
Cash Cash gifts, typically paid by checks and credit cards, are the most common way contributions are paid to the school. Pledges A pledge is simply a commitment to pay a specified amount sometime in the future; it may be paid periodically over the life of the pledge period or in a lump sum at some future date. Pledge payments may be made annually, semi-annually, quarterly, monthly or with a payment schedule of your choosing. Periodic pledge reminders will be sent, according to a schedule determined by you, as well as reports of your pledge status. Gifts of Securities Donations of appreciated securities from publicly held firms, including mutual funds, can be as easy to make as drawing a check, requiring only a signature on the back of the certificate and filling in the assignment by simply writing in “Tesseract School.” Donations of securities may also be made by phone. Tesseract School will provide assistance in managing these transactions efficiently. Gifts of securities will be recorded at their value on the date the gift is made; donors will be given credit for the full market value of the securities. Gifts-In-Kind Any gift of inventory, such as merchandise, building materials, equipment or other assets, based on the lower of your cost or fair market value may be made as a gift-in-kind. If the claimed value of the property exceeds $5,000, IRS Form 8283 “Non-cash Charitable Contributions”: must be completed and attached to your tax return. This form requires an independent appraisal and a sign-off of receipt by Tesseract. Gifts of Real Estate Over the years, most real estate has appreciated faster than the rate of inflation. The gift of a home, vacation property, condominium, apartment complexes, undeveloped land or other real estate in support of the campaign can therefore offer great potential in charitable gift planning.
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Tangible Personal Property Gifts, such as automobiles, boats, jewelry or antiques may be paid through tangible personal property. Such gifts should have an independent appraisal at the time they are received. Additional gift options you may wish to make may include a true “once-in-a-lifetime” commitment to Tesseract’s capital development program through: Charitable Lead Trusts Through a transfer of cash, securities, or real estate into a Charitable Lead Trust, the school will receive income from the trust for a set number of years after which the trust principle is returned to an individual other than the donor. Life Insurance It is possible to make a commitment to Tesseract’s capital development program through a life insurance gift. If an insurance policy that is no longer needed for its original purpose is owned, it can be given to the school by making Tesseract, the owner of the policy. In general, you will be entitled to an income tax deduction for the cash surrender value and can deduct the amount of future premiums paid to the school. Corporate Matching A number of businesses, or their foundations, offer a matching gift program whereby they will match directors’, employers’, employees’, spouses or retirees’ contribution to a qualified charitable organization. You may increase your campaign gift by checking with your company’s human resources office to see if it participates in a matching gift program. Any type of asset that you irrevocably donate to Tesseract School will result in a current income tax deduction, but there may be other tax benefits from your contribution. Using assets other than cash allows you more flexibility when planning you gift, and there are even more potential benefits if you pay your gift creatively. Tesseract School encourages you to seek advice from your accountant, estate attorney or financial advisor before making your gift.
OUR MISSION STATEMENT: TESSERACT FOSTERS EACH STUDENT’S INTELLECT, LOVE OF LEARNING, AND STRENGTH OF CHARACTER IN AN INNOVATIVE AND COLLABORATIVE ENVIRONMENT. WE PREPARE STUDENTS TO EXCEL IN COLLEGE AND BEYOND, LEAD LIVES OF PURPOSE, AND BECOME ETHICAL AND COMPASSIONATE CITIZENS WITH A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE.
TESSERACT CORE VALUES Academic Excellence Both our innovative academic environment and our low student-to-teacher ratio challenge students to fully explore their passions and interests. We believe that students should have a high level of preparation in humanities, mathematics, science, technology and a second language. We emphasize the importance of visual and performing arts, athletics, cultural literacy and social commitment. Our integrated, experience-based multi-sensory learning environment stimulates students to engage as interested, curious learners. Respect for the Individual We recognize that each student is unique. We believe that the greatest intellectual and emotional growth occurs when students are known by their teachers and peers, feel appreciated for who they are, believe that their work has significance, and are encouraged to look beyond their current achievements and perspectives. Importance of Community By stressing ethical, compassionate and thoughtful behavior, we prepare students to help shape their world and make a difference to those around them. We are a community that encourages cooperation and values diversity. Our administrators and faculty emphasize open dialogue and respectful behavior as they work with parents to promote each child’s development. Educational Leadership Our innovative approach to education inspires our students to succeed. We recruit, retain and invest in the finest faculty by providing the best possible environment to spark our educators’ passion for teaching and for developing the love of learning in every child. Our educators are given the freedom and support to expand and share their expertise. We fund professional development and provide time weekly for carefully structured faculty educational programs. We promote connections with institutions of higher education, and share our successful philosophy with other schools. Global Responsibility At Tesseract, we develop responsible and compassionate citizens and leaders for a sustainable, global society. We encourage students to make decisions that consider the world in which they live and the needs of future generations. Development of individual talents, social responsibility, critical thinking and problem-solving skills allows Tesseract graduates to connect thoughts with actions, deeds and results, and the past to the present and future.
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The Capital Campaign for Tesseract School
N 40th St. Lower School Campus 4800 E. Doubletree Ranch Rd. Paradise Valley, AZ 85253 P 480.991.1770 • F 480.991.1954
www.tesseractschool.org
Middle and High School Campus 3939 Shea Blvd. Phoenix, AZ 85028 P 480.385.3673 • F 480.385.3674
Shea Blvd. Tatum Blvd.
E. Doubletree Ranch Rd.