Gratitude
THE BUSH SCHOOL • 2 019-2 0 2 0 ANNUAL REPORT Gratitude 2 0 1 9 -2 0 2 0
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OUR MISSION
To spark in students of diverse backgrounds and talents a passion for learning, accomplishment, and contribution to their communities.
E D U C AT I O N A L F O U N DAT I O N S Critical, independent, and creative thinking Ethical judgment and action Intercultural fluency Local and global citizenship VA LU E S Trust // Collaboration // Curiosity // Inclusivity // Challenge S T R AT E G I C P R I O R I T I E S People: A Supportive, Inclusive Community Program: Comprehensive Experiential Education Place: Intentional, Diverse Environments
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THE BUSH SCHOOL
Please contact communications@bush.edu with any corrections, errors, or updates. Cover Illustration by Ames Bros
Thank you! THESE STORIES and a complete listing of all 2019–2020 donors can be found online at bush.edu/gratitude
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FROM THE
BOARD PRESIDENT G
ratitude is something that we have all felt over these past eight months. In small moments as we listen to our children log into a class over Zoom and hear the voice of a caring adult on the other end. And in bigger moments as the Class of 2020 celebrated their high school graduation in spite of the pandemic, including when our beloved faculty delivered graduates’ caps and gowns and well wishes to students’ front porches. This past year I have witnessed our community come together time and time again. We came out in record numbers to support Celebrate Bush, ensuring financial assistance was available to families in need. We expressed gratitude to our teachers and staff for the countless ways they have held our children up through these challenging times. We extended these acts of gratitude beyond our school community, writing letters of thanks to frontline health care professionals and essential workers, and ensuring our commitment to care for homeless teens did not waver as a monthly Teen Feed meal team. I am proud of our community for the ways we have demonstrated resilience, care, and a commitment to the greater good. The hardest times reveal the true character of a place, and we will all be able to look back and know our hearts and values led us forward. The future is bright at The Bush School. This past year we remained focused on the path ahead, envisioning what we wanted The Bush School to become by 2035.
At the fall Board retreat on the Methow Campus, the Board of Trustees set a strategic path for the future prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion. We believe that our school will be stronger when we ensure that everyone is valued, seen, and heard. We believe that our school will be stronger when our community better reflects the diverse backgrounds and identities of our local and global community. The urgency of leaning into diversity, equity, and inclusion work was amplified this summer by our countries reckoning with racial injustice, and our school leadership remains focused on the critical work to ensure that we become an antiracist organization. Through the leadership of Head of School Percy L. Abram and new Board Chair Steve Rosen along with the tireless commitment of our faculty, I know that The Bush School will continue to thrive and grow, achieving its promise and potential. I am grateful and humbled by the opportunity to have supported and contributed to The Bush School over the past twenty years as a parent volunteer, Board member, and your Board Chair these past two years. On behalf of the Board of Trustees, we thank each of you for your generosity and contributions to creating a culture of care and belonging. We look ahead to a time in the near future when our K-12 community will be able to gather on campus again. In the meantime, we remain Blazer strong.
KAREN MARCOTTE SOLIMANO PRESIDENT, BOARD OF TRUSTEES 4
THE BUSH SCHOOL
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FROM THE
HE AD OF SCHOOL e opened the 2019-2020 school year with an invitation for the community to imagine the infinite possibilities that lay before them, and for each member to challenge themselves to commit to doing their part to making Bush a better school. Well, even under trying circumstances, we did just that. Last year’s journey was unique—interrupted by a campus closure on March 11 and a transition to remote schooling for the remainder of the year—but we adjusted and emerged stronger, having learned the importance of steadfast community support during uncertain times.
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I am grateful for the ways in which our students spoke out with passion and conviction in the face of racial and social injustice. I am grateful to our faculty and staff for creating and implementing new modes of teaching and learning that kept our students engaged, challenged, and supported through the end of the year. I am grateful to our families who recognized an urgent community need and
stretched to support our technology programs, financial aid, and our students and teachers. These efforts sustained us throughout the year and ensured our seniors left Bush proud and ready for the next set of challenges, and the teachers and staff were recognized for their herculean efforts. I am proud to present the 2019-2020 Annual Report, Gratitude. This edition highlights the challenges, successes, and our community’s unprecedented generosity in a year filled with such uncertainty and compromise. While no one could have imagined the events of early spring, we are proud of the way our faculty, families, and students responded with grace, kindness, and empathy. Throughout the pages of this magazine, you will read stories of selflessness, courage, creativity, service, and imagination. I am thankful for our community and your support that kept us going.
W i t h d e e p g r at i t u d e ,
PERCY L. ABRAM, PH.D. HEAD OF SCHOOL
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THE BUSH SCHOOL
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2019-2020
ADMINISTR ATION AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2019-2020 ADMINISTRATION Percy L. Abram, Ph.D.
Sharon Hurt
Karen Marcotte Solimano
Head of School
Director of Development
President
Robin Bentley
Jo Ito
Steve Rosen ’84
Assistant Head for Finance and Operations
Athletics Director
President-Elect
Sally Maxwell, Ph.D.
Becky Guzak
Leslie David ’85
Academic Dean
Vice President
Executive Assistant to the Head of School
Aliya Virani
Irene Fisher
Lower School Director
Treasurer
Ray Wilson
Chris Chickadel ’93
Upper School Director
Secretary
Ethan Delavan Director of Technology
Jay Franklin ’90 Middle School Director
Polly Fredlund Director of Enrollment Management and Communications
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2019-2020 TRUSTEES
THE BUSH SCHOOL
Emily Alhadeff ’94 Kevin Baker Atul Bali Steve Banks ’94 Craige Blackmore Steven Caplow Lisa Carroll Sergio Chin-Ley Reed Cundiff Amy Fernandes Maggie Finch Mike Galgon Alden Garrett ’73 Brandon Gillespie ’93 Salone Habibuddin Allison Harr Patricia ‘Patti’ Hearn Daniel Pak Barbra Richardson Ian Sands
Mary “Sis” Pease ’41 Life Trustee
Percy L. Abram, Ph.D. Head of School
Christina Brinker Families Association President
PHIL ANTHROPY & COMMUNIT Y TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S In this issue of Gratitude, we feature
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Letter from Karen Marcotte Solimano
different ways that giving to The Bush
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Letter from Percy L. Abram, Ph.D.
School builds community through
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We Are in This Together
philanthropy. By volunteering your time,
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Connecting to Place and Community
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Sharing Bush’s Technology
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Reimagining the Senior Fund
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Celebrating at Bush and Beyond
This report shares how your
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Our Commitment to Financial Aid
leadership in philanthropy is a
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Endowment and Fiscal Year Performance
catalyst for local and global change.
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Continuing a Tradition: The Daisy Chain
donating 3D printers, or contributing to the endowment, your gifts positively impact our school community and beyond.
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THE BUSH SCHOOL
WE ARE IN THIS
TOGETHER B Y S H A R O N H U R T, D I R E C T O R O F D E V E L O P M E N T
s we reflect on the past year and express our gratitude for all we accomplished as a learning community, individually and collectively, we acknowledge that we are living in a world that has changed. Despite last year’s theme, Imagine, not many of us could have weaved the tale of today’s reality one year ago. What we could have anticipated, however, are all the ways that giving over the past year has continued to strengthen our school community and beyond.
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At Bush, we started hearing from families in March offering help. They wanted to ensure other families in our school community were supported, truly living the mantra “we are in this together.” This message was further reinforced through the outpouring of support at Celebrate Bush where parents, grandparents, friends of friends, alumni, parents of alumni rallied in support of every family and every student. The success of the capital campaign, Connecting to Place,
also demonstrated our school community’s interest in strengthening not just our school, but also our city, by making Bush more accessible to more families in our region. In addition, the New Upper School Building is being built responsibly and sustainably stewarding the land and our neighborhood. From ensuring voters are registered, to making and donating PPE to frontline workers, to distributing food and water to people marching for social justice, every act of compassion and care strengthens us. In all the ways it can be defined and measured, philanthropy serves to foster and nurture community. Together, we are stronger. Thank you for all of the ways you have helped Bush fulfill its promise to spark in students of diverse backgrounds and talents a passion for learning, accomplishment, and contribution to their communities.
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CONNECTING TO
PL ACE AND COMMUNIT Y nder the leadership of Campaign Co-Chairs Mike Galgon and Allison Harr, Bush’s Connecting to Place capital campaign raised $16.7 million to support the construction of a new 22,000 square foot building on the Upper School campus.
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Allison has been a champion of this project as a space to build community at Bush and in the greater Seattle area. She shared, “The New Upper School Building has been designed to support the discourse and educational exploration that is at the heart of the Bush experience. Our students will have more spaces to engage with each other, teachers, and the outside community. The new multipurpose room will be used for seminarstyle learning, and the student life center will provide a place for student-led clubs and organizations to meet and plan their activities.” The financial and volunteer support of this project demonstrates The Bush School’s commitment to our values of sustainability and community. The new building will be one of the first Passive House buildings on the West Coast, and the space is also designed to ensure that runoff from the building does not harm the ecosystem needed for salmon to thrive. Mike connected the sustainability of the building to the legacy of the school, sharing “The New Upper School Building will complete The Bush School’s vision for the Upper School campus. The larger and more modern classrooms will immediately transform the experiences of students and teachers, but the project will also have a lasting impact on the school’s legacy as we begin to look beyond our community’s first 100 years.”
Campaign Co-Chair Mike Galgon 12
THE BUSH SCHOOL
N ew U p p er Schoo l Building of new le includes arning sp 22,0 0 0 sq ace. uare
feet
More square footage in the building will also allow us to hold larger events not just for Bush, but for our surrounding community. The increase in space will also allow more students to access a Bush education. The continued support of the campaign, despite the challenges presented by the pandemic, have affirmed our school’s core values of collaboration and trust grounded in the power of place and community.
Campaign Co-Chair Allison Harr Gratitude 2 0 1 9 -2 0 2 0
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SHARING BUSH’S
TECHNOLOGY owell Clark ’18 started an internship on March 19 at MakerMask, just days before Governor Jay Inslee issued the stay-at-home order. MakerMask is a non-profit based in Seattle, with a platform that allows any person to download directions to 3D print protective face masks. The company wanted to print more masks than they had equipment for when global supply chains were interrupted by the COVID-19 outbreak. So, Powell reached out to Director of Technology Ethan Delavan to see if The Bush School had 3D printers they could share.
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inn ’18, Joe Kelley ’16, Bush Alumni Chase Habu-Ch olph ’18. Rud es Jam Powell Clark ’18, and
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THE BUSH SCHOOL
Zoe Willig ’18,
MakerMask is founded on the principle of resource-sharing, an act that was emulated by Bush’s Technology office. Ethan reflected on the ability to share our equipment in a time of need: “It was neat to be able to shift our technical resources to a new project when we couldn’t host on-campus classes. It really helped us fulfill the public purpose of our independent mission.” Powell felt the power of his community to make change and was inspired by the enthusiasm to donate and participate in this effort: “MakerMask showed me that I could help drive change to address seemingly impossible problems. The blend of tech and innovation at our production sites inspired me to think creatively while working hard. I was pleasantly surprised to see
“ It was neat to be able to shift our technical resources to a new project when we couldn’t host on-campus classes. It really helped us fulfill the public purpose of our independent mission.” — Ethan Delavan, Director of Technology
Seattle schools come together and donate printers to ease the demand for PPE at a time when it was needed most.” As a result of local press and recognition from the National Institute of Health, MakerMask is more fully staffed and equipped. They are no longer in need of the Bush-owned 3D printer, and we were able to be there in a critical moment to help get this project off the ground. Ethan shares, “It was a real honor to help them kickstart something truly beneficial to so many.”
Director of Technology Ethan Delavan Gratitude 2 0 1 9 -2 0 2 0
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REIMAGINING THE
SENIOR FUND he Senior Gift Fund was created by the Bush Class of 2012 to help fund Senior Projects. Each year juniors and seniors raise money to support their classmates’ passions. This year Senior Projects were cancelled due to COVID-19 and the Senior Fund Leadership Team, comprised of Casey F. ’21, Lucian F. ’21, Donaji T-M. ’21, and recent graduates Elise Gautier ’20 and Jasmine Young ’20 offered donors an opportunity.
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In reflecting on the current environment and the role we can play through donating, Jasmine shared: “As the anti-racism movement sweeps across our country and globe, I feel it is more appropriate than ever to put our money towards continuing the work we know needs to be done. Bush is not innocent of racism, and knowing this, it would be irresponsible not to use our resources to leave a lasting legacy meant to create positive change.” Donors who supported the Senior Fund in the spring had the option to keep their gift with the Senior Fund, or to re-allocate their gift to: a new fund for Upper School workshops on anti-racism training; financial aid; Connecting to Place for the New Upper School Building; or Black Lives Matter Seattle King County. Though seniors did not have an opportunity to pursue their passions through traditional Senior Projects, this gesture is an example of the thoughtful leadership and vision that defines Bush students—leveraging philanthropy to support our greater Seattle community.
Elise Gautier ’20 Senior Fund Leadership Team 16
THE BUSH SCHOOL
Juniors Lucian F. ’21, Casey F. ’21, and Donaji T-M . ’21 serv ed on the Senior Fund Leadership Team.
Jasmine Young ’20 Senior Fund Leadership Team Gratitude 2 0 1 9 -2 0 2 0
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CELEBR ATING AT
BUSH AND BE YOND n a short period of time, The Bush School pivoted to remote schooling on Wednesday, March 11 and was poised to host Celebrate Bush, the school’s annual fundraiser and auction, in person on Saturday, March 14, 2020. Three days later, Director of Development Sharon Hurt and Community and Engagement Manager Amelia Kramer became experts in shifting in-person to virtual events. This was the first ever all online auction at The Bush School. Despite the last-minute changes, in nine hours the Bush community raised $539,200 in support of financial aid. With the digital celebration, social media engagement soared with 1,029 likes and 11,084 impressions from eleven posts on the Bush Instagram page.
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At that time in the pandemic, few schools had successfully attempted to move their events to a virtual platform, and Amelia, Sharon, and Head of School Percy L. Abram were looked to for guidance from independent schools across the Pacific Northwest region and around the country. Immediately following the event, they found themselves on virtual panels speaking to their experience, what they learned, and what they will try again in years to come. Amelia shared what drove her to execute this event through such drastic changes: “Now more than ever, it felt critical to ensure the school had financial aid resources to support families through the financial uncertainty of the pandemic. Having received financial aid and scholarship myself to attend college, I was personally motivated to make sure Celebrate Bush could take place so that our students could continue to have this same opportunity.” Sharon and Amelia both remarked how integral the entire community was in making this shift. Incredible volunteers like Celebrate Bush Chair Gretchen Boehm and representatives
Community and Engagement Manager Amelia Kramer 18
THE BUSH SCHOOL
ment Abram and the Develop Head of School Percy L. g the school’s win follo l Hal lor Tay in Team celebrating h. first virtual Celebrate Bus
from the Families Association along with families, staff, students, and the event sponsors worked to make this event a success. Sharon reflected on the event and its positive impact: “Celebrate Bush 2020 was a deeply moving experience because of the collaboration and generosity on every level and at every turn from our team, our sponsors and donors, and our community. The Development team focused our collective energy and strengths and turned the event into a virtual experience in less than a week. Our sponsors stuck with us, our item donors were flexible, and our community showed up in a big way. It was not surprising, but it was heartwarming and filled me with pride.” Even with a new format, everyone’s commitment to the mission of the event remained the same: to support financial aid at Bush.
Director of Development Sharon Hurt Gratitude 2 0 1 9 -2 0 2 0
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KEEPING OUR
COMMUNIT Y TOGETHER elationships are at the heart of the Bush admissions and financial aid program. This spring, Director of Admissions and Financial Aid Adam Choice kept this core value central to his work, focusing on ways to partner with families through the financial impact of COVID-19. Adam shared, “We believe that leading for social change means placing our values first. At Bush, this means prioritizing people and relationships.”
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In reflecting on the last six months, Director of Enrollment Management and Communications Polly Fredlund shared, “We knew quickly that there would be a financial impact on our city and region when the COVID-19 health outbreak hit. As students and faculty pivoted to remote schooling, we began to investigate how the education sector was going to be impacted both in the short- and long- term. We looked back at information from the 2008 recession to understand how Bush navigated this period of financial uncertainty. We considered best-, likely-, and worst-case scenarios. We then brought a plan to the Board of Trustees and school leadership for how to best support families and the school through this crisis.” The school’s leadership reaffirmed our core values, prioritizing additional resources to support tuition assistance, whether temporary or long-term, for families impacted by COVID-19 and the financial crisis. During this time, the Director of Admissions and Financial Aid Adam Choice 20
THE BUSH SCHOOL
life on the A snapshot of Bush student Lower School Campus
school extended additional financial aid resources to over twenty-five students. Equity and access are central to the school’s mission. The Bush School has been able to support students and families through a time of crisis because of these additional resources, ensuring that talented students of all backgrounds are able to fully engage in Bush’s educational experience. We are stronger as a community having faced these challenges together. Director of Enrollment Management and Communications Polly Fredlund Gratitude 2 0 1 9 -2 0 2 0
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$
provided athletic equipment for one student athlete. 503 students in the 2019-2020 school year across K-12 participated in athletics.
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THE BUSH SCHOOL
50
$
funded five books in the library supporting students’ journeys in reading comprehension, cultural literacy, and anti-racism.
250
$
provided funding for the school’s MakerSpace. The Bush MakerSpace offers students interested in prototyping their ideas a resource for 3D printing, electrical engineering, and textile production. The MakerSpace cultivates student-initiated collaborations, and is often used in conjunction with independent projects in all divisions.
500
$
supported health and wellness by inviting Dr. Lisa Damour to discuss parenting, stress, and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic.
750
$
supplied one Lower School grade with art supplies for the 2019-2020 school year.
1,000
$
provided support for Upper School Venue, a celebration of student-created music in a relaxed setting that promotes expression and community building through music.
2,500
$
provided instructional supplies and equipment for the Methow Campus for the 2019-2010 school year. Programs like the Sixth Grade Immersion Program highlight the interdependence between community, environment, and self.
24,154
$
was the average financial aid award for the 2019-2020 school year. The Bush School is committed to making a Bush education affordable and accessible to talented students of all backgrounds, regardless of a family’s financial circumstances.
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FISCAL YE AR PERFORMANCE AND THE ENDOWMENT FISCAL YEAR PERFORMANCE This year with your support, The Bush School raised a total of $6,125,636 in philanthropic support. This included $1,619,615 in support of annual operations (through the Annual Fund and Celebrate Bush), $132,859 in support of the endowment, and $4,373,162 of gifts and pledges in support of the New Upper School Building and Education Master Plan (EMP).
REVENUE 2019-2020
$78,940 Tuition and Fees Contributions
$4,373,162 $23,542,570
New Upper School Building Campaign and EMP Auxiliary and Miscellaneous Investment Income
THE BUSH SCHOOL
Salaries
$219,840
$ 897,066
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Total expenses for the year were $24,971,347 and included compensation, financial aid, programs and materials, maintenance and utilities, and debt service.
EXPENSES 2019-2020
$930,253
$1,752,474
Total revenue for the year was $31,495,525 and came from tuition and fees, philanthropic support (including the campaign), auxiliary programs, and investment income.
Financial Aid
$642,180 $1,051,948
Educational Program
$4,299,950 $3,909,095
$14,769,394
Other Maintenance Fundraising Debt Service
T H E E N D O W M E N T AT T H E B U S H S C H O O L The endowment is an important part of the school’s overall fiscal year performance. Assistant Head for Finance and Operations Robin Bentley underscored this sharing: “Endowments are considered a hallmark of financial sustainability.” Our donors’ commitment to the endowment supports the school’s vitality and solidifies their legacy with the school. The value of Bush’s endowment as of June 30, 2020 was $21,558,277. In 2019-2020, nearly fifty endowment funds supported critical needs at the school such as: • Athletics • Bush Methow Campus • Performing Arts
• Faculty Compensation and Professional Development
• Head of School Priorities and Strategic Initiatives
• Financial Aid
• Operations and Facilities Improvements
• Greatest Need
• Student Leadership • Technology and Innovation • Wilderness Programs
This year, donors to The Bush School endowment will receive a printed copy of Gratitude, financial report(s) for the funds they support, as well as access to a new webpage designed to share about these fund(s) and their impact. We invite our donors, and those who are interested in learning more about the endowment and its funds, to visit www.bush.edu/gratitude
PHILANTHROPIC GIVING 2019-2020
ENDOWMENT AS OF 6-30-2020
$132,859
Permanently restricted Annual Fund
$514,913
Celebrate Bush (Net)
$1,055,047
$4,373,162
$6,214,452
Temporarily restricted
Endowment Contributions New Upper School Building Campaign
Donor-restricted endowments to be held in perpetuity for which usage restrictions do not expire.
$11,271,720 $4,072,105
Donor-restricted endowments restricted for use in a specific way or endowments with restrictions removed over time.
Board - Designated
Assets set aside by the Board of Trustees for specific strategic purposes.
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We are grateful
Bush
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THE BUSH SCHOOL
for our
teachers! Gratitude 2 0 1 9 -2 0 2 0
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THE BUSH SCHOOL
CONTINUING A TRADITION
THE DAISY CHAIN raditionally, a daisy chain is handcrafted and carried by the junior class during the Bush graduation procession. That chain of flowers symbolizes a collective gift, links students to the alumni community, and honors a culminating moment of working toward a shared goal.
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This year, as a result of the campus closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the junior Class of 2021 wrote and produced a virtual daisy chain video to celebrate the graduating Class of 2020, ensuring a tradition continued. Each year, the Bush Commencement Program quotes Life Trustee Mary “Sis” Pease ’41 reflecting on the tradition: There has always been a chain of flowers at graduation, though the original was not a daisy chain. Mrs. Livengood, a Bush music teacher when I was a student, had a very formal exterior with quite a sense of mischief underneath.
an annual trip across Madison to “borrow” the desired flowers. This tradition continued for many years, but as time passed, the classes grew, the chain grew, and “borrowing” had more impact ... so in lieu of sweet Syringa, the daisy chain was born. When the school went coed, the daisy chain was in question. Would the boys want a flowery garland at their graduation? Fortunately, they appreciated the tradition and approved of the atmosphere that the flowers provided on their special day. Though the classes are larger, graduation now is very much the same as my graduation in 1941. The wonderful warmth and spirit, the family of Bush remains constant.
W AT C H T H E 2 0 2 0 D A I S Y C H A I N V I D E O ! You can watch the Class of 2021 digitally carry on the daisy chain tradition on our website with this link.
The Arboretum in spring is just bursting with flowers, and Mrs. Livengood, possibly with some unnamed culprits, would take
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THE BUSH SCHOOL
F O L LOW U S
ON SOCIAL MEDIA! Gratitude 2 0 1 9 -2 0 2 0
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