Giving at Meadowbrook
The Meadowbrook School of Weston 10 Farm Road Weston, MA 02493 www.meadowbrook-ma.org.
Ensuring a Remarkable Learning Experience The Meadowbrook School of Weston has emerged as one of the premier K-8 programs in the country. Our innovative curriculum has been cited as a best practice by numerous educators, and the results speak for themselves: our students are happy, motivated learners who reach impressive academic heights. In order to provide the top-flight education that distinguishes Meadowbrook, we rely on a vast network of resources – tuition, rental and summer camp income, events and gifts. While tuition covers the majority of our expenses, nearly 20% of our annual operating costs are funded through philanthropy. This gap amounts to approximately $5,500 per child each year. We are able to fill this gap and keep Meadowbrook running thanks to gifts to our Annual Fund; we also raise money throughout the school year in support of our exceptional faculty, and for Imagine More, our $35 million capital campaign.
Annual Operating Costs
Fundraising Tuition Other Income
We strive to ensure that every family’s philanthropic relationship with the school remains as meaningful, rewarding, and positive as their overall experience at Meadowbrook. This brochure describes how our various fundraising programs impact the school, and we hope that families will decide to give at the level that is most meaningful to them. Gifts to Meadowbrook are much more than generous gestures from our parents, grandparents, faculty, and alumni; contributions to our fundraising initiatives help ensure that we continue to provide a first-rate learning experience. Our community members also give generously of their time and talent through various parent-led committees and volunteer opportunities. Every gift – no matter the type or the amount – represents a powerful vote of confidence in our school’s mission and philosophy, and we wholeheartedly appreciate each family’s contribution.
A Vital Source of Support: The Annual Fund At Meadowbrook, we teach our children the value of participating in the life of their school: clearing tables at lunch, helping coaches set up cones for soccer practice, working to maintain our surroundings’ natural beauty through campus stewardship. In the same way, Meadowbrook’s Annual Fund invites every member of our community to participate in sustaining this vibrant place. As the cornerstone of our fundraising efforts, the Annual Fund helps close the gap between tuition revenues and our total annual operating costs, and supports all aspects of the school – from teacher salaries and professional development to classroom materials, maintenance, and utilities. Because of this vital role, we work to achieve 100% participation across our entire community; in 2015, we received contributions from 98% of families and 100% of faculty members. If your family plans to make one gift during the year, it is critically important that you contribute to the Annual Fund.
Because the Meadowbrook community includes families from a
The Gala
variety of financial circumstances, we ask that everyone make an Annual Fund gift at the level that is most meaningful to them, given their
Each spring, the Meadowbrook community gathers for a fun
individual capacity. Contributions range from $25 to upwards of $50,000.
evening to toast our school. The parent-led Gala Committee prepares an
No matter the dollar value, every contribution to the Annual Fund
unforgettable event featuring dinner, drinks, and entertainment, along
reflects our families’ steadfast belief in Meadowbrook’s mission and
with opportunities to bid on student art and unique, off-campus
commitment to deliver the best K-8 education in the region.
experiences with teachers. Net proceeds from the event – which often exceed $100,000 in auction items and underwriting – provide additional support for our operating costs.
Celebrating Meadowbrook’s Teachers It’s no exaggeration to say that Meadowbrook teachers constitute our school’s most valuable asset. Our faculty consists of creative, insightful, and devoted educators who work tirelessly to excite students’ curiosity and challenge them to reach new heights. We have two fundraising programs that allow families to show their appreciation for teachers:
Faculty Appreciation Fund – Established in 1987, the Faculty Appreciation
Fund (FAF) is managed by a committee of dedicated parents. The fund supports our unparalleled professional development programs, as well as the annual Pick-a-Perk event each December. At a special lunch for faculty, each teacher chooses a gift donated by the community, ranging from cash and sports tickets to computers and priority parking spaces. We ask that families give to FAF rather than directly to teachers during the holidays or at the end of the year.
Eighth Grade Gift – This initiative supports the Meadowbrook Leadership
Institute (MLI), a groundbreaking professional development program that enables teachers to research and develop projects for off-campus investigation, and then use what they learn to enhance our curriculum. Since 2010, the Eighth Grade Gift program has raised over $1 million for the MLI. During their final year, families are encouraged to support both the Annual Fund and the Eighth Grade Gift program to celebrate their child’s Meadowbrook experience.
Imagine More: The Campaign for Meadowbrook In September 2015, Meadowbrook launched Imagine More: The Campaign for Meadowbrook. This vital initiative exists independently of our other philanthropy programs and is dedicated to securing funds for several crucial long-term strategic goals. We are undertaking the Imagine More campaign from a place of strength, and our community is uniquely positioned to lay the foundation for Meadowbrook’s bright, successful future. Campus Renovations Meadowbrook’s innovative, project-based curriculum requires adaptable
A key aspect of Meadowbrook’s Strategic Plan involves maintaining
spaces that help facilitate collaborative activities and performance-based
a highly diverse learning environment. Welcoming students from a
grouping. The Imagine More campaign will allow us to undertake vital
variety of different racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds enriches the
renovations to our campus, including new classrooms for the Lower and
experience of every student on campus by teaching tolerance and
Middle School, an Innovation Center that will serve as a home base for
empathy in an environment that reflects the wider world. To that end,
EurekaLab activities, and a vibrant Academic Commons that will act as a
the Imagine More campaign will increase our endowment for financial
welcoming focal point for our campus.
assistance, enabling us to continue to provide scholarships for promising students regardless of the economic climate.
Endowment Growth A robust endowment will ensure our school’s fiscal health and
To learn more about the Imagine More campaign, and to learn how you
flexibility for decades to come. Through the campaign, we will grow our
can make our collective dream a reality with your contribution, visit
endowment with funds for faculty support and an increased financial
www.imaginemore.meadowbrook-ma.org
assistance program. The Steve Hinds Faculty Support Program will recognize the extraordinary efforts of our dedicated teachers with named funds awarded to exemplary teachers, as well as general gifts that support competitive salaries and professional development.
Frequently Asked Questions
If I have already donated my professional services to both Pick-a-Perk and the Gala, why am I being asked to give to the Annual Fund? Haven’t I already supported the school?
What about additional programs, such as classroom funds?
Gifts to the Annual Fund and gifts to the FAF or Gala do not all have the same impact on our financial flexibility. One hundred percent of Annual Fund contributions go directly towards our operating costs, helping to offset the difference between tuition revenues and the expenses incurred in running the school. Gifts to other programs are applied in various ways, like gifts for teachers and new building projects.
Smaller giving initiatives occur throughout the year. For example, you may be asked to donate to a clothing or food drive during the holidays, or contribute to a group coaches’ gift at the end of a sports season. At Back to School Nights, the Parent Council asks for donations of $20-25 to cover the costs of classroom parties and other events. As with all of our giving programs, these donations are strictly voluntary. How will my gift be recognized?
Why is there a 100% participation goal for the Annual Fund and not for other fundraising initiatives?
Gifts to the Annual Fund, Gala, Faculty Appreciation Fund, and the Imagine More campaign are listed in the Annual Report. If you would prefer to be listed anonymously, please notify the Advancement Office. The 8th grade MLI gift program and the “Five for Five” dollar totals are announced at graduation every year.
Every dollar contributed to the Annual Fund helps close the gap between tuition and operating costs, making this our most vital giving program. Just as every family pays some form of tuition, we hope that every family makes a meaningful gift to the Annual Fund according to their individual capacity. Many of our peer institutions regularly reach 100% participation for their Annual Funds – at Meadowbrook, we aim to never be second-best.
If I make a contribution to the Imagine More campaign, do I still need to contribute to the Annual Fund and other programs?
What is Five for Five?
The Imagine More campaign supports specific initiatives related to campus renovations and enhancements to Meadowbrook’s endowment. The campaign provides an opportunity for families to demonstrate an extraordinary level of support for Meadowbrook through gifts that will have a long-term impact on the school. Annual Fund donations are not included in the Imagine More campaign goal; for that reason, we strongly recommend that families maintain their giving to the Fund so that we can continue to cover our operating costs over the course of the campaign. Is my contribution to Pick-a-Perk or Gala of a week at my vacation home tax deductible?
Services and rental homes are considered gifts in kind and are not tax deductible. In the case of gifts in kind with a specific cash value (for example, Red Sox tickets worth $200 that are donated to the Gala), the donor may claim a deduction on the difference between the cash value and the amount of the winning bid if that bid is greater than the cash value. Why can’t I just give one gift per year and not be asked so many times?
Our giving programs are distinct from one another in many ways: some are led by parents and some by the school; some directly benefit faculty members while others go toward operating costs. Each program helps meet a particular need; we hope that these initiatives provide a variety of fun, meaningful ways to help our school.
This is a giving program for eighth grade students, led by student co-chairs. The Advancement Office works with the co-chairs to encourage all eighth graders to pledge $5 to the Annual Fund each year for five years after graduation. These gifts come from students; the program represents eighth graders’ induction into our alumni body and helps instill a lifelong habit of supporting Meadowbrook.
A Common Goal Meadowbrook relies on the support of each and every member of our community to maintain the high-caliber learning environment our family’s expect and our children deserve. Each year, our faculty is moved and inspired by the generosity of Meadowbrook families, whether their donations take the form of cash, services, goods, or their time. To learn more about giving at Meadowbrook, or to discuss your family’s philanthropic plan, please contact Janice Thompson, Director of Advancement, at 781-314- 9203 or jthompson@meadowbrook-ma.org. Please accept our heartfelt thanks for your support.
When will I be asked to contribute during the year? Here is a calendar of our giving programs: September
At Back to School Nights, class parents ask for small donations ($20-25) to class funds that will provide support for class parties and other events throughout the year.
October – November
The first Annual Fund appeal is mailed. Future appeals continue throughout the year; those who make their gifts early in the year will not receive any more Annual Fund appeals. Annual Fund gifts are accepted throughout the fiscal year, which ends on June 30.
November – December
The Faculty Appreciation Committee asks parents to contribute monetary gifts and gifts-in-kind to provide to faculty during the December Pick-a-Perk luncheon.
February
The 8th grade gift for the Meadowbrook Leadership Institute is initiated at the annual Costa Rica dinner.
March
The Gala Committee asks parents to buy tickets, underwrite, and/or give gifts-in-kind to the Gala.
April
Parents are encouraged to attend the Gala and bid on auction items.
May
The Faculty Appreciation Committee asks parents who have not yet given to contribute to the Faculty Appreciation Fund. The “Five for Five” 8th grade student program is initiated by the two class Five-for-Five co-chairs.
June
Final Annual Fund gifts are accepted through the end of the fiscal year (June 30).