Saint’s Fund Campaign…..

Recently, I was given a great honor. I was asked to be the Faculty/Staff Chair of the Saint’s Fund.

To be sought for this responsibility is lovely, and I accepted without hesitation.  Below is the text from my speech during  an All School meeting, August  21st. I hope that it underscores the importance of this campaign in our school’s life.  Today, as of September 22nd, 2008, I can proudly announce that we have reached 100%  Faculty and Staff participation.  A thank you to all who have supported the Saint’s Fund.

Saint'S Fund: Get into the Spirit!

A thank you to the Development Office for selecting me as their Saint’s Fund Faculty/Staff chair. It is an honor.

I consider myself to be a rather lucky girl to land here at Saint Stephen’s. I am reminded of this notion each morning when I unlock the library door, underneath our world flags in the Breezeway. ‘Open the doors of our world’ is a wonderful theme to work with this year. In actuality, we work with this theme everyday of every year, as we expose our students to the world beyond.

We all have a part to play in global understanding. Many of use have traveled beyond America’s borders for leisure, to study abroad; some to adopt a child in Korea or in China. And some of us are foreign citizens from beyond. We each bring to our campus a part of our global exposure, making our campus a special place. I know that my Lower School friends love learning Spanish vocabulary from Senora Rogers and her talking parrot. Mrs. Mercier celebrates in Children’s Day and Korean culture with our Intermediate School children. Can you imagine campus without Marc Jones and his colorful British soccer jerseys? Or Madame Marshall’s French croissant cooking demo. I am sure that I have heard Polynesian music coming from Mr. Marshall’s room. Christina Pommer has demonstrated the Japanese art of Origami. Tony Haakman has a picture of Sidney Crosby in his room. (For those of you who do not know, Crosby is a Canadian phenomenon who plays Center position for the Pittsburgh Penguins hockey team…..think a young Wayne Gretzky. He is one of our most famous exports; next to maple syrup and Anne of Green Gables of course.) We have a global laboratory on campus. Our experiences impact our teaching and thus make Saint Stephen’s a special place for our children to learn as well as gain a cultural awareness.

The Saint’s Fund covers a portion of what we do. It bridges the gap between what tuition covers and the actual cost of making our school run. It covers things such as the cost of Windex used to clean up after the French croissant cooking lesson, the fuel for the bus to get Mr. Jones’ soccer team to the away games, the batteries for Senora Roger’s parrot, Christina’s origami paper, the tape on the Sidney Crosby poster, the laptop and projector during Mrs. Mercier’s Korean presentation, the cost of faculty salaries. With the aid of the Saint’s Fund, these special things we do to enrich our learning environment, and that make our campus special, could not happen.

Your assistance, in whatever amount you can manage, is greatly appreciated. We are striving for 100% participation…such a message will demonstrate to our community that the Faculty and Staff are fully committed to what happens on our campus, to continuing the learning, to continue the global awareness instilled in our children.

Many of you are perhaps thinking “Sarah , have you looked at the cost of gasoline? Or bought a gallon of milk, recently?” I know that we are living in a challenging economic environment, though we are asking you to give what you are able. No matter what the amount. Consider payroll deduction, if that is easier for you. If you have given in the past, I thank you. Please continue this giving. Please help build upon the special learning and global awareness which we all bring to Saint Stephen’s by giving what you can. Thank you.