This past Monday night I was reminded again how special our school is.
As evidence of this, the Board Development Committee allocated some $4000 toward the purchase of classroom extras. These are items that we might not be able to purchase out of regular tuition funds. The items ranged from enrichment software to help kindergarten students who are sight-based readers augment their reading fundamentals, technology for classrooms (projectors, screens, etc.), digital protractors for math, to dry-erase geometric marker boards, as well as many other items. These supplies were purchased by your gifts and my gifts to the Annual Fund. In the past 4 years well over $100,000 has been raised by Allison Burris and the school’s development office. Even though this is significant, even more significant is the fact that 40 cents of every dollar raised goes towards the school’s growing endowment which is now over $100,000. This endowment will be used to supplement the school’s educational goals when it reaches maturity in the not too distant future. Although the endowment’s principal cannot ever be spent, interest on the account can and will be when funds in the account reach guidelines set by the Board of Trustees and the Board Development Committee.
I was also reminded of this by the planning efforts of our Parents’ Club. On Thursday, February 17, they will host Catfish in Como. This will be a live and silent auction devoted solely toward raising money for the school. The Parents’ Club over the years has been so faithful, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars to purchase needed items for the school. For the past 15 years they have been responsible for the purchase of computers for our computer labs ensuring that the elementary and secondary labs get new computers every three years. Over the years they have helped with the purchase of school busses, new curriculums, as well as providing each teacher with start-up money each August toward the purchase of classroom enhancements.
Without lifelines like these and the many volunteers that who them work, we could not offer what we have today. When you see Allison Burris and Sheila Brownlee from the MHS Advancement Office, thank them for their work with the Annual Fund and when you see April Lipscomb, this years’ Parents’ Club President, Lori Puryear Barrett, Chair of the Catfish in Como fund raiser, or any of the other officers and committee chairs of the Parents’ Club, tell them thanks and that you appreciate their time and effort. Or better yet get involved – give to the Annual Fund and support and attend Catfish in Como. I know I will…
