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Dear Parents,
A little over two years ago my daughter Charli informed our family that she had no interest in going to the local high school. She wanted to apply to Stoneleigh-Burnham School instead! This news was a total surprise as we had not contemplated private school for her. I had heard a little about SBS, but decided that if my daughter suggested an all-girls' school for herself, then I should definitely look into it further.
We did our research, we applied, and now here we are, halfway through Charli's sophomore year. What an amazing experience it has been for all of us. For myself as a parent, any time I find myself on the SBS campus I feel extremely lucky to be here. I like that Sally knew our names two days after meeting us and that she is always available to greet us with a smile and a chat. We have also learned so much from having our house filled with girls from Taiwan, China and South Korea during various breaks.
As an active participant in the ongoing activities at SBS, it might be easy for me to think that, because I pay tuition and I volunteer my time with extra-curricular activities, I should be exempt from giving additional financial support. However, when I was told that annual giving participation in the Parents' Fund was at only 1%, and that tuition and fees only cover 75% of the cost of each girl's education, I became deeply embarrassed. I now understand the urgency of the School's fundraising efforts. Faculty giving currently resides at 68% participation. What kind of message are we, as parents, sending to our faculty as a show of our support for their work?
Charli loves her teachers and their willingness to work with her on an individual basis when needed. The commitment from Charli has been such that we have no problem making our own sacrifices to keep her here. Even in these difficult economic times it feels crucial to support her in her quest for a quality education.
What I am learning is just how important it is for the vitality of SBS to have strong parent participation in the Annual Fund. How much you give is up to you; what matters is that you give each year. We all need to become a part of the little extra effort that makes Stoneleigh-Burnham School more special than it already is. We ask this extra effort of our daughters on a daily basis. It is only fair that we, as parents, do the same.
Sincerely,
Els Oude Kotte and Todd Brown
Parents of Charli Brown '11
East Dummerston, VT
P.S. Please join me. Contribute to Stoneleigh-Burnham School today and bring parent participation up to 100%. We can do it! Click here to make your donation.