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Where Does the Money Go?
In last spring’s parent survey, 87% of Saklan parents reported that “relative to education options in the area, Saklan Valley School is worth the tuition charged,” and 89% reported that indeed they do “understand the need for annual fundraising at Saklan.” However, only 42% agreed with the statement that “I have sufficient opportunities to learn about school finances (e.g., income and expenditures).” The most frequent comments made in this section of the survey were focused particularly on the question “Where do fundraising dollars go?”
Let me address both topics here, and let you know I will also speak on this topic at the next PA meeting. We often state that Annual Giving and other fundraising dollars make possible key initiatives each year: enlarged and enhanced staff, salary and benefit increases, new computers, equipment purchases. This year, for instance, we added a librarian, we expanded the roles of the science and art specialists, we increased faculty salaries by 6%, and, for the first time ever, we were able to offer Saklan teachers retirement benefits and dental insurance. We expanded our budgets for library, science, physical education, and technological purchases, and also expanded our administrative staff to provide more attention to the upkeep, improvement, and safety of our campus. Most of these initiatives would not have been achieved without your support of Annual Giving.
In a different kind of financial analysis, we can point out that the percentage of our annual revenue that represents fundraising contributions matches up pretty closely with the percentage of our expenditures that goes to enrichment programs such as French, art, music, physical education, science and computers, library, advisory, and trips. Again, you could say that fundraising makes these possible.
In fairness, though, both of those explanations are only partially correct—they are ways of looking at our budget, but not exactly how things work. At bottom, it is critical to remember that Saklan is a non-profit school. Nobody who doesn’t work here makes any income or profit from the organization; we have only working employees, no owners or investors. No employee at Saklan, not one, earns any form of bonus, commission, incentive or other reward for successful fundraising (or for anything else). We do not have any fundraising on a “commission” basis of any kind; nobody gets a “cut” of the dollars raised. We have no professional or support staff employed for fundraising; our fundraising expenses amount to about 0.25% of annual organization expenses and about 2% of funds raised. We are extraordinarily efficient at fundraising.
That this is true at Saklan does not mean it is true everywhere. Several other “competing” private schools right in our region are for-profit corporations, privately owned schools—at least three immediately come to mind. To ask at one of those schools where fundraising dollars go is a critical question—nobody wants to donate hard earned dollars in order to profit an investor or enrich a school owner. We are all aware that many not-for-profits do conduct fundraising programs on a commission basis, where employees or consultants or contractors earn 30% or more of every dollar raised; we also are aware that many nonprofit organizations have large professional fundraising staffs and spend as much as 40 cents for every dollar raised.
At a not-for-profit school like Saklan, every dollar of revenue makes possible every thing that happens at that school. If our Annual Giving Campaign and Auction did not occur, then either programs would be cut (and class sizes would increase!), or tuition would be raised to compensate. None of these is attractive. Take raising tuition: tuition dollars are not tax deductible, so we would really disadvantage every family’s tax circumstances that way, while at the same time limiting our affordability to working families with lower household incomes. Without your real participation in our fundraising, these would be the only options, and none of them would be good options.
So again, the answer to where do your fundraising dollars go is that they, together with tuition revenue, go to make possible a school where classes are smaller than those of any other regional accredited school, where test scores and academic achievement are truly extraordinary, where children benefit from an enriching education featuring stellar specialists in foreign language, physical education, arts, music, science, technology and library, on a lovely (though too-small) campus which is nicely maintained and providing a wonderfully nurturing and safe environment for learning. That is where your support goes.
Hence your philanthropic support is critical! Our school offers a quality equal to, or better than, that of any other regional school—our test scores are spectacular, our high school placement success stellar, our graduates’ performance in high school superior, our accreditation report extraordinary, and our parent satisfaction numbers terrific. This is a great school! But look at some of the other (“competing”) schools—they have larger classes, higher tuition, and they also fundraise extensively. It doesn’t take a calculator to realize their school revenue must be larger. To match and indeed exceed their excellence, we depend on the continuing, generous support of our parents. We know, and hope you understand, that your support for Annual Giving and the Auction is essential to the results the school is achieving. These funds are gathered very efficiently, and are indispensable to our success. We’re proud of it!
***
In every year’s budget, which is approved by our Board of Trustees, we budget as revenue dollar amounts approximately equal to that raised in Annual Giving and the Auction the year prior. In other words, to balance our budget, we need to at least equal in the current year last year’s actual totals. That said, exceeding last year’s actual is even better! Exceeding it allows us to strengthen our budgetary position in the following year, allowing us to do more (and limit the tuition increase!). It also allows us to do additional projects in the current year, which tend to be physical improvement projects—shade structures, playgrounds, landscaping, and bathrooms being high on our list. It also allows us to pay down the debt we took on when purchasing our facility, and while debt paydown may not be the most exciting use of our funds, realize that an improved balance sheet significantly expands our position for future campus improvements, additions, and yes, expansion!
Every year our Board commissions a thorough, professional, and entirely independent audit of the school’s finances. By law, as a nonprofit, we are required to make that available to you. In just a few weeks, we will post a scanned version of our official 2004-05 audit, complete with a preface from our Board treasurer, Maureen Gibeson, CPA. The school’s finances are sound, and the strongest they have been in our history—our successful 2003 capital campaign, our campus purchase, our recent enrollment growth, and our expansion of the middle school facility have all improved our financial position.
When we review last year’s actual revenue, which totaled just over two million dollars for the school program itself, (setting aside Extended Day and Summer Camp), you can see that tuition accounts for the lion’s share of school revenue, and yet critical portions of the pie come from Annual Giving and the Parent Association Auction.
Turning to last year’s expenditures, you can see that just about exactly half of our spending went to faculty salaries and benefits; about a fifth funds our operations, including our plant expenses, utilities, vehicles, facility services, depreciation, and insurance; and a little less than a fifth funds our administrative and support staff. Ten percent funds financial assistance to qualified families, and five percent for student program expenses, including books, supplies, field trips and travel programs. I look forward to speaking about Saklan finances, and answering your questions, at the next Saklan Parent Association meeting.
When you donate to Saklan, you make an extraordinary difference, unlike what you can do at almost any other charity. Because our school is small, each donation is a big piece of the total. When you as a parent donate to Saklan, you are simultaneously serving your own family by enhancing your own child’s education while making a tax deductible donation that otherwise would be a non-tax deductible tuition increase. Supporting Saklan is a win-win situation.
I close with a passage from a speech one of our 2005 graduates gave at the Graduation Dinner last June (for more Graduation speeches, click here). Three years ago I entered Saklan crying tears full of anxiety and resistance. Tonight, though, I stand here before you, tears are falling once again, only this time not from my eyes but my heart... I can tell you that if it weren’t for the teachers at Saklan who influenced me, I might still be that “whatever” student, half asleep at her desk in the back…All of these people here tonight have changed my life in so many ways, and at the risk of sounding like an advertisement, Saklan’s small class size really did affect and shape the girl speaking before you now. For this blessing, I would like to thank all of you, including, of course, my parents.
Jonathan Martin
Head of School
Jonathan Martin
Head of School
The Parent Association is very pleased to bring you two outstanding speakers. In addition, mark your calendars for our Barnes and Noble Book Fair in Walnut Creek on December 3rd, 10am-8pm, so you can stock up on those holiday gifts early while benefiting Saklan!
KIDPOWER: Erika Leonard
Wednesday, November 16, 2005, from 7:00 to 9:00 PM at the church next door to Saklan Valley School
A workshop for ADULTS ONLY, child care provided at school.
RSVP at www.saklan.orgThis entertaining, active two-hour program gives parents, teachers, and other caregivers the opportunity to learn the KIDPOWER approach for introducing and practicing self-protection skills with young people. For parents, the program answers the questions
• How can we teach our children to be safe without scaring them?
• How can I balance my children’s growing need for independence with the need to keep them safe?Participants will learn methods to improve both the safety and the quality of their children’s interactions with strangers and with people they know. The workshop will emphasize the development of healthy personal safety and boundary setting skills in young people 3-12 years old.
This workshop will explore methods of
teaching children to:
- Be and act aware
- Project an attitude of confidence
- Set appropriate boundaries with people they know
- Create safety zones with strangers when out on their own
- Act responsibly while respecting others
- Persist until they get help, especially with people in authority
Katie Fahrner
Thursday, December 8th, 8:40 a.m., at the church across from Saklan, P.A. Meeting and Featured Speaker, Child Care Provided
Katie Fahrner, Practicing Clinical Child Psychologist, speaking on “Enhancing the Social and Emotional Development of your Child”. Katie works at California Pacific Medical Center in the Child Development Center and the Outpatient Mental Health Clinic. She also teaches and trains psychology interns working with children.Hope to see you there!
Pam Yares
Parent Association President
From The Development Committee
This month we opened the Annual Giving Campaign for our School with a goal to raise at least $160,000.
Our priority remains the future of our children. The fact they are enrolled at Saklan Valley School speaks that loud and clear. Each year, as at nearly all other independent schools in America, annual donations are used to fund the enrichment classes and features that make Saklan’s program so special. To fund these programs we must ask our parents to contribute an average of $1,250 to our Annual Giving Campaign. We understand not every family can meet this goal, and we are fortunate that many in our community have the will and resources to do more.
All of us have received our 2005 – 2006 pledge cards. We ask that every family look at your individual situation and consider your true capacity to give. While your children are here at Saklan, we ask that you consider focusing a significant portion or your charitable giving here, where it really makes a tangible difference. If we all do what we are able to do, we know we will surpass our goal this year, all to the immediate benefit of all our children!
The Saklan Board of Trustees has already generously pledged over $42,000 towards our goal and we are hopeful that all Saklan families will enthusiastically follow this lead. Please remember that contributions are tax deductible. Also important to know is that many of your employer companies may offer matching donation programs. One early donor (a family new to Saklan) has already made a $2500 gift with a matching corporate gift doubling it. Cheers to them!
We would appreciate if you would make your pledge as soon as possible, and definitely prior to winter break in December. The faster you fulfill, the better we stand, but pledges are payable by May 2006.
Join your fellow parents, be as generous as your circumstances allow, and if we exceed our target, we can do more for our children. Thank you in advance for your support of our school.
Sincerely,
The Development Committee , Kate Dey, Jennifer Griessel, John Macauley, Bett Tokar & Diane Wilcox
"
From The Board Chair
Are We Getting Our Money’s Worth?Value is the overwhelming driver of decisions involving our money. When we pay for something, hopefully the great majority of the time we make the “buy decision” based on value as opposed to prestige, ideology or groupthink. Receiving what we pay for is an ideal requisite of the business of life.
I am thoroughly convinced that we, the community of parents, get our money’s worth from Saklan. This is another way of saying that our children are experiencing personalized development that is worth the many thousands of dollars that we annually pay and donate to our little gem of a school in Moraga.
Frankly, it’s a steal. Saklan applies academic rigor in a nurturing community to deliver a demanding and balanced education to its students. The attention of Saklan’s talented and motivated faculty working in a small class format assures students a personal educational experience that emphasizes critical thinking. The Saklan environment rewards respect, honor and responsibility, and is reinforced by the engagement of students’ families to support a consistent message of Saklan’s mission and standards. This experience is worth a whole lot of money.
I tell my son Porter, now 21 years old and a senior in college, that investing in his personal human capital is the best possible investment he can make. Better than a house in L.A. or a new biotech company (and certainly better than a new car!) Porter is of the age where it’s now pretty much up to him, and I often encourage him to own that responsibility, see its power, and act on it. Building one’s personal intellectual and social foundation the right way, as best it can be built, makes irrefutable sense to me (and I think largely but not always to him—after all, he’s only 21.)
Our children at Saklan aren’t yet Porter’s age, and so we are making that decision for them. I am utterly convinced that we are making the best decision, investing in their human capital, and laying a foundation for their success as citizens, workers, partners, investors, businesspeople and professionals of myriad types.
When we participate in the Annual Giving Campaign, we are making such an investment. Not only are we getting our money’s worth, but it is a wildly promising investment, the best one we can make for the children we love.
Sincerely,
Paul Felton, Board ChairPaul Felton, Board Chair
Ed Rice, Vice Chair
Marcela Salem
Jennifer Griessel
Dan Dahlen
Kate Dey
Diane Wilcox
Jonathan Martin, Head of School
Joan Jump
Bett Tokar
Annie Barendregt
Maureen Gibeson
John Macauley
Ruth Bailey
Paul Nathan
Pam Yares
Kindergarten: So Learning is Fun Forever
by Amy Burnett, Kindergarten Teacher
I tell my students that I teach Kindergarten so I never have to leave it. If you peek into Kindergarten any time of day on any day of the week you’ll see why. You’ll see a group of children with smiles on their faces and hands up in the air writing, constructing, adding, painting, reading, experimenting, and just about anything else you can think of. You will see them engaged and engaging. You will see them having fun. You will see them asking questions. You will see them finding answers. You will see them learning and therein learning to love school.
Kindergarten is absolutely my favorite grade to teach. There is nothing like the clarity, honesty, and newness with which five-year-olds see the world. My teaching philosophy is quite simple and absolutely permeates my classroom and my teaching: I am firmly grounded in the belief that imagination is the key to knowledge. I believe that through the cultivation of imagination one learns the concept of multiple possibilities. Children become thinkers and are thereby able to see the world through many sets of eyes. I work incessantly to have my classroom be an engaging, exciting, thought-provoking, accessible, encouraging, imaginative, and welcoming place to be. My teaching can best be described as project-based, standards-based learning delivered through an artistic lens. Young children inherently respond to artistic endeavors, therefore teaching in this way naturally bridges life and school experiences thereby creating a holistic learning environment. Young children are blessed with the gift of daring. They do not yet have in them the “I can’t do this” attitude. Art opens their eyes- shows them what could be in addition to what is. It opens the door to what may never be but what can always be dreamt of. Art, like learning, is devoid of barriers and boundaries, rules and regulations. When a child feels safe, secure, listened to, and valued they are capable of learning anything.
In kindergarten we use inquiry-based methodology wherein children are taught how to think for themselves and how to find the answers to their questions. Each day is full of reading, writing, math, science, social science, art, and everything in between. A typical morning finds a kindergartener learning about sounds and letters, writing in daily journals, and working on handwriting. Math follows morning recess with a balance of hands-on and pencil/paper work. After lunch the children rotate through various centers which include science, social science, math, reading/writing, and art. I tie all learning together across the curriculum by choosing a focus, say butterflies, and then using that theme in math by talking about symmetry, reading butterfly stories during reading time, and by charting out a butterfly’s life cycle to combine math, science, writing, and art. The more you connect learning, the more likely a child is to retain the information.
The goal of kindergarten is to ready the children for a successful school career. Socialization is an enormous focus in kindergarten. Children are taught about themselves as individuals and as part of a group. They are shown the benefits of kindness, self-awareness, and independence. Academically every child is different and in kindergarten at Saklan they are taken from where they are and brought absolutely as far as they can be. Learning and emotional/social inteIligence are inextricably linked and this is why the one is coupled with the other. We at Saklan believe in children being children and being afforded the luxury of time. We believe learning is fun and should remain so forever. We believe in getting messy and digging into projects and giving children real, quality artist’s materials. I believe they deserve nothing less and that is why I teach at Saklan.
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Sun - Nov 09
2:00 PM - 4:00 PMOpen House
2PM - 4PMFri - Nov 14 End of Trimester I
Fri - Nov 14
12:45 PM - 1:45 PMAuthor visit: Paul Feig
Grades 5-7Sat - Nov 15 -- Sun - Nov 16
9:00 AM - 12:00 PMBasketball Clinic
Sports courtTue - Nov 18 Professional Development Day
NOON DISMISSALFri - Nov 21 Parent Association Meeting
After flag at the church next door.Mon - Nov 24 -- Fri - Nov 28 Thanksgiving Week
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