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Guide to Being
Involved Invested
A Powerful Partnership
CVA was founded by a small group of dedicated and passionate parents, and although our base of support has expanded as our school has evolved, parents remain the cornerstone of that foundation. We continue to partner with parents to create a fulfilling, challenging, and life-changing experience for our student-athletes. As an independent, private, non-profit school, we encourage, in fact we depend on, all members of our community to become involved with and invested in our mission. The success of this partnership, reflected primarily by the experience and accomplishments of our incredible studentathletes, has been built on the countless volunteer hours and generous financial support of ardent supporters over the past thirty years. If everyone gives to the best of their ability, we are much more likely to achieve our goals and create a strong sense of community. We ask that every family actively contribute so that CVA continues to provide exceptional classroom instruction and a world-class winter sports experience for our students. Gifts of time, talent, and treasure impact every facet of our program and make a tangible difference. By coming together as a community to support the school, students, faculty, and coaches we can send a powerful message about the value of the CVA experience and the formative role it plays in so many lives. Through fundraising efforts, various events, and organized parental support, we provide a variety of meaningful ways for you to become involved and invested. We set the course but it is up to you to jump in!
Be Involved By making it possible for your child to attend CVA we realize that you have already made a tremendous commitment, one that often proves to be the most significant yet for a family. We hope that you will continue to take an active role in your child’s education academically, athletically, and by encouraging him/ her to be a positive force in our close-knit community. The skills and support you bring to this experience may be different for every person, but they are all an essential part of our strengthening our community. There are a number of ways to be involved, from helping with special events, volunteering at competitions at Sugarloaf, hosting traveling teams, or helping with fundraising, admissions and recruiting.
Be Invested Throughout the year we make various requests to CVA families for financial support, with the hope that every member of our community will respond to the best of their ability. Annual giving, through the CVA Annual Fund, is our mainstay, providing critical operational support to the school for immediate use. It enables us to provide a robust educational experience as tuition revenue alone does not cover our expenses. We work in partnership with the Parent Support Organization to conduct various special events that augment annual giving, such as the holiday wreath sale and the annual Scholarship Event. Campaign giving is also critically important, as this year we are in the midst of the Alfond Foundation Challenge to eliminate the construction debt for our new academic center. We need to pull together to raise $536,000 by December 2016 so that we trigger a matching $500,000 gift from the Alfond Foundation and can complete Phase 2 of our New Campus Campaign. Every gift to this Challenge gets matched and helps get us closer to our goal, and your contribution will help
shape this phase of CVA’s history. Gifts of $5,000 or more will be recognized on a plaque within the academic center, to welcome students and families for decades to come. While we do not expect every family to contribute at the highest level to all of these fundraising efforts, we do hope that every family will come to understand the key role that each family plays in our community and will want to contribute in a meaningful way that feels right for them.
The CVA Annual Fund
The CVA Annual Fund is the mainstay of our fundraising activity. The school relies on donations to the Annual Fund to supplement the annual operating budget and offset the gap between tuition and the true cost of enrollment. Annual Fund gifts also supply special resources for students, faculty, coaches, and staff which maintain and enhance the high quality, unique CVA experience. Unlike events, special project funds, or the capital campaign which are used to fund a specific initiative, the Annual Fund impacts every CVA student. At CVA, our fiscal year is from July 1 , 2015 through June 30, 2016. Our Annual Fund is on the same schedule.
How are Annual Fund dollars allocated? Contributions to the Annual Fund touch every part of the school, providing additional resources to support our academic program, supplement athletics and to enhance our responsible community living curriculum. The Annual Fund also provides scholarship support to make the CVA experience possible for a wide range of families; 52% of CVA students currently receive financial aid. The ability to offer support to deserving student-athletes helps to keep us competitive but also to maintain a culturally and socio-economically diverse community, which was a key facet of our founding vision and remains a priority today.
Event and Campaign Fundraising
Holiday Wreath Sale The Parent Support Organization (PSO) Holiday Wreath Sale is a long-standing CVA tradition. The group sells beautiful Maine balsam wreaths to raise money to enhance student life at CVA through activities such as holiday parties, theme nights, and dessert nights. The PSO also uses these wreath sale proceeds to fund requests submitted in an annual “wish list” from teachers, coaches, and staff. Volunteers are welcome to help with this important initiative and these wreaths make great gifts. The PSO begins taking orders in October and organizes delivery of wreaths to Carrabassett Valley homes in early December.
CVA Scholarship Fundraiser CVA’s primary (and only!) fundraising event is the Scholarship Fundraiser which includes a popular raffle and live and silent auction. Unlike the Annual Fund which provides general operational support, all proceeds from this event are for scholarships. In addition to attending the event, which happens in February, there are several opportunities to help and contribute: you (or your business) can be an event sponsor, donate an item for the auction or raffle, buy a raffle ticket, or help with event logistics and promotion. PLEASE PLAN TO JOIN US: FEBRUARY 20, 2016
The New Campus Campaign Commitment to the Leading Edge Thirty years ago, CVA’s founders bet that an old ski lodge would serve as the perfect home for what was then a fledgling Academy. Since then, the Capricorn and all of its quirks have become an indelible part of CVA’s success but in 2000, a visionary group of CVA supporters recognized the need for new facilities. Their vision was simple: to develop a safe, modern, and purpose-built campus to accommodate CVA’s world-class programs. They knew this was a crucial step to secure CVA’s future. The initial phase of the New Campus Campaign was completed in 2006 and resulted in the acquisition of land, general infrastructure improvements, construction of the Spencer Murfey, Jr. residence hall and the creation of the Fremont-Smith soccer field and running track on the King Cummings Campus. We are currently in the midst of Phase 2 of the campaign: the academic center was completed and opened in Fall 2013. We need to pull together to raise $536,000 by December 2016 so that we trigger a matching $500,000 gift from the Alfond Foundation and can complete this phase of the campaign. Every gift to the Alfond Challenge will be matched 1:1 and helps get us closer to our goal, and your contribution will help shape this phase of CVA’s history. Gifts of $5,000 or more will be recognized on a plaque within the academic center to welcome students and families for decades to come. Once the academic center debt is eliminated we will embark on Phase 3, to build a new student center on the King Cummings Campus. This new facility will include dining, tuning and training rooms, student gathering space and administrative offices. We hope to make a full operational shift to the King Cummings Campus by 2020. Please contact Kate O’Halloran, the Director of Development and Alumni Connections to learn more about how you can be involved in this exciting time in CVA’s history. (207) 237-4498 or kohalloran@ gocva.com.
Ways to Be Involved The Parent Support Organization (PSO) The mission of the PSO is to promote understanding, cooperation, and communication among parents, teachers, and coaches and to supplement the financial and cultural resources of CVA. All parents are members of the PSO, which is led by our local parent leadership team. Regardless of geographic location, you can be more actively involved with your child’s life and the CVA student experience in general. In addition to coordinating the Holiday Wreath Sale, the PSO regularly hosts dessert nights, weekend activities, and other special student-life events. Even if you are not here in Carrabassett Valley, you can still be involved by selling wreaths or raffle tickets, ordering desserts from local shops, providing snacks and cheering/hosting nearby competitions. Please contact PSO President Brumbi Grant for more information. (207) 237-2591 or bgrant@sugarloaf.com.
Volunteering at a Competition The culmination of numerous hours of dryland training and cold mornings on the hill comes together through the excitement of competitions throughout the winter. Ski and snowboard races, freestyle competitions, and mogul events are labor intensive activities and volunteers are always welcome. It’s also a great way to both watch your child compete and become more involved in their sport. Contact your child’s Program Director for more information about volunteer opportunities at competitions.
Helping with Admissions and Recruiting Attracting energetic, committed, and talented student-athletes to attend CVA is always a priority for the school. You can play an important role in our admission efforts by being willing to share your positive personal stories about CVA with prospective families, connecting us with local ski clubs and venues, attending events, and helping with more targeted and specific outreach. If you are interested in helping to find the next generation of Big Dogs please contact Dawn Smith at 207-237-4466 or dsmith@gocva.com.
Frequently Asked Questions about Supporting CVA Who is expected to give? It is our hope that every family will provide some additional financial support (beyond tuition) to CVA each year. A high level of participation from our current families, especially to the Annual Fund, is as important as meeting our financial goal. It demonstrates to prospective families and other supporters how much we value the CVA experience and is a very important metric when completing grant applications. Even families whose student receives financial assistance are asked to give every year. Gifts of personal significance, no matter the size, are welcomed and honored.
When will I be asked to contribute? You will first be asked to contribute to the Annual Fund in November, as we do significant outreach through mailings, emails and social media. Many donors make their annual fund gift at the end of the calendar year, while some prefer to wait until the spring. You will find that we will keep asking throughout the year so you will have various ways and times to make your gift. The Scholarship Fundraiser event happens in February and is very popular among parents and grandparents. Graduation is also a popular time to make gifts to honor your student and/or a teacher or coach who played a special role in your student or family’s CVA experience. Campaign outreach also happens throughout the year, and Kate O’Halloran is available to meet or speak with you personally whenever and where it is most convenient for you.
How much am I expected to give? We know that every family’s circumstances are unique so we ask each family to give to the best of their ability, and we know that can mean different things at different times. We ask that you make a gift that is meaningful for your family and that you consider CVA among your philanthropic priorities. We receive annual fund gifts from $25 to $7,500. Each and every gift is valued and plays an important role in our collective success. We do NOT disclose or publish any giving amounts or levels.
Are donations tax deductible? Yes, CVA is a 401(c)3 organization, so Annual Fund and capital campaign gifts are tax deductible. Our tax identification number is 01-0384633. Contributions where the donor gets something in return and other “gift-In-kind� donations are governed and limited by IRS rules. Please call our Development Office at 207.237.4498 should you have any questions or need more information.
How can I make a gift? Checks are still a great way to give and eliminate our paying credit card fees; checks should be made payable to Carrabassett Valley Academy and mailed to the address on the back of this pamphlet. Another easy way to give is through our web site: www.gocva.com/ give using our secure, online giving form. You can also contact the Development Office directly via phone (207.237.4498) or in person; we welcome the opportunity to speak with you. Please also inquire with your employer as to whether they have a matching gift program, which is a valuable way to increase your gift to CVA!
Thank you for your support, from all of us here at CVA.
Important People to Know at CVA Kate Webber Punderson: Head of School kpunderson@gocva.com | 207.237.4470 Jon Lynes – Assistant Head of School jlynes@gocva.com | 207.237.4473 Dawn Smith: Director of Enrollment dsmith@gocva.com | 207.237.4466 Kate O’Halloran: Director of Development & Alumni Connections kohalloran@gocva.com | 207.237.4498 Sarah Hinman: Assistant Director of Development & Alumni Connections shinman@gocva.com | 207.237.4471 Melissa Fogg: Information Specialist and Outreach Coordinator mfogg@gocva.com | 207.237.4505
Micki Cota: Administrative Assistant mcota@gocva.com | 207.237.4458 Brumbi Grant: President, Parent Support Organization bgrant@sugarloaf.com | 207.460.8003
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Steve Sitz: Director of Finance ssitz@gocva.com | 207.237.4460
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2015 - 2016 Calendar October
• Fall Family Weekend - October 9th and 10th • Fall Break - October 10-14
November
• Hardcopy Spillway and Annual Fund Appeal • PSO Wreath Sale • Winter Term Begins - November 1
December
• Make a tax deductible gift to the Annual Fund before the calendar year ends and you won’t be asked again all school year! • Winter Break - December 19 - January 3
January
• Contribute to the Scholarship Fundraiser by buying a raffle ticket, bidding or donating on an auction item, or sponsoring or helping at the event. • Volunteer at a competition
February
• Attend the Scholarship Fundraiser - Saturday February 20th Bring your family and friends! • Volunteer at a competition
April
• Spring Break - April 9-24
May
• Senior Banquet - Friday May 27th • CVA Graduation - Saturday May 28th
June
• Make your Annual Fund gift before the end of the fiscal year on June 30, 2016
Carrabassett Valley Academy 3197 Carrabassett Drive, Carrabassett Valley, ME 04947 207-237-2250 | www.goCVA.com