Dear Abbey Parents,
With each new student we welcome to Portsmouth Abbey, we welcome a new family as well, and we are grateful to have you as a part of our extended Raven community.
Our mission is to help young men and women grow in knowledge and grace in a community characterized by friendship and joy, and we are looking forward to sharing this journey with you and your child.
In this brochure, you will find ways you can be involved with the life of the School and share in your child’s Portsmouth Abbey experience. Whether you are volunteering during Parents’ Weekend, hosting a dinner or reception, or participating during Parent Participation Month and Giving Day, there are a variety of ways you can be a part of the School community which collectively enrich the overall student experience. We appreciate your dedication of time, talent, and treasure, all of which help sustain and grow the initiatives that make a Portsmouth Abbey education so valuable to your child.
I look forward to seeing you on campus, at one of our receptions, or wherever our paths might cross this year. In the meantime, if I can be of assistance to you in any way, please do not hesitate to reach out.
With gratitude and in friendship and joy,
Matthew P.
Walter
Head of School
Parent Contacts
Parents’ Association Chairs
Frank and Rhonda Landers P’20 ’24, Portsmouth, RI
Parents’ Association Form Chairs
Parents’ Association Form Chairs are current parents who head the individual efforts of each Form.
Form VI Chair
Jennifer Collesano P’22 ’24, Buffalo, NY
Form V Chairs
Ann Marie ’96 and Matthew Forbes ’97 P’25 ’26, Westport, MA
Form IV Chairs
Beth and Adam Conway ’94 P’24 ’26, Wellesley Hills, MA
Form III Chairs
Scott and Delicia Ormiston P’24 ’27, Scituate, MA
International Parent Liaisons
International Parent Liaisons assist with the Parents’ Association efforts by serving as the national or regional representative for parents abroad.
Chinese Parent Liaisons
Dr. Laiming Luo and Dr. Chang Liu P’26, Chongqing, China
Korean Parent Liaisons
Mr. JongKeun Lee and Mrs. HyoRyoung Kim P’25, Seoul, Korea
Central and South American Liaisons
Maria Elena and Julian Altamirano P’22 ’25, San Salvador, El Salvador
For contact information for Form Chairs and International Parent Liaisons, please visit: www.portsmouthabbey.org/community/parents.
Staff Contacts
Patty Gibbons, Director of Advancement pgibbons@portsmouthabbey.org | 401-643-1281
Meghan Fonts, Director of Parent Relations mfonts@portsmouthabbey.org | 401-643-1246
Anita Vigerstol, Director of the Annual Fund avigerstol@portsmouthabbey.org | 401-643-1204
PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION PORTSMOUTH ABBEY SCHOOL
A Parents’ Guide to GIVING & GETTING INVOLVED
SHARE THE EXPERIENCE
The aim of Portsmouth Abbey School is to help young men and women grow in knowledge and grace. But long before students ever arrived on Cory’s Lane, their journeys began with you, their supportive and committed families. As parents, you are automatically part of Portsmouth Abbey’s Parents’ Association, and we invite you to continue the journey alongside your child as part of our proud Raven family.
ENGAGE IN THE EXPERIENCE
Parents are able to strengthen the student experience by volunteering their time and talents. Below are areas in which you can become involved:
Admissions:
Support the admission effort by assisting with events, make welcome calls for new families, or host an event in your area.
Annual Fund:
The Parents’ Association encourages families to participate in the Annual Fund by offering financial support which enriches the entire student experience.
NEW Grandparents’ Day:
On the morning of Spring Family Day, Grandparents are invited to visit their Raven, attend a class, meet the Head of School and enjoy a reception in the new Student Center with their grandchild.
Host a Reception/Dinner:
Host a gathering of parents/alumni/friends of the School at your home or club to help facilitate engagement and get to know Abbey constituents!
International Student/Family Volunteer:
Support our international students by being a resource for questions, inviting them home for a meal/overnight, and checking in periodically. Each experience varies depending on the needs of the student/family.
New Parent Liaison:
We were all new once! Think about being a parent liaison for our newly enrolled parents over the summer.
Parents’ Weekend:
Assist in decorating gymnasiums, auditorium for the Parents’ Reception, or help at the Parents’ Association Welcome Tables.
Spring Family Day:
Volunteer at the Welcome Tent, scoop ice cream, hand out t-shirts.
Support the Arts:
Parents are welcome to assist with bake sales at performances, costume/makeup preparation, and other performing arts needs.
SUPPORT THE EXPERIENCE
Portsmouth Abbey has been able to grow and thrive due to the generosity of donors who have embraced the School’s mission of helping young men and women grow in knowledge and grace. Below are ways in which you can use your philanthropic support to enrich the student experience.
Annual Fund:
Each year, parents—along with alumni, parents of alumni, and friends of the School—are asked to contribute to the Annual Fund. The Annual Fund provides a dependable and necessary source of financial support for the School which is fully expended each year. Gifts to the Annual Fund support and enhance the School’s greatest needs and priorities while also providing necessary funding for scholarships and financial aid, academic programs, the student life experience, and faculty resources. Our goal each year is to reach 100 percent participation from our current parents.
Endowment:
Endowment funding is a critical component of every financially sound independent school. Your generous support of the endowment not only provides a permanent and stable foundation for Portsmouth Abbey School’s future, it also has a direct impact on today’s students. Income from endowed funds provides perpetual resources that support the ongoing work of Portsmouth Abbey’s faculty, staff, and monastic community as they help students to grow in knowledge and grace.
