THE ANNUAL FUND A GUIDE TO GIVING
BUILDING ON OUR MOMENTUM At Bay Ridge Prep, we are always looking for new ways to help our students learn, grow, create, and connect, and this school year brings especially exciting progress. During the second semester, we will open our new gymnasium at the Upper School campus. The facility also includes an additional floor of classrooms, a dedicated fitness area, and a student innovation and fabrication lab, our maker space. In the fabrication lab, Upper School students will be able to bring their ideas to life using 3D printers, laser cutters, robotics systems, CAD software, and other hands-on tools. At the same time, our design-focused Middle School curriculum is expanding to develop age-appropriate skills in engineering, entrepreneurship, design, and interdisciplinary project-based learning. This progress reflects years of thoughtful planning, careful stewardship of our resources, and, above all, the extraordinary generosity of the Bay Ridge Prep community. Alongside these new facilities, we continue to strengthen the academic, athletic, and arts programs that are central to the Bay Ridge Prep experience. The Upper School program now includes more than 50 electives, including five new STEM and technology courses, while the arts and music curriculum has expanded to nearly 25 electives. Our students also have an impressive range of athletic opportunities, with 20 offerings in the Lower School, 25 in the Middle School, and nearly 30 in the Upper School. For a school our size, these opportunities give students a remarkable range of ways to discover new interests, develop their talents, form lasting connections, and find a sense of belonging beyond the classroom. With growth comes the responsibility to sustain what we have built while continuing to move Bay Ridge Prep forward. We are investing in our academic programs, strengthening athletics and the arts, maintaining and operating our expanded facilities, and providing meaningful professional development opportunities for the exceptional faculty who make the student experience possible. Retaining outstanding teachers and attracting talented new educators when opportunities arise remain among our highest priorities. Supporting all of these priorities requires resources beyond those provided by tuition alone. That is why the generosity of our families and friends through the Annual Fund is so important. We invite you to build on Bay Ridge Prep’s momentum by making a gift to our fall Annual Fund campaign. Every gift, at whatever level is meaningful for your family, helps sustain the faculty, programs, resources, and opportunities that enrich our students’ experience every day. Together, we can ensure that Bay Ridge Prep continues to be a community where every student has the opportunity to flourish academically, creatively, socially, and personally.
Dr. Charles Fasano Head of School
Alan Bernstein Director of Development
WHY DONATE? THE MEANING OF THE ANNUAL FUND Annual Giving provides an essential source of non-tuition revenue at Bay Ridge Prep. The generosity of our community ensures every student benefits from an exceptional learning experience. When parents, alumni, and friends come together, we expand what is possible for our students. Every gift, no matter the size, directly impacts student life and the goals listed below: Recruiting and retaining inspiring teachers Maintaining small class sizes and personalized learning Expanding tuition awards to keep our community accessible Growing our academic, arts, and athletic programs Investing in technology, facilities, and campus care Supporting school trips, transportation, and daily enrichment
NEW GYMANSIUM AND FABRICATION LAB Our new gymnasium building, located on the Upper School campus on Shore Road, will open during the second semester this school year. This new gym facility will also include additional classrooms and a fitness center. In addition, we will open our Student Innovation and Fabrication Lab where students can design, prototype, build, and solve real-world problems using industry -relevant technology. This will be a flexible interdisciplinary space supporting: Engineering & Robotics Design Thinking Architecture & Product Design Coding & Electronics Entrepreneurship & Innovation Project-Based Learning We will also continue to enhance our design-focused learning in Middle School. Our goal is to support developmentally appropriate project based learning throughout the curriculum. As our facilities and programs expand, so do the requirements to sustain them.
MORE ACADEMIC COURSE OPTIONS With a wide variety of courses and electives, the curriculum Bay Ridge Prep has expanded exponentially over the years. Some new additions include: Activism in American History AP Cybersecurity AP Psychology Astronomy Builders and Inventors Conceptual Physics Creative Media & Techinal Arts Design & Production Human Relations & Leadership Intro to Kinesiology We take pride in continuing to challenge our students with new courses, including elective, honors and AP classes. This commitment requires new teachers, resources, and spaces, much of which is funded by Annual Fund contributions.
MORE CLUBS & ARTS PROGRAMS Our Visual and Performing Arts Programs have expanded to include new ceramic studios, digital arts, creative media & technical arts, design & production, graphic design, dance and music at all levels for both performance and production. The number of students participating in our annual shows have increased and our theatrical productions have become more sophisticated and elaborate. We also have over 30 student clubs, from Chess Club to Taekwondo, and more. All of these exciting new opportunities have required an increase in funding made possible by the generous support of our annual fund.
NEW ATHLETICS OFFERINGS Bay Ridge Pep’s Athletic Teams, Sports Clinics, and After School Program are expanding each school year. K-8 athletics teams and clinics include swimming, baseball, basketball, track (outdoor and cross country), softball, soccer, gymnastics, flag football, and volleyball. For Lower School we have added basketball, T-ball, wiffleball, gymnastics and tennis. K-8 After School features dance, creative movement, karate, yoga, and cheerleading. Upper School team sports include soccer, volleyball, basketball, baseball, softball, bowling, golf, tennis, flag football, pickleball, swimming, cross country, indoor track, and outdoor track. We have added JV teams for boys soccer and girls volleyball. These incredible offerings to our athletic program require more transportation, coaches, and resources. UPPER SCHOOL
ATHLETICS EXPANSION
Varsity Baseball Varsity Bowling
Gr. 9 Boys Basketball JV Boys Basketball
Varsity Boys Basketball Varsity Girls Basketball
Varsity Boys Soccer CPSAL Varsity Boys Soccer ISAL Varsity Girls Soccer JV Soccer
Varsity Boys Tennis JV Girls Tennis
Varsity Girls Tennis
Varsity Cross Country Varsity Flag Football Varsity Golf
Varsity Indoor Track
Varsity Outdoor Track Varsity Pickleball Varsity Softball
Varsity Swimming
Gr. 9 Girls Volleyball JV Girls Volleyball
Varsity Girls Volleyball
LOWER & MIDDLE SCHOOL Gr. K-1 T-Ball Clinic
Gr. K-6 Tennis Clinic
Gr. 2-6 Gymnasitcs Clinic Gr. 2-4 Wiffle Ball Clinic
Gr. 2-4 Basketball Clinic Gr. 3-6 Soccer Clinics
Gr. 3-6 Girls Volleyball Clinics Gr. 3-6 Swimming Clinics Gr. 5–6 Outdoor Track
Gr. 5-6 Baseball Clinic Gr. 5-6 Softball Clinic Gr. 5–6 Basketball
Gr. 5-6 Cross Country
Middle School Boys Basketball Middle School Girls Basketball Middle School Baseball
Middle School Cross Country
Middle School Girls Volleyball Middle School Boys Soccer Middle School Girls Soccer
Middle School Flag Football
Middle School Outdoor Track Middle School Swimming
WAYS TO GIVE AND LEVELS OF GIVING Heads: $10,000+ Scholars: $5,000+ Fellows: $2,500+ Tigers: $1,000+ Par tners: $500+ Suppor ters: $250+ Friends: $100+ Bay Ridge Prep is a registered 501(c)(3). Gifts are tax-deductible as allowed by law. All donors are acknowledged in Bay Ridge Prep’s Annual Impact Repor t, online, and in select communications. More impor tantly, your gift creates immediate, tangible benefits for our students. Regardless of the size of your gift, your suppor t matters! Credit Card: MasterCard, Visa, AmEx, and PayPal accepted via our secure giving por tal at bayridgeprep.org/annualfund. Checks: Payable to Bay Ridge Prep and mailed to: Bay Ridge Prep Development Office, 8101 Ridge Boulevard, Brooklyn, NY 11209 Securities: Donate appreciated securities and deduct the full gift value without capital gains. Contact us at development@bayridgeprep.org or 718-833-9090 for instructions. Matching Gifts: Many employers match donations. Ask your HR depar tment and submit the necessar y forms. Contact us with questions. Donor Advised Funds (DAFs): Direct your sponsoring organization to make checks payable to Bay Ridge Prep. Contact us for our tax ID# and assistance.
If you have any questions about how to suppor t Bay Ridge Prep, please contact the Development Office at development@bayridgeprep.org or call 718-833-9090.