A LETTER FROM THE BOARD PRESIDENT

In June, my son’s Caedmon career will culminate with his graduation, and my term as president of the Board of Trustees will come to an end. I am proud of my son’s achievements at Caedmon, and I am proud, too, of Caedmon’s achievements during my years as president. These are the ones about which I am most proud:

Caedmon opened for in-person learning in September 2020. In September 2020, after three months of Covid-imposed lockdown, and three more months of summer “vacation,” our children returned to the schoolhouse squealing with joy. We were one of the very few schools in the city that opened their schoolhouse every day that school year, for which we can thank Mr. Stuart’s unapologetic optimism guided by a Health Advisory Team that included brilliant medical professionals and the school’s remarkable nurses. I was privileged to participate on this team—not to provide any answers, but to help frame the questions.

Caedmon has operated in the black during each of my years as president of the Board. Caedmon’s financial position has been strengthened by a group of trustees who have lent their business acumen and common sense to the school’s financial oversight. These trustees have worked with the administration to develop realistic budgets, and to keep our spending within our means. This discipline will benefit Caedmon for years to come.

Caedmon completed its most successful capital campaign ever. Caedmon owes its financial stability not only to sound business practices, but also to the $2.75 million raised by the Campaign for Caedmon to support teacher salaries, for a capital project, and to enhance our investment portfolio. As I look forward a few years, I surely hope that another capital campaign will enable Caedmon to further improve its physical plant, to fine-tune its rich curriculum, and to make itself even more attractive for admission and retention.

Caedmon is stronger today than it has ever been. When I became president in early 2020, I wanted to help make Caedmon a stronger institution. This goal was achieved because my colleagues on the Board contributed their time, judgment and personal financial support. We enhanced financial oversight, improved the school’s governance, and enriched the process for identifying and selecting new trustees, including both Caedmon parents and professionals who work at other schools. We have good reason to be proud of the job we have done.

My colleagues on the Board honor the ideal that we are all a part of something that is bigger than any one of us alone, and they enable us to celebrate a community that gives back because it sees its future in its children.

Best regards,

Jamie Stecher, President, Caedmon Board of Trustees