The Campaign for Casady School 2020

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OFFICERS Jenee Naifeh Lister ’82, Chair Marianne Brown Rooney, Treasurer

OUR MISSION CASADY SCHOOL DEVELOPS EXCELLENCE, CONFIDENCE, AND INTEGRITY IN STUDENTS AND PREPARES THEM WITH THE SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE THAT SERVE AS THE FOUNDATION FOR SUCCESS.

OUR BELIEFS WE BELIEVE an exceptional education should cultivate those habits of mind and character that enable individuals to flourish at each stage of life. Casady School’s proven collegepreparatory curriculum focuses on the full development of each student, in mind, body, and spirit.

WE BELIEVE the mind should be nourished and developed; therefore, our academic program provides our students the challenges and opportunities necessary to develop critical and creative thinking skills, the ability to plan, evaluate and implement actions, and most importantly, the support to nurture their passions.

Eric S. Fisher Sr. ’84, Secretary Nathan L. Sheldon, Head of School

BOARD MEMBERS Alice Sias Pippin ’80 Anthony D. Jackson, M.D. C. Miles Tolbert ’82 Colin M. FitzSimons David R. Harlow ’80 Denise Parsons Guy L. Patton Henry J. Hood ’78 John Covington ’79 John D. Hart Katherine Walker Buxton ’92 Marisa Records Mark Beffort R. Murali Krishna, M.D. The Rev. Poulson Reed, Ex-Officio Victoria W. English

WE BELIEVE competitive athletics and physical education are central to the development of leadership and teamwork as well as self-confidence and respect for others. Our students are participants rather than simply spectators. Casady provides healthy and competitive opportunities that are critical to developing an appreciation for wellness and fitness in each student.

WE BELIEVE strong spiritual and moral values provide an essential foundation for one’s life; therefore, the School provides instruction in the basic tenets of the Christian faith as expressed in the Episcopal tradition. Central to the school are daily chapel services and instruction in theology and ethics.

Casady embraces individuals regardless of belief and values an understanding of all faiths.

AS SUCH, we help our students succeed by challenging and supporting them in every aspect of their educational experience.

The result is that our students are given every opportunity to realize their potential and use it to make a difference in their community.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Nathan L. Sheldon Head of School

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PAGE 7-10

ABOUT CASADY

PLACES THAT INSPIRE

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PAGE 11-12

CASE STATEMENT INTRODUCTION

PEOPLE & PROGRAMS

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PAGE 13-14

SUMMARY OF NEEDS

THANK YOU

David W. Gorham Associate Head of School Josh Bottomly Associate Head of School for Academics Jeff Bingham Chief Financial Officer James Bonfiglio Director of Operations Betty Jane Garrett ’86 Director of Institutional Advancement

DEVELOPMENT OFFICE Matthew R. Cloud, CFRE Director of Campaigns Katie Blaik James ’90 Director of Annual Giving Jennifer Homsey ’00 Director of Alumni Relations Shirley Small Manager of Gift Records

ABOUT CASADY Casady School is a PreK-12, independent, college preparatory Episcopal day school committed to deeper-level learning. Casady School welcomes a student body that reflects the diversity of the world around us and therefore does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, nationality, or ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, athletics, and other school-administered programs generally accorded or made available to students at the School.

Casady School is a member of Southwestern Association of Episcopal Schools, National Association of Independent Schools, Independent Schools Association of the Southwest, Independent School Data Exchange, Southwest Preparatory Conference, and the Malone Schools Online Network. Casady School is one of only 50 schools across the United States, and the only one in Oklahoma, to receive an endowment from the prestigious Malone Family Foundation’s Scholars Program.

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CASADY SCHOOL

ESTABLISHED 1947 | 80 ACRES

2020 UPDATES

950+ STUDENTS DEAR CASADY COMMUNITY, Here at Casady School we work hard to be in a cycle of continuous improvement. Even in these unique and unusual times, the very best educational institutions are never satisfied with the status quo and are always looking to what is just over the horizon. Exceptional Independent Schools are constantly moving toward greater relevance for the next generation of students the School will serve. This must be done while keeping a constant vigilant eye to our traditions and what they mean to us. We are proud of our traditions here at Casady School. They keep us grounded. The excitement that vibrates throughout our beautiful campus is invigorating, and the future always brings change. We don’t simply want to meet the future, we want to shape it.

The Campaign for Casady School will pave the way for this journey of discovery. The projects and priorities listed within this Case Statement were carefully crafted to embody what the School’s leadership sees as the next step in Casady’s future. We engaged in an extensive planning process that involved administrative leadership, the Board of Trustees, staff, faculty, and volunteers in an effort to identify the distinctive assets, challenges, and needs to which Casady School must respond in order to secure its best future. To those who lent their opinion and voice, thank you.

What we have seen over the last year further emphasizes the strength and resilience of our Casady Community. We do not take for granted that this great School has risen to its current status through the work of incredible giants, and we are fortunate to be standing on their shoulders. This is truly an exciting time to be a Cyclone. We appreciate your consideration of being a part in the next chapter of this storied School.

FAITHFULLY,

36% STUDENT DIVERSITY

$2.5 MILLION

OFFERED IN FINANCIAL AID

200 FACULTY AND STAFF

4,000 ALUMNI AND GROWING

100% OF SENIORS MATRICULATE TO COLLEGE

$9 MILLION

IN SCHOLARSHIPS OFFERED TO THE CLASS OF 2020 Nathan L. Sheldon Head of School

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WHY

NOW IS THE TIME

Most, if not all, great Independent Schools are in a perpetual cycle of capital campaigning. Make no mistake, Casady School is a truly great Independent School. The School’s last capital campaign of this scope and size ended in 2008, which means there is nearly an entire generation of our Casady Community who does not know what it means to be in a campaign at all.

Efforts like a campaign are much like any big decision in life. It takes much thought, consideration, and analysis. Although it seems like the perfect window in which to embark on a sizable comprehensive campaign such as this might be limited, we believe the time is right for the School to engage our community. This comprehensive campaign has been in the planning phase for two years so it was not designed as a response to the pandemic, although this unique environment did further embolden our intentions with the response we saw from our Casady Community.

Considering the changing economic time and societal norms we still feel this campaign is an important strategic initiative in the life of the School. The Casady Community is a collection of people focused on developing skills and knowledge in our students who will lead successful lives of balance, purpose, and joy. Within this comprehensive campaign, whether it be bricks and mortar or endowment creation, these are priorities that will change the face of Casady School.

This new campaign is the result of a well-researched and strategically staged plan designed to bring leadership’s vision for the School to life. The priorities that were selected were chosen through a thorough and exhaustive process that began with thoughtful dialogue about the School’s future with the Board of Trustees and Administration. Every effort was made through a series of interviews with members of the Casady Community and a study conducted by the School’s campaign consultant to further vet the priorities and programmatic impact to ensure that the direction of this comprehensive campaign will serve Casady’s needs now and into the future.

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SUMMARY OF NEEDS TOTAL: $28 MILLION

PRIMARY DIVISION EXPANSION & RENOVATION $7.5 MILLION Casady’s Primary Division is where many Cyclones begin their journey. Because of the nourishing environment and thoughtful programming, the Primary Division has reached capacity, and the need to expand the space has become readily evident.

DINING HALL EXPANSION & RENOVATION $5 MILLION The dining space has been a mainstay on Casady’s campus for decades. In order to address size constraints, while offering additional flexibility in programming, it is time to renovate and expand this dining facility.

ENDOWMENT CREATION & GROWTH $5 MILLION An Independent School’s lifeblood is its endowment. A strong endowment results in exceptional faculty, enhanced programmatic resources for students, and a strong financial position to guard against tuition inflation.

FACULTY SUPPORT $5 MILLION Casady’s outstanding faculty who fill our classrooms every day excel in teaching and shaping our children to become the leaders of tomorrow. A school might have state-of-theart facilities, but without truly talented educators, these spaces would be empty. Through this campaign we affirm our belief that Casady’s faculty are the secret to success.

ANNUAL FUND $5.5 MILLION While the aspirations for capital and endowment growth in this comprehensive campaign will have a significant impact on the future, we also want to ensure that the dayto-day operations of the School continue at the level to which our Casady Community is accustomed.

VICTORIA W. ENGLISH, IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR, CASADY SCHOOL BOARD OF TRUSTEES “At a time when many schools have been struggling with financial debt and challenges, Casady has been blessed with generous donors and wise leaders who, over the years, have led us to a position of great fiscal strength and stewardship. I am encouraged to work with an outstanding Board of Trustees who are leading our School forward financially, academically, and spiritually.

We worked tirelessly to ensure that the projects and priorities in the Campaign for Casady School addressed some of our current needs and will provide increased flexibility in the future. This campaign is so important for so many reasons; what a great opportunity to have an impact on a campus that has influenced so many lives.”

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PLACES THAT

INSPIRE

Casady School competes in a marketplace exploding with educational options for students. As Casady’s leadership looks ahead to the growth of our campus, they keep an eye on the past to ensure the School remains grounded in tradition. A master campus plan designed in 2016 reinforces the commitment to sustainability and forward planning to accommodate future generations of Cyclones as the School’s founders intended.

PRIMARY DIVISION $7.5 MILLION

The Primary Division housing the youngest Cyclones has experienced exponential interest in Casady’s Montessori-based program. With this heightened interest comes growth pressure, causing us to have to defer enrollment of great children from wonderful families. When families are turned away because Primary Division has met capacity, we potentially lose these families long-term as valuable members of our Casady Community. By expanding the facility and the School’s programming to accept more children, more families have the opportunity to join our Casady Community early, resulting in a stronger pipeline of families who will be Cyclones for life.

Proposed renovation, expansion, and refurbishment of this facility would increase the structure by nearly 8,000 square feet and allow for the creation of four new classrooms, an outdoor classroom, and a new porte cochère entry. In addition to the newly created spaces, every square foot of the existing space will be renovated.

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FEATURES OF A RENOVATED AND EXPANDED PRIMARY DIVISION: • 8,000 square feet of additional classroom space to allow for increased enrollment • Enhanced areas for innovative programming • Four new classrooms with flexibility for additional programming • New outdoor classroom • New porte cochère entry allowing for an expanded carpool zone for increased efficiency

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ENHANCING THE CASADY SCHOOL DINING EXPERIENCE $5 MILLION

Generations of Cyclones have enjoyed lunch through the School’s mission-driven family-style dining.

Alumni often recount fond memories of their experiences at Casady. As the School has grown, so have the pressures being placed on the dining and kitchen facilities to now serve lunch to more than 85 percent of our Cyclones, provide additional dining opportunities during the day, and expand catering for on campus events and activities.

While plans are still being finalized, specific growth opportunities have been identified that will allow for expanded seating capacity, increased efficiency in the kitchen facilities, and offer the ability for a contemporary dining experience while still honoring the School’s traditions.

Whether the enhancement of the Casady School dining experience is renovation, expansion, and refurbishment of the current building, or the construction of a new building, one thing is for certain, the School is working to address needs today while looking toward the needs of tomorrow.

JENEE LISTER ’82, CHAIR, CASADY SCHOOL BOARD OF TRUSTEES "Casady School opened its doors in September 1947 on land that included 38 acres, a small lake, one house and two barns. Today the School sits on 80 acres and maintains 29 buildings.

Through the decades, the leadership of Casady has focused on growing as the needs of the community dictate. As we enter a new decade, it is important to focus on current trends in education and look forward to adopting new programs that set Casady apart. Planning for the future and looking at the needs of our community, students, and faculty, we know that it is important that our facilities remain state of the art and offer flexibility for future generations.”

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FEATURES OF RENOVATED AND EXPANDED DINING HALL: • Expanded dining room with increased capacity for seating • Renovated kitchen to increase efficiency • New space to provide flexible programming • The ability to offer a more contemporary dining experience while still honoring our tradition of family-style dining

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PEOPLE AND

PROGRAMS

An Independent School’s lifeblood is its endowment.

The endowment is invested, and the income from this investment strengthens the School’s ability to respond to long-term needs while also being key in helping keep tuition inflation to a minimum. Simply put, a key initiative in Casady’s Strategic Plan is sustainability, and the creation of new endowments strengthens the School’s financial position.

ENDOWMENT CREATION AND GROWTH $5 MILLION

A healthy endowment enables Casady School to be less reliant on tuition revenue and better to withstand sweeping economic changes. At its core, the mission of an endowment allows an independent school to protect the future from the present. Endowments at Casady School are offered in a broad spectrum of options and literally touch every corner of our campus.

With the prudent management by the Board of Trustees and administrative leadership, as of July 1, 2020, Casady School’s endowment was just over $26 million. Growing endowment by $5 million through this Comprehensive Campaign will Casady not only allow Casady to increase the security and flexibility of this source of funds and income, it will also put us near the benchmark of peer schools.

DAVID GORHAM, ASSOCIATE HEAD OF SCHOOL “For Independent Schools, whose tuition income varies based on the current economy, endowment enables schools to have a steady income that allows stability in faculty salaries and student financial aid, all of which make the school a steady, strong part of a sustainable educational community. A strong endowment results in exceptional faculty and students. And the endowment will still be in place 50 to 100 years from now. The strongest Independent Schools have sizable endowments.”

FACULTY SUPPORT $5 MILLION

A Casady School education has long been a hallmark of a well-rounded Cyclone who is prepared for their next stage in life after graduation. The talented members of our faculty who work tirelessly in the classroom, virtual or on campus, lead our students in the pursuit of deeper level learning. The dedication to create durable and engaging educational experiences for our students is evident in the work our teachers do, whether it’s on campus or virtually when the need arose. Their commitment to teaching during the pandemic, while keeping focus on the School’s core values of building relationships, observing safety, and being flexible, show the resiliency and determination that define Casady’s exceptional faculty.

Through this Comprehensive Campaign we will continue to ensure that we are able to retain and recruit these talented educators to fill our classrooms now and into the future.

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$5.5 MILLION While the aspirations for capital and endowment growth in this comprehensive campaign will have a significant impact on the future, so will ensuring consistent, stable, and sustainable support of the Annual Fund that reinforces the financial viability of the day-to-day operations of the School continue at the level to which our Casady Community is accustomed.

In consideration of your capital and endowment support, know that we will also ask you to make the Casady Annual Fund part of the pledge process for the Comprehensive Campaign. The Annual Fund continues to be one of the most philanthropic efforts the School undertakes every year.

COLIN FITZSIMONS, BOARD OF TRUSTEES “A key component of this comprehensive fundraising campaign is our regular annual need for funding through the Casady School Annual Fund. In case you are not aware, our Annual Fund helps support between 16% and 18% of our School’s annual budget, and so we need to assure that while we are asking for our community to support capital projects and endowment in this campaign, that the community also continues to support our Annual Fund. My wife, who is a Casady lifer, my four sons, who all attend Casady, and I all intend on supporting the Casady School Annual Fund as we would have in a non-campaign year as a part of our support for this whole comprehensive campaign…and I hope you will join us by doing so too. I am excited about the great opportunities that this comprehensive campaign will bring to our community, and I want to thank you for contributing to its success.”

Benefits of unrestricted support in Casady’s Annual Fund are seen, for example, when the School meets an unexpected need such as that generated by the pandemic. The unrestricted resources in the Annual Fund allowed the School to be responsive and nimble as it created a Remote Learning Plan and addressed the needs that arose across campus as a result of this new programming.

As the School faces the needs of today while planning for tomorrow, the Comprehensive Campaign’s focus on $5.5 million in unrestricted support for the Casady Annual Fund is a key to future success.

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THANK YOU

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CASADY SCHOOL IS GRATEFUL FOR THE GENEROSITY OF THE CASADY COMMUNITY. Thank you for taking the time to consider the School’s Comprehensive Campaign and what a meaningful and impactful gift could make to the future of Casady School.

Intentional and thoughtful deliberation in the strategic planning process has resulted in projects that reaffirm Casady’s core values and strengthen our determination to provide the best educational experience possible. The School’s mission to develop the skills and knowledge in students so that they may lead successful lives of balance, purpose, and joy was paramount as this campaign was developed.

The projects identified for this campaign are purposeful and diverse. They will reach every corner of Casady’s campus to support our Cyclones today and future generations of Cyclones. Whatever your passion or goal through philanthropic endeavors, we believe you will make an impact on future leaders through this campaign.

WE INVITE YOU TO SUPPORT THE CAMPAIGN FOR CASADY SCHOOL AND JOIN PARENTS, ALUMNI, AND FRIENDS WHO TAKE PRIDE IN SHAPING THE CAMPUS THAT HAS TAUGHT AND NURTURED SO MANY CYCLONES. FOR ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR INFORMATION: Matthew R. Cloud, CFRE Director of Campaigns 405.749.3186 cloudm@casady.org

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9500 NORTH PENNSYLVANIA AVE. OKLAHOMA CITY, OK 73120 405.749.3100 WWW.CASADY.ORG