2024-2025 Guide to Giving & Getting Involved

A Guide to

Giving & Getting Involved

2024-2025

So many ways to High Meadows This guide is intended to introduce you to the many ways you can enrich your connections and experience at High Meadows. From volunteering and getting involved, to providing financial support, the impact of engaged parents, faculty, alumni, grandparents and friends cannot be underestimated.

Together, we make up a diverse, joyful, and empowered family. Thank you for loving and showing up for High Meadows.

Lisa Baker Head of School & Camp

Community,Connection & Engagement High Meadows is so much more than a school.

It is a place to make connections, to grow, to be part of.

The magic of High Meadows is fueled by the passion, commitment, and support of our community.

A strong culture of philanthropy and community engagement enable us to fulfill our mission and vision through meaningful learning designed to inspire.

Financial Model Philanthropy plays an important role in the vitality of independent schools. High Meadows is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, which means we have various streams of revenue that fund our annual budget. The primary sources of revenue for independent schools like High Meadows are tuition and fundraising.

Tuition typically covers approximately 80% of what it takes to run the school, so your commitment to High Meadows as a philanthropic priority plays a critical role in advancing our mission and ensuring that High Meadows has the resources needed for its students, faculty, and programs to thrive.

Each year, we plan carefully to assure that our budget can appropriately support our programs and our people. In addition to projecting enrollment-based tuition revenue in our annual budgeting process, we also anticipate a specific income produced by fundraising efforts.

Meeting our fundraising goals is an operational necessity for us to delivery on our mission, to assure that High Meadows remains accessible and affordable to a diverse student body, and to provide our students, families, and employees a rich and inspiring experience.

Your Support Matters Here “High Meadows relies on every member in our community to help us offer the best possible experience and education for our students, faculty, and families. It’s an honor and a joy to support such a special place.”

Leigh Borda High Meadows Fund Chair Parent of Tallulah (2nd grade) and Ace (3rd grade)

Support High Meadows High Meadows Fund This yearly initiative is vital to the school’s financial well-being.

Through support of the annual fund, donors demonstrate their belief in our mission and their dedication to the continued success of the school.

Anniversary Campaign Capital giving enhances High Meadows students’ education experiences through investment in large-scale campus improvements.

Endowment & Planned Giving Endowment giving provides a solid foundation for the future of our school.

Planned Giving is a way for donors to include High Meadows in their estate plans which supports a legacy of financial strength for the school.

Gala This biennial fundraiser not only fosters community through a fun evening, but provides extra resources for special projects and initiatives.

Indirect Fundraising Contributions can be sent to High Meadows at no cost to you.

Corporations give back to schools through purchases you are already making, as long as you select High Meadows School to receive these funds.

Georgia GOAL Tax Credit Program This tax-strategy involves redirecting your state taxes to High Meadows to be used for funds to award financial-aid.

High Meadows Fund What is the High Meadows Fund?

The High Meadows Fund is our highest fundraising priority. As you plan your giving to High Meadows, we hope that you will consider, first and foremost, the annual High Meadows Fund which benefits every student. The Fund directly supports the two most important aspects of our community- our students and teachers. The Fund is fundamental to the school’s operating budget, and dollars raised each year support the daily life of the school.

Doesn’t tuition cover all operating expenses?

As is standard in independent schools, tuition and fees typically cover approximately 80% of our annual expenses. The remainder must be funded through other sources. The Fund closes the gap between tuition and the actual cost of a High Meadows education.

What does the Fund support?

Everything! It pays for the books in the library, faculty salaries, art and technology supplies, pony and pig food, tipi canvases, garden tools, building maintenance, financial aid and much, much more!

How much should we give?

As a small independent school, your gift makes BIG impact here!

Every gift to the Fund, no matter the size makes a difference.

Achieving our fundraising goal is made possible by commitments from our entire HMS community. Please consider making High Meadows, where you can see the tangible benefit of your giving here on campus every day, a top philanthropic priority for your family.

Contact Angela Lockard Bogoev at abogoev@highmeadows.org with any questions about the High Meadows Fund.

Go to highmeadows.org/support for more details.

Go to highmeadows.org/give_online to donate today.

Anniversary Capital Campaign What is the Anniversary Campaign?

High Meadows Anniversary Campaign is the school’s first true capital campaign. In honor of High Meadow’s 50th anniversary, the school is raising over 2 million dollars to build a new classroom facility that will both meet current space needs and augment student and teacher experience.

How is this different than the High Meadows Fund?

A capital campaign is a targeted fundraising effort designed to raise funds for a major initiative, such as a building project, within a defined period. Unlike the High Meadows Fund, the Anniversary Campaign’s purpose is to fully fund a new facility on campus through multi-year pledges and donations. Fund gifts must be pledged and paid by the end of the school year. This year, we will be seeking contributions to both the Fund and the Anniversary Campaign.

Contact Angela Lockard Bogoev at abogoev@highmeadows.org with any questions.

Investing in our Future The new building will provide learning spaces for Environmental Sustainability and Middle Years classes as well as much needed flexible meeting space.

Learn More: To learn more about the building, read construction updates, and ask questions, visit: highmeadows.org/support/anniversary-campaign.

We anticipate that construction on the new building will conclude in summer 2025.

Biennial Gala Every other school year, High Meadows School hosts an adult-only gala where class art projects and a wide variety of donated auction items and baskets are auctioned off in support of the school.

Don‘t miss this chance to enjoy cocktails, a silent auction, and a delicious meal followed by music and dancing.

Mark your calendar now for this year’s gala on March 28, 2025 at Ivy Hall in Roswell.

If you or your business can donate auction items, please contact Angela Lockard Bogoev at abogoev@highmeadows.org.

Indirect Fundraising Indirect Fundraising brings financial contributions to our school at no expense to you. Certain companies allow you to choose High Meadows School on your account profile, and a percentage of funds will come back to High Meadows! Set it up once and shop as usual. The main partners of this are Publix, Kroger, and Mabels Labels.

Georgia Goal Make a win-win impact and redirect your Georgia tax liability to support financial assistance at High Meadows!

Individuals and Corporations (partners in partnerships, LLC owners, and shareholders of S-Corps) paying Georgia taxes are eligible for a dollar-for-dollar credit on state income taxes. Every year, the Georgia Private School Tax Credit Program, combined with support from High Meadows Fund and budgeted dollars, allow HMS to enroll bright, motivated, and curious students regardless of their family's ability to pay full tuition.

Learn more about how to participate at goalscholarship.org!

Refer a friend or neighbor!

Help High Meadows by sharing your experience with others: Encourage a friend with children to come take an Admission Tour Share information about our Open House, Family Farm to Forest, and Guest Speaker events Invite friends and neighbors to join us for Fall Festival or Early Years Festival Write a positive review online (Greatschools.org, Google, Facebook, etc.)

Share our social media posts and chime in about HMS when you see posts from people exploring schools

Have a friend who has questions or would like to tour?

Contact Laura McKie at lmckie@highmeadows.org

Family Involvement & Leadership Wondering about ways to spend meaningful time on campus?

Our family association, FAHMS (Family Association of High Meadows School), works diligently each year to organize opportunities for parents and family members to enjoy and support High Meadows.

Engaging with HMS through FAHMS is a fun and easy way to get to know other parents, staff, and how High Meadows School works. We are delighted to welcome you and hope you find being part of FAHMS engaging and rewarding!

Jessica McCraw FAHMS Co-President jgmccraw@gmail.com

Annette Barron FAHMS Co-President annettebarron@mac.com

Participation & Volunteering Actively participating in events, educational opportunities, and volunteering helps you share the High Meadows experience alongside your child. Whether you’d like to help in the barnyard, serve as a room representative, or decorate for the gala, there is a just-right opportunity for you to be meaningfully engaged at HMS.

Larissa Michel is the FAHMS Volunteer Coordinator.

Contact Larissa at swissris@yahoo.com to get plugged in.

Ways to Get Involved Room Representative HMS Room Representatives help build a classroom community as the liason between the classroom teachers, the class families, and FAHMS.

Library Helper Love a little quiet time to yourself? Volunteer to help shelve books and keep our library tidy and organized!

Guest Educator Teachers often reach out to parents to share their areas of expertise, professions, passions or interests. What might you like to share with students at HMS?

Parent Ambassador/Buddy Help introduce more people to the magic of HMS! A support role to the Office of Admission, Parent Ambassadors volunteer at Open Houses, Family Farm to Forest Tours and other prospective family events.

Once new families are enrolled, Buddy Families help them integrate into the community & build connections.

Barnyard Helper This role helps support the care of our animals and programming and includes chores like mucking the horse paddock, cleaning the chicken coop, and other basic barnyard chores. Most shifts are weekends and school breaks.

Events & Community Building From picnics and festivals to guest speakers and curriculum nights, there are endless opportunities to spend time on campus playing, learning, and connecting.

Prioritizing being an active participant in your child’s school community enriches your experience and theirs. We hope you will spend time with us beyond the school day at the many events we have planned to help you get the most out of your High Meadows journey.

Don’t forget to read your weekly Meadow Messenger email for the week ahead’s events!

Access a comprehensive detailed calendar of all school events, breaks, and opportunities on the Parent Portal Resource Board at family.highmeadows.org

Stay Informed Meadow Messenger Our Weekly Monday e-newsletter helps you stay informed of calendar events, opportunities to be involved, and other important updates. We ask families to read Meadow Messenger every week to stay in-theloop!

Family Portal The Portal (family.highmeadows.org) is your hub for family resources, forms, directories and more! Bookmark it as an important tool you’ll utilize frequently.

Seesaw & Teacher Emails Early Years faculty utilize a tool called Seesaw to share pictures, videos, and other fun and informative updates.

All familes will periodically hear from teachers via email, which is also a great way to reach your teacher with questions.

Room Parent Communications Room representatives are volunteers who assist with classroom/grade-level communication and engagement opportunities. Your room representative can be a helpful resource if you have questions as well!

Follow us on Social Media Find High Meadows on Facebook and Instagram. These accounts are a great way to get a glimpse into daily life at HMS. There is also a parent Facebook group- search for ‘HMS Parents Group’ to join and stay connected!

Board of Trustees High Meadows School is governed by a volunteer Board of Trustees. The Board is comprised of parents, alumni parents, and friends of the school. Trustees are carefully selected based on demonstrated service and clear commitment to the school’s mission, goals, and philosophies. Individuals are nominated by the Governance Committee and voted on by current Trustees.

The mission of the Board is to ensure financial health and stability, legal compliance, physical campus integrity and creation/implementation of long-rage strategic plans for High Meadows School and Camp. In partnership with the Head of School, the Board works to assure a bright and sustainable future for High Meadows.

A Message from our Board Chair Whether you are new to High Meadows, or a long-standing community member, I want to personally thank you for showing up as an active and engaged supporter of this very special place. Independent schools like ours thrive thanks to the deep level of care invested in them by people like you, and we’re so glad you’re here.

We hope that this guide serves as a helpful starting point to your understanding both of the vast opportunities for your involvement at High Meadows, and also that it helps demystify what it takes to fuel the amazing programs and experiences offered here. As board members, we are committed both to the stewardship of High Meadows’ future, and to serving as a resource to our community. We look forward to another great year serving High Meadows together.

Javier Estrella Board Chair

Meet the School Leadership Team

Lisa Baker Head of School & Camp lbaker@highmeadows.org

Rebecca Sandberg Dir. of Finance & Operations rsandberg@highmeadodws.org

Laura McKie Dir. of Enrollment & Strategic Communication lmckie@highmeadows.org

Lori Kennedy Lower Years Principal lkennedy@highmeadows.org

Matt Nuttall Middle Years & Connections Principal mnuttall@highmeadows.org

Danielle Wright Dir. of Equity and Justice & Lower Years Assistant Principal dwright@highmeadows.org

Angela Lockard Bogoev Associate Dir. of Development abogoev@highmeadows.org

Michael Rhodes Dir. of Technology mrhodes@highmeadows.org

John Dovic Dir. of Camp & Auxiliary Programs jdovic@highmeadows.org

A Place to Belong More than anything, we want High Meadows to feel like home.

As part of the High Meadows family, we want you to feel informed, connected, seen, heard, and empowered. We invite you to share your experiences, wonderings, feedback, and ideas along your journey here.

We grow better together and welcome your partnership as we strive to provide our students the best possible opportunities to thrive.

High Meadows School

Our Mission The High Meadows community celebrates and perpetuates each individual’s quest for knowledge and skill, sense of wonder, and connection to the natural environment. We empower each to be a compassionate, responsible, and active global citizen.

Our Vision High Meadows School & Camp inspires adventurous learners who ask questions that drive learning and seek sustainable solutions in collaboration with others. Our students emerge as ethical leaders with the skills and habits of mind to grow and adapt as they discover a place of purpose and joy in an ever-changing world.

Contact Us

High Meadows School 1055 Willeo Rd. Roswell, GA 30075

770.993.2940 www.highmeadows.org