Osprey Outlook Spring 2021

OSPREY OUTLOOK SPRING 2021

From The Head of School

Board of Trustees 2021-2022 President Megan Bramble Owings ‘93, P ‘25, ‘27 Vice President Kate Goodall Gray ‘90, P ‘22, ‘25

Treasurer Karl Adler Secretary Christie Grabis, P ’09, ‘11

Member-at-Large Christopher D. McClary, Trustee Emeritus, ‘91, P ‘17, ‘19

Member-at-Large Judie Willock, P ’83, ‘85 GP ‘13, ‘15 Head of School Nancy Mugele Nancy Dick Harry Duffey, Trustee Emeritus P ‘84, ‘84, ‘86, GP ‘14, ‘17, ‘19, ‘19, ‘21, ‘24 Pamela Duke P ‘03 Thomas Gale, Trustee Emeritus Todd Gillespie, P ‘20, ‘18, ‘16 Jamie Kirkpatrick Tim Lavery, P ‘22 Gigi Windley P ‘03, ‘07

Contents Greeting from Head of School Staying Open in a Closed World Admission in the Time of COVID Secondary School Acceptances Alumni News Student Community Service Student Leadership Auction & Golf Tournament Tradition Photos Authors and Experts Professional Development The Fundraising Rationale The Luminary Society

Editor Tricia Cammerzell, P ‘09, ‘15 Assistant Head of School for Advancement Designer Brittany Hester

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Dear Members of the Kent School Community, One year ago, Kent School held its traditional Talent Show. The student performers were wonderful, and joy was everywhere in the M.V. “Mike” Williams Gymnasium on a beautiful spring day. We left school that afternoon for spring break, and our world changed dramatically in one week. You can read more about our work to pivot to connected remote learning last spring because of COVID-19, and our efforts to open for in-person instruction in September, and stay open this academic year in this issue.

When I selected CONNECT as my word for this academic year, I could not have imagined that a year later we would still have the uncertainty of COVID swirling around us. Yet, here, on the beautiful and unparalleled campus we call home, spring is blooming and we are all CONNECTed by hope. Hope for a spring filled with more normalcy and more opportunities to be together.

Oscar Wilde wrote: A flower blossoms for its own joy. The same is true of children, especially in the springtime. Students are thriving in the classrooms, making CONNECTions across disciplines, and enjoying being in our outdoor spaces. The pandemic has taught us how deeply important human CONNECTions are for our health and well-being. And, it has also taught us to value teaching and learning together on the Kent School campus.

I hope you enjoy reading this issue of the Osprey Outlook which shares events from this unusual academic year and illustrates the exciting work being done in our classrooms to encourage and foster academic, artistic, athletic and moral excellence. I am so grateful for our faculty, and those who support teaching and learning, and I hope to CONNECT with you in person very soon.

Happy Spring!

With kind regards, Nancy Mugele Head of School

Staying Open in a Closed World Nancy Mugele, Head of School

To say that this has been an unusual academic year is an understatement. While we know that uncertainty continues to exist related to COVID-19, we are proud to have remained open for in-person instruction since September. I am grateful to my colleagues for navigating a global health crisis and rising to the occasion with resilience, perseverance and grit.

On March 16, 2020, the day that the Kent School community was supposed to return to campus following our spring break, the faculty met on campus to plan our pivot to distance learning. While Maryland was under a stay-at-home order, we took a collective two day breath, and exhaled with a virtual and connected learning experience for two and a half months with little planning or professional development, all while being anxious about our own health and the health of our families. Our program was outstanding, but we knew that we needed some professional learning and we really wanted to offer in-person instruction.

Beginning in June, after our drive-in style Graduation for the Class of 2020, our faculty embarked upon a journey to become Google Educator Certified at Level One and dove deeper into mind, brain and education science in the virtual classroom with our partner for the past four years, the Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning (CTTL) at St. Andrew’s School in Potomac, MD. At the same time, we convened a Return to Campus Committee including administrators, faculty, and medical professionals with input from the Kent County Health Department. The team met weekly.

Decisions were made, changed, re-planned and re-thought regularly. The plan is a robust set of health and safety measures designed to allow the School to adapt to the changing conditions of the pandemic and still provide educational continuity for our students.

In 2021, celebrating the 100th Day of School was perhaps more meaningful than ever.

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Enhanced Health And Safety Measures With safety as our highest priority, Kent School invested in enhanced COVID-19 safety measures including the following: » Face coverings for all employees and students in PK - Grade 8 » Scheduled handwashing throughout the academic day » Thermal scanners for fever detection » Plexiglass barriers and partitions in the Little School bathroom, classrooms as needed, and in the reception area » Touchless hand sanitizer stations in all classrooms and offices » Touchless sinks, antibacterial soap, and paper towel dispensers in all bathrooms » Touchless water fountains/water bottle filling stations » Hospital grade, EPA approved cleaning supplies and practices, including use of electrostatic sanitizer » Routine cleaning throughout the academic day of touch points such as door handles, etc. » Sanitizing kit in each classroom » MERV 13 air filters for the air handlers » Air purifiers in each classroom » Increased air filter cleaning and replacing » Doors and windows are open in classrooms for ventilation » Installation of washer, dryer and additional dishwasher to enhance our cleaning efforts overnight for toys, masks, etc.

In addition to these mitigation measures, we added a new Third Grade teacher to accomodate this large class which added nearly $70,000 in unbudgeted expenses to our operating budget. We are so grateful to our generous donors who have helped us close this gap.

I am proud of all of the efforts of each and every member of the Kent School community. For over six months, we have had no student to student, no student to teacher, and no teacher to student virus transmission (knocking on my wood desk!).

While I know this comes at the expense of building community in the ways we normally do each year, like cheering at athletic events, attending dances, holding social events for students and parents, etc.

We have, instead, chosen to preserve our academic day with great success. For this, I am eternally grateful.

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Admission in the Time of COVID

Tricia Cammerzell, Assistant Head of School for Advancement In early April 2020, as the Kent School community was coming to terms with teaching, learning and working remotely, I spent time worrying about our ability to open for the 2020-2021 academic year. Our re-enrollment season had passed and with only eighty contracts returned, I had my doubts. I am pleased to say we not only weathered the storm, we turned the storm into productive winds. We opened our doors on September 8, 2020, with 143 students, which included 58 new students across all grade levels. Enrollment continues to grow. As of March 1, 2021 there are 152 students learning and growing at Kent School.

How did we get to 152? After participating in dozens of webinars hosted by industry experts with far more experience than I have, I learned no one had the silver bullet I was seeking. There were always a few valuable nuggets to take away. But by early May, I realized grinding through was the only path. Fortunately, I was supported by an incredible group of administrators and teachers and their stellar willingness to support the process.

The first part of the process was falling into place. Enrollment numbers were climbing. Current families were re-enrolling. Their confidence that we would offer a superior academic program, virtually or inperson, was buoyed by the experience they and their children were having throughout the Spring of 2020. Our teachers were offering meaningful academic lessons for students in all grades, which regularly included one-to-one or small group instruction via Zoom, Google, or Facetime. Our students were moving forward with their learning.

Our teachers’ efforts were coupled with the work of our Return to Campus Committee made up of key administrators, teachers from each division, and healthcare professionals who met regularly throughout the summer to plan for a safe reopening for as many students as we could safely accommodate. Some days it felt like we had thought of everything. Other days, we had to adjust our plans and re-tool our approach based on new data. As a direct result of this careful, all-consuming planning, I was confident in assuring prospective families and returning families that we would be safely open for in-person instruction for all students at the start of the 2020-2021 academic year.

Word of our excellent program and our thorough planning was starting to spread, and the second phase of the process started to build. Inquiries from new families weren’t trickling in, they were pouring in. Then the applications came in. Over the summer, we met with dozens of prospective families and conducted even more virtual student evaluations. I am ever grateful to our teachers who willingly took time from their well-deserved summer breaks to meet with students outside or online.

In September, we welcomed students from Washington, D.C, Centreville, Belgium, London, Galena, New York, Rock Hall, Spain and Sudlersville. We welcomed students who speak Polish, German, Spanish, Russian and French. Three sets of twins joined us! Our community of parents includes small business owners, surgeons and other health care professionals, bankers, farmers, diplomats and more. They represent diverse ethnic and racial backgrounds, as well as an array of socio-economic backgrounds. There are so many rich stories to savor.

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Looking ahead, we realize that some of our new students will leave us since their stay in Chestertown was COVID-related. More have decided to make their move to the Eastern Shore permanent and will re-enroll with us. The Admission Office remains busy with families looking for the best educational setting for their children.

This includes more families who are moving to the area, but it also includes local families who realize the value of in-person instruction in an independent school. We also know that word-of-mouth continues to be our most effective marketing tool. So, if you know someone who is unsure of the path forward for their child’s education, send them my way. I can’t wait to get to know them. They can email me at tcammerzell@ kentschool.org or call me at 410-778-4100 ext. 110.

Class of 2021 Receives Secondary School Acceptances Members of the Class of 2021 received acceptances from day and boarding schools from throughout the region. Several students are awaiting word on acceptance to the Kent County High School STEM Academy.

We are confident that good news awaits. In addition to acceptances, several students were awarded prestigious, merit-based scholarships. We are very proud of their accomplishments and look forward to seeing them soar in their new schools.

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Secondary School Acceptances Archbishop Spalding Berkshire School The Gunston School The Hill School Key School Lawrenceville School Malvern Preparatory School Mercersburg Academy Severn School St. Andrew’s School St. Mary’s Parish School St. Timothy’s School Wyoming Seminary School

Alumni News Megan Moore Dunne ‘00 and her husband B.J., welcomed their first child, Ford, on August 20th, 2020.

Kathleen Wootton Hurd ‘01 and her husband Casey, welcomed their third daughter, Avery, on September 16th, 2020.

Whitney Loeb Dawson ‘01 and her husband Jeff, welcomed their second child, Trip (Jeff Crawford Dawson III), on February 3, 2021. Charley (age 2) couldn’t be more excited to be a sweet and helpful big sister!

Jen Anthony Matthews ‘01 and her husband, Sean, welcomed their first child, Felix, on September 29th, 2020.

Amy Yowell ‘13 named to the Dean’s List at Bucknell for the Fall 2020 Semester.

Annie Rae Richards ‘04 joined ShoreRivers as the new Chester Riverkeeper in January 2021. As Riverkeeper, Richards will be the primary voice for the Chester River and its tributaries, working through the core, science-based strategies of advocacy, enforcement, outreach and water quality monitoring to achieve cleaner waterways, according to a news release.

Annie follows in the footsteps of another Kent School alum, Tim Trumbauer ‘93, who served as Chester Riverkeeper for seven years. We wish Tim and his family all the best as they relocate to Maine for their next adventure.

Michael Windley ‘07 was married.

Danielle Simmons ‘18, recently received Kent County 4-H Program’s “I Dare You Leadership Award.” which is presented to youths who have demonstrated personal integrity, balanced living, and motivation for leadership.

In Memoriam Tyler Russo ‘10 passed away unexpectedly on January 12, 2021.

Past parent Doug Megargee, passed away unexpectedly on March 11, 2021. His daughter, Paige, was a member of the Class of 2014.

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Student Community Service Project The Student Government Association, led by officers from the Class of 2021, Taylor Hill, Lennox Franks, Hayden Haber and Alyesha Williams, coordinated a food drive in support of the Kent County Food Pantry.

The Drive ran through the month of February. The SGA asked each grade to bring in different non-perishable food items including canned fruits, vegetables, and soups along with dry goods like rice and cereal. In all, the students collected over 320 pounds of food to be donated.

Sue Caswell, Program Director at the Food Pantry expressed her appreciation saying, “We are, once again, grateful to our friends at Kent School for their generous hearts.

Pictured Left to right: Taylor Hill, Jack Fry, Hayden Haber, Alyesha Williams, Lennox Franks.

Annual Student Leadership Diversity Conference hosted by Calvert School Student Government and Red and White team captains and co-captains will be participating in the Annual Student Leadership Diversity Conference hosted by Calvert School. The theme for this year’s conference is “Activating Our Identities, Using Our Voices, & Making Good Trouble.” AIMS and public school students statewide will gather to discuss and celebrate Diversity, Inclusion, and Social Justice. Students will begin their experience by hearing from the keynote speaker, André Robert Lee, creator of the film The Prep School Negro. Following the speaker, students will engage in a host of virtual activities led by upper school student facilitators. Alyesha Williams, Kent School 8th Grader, will be a co-facilitator during the day of the event. Alyesha is a student leader in our school, and we are grateful that she volunteered to co-facilitate. This is an invaluable opportunity for our students to connect with other middle school students and gain new perspectives!

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Kent School Virtual Auction April 8 - 11, 2021 Live Zoom Reception April 10 Beginning April 8, text "Kent" to 71760 You will be able to bid from your phone To bid from your laptop visit: https://text2bid.net/kiosk/kent

Connect4Kent School Golf Tournament May 21, 2021 Chester River Yacht & Country Club 1:00 pm Shotgun Start Step-Aside, Scramble Format Outdoor Reception to Follow Registration is limited to 100 golfers, so make sure to sign up today!

For complete information on both of events, including registration and sponsor opportunities, visit www.kentschool.org, or contact Jen Matthews '01, Director of Development & Alumni Relations, at jmatthews@kentschool.org

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Retaining school traditions had been a priority for us throughout the pandemic.

Kayak trips, the Halloween Parade, Spirit Week and Holiday Clubs bring joy and normalcy to our community in a year that has been challenging for everyone.

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Kent School Hosts Authors and Experts Pro Tamara Letter and The Gift of Kindness On Thursday, October 15, Kent School hosted author, educator and parent, Tamara Letter. Letter is the author of the book, A Passion for Kindness: Making the World a Better Place to Lead, Love and Learn. Her virtual visit was made possible by Kent School’s endowed Kudner Leyon Memorial Fund, which provides funding to bring authors and illustrators to school to work with students, employees and families each year.

Ms. Letter led virtual sessions with Kent School students and employees prior to a public Town Hall for parents and our broader commuity.

Tamara Letter shares, “I began my writing journey in 2012, creating a blog to celebrate kindness for my 40th birthday. Five years later, I expanded my writing to include topics of leadership, education, and parenting on my website, which has been shared across social media platforms, on websites, and in magazine articles. On February 14, 2019, I released my first book, A Passion for Kindness: Making the World a Better Place to Lead, Love, and Learn, which was listed as a #1 New Release on Amazon for Philosophy and Social Aspects of Education and a Recommended Summer Reading choice by the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP).”

Nancy Mugele, Head of School at Kent School, selected A Passion for Kindness: Making the World a Better Place to Lead, Love and Learn, as a book for all Kent School employees to read over the summer. Mugele said, “In this uncertain world in which we live, I believe if we can approach situations, topics, and dialog from a place of kindness, it can help us develop empathetic children who become empathetic adults and leaders. Ms. Letter’s book is the perfect springboard for us to build kindness, empathy and respect for others by sharing simple ways to positively inspire those around us. In my planning conversations with Tamara, I have been inspired by her passion and enthusiasm.”

From her website, “Tamara Letter is a kindness cultivator who strives each day to add a little good to the world. In her book, A Passion for Kindness, Tamara Letter shares her own kindness journey and showcases experiences from other kindness cultivators around the world. Through personal stories of vulnerability and vitality, readers will discover unique ways to make a positive difference in the lives of friends, family, coworkers, neighbors and even strangers.”

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roviding Professional and Parent Resources Professional Development with Higher Learning Group and Kaliq Simms In opening meetings in August the employee group participated in a workshop with the Higher Learning Group, led by its founder Kaliq Simms, on implicit cultural bias and how it relates to race in the classroom. Kaliq launched the Higher Learning Group in 2015 and through her firm, she chairs the Baltimore Student Diversity Leadership Conference with the Association of Independent Maryland and DC Schools. Higher Learning Group’s mission is to collaborate with schools, community partners, families, teachers, and student leaders to promote diversity, educational equity, and inclusion. As educators, the Higher Learning Group affirms students’ uniqueness and equips them with in-depth knowledge of self, empathy for others, and critical consciousness of the world so that they may employ their education in the service of humanity no matter the field they may enter.

To prepare for our workshop Kaliq assigned the employee group to read Waking Up White and Finding Myself in the Story of Race by teacher, Debby Irving. As an arts administrator, Irving could not understand why her diversity efforts lacked traction. One “aha!” moment launched her adventure of discovery and insight that drastically shifted her worldview. In Waking Up White, Irving shares her story with openness.

“Waking Up White is the book I wish someone had handed me decades ago,” she wrote. “My hope is that by sharing my sometimes cringe-worthy struggle to understand racism and racial tensions, I offer a fresh perspective on bias, stereotypes, manners, and tolerance.”

The key element Kent School employees focussed on was how we can best connect with our students and overcome barriers that are a part of normal human behavior. The employee group shared thoughtful conversations and reflections at this time in the history of our country and the history of our school. Our faculty continues to review their curriculum throughout this year to be sure to have connected stories and historical texts to reflect the diverse world in which our students live and will one day lead.

Our work in this area will continue with another session in our closing meetings in June.

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Kent School Hosts Authors and Experts Pro Jess Lahey and The Gift of Failure

Kent School was proud to host Kudner Leyon Visiting Writer Jessica Lahey for three sessions to discuss her New York Times bestselling book, The Gift of Failure: How the Best Parents Learn to Let Go So Their Children Can Succeed. Lahey met with students in grades 4 through 8 on the afternoon of January 27.

Following dismissal that day, Lahey led a session specifically for all Kent School teachers.

Later that evening parents and members of the greater community were invited to join Jess for a virtual Town hall meeting. She also shared her thoughts on the gift of failure in this time of COVID.

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According to her website, “Over her twenty years as a middle and high school teacher, Lahey began to suspect that the way we parent children has a direct impact on their motivation, learning, resilience, and the development of obsessive perfectionism and performance anxiety. A deep dive into the research bore this hypothesis out, and resulted in the New York Times bestselling book, The Gift of Failure: How the Best Parents Learn to Let Go So Their Children Can Succeed and over five years of helping students, teachers, and parents understand that directive parenting and teaching undermines kids’ motivation, makes them more likely to give up when tasks get difficult, and ultimately, renders them less able to learn and become more intelligent. “ Lahey offers practical advice for fostering deep, meaningful learning by offering kids more autonomy at home and in school, helping them feel more competent, and strengthening parentchild and teacher-student relationships. Providing a path toward solutions, Lahey lays out a blueprint with targeted advice for handling homework, report cards, social dynamics, and sports. Most importantly, she sets forth a plan to help parents learn to step back and embrace their children’s failures. Hard-hitting, yet warm and wise, The Gift of Failure is essential reading for parents, educators,

roviding Professional and Parent Resources and psychologists nationwide who want to help children succeed.”

Nancy Mugele, Head of School said, “Kudner Leyon Visiting Writer Jessica Lahey inspired students, employees, and our parent community and guests to embrace failure and be able to learn from it. Through each presentation she helped us understand complex cognitive neuroscience, and made the case that children learn and develop best when they are given autonomy, allowed to feel competent and valued for their character rather than the letters on their report card, and who CONNECT with teachers and their learning. She also provided actionable recommendations to help us reframe setbacks as beneficial steps toward lasting, longer-term success”.

Lahey said “Kids need the space to fail, and teachers need the time and benefit of the doubt to let that failure play out in the form of learning.” Jess asked our students what she should tell their parents. They emailed her responses and here are a few: • When you look at my phone all the time it makes me feel as if you don’t trust me.

• When you step in and save me from my frustration or mistakes, it makes me feel as if you don’t think I can do it myself.

Mugele continued, “I was so pleased to bring Jess Lahey to our community. When I read her practical and insightful book, I was struck by her premise that parents have the power to grant students the freedom to fail, and teachers have the ability to transform that failure into an education. Together, parents and educators can nurture our children to become more confident and competent adults. If you hear your child

say to you, “when you do X, it makes me feel Y,” you will know that they are taking Jess Lahey’s advice to use their voice to help you better understand how they are feeling.

Jess Lahey is a teacher, writer, and mom.

She writes about education, parenting, and child welfare for The Atlantic, Vermont Public Radio, The Washington Post and the New York Times, and is the author of the New York Times bestselling book, The Gift of Failure: How the Best Parents Learn to Let Go So Their Children Can Succeed. She is a member of the Amazon Studios Thought Leader Board and wrote the educational curriculum for Amazon Kids’ The Stinky and Dirty Show. Jessica earned a B.A. in Comparative Literature from the University of Massachusetts and a J.D. with a concentration in juvenile and education law from the University of North Carolina School of Law. She lives in Vermont with her husband and two sons. Her second book, The Addiction Inoculation: Raising Healthy Kids in a Culture of Dependence, will be released in April 2021.

Lahey’s talk is made possible by the Kudner Leyon Memorial Endowment at Kent School.

This fund allows Kent School to bring authors, illustrators and experts in child development to campus each year to work with students, teachers, and parents. The Kudner Leyon Visiting Writers Program is named for Ariana Kudner and Amanda Leyon, members of Kent School’s Class of 1991, who shared a love of reading, books and creative writing. Sadly, Ariana and Amanda lost their lives in a tragic car accident in 1994.

This program is a wonderful and lasting tribute to their legacy and touches every student at Kent School each academic year.

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Professional Development Reflection Jenny Cernak, Assistant Head of School for Academics

Great educators should embody the principles of life-long learning. The mastery of teaching is an ongoing process of developing the knowledge and the skills needed to best support students. Our teachers remain dedicated to continuing their professional development despite the hectic nature of this school year. In many ways, the challenges of the pandemic have only reinforced the importance of reflecting on our practices, so we are better prepared to guide our students through these hectic times while moving the learning forward. All of our teachers have participated in a number of professional development opportunities throughout the year. However, I would like to highlight some of our teachers’ more current professional learning initiatives.

As many of you may know, at the center of our professional learning is Mind, Brain and Education (MBE) which unites the field of neuroscience, psychology, and education. Throughout the months of January and February, Jessica Thompson(Learning Specialist), Vivienne Turner(Fourth Grade Teacher), Shawna Buckley (4th – 8th Spanish Teacher), and I have been attending the Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning’s (CTTL’s) Winter Series. Teachers from around the world had the opportunity to learn from some of the leading minds in education about the most current MBE research and strategies. Topics included: -

MBE and Ed Tech: What Have We Learned About Distance, Hybrid, and On-Campus Teaching, Learning and Motivation?

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The MBE of a Learning Management System (LMS)

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At the Intersection of MBE and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging

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The MBE of Project-Based Learning

Shawna Buckley Spanish Teacher Greades 4-8

Vivienne Turner Fourth Grade Teacher

Jess Thompson Learning Specialist

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Jenny Cernak Assistant Head of School for Academics

Teacher Reflections: From our first session I realized how important a sense of belonging is to the educational process. Do I belong? Do I feel valued? Our students need to feel both in order to learn. I have started to be more intentional about checking in with my students at the beginning of each class (en español, por supuesto). We start with an emotional check-in everyday.

Shawna Buckley, Spanish Teacher, Grades 4 - 8 Additionally, our science teachers, Heidi Usilton (Lower School) and Todd Mignosa (Middle School), and I attended the MAEOE (Maryland Association for Environmental Learning and Outdoor Education) Conference on Climate, Nature, People and Education.

Over 600 educators nationwide discussed, collaborated, and shared resources to empower their students to better understand and actively engage in the responsibility to care for the natural world. This intense four-day virtual conference consisted of workshops, research, and training that will help to enhance the quality of our science program.

Todd Mignosa Middle School Science Teacher

Heidi Usilton Additionally, all of our teachers are currently collaborating and Lower School Science Teacher reviewing our curriculum. This year teachers rose to the challenge of learning and using a cloud-based software to document their curriculum. The collaborative nature of CurriculumTrak allows teachers and administrators to focus on balance between the content across curricula. Teachers can “look” into each classroom and see what children are learning. Moreover, the collective knowledge, helps them gather data on redundancies or gaps in the course content. The on-going and ever changing professional learning process of curriculum writing will further reinforce and strengthen our academic program.

These are only a few examples, among many, of our teachers’ professional learning initiatives. Teachers continue to push themselves and find opportunities for growth. The commitment to staying current on the latest research-based practices demonstrates a strong dedication to our students’ well-being. In a year where it would be easy to take a step back, our teachers continue to step up.

Looking Ahead with CTTL and MBE

Neuroteach Global Certification Program will be an school-wide initiative to further familiarize and enrich our MBE practices here at school. Our faculty will begin the process in our closing meetings and the goal is to be school-wide certified by the end of the next academic school year.

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The Fundraising Rationale Jen Anthony Matthews ‘01

The business model of an independent school is unique. Kent School is an independently organized non-profit school, overseen by the Board of Trustees. Kent School is not dependent on government or church funds - it is funded primarily through tuition and charitable donations.

Tuition revenue only covers about 90% of the true cost of a Kent School education. The rest is covered by the Osprey Fund, donor-restricted gifts, and the Kent School Endowment.

The Osprey Fund, Kent School’s annual fundraising campaign, is our top fundraising priority. The Osprey Fund bridges the tuition gap by supporting each student, teacher, and program. Unrestricted Osprey Fund donations underwrite the operating expenses of the School. Kent School relies on generous financial support from parents, alumni, past parents, and friends to support its curriculum and facilities.

Sometimes, Kent School receives donations restricted for a specific purpose. A gift is classified as restricted when a donor is asked to give to a capital campaign, or a scholarship fund, or if the donor wishes the donation to be used for only one purpose.

The Kent School Endowment helps the School with long range planning and expenditures. Growth in the endowment for faculty compensation and professional development assists us in attracting and retaining highly qualified teachers who will help us strengthen our program with competitive total compensation packages. Growth in student financial assistance funds will allow us to draw and keep a more diverse student body. Financial sustainability through endowment growth will also help Kent School be nimble if unforeseen circumstances arise. Kent School takes an endowment draw of 4-5% annually, so the endowment can continue to grow over time.

The Luminary Society is Kent School’s Planned Giving program. Making a planned gift is a wonderful way to show your support and appreciation for Kent School and its mission while accommodating your own personal, financial, estate-planning, and philanthropic goals. Planned gifts may be made through your retirement plan or a bequest. Kent School is in the process of developing the ability to offer Charitable Gift Annuities and Charitable Trusts. Please contact the Development Office if you are interested in learning more. Your advance planning for this additional gift will mean that Kent School can continue to shape the lives of students for generations to come!

Large or small, each and every gift to Kent School makes a major difference: it signifies your confidence in us as a school worthy of your support. Your confidence is well placed and we are grateful for your support.

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Gifts That Make a Lasting Impact: The Luminary Society of Kent School The Luminary Society of Kent School In 2013, Kent School launched a Planned Giving program to ensure the future of Kent School. As part of Together We Soar: The 50th Anniversary Campaign for Kent School, we have determined that now is the appropriate time to reinvigorate this program. All participants in Kent School’s Planned Giving program will become members of The Kent School Luminary Society. As a Luminary Society member you are indeed an enlightened leader preserving a bright future for Kent School and every student we will serve.

Celebrating its first half-century as one of the premier Pre-K through Grade 8 schools on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, Kent School has entered a campaign to launch its next 50 years.

Together We Soar seeks to raise $2.3M over a three-year period to make this vision a reality. Your commitment of a Planned Gift to Kent School will help provide a strong foundation for the next 50 years and beyond.

Ways to Give: (I) Bequests You may prefer to state in your will or trust a sum of money or a percentage of your estate that you wish to give to Kent School.

Whatever form of bequest you choose, it is not subject to federal estate taxes and so significantly reduces the tax burden of an estate. The value of the bequest may be deducted when the taxable estate is determined, and there is no limit to the deduction.

(II) Gifts from Retirement Plans Your retirement-plan benefits are very likely a significant portion of your net worth. And because of special tax considerations, they could make an excellent choice for funding a charitable gift. Retirement-plan benefits include assets held in individual retirement accounts (IRAs), 401(k) plans, profit-sharing plans, Keogh plans, and 403(b) plans.

(III) Other Ways to Give Kent School is in the process of developing the ability to offer Charitable Gift Annuities and Charitable Trusts.

If you are interested in these options, please contact the Development Office.

Planned gifts may be directed to an existing endowment for scholarship, professional development or the general endowment (or another area of your choosing. Gifts that are not directed to a specific purpose will be used as unrestricted donations and directed to an appropriate need as designated by the Head of School and Investment Committee.

What Your Gift Means Making a planned gift is a wonderful way to show your support and appreciation for Kent School and its mission while accommodating your own personal, financial, estate-planning, and philanthropic goals. Your advance planning for this additional gift will mean that Kent School can continue to shape the lives of students for generations to come!

Kent School is truly an unparalleled learning environment. We are so grateful for your commitment to Kent School as a steward of this wonderful school’s future.

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6788 Wilkins Lane Chestertown, MD 21620 410-778-4100 www.KentSchool.org

Mission Statement Kent School’s mission is to guide our students in realizing their potential for academic, artistic, athletic, and moral excellence.

Our school’s family-oriented, supportive, student-centered environment fosters the growth of honorable, responsible citizens for our country and our diverse world.

Diversity Statement In keeping with our school’s mission statement, we recognize that a diverse student, parent, faculty, and trustee population gives us all the opportunity to learn and grow from the many valuable differences and perspectives that our school community offers.

Non-Discrimination Statement Kent School admits students of any race, color, national or ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school.

Parents: If this issue is addressed to a son or daughter who no longer maintains an address at your home, please send correct address to: JMatthews@KentSchool.org

Calendar at a Glance APRIL 2 Friday

School Closed- Good Friday

MAY 31 Monday

School Closed- Memorial Day

JUNE 7 Monday 8 Tuesday

9 Wednesday

Play Day - TBD Recognition Ceremony, 8:45 a.m.

Kindergarten Celebration, 1:30 p.m.

Last day for Little School through Grade 7 Graduation, 10:00 a.m.; Dismissal to follow