Giving Back

We’re going to rip off the band-aid. Bite the bullet. Cross the Rubicon. We’re going to talk – just for a minute – about money. Wait! Don’t turn the page. This isn’t a sales pitch (well, not entirely). We know it’s 2022; COVID is still a thing, inflation is sky-high, everything costs more, and you just wrote a pretty sizeable tuition check. The last thing you want to think about is giving more money to St. Martin’s or anybody else for that matter. Believe us, we understand. And we hope you understand that we wouldn’t bring it up if it wasn’t important. We can’t tell you that this year, you won’t get any emails (or calls or letters) asking you to give money to the school. You will. But what we can do is help explain why you’re going to get them, when to expect them, and who will benefit from the money you’re being asked to give. Our goal is not to pressure you into giving. Rather, our hope is that the information we’re about to share will help you and your family make the very personal decision about how much you are willing and able to give back to our school this year. Keep in mind that there is power in your philanthropy. Regardless of its size, your contribution (should you choose to make one) will make an impact. Really.

The St. Martin’s Fund

St. Martin’s, like every other school, needs a certain amount of money to operate each year –you know, to pay for things like utility bills, salaries and benefits, facility upkeep, school supplies, library books, musical instruments, athletic uniforms, playground equipment, iPads, Chromebooks, field trips, etc. While it may seem like tuition alone should be enough to cover all of those expenses, brace yourself: it’s not. Not at St. Martin’s or any other independent school. Why? Like other independent schools, St. Martin’s creates an intentional gap between its tuition revenue and its operating expenses. And, like other independent schools, St. Martin’s relies on gifts to its annual fund – The St. Martin’s Fund – to close that gap. We know what you’re thinking. Why don’t they just *gulp* raise tuition to cover operating costs? For one thing, it would put tuition beyond the reach of many of our current and prospective families. For another, it would be a disadvantage for you. After all, tuition is not tax deductible. But a donation to the St. Martin’s Fund is. Also, employers don’t “match” tuition payments. Many employers do, however, match gifts to non-profit organizations like St. Martin’s. So, raising tuition could actually cost both you and the school money. The St. Martin’s Fund makes it possible for our school to give our kids the kind of educational experience they deserve – the kind that led us to send our kids to an independent school in the first place. It allows the school to make choices for our kids rather than compromises. Basically, whether our kids get a great education at St. Martin’s or an exceptional one is kind of up to us.

What is the St. Martin’s Fund? It’s a collection of unrestricted donations that provides immediate, flexible resources to make up the difference between the actual cost of a St. Martin’s education and tuition. Who benefits? Every student and every teacher at SMES. The St. Martin’s Fund provides resources that make an immediate impact on every student and every teacher at St. Martin’s this school year. We’re not talking about making things better for some future SMES students and teachers (though they will benefit, too). Gifts to the St. Martin’s Fund benefit our kids and their teachers right now. Who should give? Every family, every teacher, every administrator, and every trustee. Participation is especially important because it plays a critical role in securing grants from outside organizations. When foundations and corporations consider schools for grants, one of the first things they want to know is how many families gave to the school’s annual fund. Your St. Martin’s Fund participation provides a quantifiable measure of how well the school is performing that organizations use to decide whether our school is a good investment. (By the way, did you know that 100 percent of SMES teachers, administrators, and trustees give to the St. Martin’s Fund every year?) When should I give? Now! Please make your pledge today if for no other reason than to save us all from getting a ton of St. Martin’s Fund emails this year. Really – go ahead and rip off the band-aid. Bite the bullet. Go to the school’s website or scan the QR code below and make your pledge today. Don’t worry – you have until June to pay. The bottom line is this: the St. Martin’s Fund is the school’s highest giving priority, and it should be yours, too. Give what you’re able, but please give as soon as you can. Our kids and your email inboxes will thank you for it.

If you have any questions, you can reach Lauren Sims, our fabulous Director of Advancement, at lsims@stmartinschool.org.

The PTO’s Fundraising Events

As we mentioned, the SMES PTO really has just one goal: to help make St. Martin’s a place where our kids can thrive. That’s why we work so hard planning events and programs that build a strong St. Martin’s community. It’s also why we need your generosity. We can’t put our plans into action without it. The PTO has several fundraising events throughout the year. While it would be amazing if your family participated in each of them, we certainly don’t expect you to. We hope that by providing a variety of fundraising opportunities, SMES families will find one that best suits their own priorities and abilities.

What are the PTO’s fundraisers? Community rebate programs, Spirit Nights, the school store, and recycled uniform sales generate revenue for the PTO throughout the year. Other fundraisers include Fall Book Fair, Warrior Run, Winter Social, and Spring Book Fair. Please note that while we do sell tickets to Fall Festival, the Daughters’ Dance, and the Sons’ Event, we don’t consider those to be fundraising events. Ticket sales generate just enough revenue to cover the costs of those events.

How does the PTO use the money it

raises? Your support of our community rebate programs, Spirit Nights, recycled uniform sales, school store, Fall Book Fair, Spring Book Fair, and Warrior Run allows the PTO to • decorate for Orientation & print materials for Orientation packets • decorate the school for fall and Christmas • help organize the annual Veterans Day Assembly • fly Santa in from the North Pole for Cookies & Carols • provide supplies and treats for EC Field Day and ES

Field Day • host a reception for our 8th grade graduates and their families • host Parent Social, an event for all SMES parents that includes hors d’oeuvres and an open bar • host 3 back-to-school parties for new families (one for each division) and other events for new families • treat teachers to lunch during pre-planning, on both

Conference Days, and at the end of the year • provide dinner for teachers on Back-to-School Nights • host two special teacher and faculty breakfasts • help teachers purchase classroom supplies • give a birthday gift to every lead, assistant, and cocurricular teacher Your support of Fling, and in non-Fling years, the Winter Social, directly benefits all SMES students (your kids included). All of the proceeds from Fling/Winter Social go back to the school. Through ticket sales, auctions, donations, and sponsorships, Fling and Winter Social have raised money for many incredible things, including • a new science lab and STEAM programs • new playground equipment and gym equipment • smart boards, robotics, Google Expedition goggles, and computers • renovations to the school’s cafeteria, Middle School building, and Early Childhood building • shade sails for our school’s outdoor spaces • wireless microphones, new laptops, and state-of-theart technology for our Drama Department Who benefits? Everyone! Students, teachers, parents, members of our community, and the PTO all benefit from your support of our fundraising efforts. When should I give? It depends. You can participate in community rebate programs and buy things from the school store all year long if you’d like. Spirit Nights are typically held once a month, and event tickets typically go on sale a month or so before the date of the event. This is a Winter Social year, and Winter Social tickets and sponsorships will be available for purchase in November.

The 2022-23 Teacher Fund

We know your email inboxes are overflowing and your schedules are jam-packed. But we also know you love St. Martin’s teachers and staff. So, the PTO has made it easier than ever to show them how much you appreciate all they do for our kids. How? This year, we combined the Teacher Gift Fund and the Teacher Appreciation Week Fund to create the 2022-23 Teacher Fund.

What is the 2022-23 Teacher Fund? The Teacher Fund is a collection of optional donations from parents, 100% of which goes to our deserving SMES teachers and staff. A one-time donation to the Teacher Fund helps provide three things: 1- a cash Christmas gift for each lead, assistant, and co-curricular teacher, 2- a cash End-of-the-Year gift for each lead, assistant, and co-curricular teacher, AND 3- special treats for teachers and staff each day of SMES Teacher & Staff Appreciation Week How is that different from last year? Last year, we offered parents the opportunity to donate to the Teacher Gift Fund, which allowed the PTO to Christmas and End-of-the-Year gifts to teachers. We also asked parents to help make SMES Teacher & Staff Appreciation Week extra-special by donating to the Teacher Appreciation Week Fund. This year, we have combined those two funds into one. Who benefits? SMES teachers and staff! How much should I give? Whether and how much to give is up to your family. We do ask, however, that you think about the number of kids you have at SMES and the number of teachers who will help each of those kids every day this year. Should you decide to donate to the Teacher Fund, please make one total contribution on behalf of your family. (For reference, the average contribution of most families who donate was $200.) When should I give? You only need to donate once this year to cover multiple gifts to all of your children’s teachers. We would appreciate donations at the beginning of the year (August and September), but you may donate via the Teacher Fund website any time. How do I make a donation? To make a donation, go to smesteacherfund.square.site or scan the QR code (just point your phone’s camera at the code and tap the notification to open the link). Select one of the donation amounts provided or click “$0.00” to enter your own custom amount. Then click “Donate.” You can pay with Apple Pay, Google Pay, Cash App, or credit card.