ADVANCEMENT
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT
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goal of the school’s advancement efforts is to create or build upon opportunities for current families, alumni, grandparents, etc.) to stay connected and support the school. Many of these opportunities are part of the long-standing Westminster traditions. For example, the Homecoming football game is a way to connect alumni with one another and with new campus buildings that they may have only heard about. While impressed by the Knox Hall kitchen and eating area, many alumni love to go back to the “old cafeteria” and reminisce about their days spent in that room. Wildcat Connection is an event that marks the fall season with a raucously fun time on Wheeler Field. Field Day is a high-energy, fun-filled event that draws parents and grandparents to see spirited challenges between “blue” and “white” teams! A few events this year are “updates” of previous traditions. After a successful 10th anniversary auction, a change in format and location guided development of this year’s auction, “Choose Your Own Adventure.” Knox Hall’s cafeteria was transformed into theme tables, a live band created a warm, festive atmosphere, and a covered outdoor patio allowed guests to enjoy the spring weather. One measure of the event’s success was the socializing and fellowship that people enjoyed throughout the evening. And then there are the new initiatives which aim to reach and link people who might not otherwise connect with the school. The first Sporting Clays Shoot was a great success in bringing parents of former students, gun enthusiasts, and church groups out to Pinetucky Gun Club for a morning fun shoot. We hope to make it an annual event.
Initiatives to reach out to the community include making contact with families relocating to work at Fort Gordon. While a trickle of advance personnel are already moving to the CSRA, the majority of the relocations from Virginia and Maryland are scheduled for 2020 and 2021. In those years, over 8,500 people will relocate to work at Fort Gordon, among them 2,500 children. Westminster has representatives regularly attending meetings at Fort Gordon; is one of the pioneering members of the Alliance for Cyber Education; and is one of the private school leaders in the CSRA in integrating cyber/STEM concepts in its curriculum and extracurriculars. All of these initiatives — whether continuation, “updates,” or new — are only possible with your support of prayers, time, and generous giving. Thank you! With gratefulness for your support,
Andy Lee Director of Advancement
FROM THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
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t is the Finance Committee’s responsibility to make sure that the school is run in a fiscally responsible and transparent manner that honors God. By following these principles, the committee will strive to reduce debt and keep operating expenses as low as possible so as to live within our means. This task can be a tricky balancing act as we try to grow the school’s enrollment and programs, while moderating tuition increases. Fortunately, we have an excellent business department and a supportive board and administration. Please take a moment to review the key points of interest listed below. • WSA recently received its third clean annual audit by the Cherry Bekaert accounting firm. • Because of the school’s prudent financial management, our cash flow is currently sound, which has allowed us to set aside money in short-term savings without utilizing our line of credit. • We continue to collect outstanding pledges for Knox Hall. Thanks to your generous contributions and a $1,000,000
matching grant, we built this amazing addition on our campus without incurring new debt. • Teachers received a modest, but much-deserved raise. • We are currently exploring new tuition models that will provide more affordability and stabilize tuition increases. All of this good news is a result of the prayers of our community and the solid foundation laid by those who came before us. We would like to remind everyone that helping to grow enrollment is the greatest thing we can all do for the school’s fiscal health. We are all ambassadors for Westminster, so please tell your friends about the amazing opportunities that are available for grades PK3 through 12. There is no other school in the Augusta area that will better prepare your children spiritually and academically for the challenges that await them than Westminster Schools of Augusta.
VISIT US ONLINE AT WSA.NET
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