Dear SCDS Community, 

You are creating a wonderful culture of philanthropy at our school.

Power to Our People!—the Annual Fund for the 2010-11 school year—saw a robust 93% parent participation, and once again, recording-breaking contributions. The same held true for our Mardi Gras: Parade of Possibilities Auction, which set a new high bar for support. Our sincerest appreciation goes to Annual Fund Chairs, Ramona Emerson and Brian McMullen, and to Auction Chair Joanna Black for their leadership.

What accounts for this enthusiasm? I think it’s because you are:

• believers in our mission,
• believers in a teaching community that celebrates the spirit of inquiry,
• believers that your children have found a place that encourages their energy, intensity, passion, and curiosity,
• believers that our students truly have a community of like-minded peers, which enhances everyone's growth.

It’s this underlying belief in the kind of education your children receive at SCDS that informs our latest project, the renovation of our gymnasium. You have embraced the concept that the gym is our largest classroom. You understand that while we need better facilities for sports teams and spectators, you also know that every child needs the space to exercise, move, and explore--all important for developing brains! Financial contributions from our families helped to provide the seed money for Phase I of the project, completed in the summer of 2011.

SCDS would simply not be the place it is today without the generosity of our donors, and the leadership of parents in key roles. Thank you for your belief in, and support of, Seattle Country Day School.

Sincerely,
Michael G. Murphy
Head of School