Bright Future 2012/2013
Help us achieve our $400,000 fundraising goal this year!
May 29, 2012
A letter from Joy Warner –
“Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken winged bird that cannot fly.”
-Langston Hughes
Our kindergarten and first grade students study a unit on the genre of Fairy Tales. They learn all about the characteristics of this genre; one of which is the “happilyever after” ending. Although life cannot always be a fairy tale, I will admit that I am a lover of happy endings. I suppose that it will not surprise most of you that I am a hopeless romantic at heart. In the midst of my educational journals and books on my bedside table, there is always a sweet love story that has a happy ending. I cry at all the corny love songs. I watch (and yes, enjoy!) the cheesy movies that get poor reviews. I feel overcome with emotion many times throughout most days…from something as simple as watching the baby geese follow their parents across Griffith Street, to the powerful moment of watching a high school student give a monologue on loneliness. I often think about the goodbye speech I will give to our high school seniors in just two, short years. I wonder at my ability to find the words to express what eachof them mean to us. It is only a short time before they will embark on their adult lives, after their time here at CSD, and it is humbling to realize we had the honor of being a part of their journey. I often watch our students and fondly remember when each of them entered through ourdoors as kindergartners or as older students, coming from another school - shy and unsure; I remember when they lost their first teeth, sang solos for the first time, or yelled with delight as someone on their team scored a goal. It is true, I am a hopeless romantic!
But I have a secret…these images I remember are not fairy tales, but instead are dreams that have come true…dreams that have taken flight. I get to see this magic every day in the wonderful interactions among teachers, students and parents, and these interactions are laying the foundation for success; I am confident that our children will someday change people’s lives for the better. At CSD, we dare to dream that education can be better and we dare to believe that every child will have a bright future. We dare to dream for the future of our community, our country and our world. How can I not be a hopeless romantic in this environment?
Each year we conduct fundraising to support our educational program and we thank you for your ongoing support and dedication to achieve extraordinary things for our students. The funds we raise support our general annual instructional and operational needs (for items such as furniture, computers, books and other instructional supplies, educational software, and staff development), as well as helping us pay down debt incurred in up-fitting the elementary and middle school space ($2.9 million loan) and high school space ($4 million loan). Fundraising also helps us maintain our practice of growth by only one grade level per year so as not to compromise the quality of our education program, and fundraising will allow us to plan future capital projects. For example, we have about 25,000 square feet of unfinished space in the high school building in which we intend to construct an arts wing. We hope to complete this project in the coming year so that our current rising 11th grades and all CSD high school students to come can enjoy the fully completed high school facility. They all certainly deserve it; especially the students in the top three classes who have met our many changes and adjustments with grace and patience throughout the years.
As we discuss every year, parent participation in fundraising is critical. As a charter school committed to continuous improvement, it is important to understand that fundraising will always be part of our budgetary process. CSD receives public funds for the administrative costs of school operations such as teacher salaries, learning materials for students, utilities and similar facility operating costs (we receive the same amount as local public schools for these operating expenses). However, we do not receive public funds for capital expenses, which is a significant part of our annual budget. This includes expenses such as building renovations, classroom furniture, computers and A/V equipment.
In the upcoming budget year, we (like Charlotte Mecklenburg schools and all other public schools in North Carolina) continue to face a challenging budget. After three years of continuous cuts, we are hopeful that the tide will turn. However, we know that even if it does turn, it will not turn enough. We have been able to navigate this difficult budget environment largely due to conservative spending, careful fiscal management, selfless teachers, and fundraising by our amazing parent community. I believe it will take our state years to regain the progress lost. Thankfully, we have thus far been able to shield our students from adverse consequences from these budget cuts. Thanks to CSD parents, staff and community, we went beyond our budget goals for this current year and it was that success that is largely responsible for our ability to move forward next year without making major cuts in staffing for our school. I thank you from the bottom of my heart! But we do need your continued help! In these tough times, we ask that you ponder this challenge as a family and set goals for supporting this important journey for our students.
Our school fundraisers for the 2012-2013 school year will be:
±Annual Fundraising Campaign–“Bright Future”
±Biennial CSD Auction November 3, 2012
±Annual Golf Tournament in April 2013
We ask that you join us in our 2012-2013 Fundraising Campaign and ensure a Bright Future for all of our students. Please review the donation formand determine how you can participate in achieving our $400,000 fundraising goal for 2012-2013. As you consider your yearly contribution, keepin mind that CSD is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Please consult your tax advisor about the tax benefits associated with your contribution. We will continue to post updates to our Annual Fund Campaign on our website so you can see the progress toward our $400,000 goal.
Thank you for your continued support to help realize our dreams and remember that real heroes are the ordinary people around us who ensure a bright future for our students and all students!
“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”
-EleanorRoosevelt
With much love and appreciation,
Joy K. Warner
Executive Director
