A letter from the Headmaster

A letter from the Headmaster

October 23, 2008

Dear Friends,

 In the midst of a fair amount of unsettling economic news, I am writing to inform you that Gill St. Bernard's School has taken several steps to ensure that we will continue to fulfill our mission and achieve our strategic goals moving forward. Like many of you, I have been closely monitoring the developments on Wall Street, Main Street, and in Washington and am troubled by the difficulties our nation now faces. 

 First, please know that the school’s finances are sound. Our endowment is secure and reflects a conservative mix of investments. The Board of Trustees regularly reviews the asset allocation and has established appropriate reserves. Our current enrollment is strong, and I fully believe that we will be able to properly respond to the various fiscal challenges this year while maintaining a balanced budget. We will need, of course,  to closely manage all our expenses and work on additional ways to save without compromising quality. Please know that I do not anticipate significant changes in any of our programs.

In addition to these steps, we are trying to reduce the number of fundraising appeals to our families by the school, parents and students. This comes in response to the concerns that families have voiced about being inundated with various requests for money. However, the capital campaign will continue, and I am grateful to all those who have already given to the building initiative. Next week, we will launch the annual fund drive. Both of these endeavors remain essential to our current and future plans and I hope everyone will support them, as well as the major events sponsored by our Parents’ Association. 

 Second, during this difficult period, it is vital that we maintain our commitment to serving our students and continuous improvement of the school. Admission activity is quite busy thus far; more than 65 families attended the most recent open house program and applications for next year are arriving daily. This high level of interest in the school bodes well for overall enrollment. We expect that requests for need-based financial aid may increase, and are prepared to do what we can to assist in this area.

Third, the new upper school academic center is taking shape before our eyes and is on schedule to be in use for the second semester. This wonderful facility will include 12 classrooms, a new library media center, technology wing, and extensive student common space. It will have a strong positive impact not only on the upper school, but on the entire GSB community. Along with other recent changes to our physical plant, the school campus remains one of our strongest assets. We have plans for additional construction projects; however, we may need to adjust the timetable given the economic realities we all are facing. 

 Although it is my hope that these turbulent times will soon pass, we are prepared if necessary to respond to an extended period of economic challenges. Our decisions will be guided by the school’s mission and grounded in our core values as a community. With continued commitment and hard work, I believe that Gill St. Bernard's School will be even stronger in the coming years. As always, I thank you for all that you do for GSB.

Go Knights!

Regards,

S.A. Rowell
Headmaster