Impact and Legacy
Source/Author: Nancy L. Spencer, Head of School
September 16, 2022
There are so many things in today’s world that feel like they exist outside of our control. My strategy to avoid feeling overwhelmed by the vexing problems of the world is to reflect on where I can have an impact and what kind of legacy I want to leave.
For me, and I hope for many of you, that answer revolves around Shorecrest and your children.
When I say impact, I think about how the best way to do that is through giving of oneself to this community. Our Shorecrest Chargers have been enormously impacted by the many volunteers who devote their time, talent, and, yes, financial resources to the School.
When I say legacy, I think about making lasting changes to Shorecrest that will benefit not only our current students, but hopefully generations of children to come -- into the next 100 years.
The bedrock of impact and legacy is the financial sustainability of Shorecrest. Our goal is for this school to thrive well into its second century. Shorecrest’s financial model, which affects impact and legacy, reflects the fact that the tuition we charge does not cover the entire cost of running this school. In this way we are similar to most non-profit schools and colleges, except those that have huge endowments.
We rely on the generosity of parents and alumni to cover the difference - the gap - between the tuition we charge and our total expenses. That is done through the Shorecrest Fund. It's an actual line item in our budget, and these resources are put to immediate use during the current school year, to support your children and their teachers, their coaches and other people and programs.
The best example of the Shorecrest Fund’s use last year was the mid-year implementation of having a St. Petersburg police officer direct traffic every day at morning carline and then spend three hours on campus. That was not a planned expenditure during our budgeting process. However, through the Shorecrest Fund, we had the resources and flexibility to move quickly in affecting positive change for the School.
Why? Why not simply charge what it costs to run a school? We could do that, but at that price point, we might push away many families whom we want to be a part of Shorecrest. So we charge what we think is the appropriate tuition and then work with our whole community - our parents, alumni, faculty/staff, Trustees, grandparents - to convey the true value of a Shorecrest education, and ask that they contribute more – through a tax-deductible gift to the Shorecrest Fund. To do so, we invite you to participate in the Giving Day coming up on September 23.
And if there is a particular area of focus or passion project that you have, I invite you to come talk with me! We are so excited and willing to partner with donors whose interests align with the mission and strategic initiatives of the School. This is another excellent way to impact the School and create a lasting legacy. That is how we move Shorecrest forward!
All the best,
Nancy
