On behalf of the entire St. Mark’s community, I offer my heartfelt gratitude to our generous donors who contributed a record-setting $22,249,490 during the 2019-2020 fiscal year, including an all-time high $2,664,475 for the Annual Fund.
The past year was unlike any other in our history. These vital philanthropic resources played a significant role in our ability to pivot to virtual learning at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, to make the modifications necessary to safely reopen our campus this fall and to provide professional development and technology solutions that ensure a robust hybrid learning experience for every student whether they are on-campus or remote.
2019-2020 Annual Report
The Campaign for St. Mark’s School - 2020 Update
St. Mark’s celebrated regional launches of its $115 million Lives of Consequence fundraising initiative by visiting alumni, parents, and other School supporters during the fall of 2019 and winter of 2020. Highlights included 2019 events at the Asticou Inn in Northeast Harbor, Maine, New York Yacht Club, New York City, the Merion Cricket Club in Haverford, Pennsylvania, and the American Geophysical Union Headquarters in Washington, D.C. Members of the St. Mark's community also gathered at the Palm Beach Yacht Club in West Palm Beach, Florida in January 2020.
Thanks to the remarkable generosity of our community, $95,739,689.84 has been raised to date, representing approximately 83 percent of our goal.
2019-2020 Annual Fund Sets a New Record
Despite the challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, our generous donors gave a record $2,664,475 to the Annual Fund in 2019-2020. St. Mark's parents contributed $892,280, representing one-third of this total, and many families also returned all or a portion of their spring room and board refunds to the School. This year’s success would not have been possible without the tireless efforts of our many alumni and parent volunteers, and the dedicated leadership of Annual Fund Chair Bruce Morgan ’70, Parent Annual Fund Chair Michael Pellini P’20, ’23, and Parents’ Association Co-Chairs Michelle and Thomas Davis P’21.
Despite the many challenges 2020 threw at us, I’m pleased to report that we exceeded our $2.4 million Annual Fund goal, raising $2.66 million in unrestricted gifts. We did this in part with help from a large bequest, and the generosity of current parents who chose to donate boarding refunds from the time we went to remote learning. Of this year’s Annual Fund success, John Warren has written, “Together with alumni and parents like you, we will press on through this pandemic and emerge stronger and better.” Thank you all for your support! - Bruce Morgan '70, Annual Fund Chair
Residential Life Initiative Builds Strong Momentum
We continue to focus on completing the cornerstone of the campaign’s next phase, the Residential Life Initiative, which will transform the St. Mark’s living and learning experience by providing day and boarding students with an environment even more conducive to developing vital intellectual, social, and emotional skills.
In FY20, generous donors contributed $18 million for this project. These gifts bring our total progress to $36,045,729, or 83 percent of our $44 million goal, and represent nearly double the level of funding the School had achieved at the end of FY19 ($18,152,593). A successful $5 million challenge grant, a $5 million bequest from longtime donor and former trustee George D. O’Neill ’45, and an outpouring of enthusiastic support from parents and alumni gave the fundraising efforts for this project a real boost.
The 90,000-square-foot residential hall will house 150 students, and include 12 faculty apartments, eight study rooms, 12 study nooks, and a 1,300-foot lounge overlooking Belmont Field. This initiative will truly unite our entire community on the Main Campus and reimagine our founding principle of “a school under one roof.”
In FY20, generous donors contributed $18 million for this project. These gifts bring our total progress to $36,045,729, or 83 percent of our $44 million goal, and represent nearly double the level of funding the School had achieved at the end of FY19 ($18,152,593). A successful $5 million challenge grant, a $5 million bequest from longtime donor and former trustee George D. O’Neill ’45, and an outpouring of enthusiastic support from parents and alumni gave the fundraising efforts for this project a real boost.
The 90,000-square-foot residential hall will house 150 students, and include 12 faculty apartments, eight study rooms, 12 study nooks, and a 1,300-foot lounge overlooking Belmont Field. This initiative will truly unite our entire community on the Main Campus and reimagine our founding principle of “a school under one roof.”
East Gallery Construction Underway
Last spring also saw the beginning of construction of the visitor parking lot near Belmont Chapel as well as the East Gallery. These enhancements are part of the first phase of the Residential Life Initiative. Brick pavers were removed between the existing gallery entrance and Thieriot’s atrium. Hemlock and dogwood trees were relocated elsewhere on campus as the current Gallery stairway, the Main Building’s first-floor bathrooms, and the food services office were all demolished. This work made way for new grass areas and paths from Thieriot to the new East Gallery. Once completed, this new gateway to the main building will include a multi-level gallery where glass walls bring in natural light to spaces that will highlight student artwork and serve as gathering places for students and faculty.
Faculty Excellence Fund Goes to Work in 2019-2020
Beyond their academic duties at St Mark’s, faculty members are also coaches, advisors, and House Parents. In order to attract and retain the high-caliber faculty needed to nurture students in every aspect of their lives, we must continue to provide opportunities that allow them to personally and professionally grow and thrive.
St. Mark’s plans to accomplish this using the Faculty Excellence Fund to provide competitive salaries and salary increases to faculty who have completed their second, seventh, twelfth, and twentieth year of service to the School. With philanthropic support for this endowed fund surpassing $2.6 million, St. Mark’s was able to begin implementing this vital enhanced compensation plan in 2019-2020.
Fostering Diversity and Providing Opportunity Through Financial Aid
In the 2019-2020 school year, 111 students received financial aid, accounting for about 30 percent of students attending St. Mark’s, and close to the same amount compared to the 2018-2019 school year. Financial aid grants averaged $54,701 per boarding student and $25,885 per day student. With 62 percent of 2020-2021 domestic family applicants requesting financial aid, it’s clear that these funds are more important than ever as the School continues its mission of fostering a diverse community while providing exceptional students with an education that prepares them to lead lives of consequence.
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