Invest in your child's education today!

Dear Summit Parent,

We are grateful to commence Summit’s 27th school year with such tremendous support and dedication from our community, families, and staff. We need your support in continuing to invest the necessary resources to sustain and strengthen the important qualities in our students’ education. In this spirit, it is with pride that we launch our 2023-24 Family Fund.

What is the Family Fund? The Family Fund is an annual family fundraising campaign that helps raise critical funds to support the school’s operating expenses. As a tuition-free public charter school, Summit receives only 75% of the government funding of a traditional public school and zero funding for facilities and capital improvements.

To close this annual funding gap and sustain the unique qualities of a Summit education--such as the staffing and programming necessary to offer small class sizes, additional student support, athletics, the arts, and field learning experiences--requires raising an additional $3,000 per student. Each year, funds raised through the Family Fund help us close this gap. Our goal this year is $140,000.

Please join fellow families, faculty, and community donors to raise the funds necessary to support your students’ education. There are multiple ways you can contribute to our campaign throughout the school year:

• Give directly through a one-time or recurring donation to the Family Fund, or as a Festival of Trees Benefactor or Corporate Sponsor.

• Cashiers Festival of Trees will take place Thanksgiving weekend (November 24 - 25) and feature decorated trees, wreaths, décor items, children’s crafts, holiday performances, and activities. Your support as a Festival Benefactor, Corporate Sponsor, or Auction Winner will count toward your Family Fund contribution. Visit www.summitschool.org/festival-of-trees for more information.

• Raise funds as a participant in a Family Fund fundraising activity, such as the Bear Dash Fun Run & Cinco de Mayo celebration on April 25, or through an approved fundraising activity organized by homeroom parents.
• Find funds through the support of family members or other community sources.
• Sponsor another Summit family’s contribution through a direct gift.

Below please find a summary of Summit’s financials and suggested giving levels, and a link for more information on ways you can contribute. I encourage you to join our annual campaign and contribute to this important financial investment in Summit. Whatever you may choose to give financially, I hope you see this as an opportunity to support all that is possible for our children through a Summit education. Thank you for your support of Summit!

With gratitude,

Head of School

Please make gifts payable to the Summit Charter School Foundation. The Summit Charter School Foundation is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization and your contribution is tax deductible. Our federal tax identification number is 56-2039872.

Funding Sources (per student)

Family Fund Giving Levels (per student):

To raise $140,000 to meet our Family Fund goal, the average per student giving level is $483 ($60/month) if we receive a donation for every student.

Family Fund contributions are appreciated in any amount and every dollar makes a difference. To help guide your investment decision, we have various potential giving levels:

• $4,000 ($400/month)
• $3,000 ($300/month)
• $2,000 ($200/month)
• $1,000 ($105/month)
• $500 ($50/month)
• $250 ($25/month)
• $125 ($12.50/month)

Your contribution to the Family Fund will help us raise the necessary $3,000 per student to close our funding gap and provide our students the important qualities of a Summit education.

Ways to Contribute: Give, Raise, Find, Sponsor

There are multiple ways families can contribute to the Family Fund throughout the school year:

Give: Contributions can be made as direct dollar gifts to the Summit Charter School Foundation, either as a single contribution or as monthly or weekly contributions of smaller amounts.

Raise: Contributions can be raised through participation in Family Fund fundraising activities scheduled throughout the year, including:

• Homeroom Fundraisers*
• Bear Dash Fun Run & Cinco de Mayo Celebration (April 25)

* Each fundraising activity will be organized by a committee of parents and approved by administration. Proceeds from each activity will go toward the giving goals of the grade levels represented by the parent organizers. To sign up to help with a Family Fund activity, please contact Kurt Pusch (kpusch@summitschool.org)

Find: If you have additional family members, such as grandparents, who may be interested in supporting the Family Fund, their contributions can be applied toward a family’s contribution. Please contact Melissa Hudson (mhudson@summitschool.org), Development Director, if you are considering pursuing donations through community members.

Sponsor: We welcome family sponsorships of other families to meet our fundraising goals. If you are interested in being sponsored or sponsoring another family’s contributions, please contact Melissa Hudson.

Opportunities to Give throughout the Year!

July - April Make a one-time or recurring donation, sponsorship, and/or organize an approved fundraiser

July - November Make a donation as Festival of Trees Benefactor, Corporate Sponsor, or Auction Winner

March - April Raise funds to sponsor your student’s participation in the Bear Dash Fun Run on April 25

Giving Recognition & Incentives

• Participation:
  • Grade levels that reach 90%+ participation by April 25 will earn ONE WEEK of FREE DRESS (grades K-8) on May 7-8, 16-17, and 20-21 or an EARLY DISMISSAL & CATERED LUNCH (grades 9-12) on May 3.

• Giving:
  • Every grade will have a grade level giving goal based on the number of students in the grade (see inset below). Each grade level that meets its giving goal by April 25 will earn a PIZZA PARTY and will get to water balloon Mr. Pusch on May 7!

• Participation & Giving:
  • In the spirit of Summit’s Virtue of Giving, grade levels that meet both their Participation and Giving goals by April 25 will be able to DESIGNATE A LOCAL COMMUNITY CHARITY to which SUMMIT WILL DONATE $250.

Grade Level Giving Goals

Deadline: April 25, 2024

Questions?

Please contact Kurt Pusch, Head of School (kpusch@summitschool.org)

For donations by check, please make your check payable to the Summit Charter School Foundation and mail your gift to P.O. Box 2493, Cashiers, NC 28717.

Questions about your donation? Please contact Development Director, Melissa Hudson, at mhudson@summitschool.org or 828-743-5755 ext. 251.