A Letter from Summit's Head of School
Dear Summit Parent,
We are grateful to commence Summit’s 26th school year with such tremendous support and dedication from our community, families, and faculty. Through small class sizes, expansive facilities and outdoor learning spaces, whole-child programs, and an incredibly talented and dedicated faculty–our model of education brings immense value to the lives of our students. We need your support in continuing to invest the necessary resources to sustain and strengthen these important qualities in our students’ education. In this spirit, it is with pride and gratitude that we launch our 2022-23 Family Fund.
What is the Family Fund and what does your gift support? The Family Fund is a family fundraising campaign that helps raise critical funds to support annual school operating expenses. As a tuition-free public charter school, Summit receives only 75% of the state and local funding of a traditional public school and zero funding for facilities and capital improvements.
To close this annual funding gap and sustain the 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 $3,500 per student. Each year, funds raised through the Family Fund and community giving help us close this gap.
We need your support in joining fellow families, faculty, and community donors to raise the funds necessary to support our students’ Summit education. There are multiple ways you can contribute to our campaign throughout the school year:
There are multiple ways you can contribute to our campaign this school year:
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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 25 - 26) and feature decorated trees, wreaths, décor items, children’s crafts, holiday performances, and activities. Your support as a Festival Benefactor or Corporate Sponsor will count toward your Family Fund contribution.
- Raise funds as a participant in a Family Fund fundraising activity, such as the Bear Dash Fun Run in May or 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, suggested giving-levels, and more information on ways you can contribute to our Family Fund. 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,
Kurt Pusch
Head of School
Summit Financials, 2022-23 School Year
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 each family’s investment decision, we have various potential giving levels:
- $3,500+ ($437.50+/month)
- $2,000 ($250/month)
- $1,000 ($125/month)
- $500 ($62.50/month)
- $250 ($31.25/month)
- $125 ($16/month)
Your contribution to the Family Fund will help us raise the necessary $3,500 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. Visit www.summitschool.org/giving to make your contribution today. Please make gifts payable to the Summit Charter School Foundation.
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 (May 5)
* 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.
Benefits and Recognition
Participation
Grade levels that reach 90%+ participation by May 1 will earn TWO WEEKS of FREE DRESS (grades K-8) or an AFTERNOON AT THE LAKE (grades 9-12)!
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 May 1 will earn a PIZZA PARTY and will get to water balloon Mr. Pusch in May!
Participation & Giving
In the spirit of Summit’s Virtue of Giving, grade levels that meet both their Participation and Giving goals by May 1 will be able to DESIGNATE A LOCAL COMMUNITY CHARITY to which SUMMIT WILL DONATE $250.
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.