Capital Campaign

The following is from a talk given by Tamara Bates at the all school meeting, March 16, 2008 to announce the Capital Campaign. Parents who were present at that meeting requested sharing these remarks with the whole school:

Waldorf Education is an Education that

the World Needs Now

As the resources of the planet are diminishing...
We need leaders who are in touch with their love for the natural world

As the media grows more clever at promoting consumerism, violence and dissatisfaction with oneself...
We need children who are critical thinkers, who can see through these images and make their own judgments.

As the number of young adults who read for pleasure decreases every year and the major arts institutions are seeing the graying of their memberships and wondering about the future...
We need children and adults who love learning, creating, and appreciating art in its many forms

Most importantly, we need people who care about each other and the planet

That is way I am doing everything I can to build support for the Santa Fe
Waldorf school: I believe that Waldorf education can save the world

And you might feel the same way, because you have given generously of your time, energy and resources to support your child or children in receiving this education.

You might be wondering how does this relate to the new building and the capital campaign?

This new building, which is part of a larger capital campaign, represents the next step the school is taking to create a campus with enough space and the right kind of space to support the multifaceted approach to learning that is the hallmark of Waldorf education.

Today, I am announcing the capital campaign: Completing our Foundation…Building for our Future

This campaign will complete our current master plan and stretch into the future to meet the needs that the new long-range plan identifies.

In this first phase of the campaign, our objectives are:

1. To build Hooper Hall: A site built green home for grade school subjects and the business offices
   
2. To meet existing capital needs of the school, including new buses
   
3. To reduce existing debt—enabling the school to meet more of its capital needs each year

I hope that you will join us in the first phase of Completing our Foundation…Building our Future. The campaign begins with a lead challenge gift of $200,000 a year for three years (for a total of $600,000). We have multi-year commitments from every board member, the administrative leadership and the College of Teachers. I am inviting you today to become founding members and join our lead donor, our Board and the College of Teachers in making a multi year pledge to this campaign.