The Centennial Campaign

Foote has invested substantially in financial aid because we believe a diverse community enriches the experience of all our students and prepares them for the world they will enter.

Approximately 22 percent of families receive some level of need-based financial aid. Last year, Foote awarded $1.9 million in financial aid—a commitment unparalleled among independent primary schools. Still, the number of requests for financial aid—and the dollars requested—are both increasing. A larger endowment will offset tuition increases that put Foote out of reach for some families and help preserve the socioeconomic diversity we value so highly.

Foote’s student body is more diverse than ever, and having teachers who reflect the backgrounds of our children is important. Foote has made gains in this area but not fast enough. As we step up recruitment efforts to identify candidates of color, we must commit immediate resources to this critical goal.

Foote’s long-term strength depends on continued financial stability. To keep enrollment healthy, we must invest in people, programs and facilities. We seek funding to renovate the Grades 1—3 classrooms and to increase endowment in order to maintain our campus infrastructure while reducing dependence on tuition dollars.

The faculty is the heart of the school. Teachers play a critical role not only in classrooms but in shaping Foote’s educational program. Foote now benchmarks faculty salaries with the best K-8 schools in the country. Growing our endowment will ensure that Foote continues to attract and retain the best teachers by providing competitive salaries and benefits as well as ongoing opportunities for professional development.

Unrestricted gifts, often pledged over three to five years, represent the most useful form of support. They allow us to direct funding to our students’ most immediate educational needs. Most often, we use such support toward financial aid, capital projects and professional development for our faculty. If not otherwise restricted, gifts to the Centennial Campaign will support the priorities we have identified.

Foote School has been fortunate to receive support over the years in the form of bequests, trusts and other planned gifts. We encourage people to support the Centennial Campaign with such gifts. The Foote School staff welcomes the opportunity to help you take advantage of planned giving strategies.

Foote School has identified a range of recognition and naming opportunities to honor donors and families who make significant gifts in support of the Centennial Campaign. These include endowed scholarships, faculty positions and named programs.

Gifts of cash and marketable securities provide Foote School with the most immediate benefit. However, we gratefully accept gifts in virtually any form including real estate and other personal property.