Sequoyah School
The Power of Endowments
Establishing a Legacy
An endowment fund is a lasting and stable source of income for Sequoyah that funds our exceptional education for generations to come. Gifts to an endowment are held in perpetuity and invested, with those investments and interest earned spent for a specific purpose:
The Faculty Compensation Endowment
In the spring of 2021, an extraordinary and important initial commitment of $100,000 from a Sequoyah family opened an endowment to support a sustained increase in faculty compensation, addressing a strategic priority. The Faculty Compensation Endowment is a permanently restricted fund whose proceeds support the school’s efforts to raise and sustain faculty compensation.
In sum, this gift is a long-term financial commitment to the art and value of teaching, which is at the heart of Sequoyah’s mission. With additional contributions, the endowment grows in capacity and impact, always directly benefiting teachers and encouraging them to build their careers at Sequoyah. Generations of students benefit from this legacy as it honors and celebrates Sequoyah’s passionate, deeply caring teacher-role models. The school continues to actively seek and receive additional gifts for this purpose.
Who can give to the Faculty Compensation Endowment?
Anyone! The Faculty Compensation Endowment Fund was established in a way that welcomes anyone to contribute any amount, at any time. In this way the generosity of a community empowers the fund’s growth and impact.
The school’s online giving donor form allows users to split their gifts among choices or you may simply indicate your allocation in a check memo and/or message to the Director of Advancement, Elena Phleger. You may also choose to dedicate the gift to a faculty member or anyone else when you fill out the donor form.
What is the difference between the Annual Campaign and the Endowment?
Because tuition alone does not cover the full costs of educating students, funds raised through the Annual Campaign are spent the same school year they are received, for any number of projects or initiatives.
In contrast, gifts to an endowment provide for the long-term viability of Sequoyah’s educational program. In the case of the Faculty Compensation Endowment, donations allow the school to recruit and retain amazing teachers for years to come. The Faculty Compensation Endowment Fund predictably provides a source of revenue to support faculty compensation so that salary raises are not entirely dependent on increasing tuition or decreasing financial commitments to Sequoyah programs or personnel.
I am a creator at heart! At Sequoyah it is a joy to co-design meaningful learning experiences with students, parents, and colleagues that honor what everyone can contribute to our community. Whether it’s teaching Street Food, Spanish, or Latinx Women Writers, I take students to galleries, community centers, and museums to apply their learning in real world contexts. I also invite directors, artists, and entrepreneurs into my classroom for intellectual exchange. These experiences are a big part of why I teach at Sequoyah, and my teaching practice has grown so much in my time here.
