Keeping the Momentum GoingWe have an amazing school. It is rich in faith, rich in heritage, and rich in resolve. What I mean by that is whether parent, grandparent, faculty member, or staff person, there are many committed to the "Beauty that is Everest." We know, understand and appreciate the uniqueness that we are so blessed to be a part of. In terms of our 20+ years, we are still young in comparison to the vast majority of private institutions in primary education. Taking into account the high school, we are even closer to our infancy based upon the standards of most other secondary institutions. I can tell you, we are so much more than what we might seem on the outside based upon our tenure. The legacy we have begun is large in terms of caliber, depth, and the pursuit of God’s plan. Our first graduating class of high school seniors from 2012 will be passing another milestone as their collegiate years come to a close, and they move into the world of fulltime employment in the spring of 2016.
They have worked hard, done well, and the foundation that was laid while they were being formed at Everest is bearing fruit. As amazing as what we have truly is, there is always opportunity for it to be better. It is with that mindset, we set out to accomplish some pretty big things this year despite our deficit to plan in terms of students and budget. First and foremost, I committed to more frequent communication with everyone. In addition to the updates you have been receiving from me, you will also be hearing intermittently from other members of the Leadership Team. As another communication tool, I will be holding Morning Coffee meetings once per quarter after drop off. My first one will be next Friday, November
20 from 8-9AM. I will be in the White House for anyone who wants to hear more about all the wonderful things we are doing and share their thoughts with me. I hope you can find the time to stop in. Equally as important, we just completed the first phase of development on Everest’s new external website, EverestCatholic.org. While there are more enhancements planned, this initial step was designed to clearly articulate what makes an Everest education unique and offer insights into the perspectives of the leaders of our school. If you haven’t had the chance to check it out yet, please do. I think it will provide you with an even greater appreciation of the mission we strive to accomplish each and every
day. Another big change has had to do with the Annual Fund Drive. For the very first time, there is a unifying theme for the AFD. This year’s campaign is All in for Everest, and its goal is participation from everyone within the Everest community. To kick things off, we began the drive with a talk given by renowned speaker, Fr. Peter Stravinskas, who spoke about the beauty of a Catholic education. The event was filmed by the Catholic Legacy Network and will be part of an upcoming program about Catholic education. The program, which is tentatively scheduled for airing in early 2016, will feature a 3-4 minute segment on the "Beauty that is Everest." We are promoting the AFD differently this year as well. Throughout the month of November, we are recognizing All In Pin Sightings and rewarding them with a special Jeans Day Pass. Beginning in December, a classroom competition will be rolled out in support of the AFD, so the students can further benefit from their parents’ participation. There is a lot of emphasis being placed on the AFD, and it is for good reason. What many of you might not realize is that tuition alone does not cover the total cost of operating our school. We rely on two additional major sources of revenue, and they are the AFD and the Gala Auction. This type of funding model, which is common in private schools, is beneficial for everyone because it allows AFD and Gala contributors
to receive the benefits of charitable gift giving. It also keeps the cost of an Everest education within the reach of more families. My heartfelt thanks go out to each and every member of the Everest faculty and staff as they have generously supported the AFD this year with 100% participation. I am also deeply grateful to the parents, grandparents, and benefactors, who have already contributed to this year’s drive. Your participation is a testament to your willingness to be All In for Everest. By the Grace of God, we have a lot to be
thankful for, and I want you to know there are many more good things in the works. Keeping this momentum going in the right direction will take everyone’s resolve. It will only happen with the continued gift of God’s Grace and the support of the entire Everest community. There are many of us who are totally committed to being “All In for Everest." The time is now to come to the table. Are you All in? In Gratitude,
Michael J. Nalepa
President
|
