Report of Giving 2014-2015

Ransom Everglades School

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LETTER FROM BOARD OF TRUSTEES CHAIRMAN

Dear Ransom Everglades Community,

In my first year as the chair of the Ransom Everglades Board of Trustees, I had the

tremendous privilege of working with a passionate, smart and determined team. We

benefited beyond measure from the support and dedication of a formidable group of

parent volunteers. We watched, thrilled, as Head of School Penny Townsend thrived in her first year, making Ransom

Everglades better every day. Her relentless work ethic, brilliant mind and limitless enthusiasm motivated all of us.

I’m delighted to report that the terrific energy on campus was matched by unparalleled success in our 2014-2015 Annual

Fund. We were amazed by the outpouring of generosity from our alumni, parents, grandparents and RE friends. Your

thoughtful gifts helped us reach a historic high – $2.46 million – for the Annual Fund, exceeding the previous year’s record

total by 15 percent. A remarkable 90 percent of parents contributed with an average gift of nearly $2,000. Nearly one in

three alums – another record – gave more than $600 on average.

Perhaps most encouraging has been the philanthropic spirit of our most recent graduates. More than five dozen members of

our Young Benefactor Society – alums up to the age of 35 – contributed at least $1,500 each, exceeding $100,000 as a group.

Those gifts allowed us to enhance our academic, arts, technology, and athletic programs, ensuring that RE graduates

continue to stand out and make a difference when they enter the world. We supported a financial-aid budget of $4.9 million

and a need-blind admissions policy to increase educational opportunities for talented youngsters. Seventeen percent of our

student body received financial aid or tuition remission, with an annual grant of over $17,000.

Under Penny’s leadership, we inaugurated a comprehensive strategic plan to turn our hopes for a successful future into a

reliable blueprint for continued excellence. We on the board of trustees intend to ensure that Ransom Everglades carries on

its tradition of leadership; academic, athletic and artistic excellence; environmental stewardship; and community service in

the next year – and for decades after.

Eric Mendelson

Chairman, 2014-2015 Board of Trustees