Dear families and friends of iSchoolOC,

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Welcome to the 2023-2024 Annual Giving Campaign! We are thrilled to embark on our school's third-year fundraiser, and we have a bold vision: to raise $75,000 with 100% participation. Together, we can achieve these ambitious goals and make a lasting impact. Fundraising is a cherished tradition in independent schools across the United States and during its 2 first independent years, iSchoolOC raised an impressive $109,463. 

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At iSchoolOC, we take pride in offering our community a unique and exceptional bilingual program—the only accredited French school in Orange County—at a competitive rate. To keep tuition affordable and cover operational costs, we must rely on fundraising efforts to enhance the excellence of our academic programs, student activities, and facilities. Every donation, regardless of the amount, plays a crucial role in our continued success. 

Tuition primarily covers our operational expenses, such as teachers' and staff salaries, lease, utilities, and insurance. Our dedicated Parent Association organizes fundraising events to continually replenish their funds, which are then used to sponsor future PA events. 

However, there are many other vital needs that are not covered by tuition, such as security systems improvement, equipment replacement, outsourced student projects or technology upgrades. Therefore, to continue growing and thriving, the school relies on additional funds. 

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Over the past 15 years, thanks to the generous donations from our community, we have accomplished incredible milestones. We were able to equip all our classes with new Smartboards, successfully relocate our School from Tustin Avenue to our current location, and enhance our playground areas with much-needed green shade structures. Our classes have been enriched with the latest technology, including computer carts, robotics, and a wide range of musical materials. Furthermore, we prioritized the safety of our students by installing outdoor cameras and implementing various security improvements. These accomplishments represent just a fraction of what we have achieved together. We are immensely grateful for the continuous support that has allowed us to go above and beyond.

This year, your generous donation will play a crucial role in supporting our organization's goals. We have identified specific priority areas that require immediate attention and your contribution will help ensuring their fulfillment. These priorities are carefully planned based on what needs to be achieved first, ensuring that your support has the most significant impact.

In addition to these priority areas, any additional support received will further strengthen our overall mission. Your gift will provide flexibility and enable us to address unexpected needs or proposed projects that arise throughout the year. It will also help us cover future expenses related to potential moves or beautification initiatives.

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This year, our main focus is to fulfill our wishes of enhancing the learning and play environments for our students. We aim to purchase new rolling vehicles and upgrade structures for our PS/PreK playground, providing endless opportunities for active and imaginative play.

 

Additionally, we aspire to create welcoming spaces in our elementary classes with flexible seating options and new gardening areas in the elementary playground, fostering a love for nature and outdoor learning. To support the academic growth of our students, we plan to renew smartboards in cycle 3, ensuring engaging and interactive lessons. Furthermore, we aim to enhance our physical education program by adding new badminton racquets and gross motor skill equipment, allowing our students to develop their athletic abilities. 

With your continued support, we can turn these wishes into reality and provide an enriching educational experience for our students. If you have a particular item or project that you would like to fully sponsor, we encourage you to reach out to us. We would be more than happy to discuss specific costs and explore how your contribution can be allocated towards your desired cause.

 

Additionally, independent schools like ours seldom rely solely on families and staff's gifts to achieve significant investments. It becomes crucial to reach out to the broader community, inviting them to invest in the future of a local school they share values, cultural attachments, and more with. Therefore, achieving 100% participation is essential to showcase our dedication, ensuring that we don't miss out on potential contributions. 

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Any and all donations to the Annual Giving Campaign are welcome, deeply appreciated and will undoubtedly help iSchoolOC reach its annual goal. 

Founding Circle to Supporter Circle’s contribution matters and will be acknowledged on our virtual Donor Wall. 

Founding Circle: $2,024 and above

Loyalty Circle: $1,000-2,023

Supporter Circle: up to $999

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We understand that families have different capabilities, therefore you can choose to either contribute at any Circle levels OR sponsor any iSchoolOC needs listed above by contacting me directly. It's important to note that your gift is tax-deductible under the name 'International School of Orange County' (EIN #36-4957861). As a gesture of gratitude, I am delighted to invite any donor contributing $1,000 and above to our Spring Campaign-Celebratory Dinner.

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Furthermore, many companies have participation matching-gift programs, potentially doubling your donation! We encourage you to inquire with your employer about this opportunity. Please note that for matching gifts, your donation needs to be paid in full as a single sum, but pledge payments are accepted throughout the remainder of the school calendar year.

 

And finally, I'm thrilled to share that the Board of Trustees have all generously contributed to the 23-24 Annual Campaign. This incredible show of support sets the stage for an extraordinary campaign, and we couldn't be more grateful. By joining us in this endeavor, your contribution will make a significant difference in the lives of our students and the continued success of our school. We are truly thankful for your unwavering support and we will provide regular updates on our progress towards our goal. To celebrate the remarkable accomplishment of every class achieving 100% participation, the school will host a Crêpe party for the students of the class who reached this milestone.

 

Together, let's make our Annual Giving Campaign a resounding success and continue to nurture an environment where students thrive and discover their full potential.

 

Merci Beaucoup ! Warmest regards,

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Frederique Bauer

Interim Head of School