Lake Washington Girls Middle School2011/2012 Annual Report

strong in

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body

voice

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Dear LWGMS community,

This anniversary year provides us with a unique opportunity to think about the ways in which Lake Washington Girls Middle School has grown—and grown up—over the past fifteen years, and it is a chance to reflect upon our accomplishments while we dream big for the future.

When LWGMS opened fifteen years ago, we were a grassroots response to a research-supported need for a single-gender school for girls. We were young. We were idealistic, in the best sense of the word. We

believed our little school would, through growing strong girls who grow up to be strong women, change the world.

As we blow out our 15 candles, I am proud to say that not a shred of that idealism has been lost. In fact, that idealism is now grounded in realism, experience, data, and the successes of our alumnae.

Those alumnae include the freshly graduated, who are just beginning their high school journeys, just celebrating their own 15th birthdays. With only a few months of hindsight to reflect upon their middle school experience, they are able to articulate clearly what the L-Dub experience provided for them. Maggie ’12 says that her time at LWGMS allowed her to grow into someone she has confidence in and she loves. Anna ’12 says, “Attending LWGMS helped me gain confidence, which has helped me with making new friends, speaking up in class, and just in general not being afraid to be myself.”

Those alumnae include the young women who are early in their university years. Madeleine ’08, who began studying at Bristol University this year, says, “My experience at L-Dub empowered me and made me realize being inquisitive was something to be proud of, not ashamed.” From Brandeis, Maya ‘06 says, “LWGMS gave me the opportunity to express myself, no matter how quirky that expression was.” And Ella ’08 writes from Pratt Institute that at LWGMS she “gained many invaluable new perspectives.”

Those alumnae also include the pioneer girls of the founding class, who spent each day of their middle school years in our one-classroom school. One of them, Mackenzie, is now in graduate school at Teachers College at Columbia. Mackenzie credits LWGMS with supplying her with the confidence to stand up for herself and try new things. She has gone on to teach in New York and Washington, D.C., every day making the world a better place. Another, Zoey, works at a Seattle non-profit and says that due to her L-Dub foundation, every accomplishment in her adulthood has been “rooted in the strong desire to understand and improve upon the world.”

Strong girls who grow up to be strong women, changing the world: it was an idealistic dream in the beginning, and one we’ve lived every day of our fifteen years. As LWGMS looks toward the future, I know we’ll continue to teach, inspire, and challenge our students. Our girls will continue to be strong and resilient leaders and activists, performers and problem-solvers, learners and teachers. We will hold on to our roots as we work toward ensuring our sustainability into the future, with innovative programs in the works, a plan for a long-term home for the school, and—always—the joy, learning, growth, and successes of L-Dub girls at the forefront.

Thank you to everyone who has contributed to the accomplishments and initiatives that are fueling LWGMS’s evolution and success. I look forward to an exhilarating 2013!

Patricia HearnHead of School

FOCUSING ON THE FUTUREA MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

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L-Dub wil l chal lenge you, push you, understand you, exci te you, and most important ly , accept you.–Emmi ‘13

L-Dub taught me that I was wrong for thinking my ideas wouldn’ t be appreciated, and now I’m not afraid to speak up! –Tuesday ‘13

Each year, Lake Washington Girls Middle School’s advancement efforts center on our annual fund and our spring auction. This Annual Report gives us a chance to see our progress in these areas and to reflect on some of the reasons it makes sense to support LWGMS.

All of us know that in any independent school, tuition goes only part way in covering the costs of educating a child. As a board member, that point is certainly on my mind, but as a parent, I’m motivated to give because of the good this school does for our girls. Like so many of us, our family was attracted to the school because of its mission to produce girls strong in mind, body, and voice. We wanted that for our two daughters and we have not been disappointed. We think LWGMS is largely responsible for our older daughter’s success in high school thus far, and we are grateful for the experiences our younger daughter is having at LWGMS now. As a family, we want to do what we can to ensure that LWGMS continues to be a place that allows girls a chance to thrive and to succeed.

Of course, many of us feel the same way. I trust that just as we have been in the past, we will be generous in our support for LWGMS again this year.

Sincerely,

Mark ChinenBoard President

2011–2012 BOARD OF TRUSTEES Mark Chinen P’11, President David Carrell P’10, Vice President Ben Noble P’13, Treasurer Kristin Conn P’13, Secretary Lisa Hoyt P’11 Whitney Knox ‘01Kristin Marra P’13 T.A. McCann P’13Susan Papanikolas P’14Sarah Marshall P’14

MANY HANDSA MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD PRESIDENT

Our students are such special individuals. I am reminded of how lucky I am to teach them with each burst into song, frantic hand raise, and meticulously completed animal scratch board project. –Ms. Klema

Each year, the Head of School and Board of Directors work hard to develop a budget that supports the school’s essential education mission, while balancing the goals of social justice, equity, and access. Fundraising is a key component of LWGMS’s annual revenues, as is the tuition paid by our community of families. Together these sources provide the resources needed to support the school’s 2012/2013 budget of approximately $1,140,000.

The salaries and benefits of the school’s teachers and staff are the largest single cost-driver in the budget, but facility costs are another major component. The last key element of the budget is financial aid, which takes the form of partial tuition scholarships. While scholarships are technically a budget cost, they are critical to the mission of the school and one area where our underlying goal is to actually increase expenditures. This current year, 12.7% of the total budget was dedicated to financial aid, but the school’s long-range plan calls for growing this figure over the next five years. The support we receive from fundraising is the most effective means for growing the resources dedicated to financial aid.

To build the annual budget, the Board’s Finance Committee reviews costs incurred in the previous year and looks ahead to see what resources will be needed to maintain and grow the school for the future. Different priorities emerge from one year to the next, but identifying the resources needed for education materials, technology upgrades, and facility improvements are examples of the issues considered in this process. In recent years, this work has specifically included an evaluation of how increasing LWGMS’s enrollment will affect the budget. Expanding enrollment has required additional resources in some areas, while providing significant efficiencies in others.

Once the Finance Committee has completed this initial review, a draft budget is brought forward to the full Board for review and discussion. Before taking any action, the Board carefully considers the recommendations of the Finance Committee, with particular attention given to the tuition rates assumed for the following year. Increasing tuition is a necessity, as the cost-drivers noted above grow each year, but the Board weighs the need for additional resources against the financial pressures that all families face. We are proud to have a built a financially stable school that is able to provide educational opportunities to families from all across Seattle.

Ben Noble P’14Board Treasurer

BUILDING A BUDGETA MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD TREASURER

L-Dub frees you, inspires you, and loves you.–Emma ’13

EXPENSESSalaries and Benefits $543,323 Program $133,385 Operations $39,835 Rent of Facility $88,798 Financial Aid $88,450

Total $893,791

The Annual Report is published to recognize the many generous contributors whose private gifts support LWGMS. Every effort has been made to produce an accurate, comprehensive listing of donors for the fiscal year July 1, 2011 through June 30, 2012. The cash figures reported are unaudited.

INCOMETuition and Fees $750,887Fundraising $164,984Other $2,235

Total $918,106

FINANCIAL SUMMARY JULY 2011 – JUNE 2012

Photo by Catherine Anstett

ANNUAL FUND DONORS The Annual Fund turns individual gifts of all sizes into a collective pool of support for every aspect of an LWGMS education. Every dollar is used to ensure that LWGMS is financially accessible to a qualified and diverse student body, recruits and retains an exceptional faculty, supports broad curricular and co-curricular programs, and provides and maintains the facilities possible to support academics, the arts, and athletics.

Marco and Molly AbbruzzeseLouise Almgren P’15Thaddas AlstonZachary Ames and Chantel Olausen P’14Stephen Antupit and Lucy Sloman P’12Alicia BarreraPeter Beveridge and Alicia Kramer P’13Kenneth BlaisdellShannon Blaisdell and Bryan LhuillierMargaret Bovingdon P’08Ken and Cheri Bowles P’15Mason Bowles and Christine Chmielniak P’13Tom Braman and Kathryn Robinson P’12Stephanie Bravmann, PhDJanet Brodsky P’01Zoey Brodsky ‘01Robert and Jennifer Bucher P’12Ross and Susanna Bunker P’15Daniel Caracciolo and Donna Mackenzie P’01David Carrell and Garnet Anderson P’10Mark Chinen and Ruby Takushi P’11, ‘14Sandy Cioffi and Tammi SimmsChristian and Julie Colando P’09,’11James Colando and Shirley RobertsonDoyt and Kristin Conn P’13Robert Drucker and Ann Gensler P’12Richard Dunn and Laura Widdice P’10Dan Eder and Joela Maggio P’13Amy Eggler and Erika Shaffer P’15Stuart Eivers and Darcie Stella P’12Edwin and Rebecca Fotheringham P’12David Foutch and Lynn Thompson P’04,’09Lesli Franklin P’15Carol FreiseJason French and Leslie Ashbaugh P’11Savannah Fuentes P’13Gregory Garcia and Erica Pascarelli P’12Warren Gibbs and Jan Frederick P’09, ‘14David Gill and Karri Meleo P’09, ‘15Rod Gleysteen and Mary Elder P’13Katharine GoldingWilliam Golding and Jacqueline James P’08Heather Harris P’12, ‘15Paul and Nancy Hawkes P’15Dan and Whitney Hazzard P’12Patricia Hearn and Leslie NeihartOleine HedeenAlex Higgins and Eva McGoughChristopher and Lisa Hoyt P’11Rainer Huber and Shelley McKinleyGretchen HughesJohn Hughes and Marni Levy P’07Jeff and Michelle Huse P’10,’11,’13Hussein and Julia Ismael P’14Robert Jaffe and Susan Isaacson P’09Kate JarvisJay Keiper and Monica Lake P’08Susan King P’13Molly KlemaRon Knox P’01Marinko Kordich and Darla Defrance P’15

Fulgencio Lazo and Erin Fanning P’14Michael Leslie and Anne Freitas P’15Ron Lewis and Laurie Elder P’10Ramon Limon and Araceli Vichy P’14Josh Lipsky and Laura Van Dernoot Lipsky P’15LWGMS Class of 2012Kris Lysaker P’13Heather MahardyKristin Marra and Judith Kaftan P’13Sarah Marshall P’14Ken Matsudaira P’12Robert and Julie McCann P’14T.A. and Teresa McCann P’13Henry McGeeJohn McLaughlin and Kathryn Krikorian P’10Beth McNamara and Jennifer DuncanTamirat and Christina Mekuria P’13John Mellana and Suzanne Edison P’15Ken Mostow and Martha Straley P’05Susie MostowSandy MuellerLindsey MutschlerGary Nece and Jody RosentswiegDavid Neiman and Keiko Kawasaki P’14Paul and Carol NeimanHao Nguyen and Maria Anulacion P’15Ben Noble P’14David Oder and Stephanie Carmel P’11,’13John and Sharon OkamotoEric Olson and Anne Gienapp P’14Josh Parks and Julie Fay P’09Kieran Phelan and Priscilla Walker P’12Martin Powell P’11Linda QuirkSara RankinAndrew and April Rauch P’15Frank Retman and Rosselle PekelisDanielle Rhomes P’13Ed and Marcia RichterCaitlin RonningBill and Paula RooksJohn RudolfScott Rumage and Karin Jensvold P’06, ‘09Steven and Emily Samario P’14Jon Schorr and JoAnne TompkinsSebastian Shaw and Marcie Sheppard Shaw P’13Stan Shikuma and Tracy Lai P’04David Shulman and Sam Friedlander P’06Christopher Smith and Karin Hirschfeld P’14Richard and Jeanne Smith P’13Stasia SmithZach Smith P’13Richard Sohn and Susan Papanikolas P’14Marcio and Charito Sotero de Menezes P’07Krishnan Srinivasan and Divya Krishnan P’15Michi Suzuki and Jeannine BurkeBrandy Taylor P’11, ‘15Jeff TechicoDavid True and Sarah Hufbauer P’10Carl and Sherine Tully P’13Farhad Tyabji P’14

John Unangst and Karin KallanderDavid and Reba Utevsky P’05Bill Vogeley and Karen Garland P’09Meagan Walker P’12Merle Weiss and Diane Pien P’07Scott and Kristan Weller P’15Colleen WestCurt and Lawrie Williams P’12Terry and Elsa WilliamsBen and Kimberli Wilson P’11, ‘14Paul Wirsing and Paola Maranan P’10Michael Witter and Lizzie Zemke P’12Todd and Nancy WyattFelicia Yearwood P’11Rose Yu P’15Joe Zajonc and Daisy Sanchez Zajonc P’14

IN-KIND GIFTS We are grateful for the many gifts – of time, effort, and enthusiasm – our supporters bring us on a daily basis, and to the following people for donations of in-kind necessities:Richard Sohn and Susan Papanikolas P’14Zach Smith P’13Carl and Sherine Tully P’13Joe Zajonc and Daisy Sanchez Zajonc P’14Sophie Sun Confucius International Education

MATCHING DONATIONS We are pleased to have received donations from the folowing corporations and foundations 2011-2012. Thank you to our donors who intitiated these donations:

The Boeing CompanyCornerstone AdvisorsCostcoeScripExpedia, Inc.Gap FoundationGetty ImagesGE United Way CampaignJBT CorporationMicrosoftPCC ScripResearch in MotionRussell InvestmentsTime WarnerWashington Post

Susan Abbe and Mike ChapmanVicky Beer and Jeff Sprung P’15John BergenPeter Beveridge and Alicia Kramer P’13Shannon Blaisdell and Bryan LhuillierKen and Cheri Bowles P’15Robert and Jennifer Bucher P’12Raymond and Heather Caldwell P’15Stephanie Carmel and David Oder P’11,’13Mark Chinen and Ruby Takushi P’11, ‘14Christine Chmielniak and Mason Bowles P’13John ClarkDoyt and Kristin Conn P’13Margaret DuffyDan Eder and Joela Maggio P’13Rod Gleysteen and Mary Elder P’13Ed EmersonSylvia EricsonCarolyn FinneyEdwin and Rebecca Fotheringham P’12Jan Frederick and Warren Gibbs P’09. ‘14Gregory Garcia and Erica Pascarelli P’12John and Katie GienappLee GleysteenRhonda Hanson and Chris EllardHeather Harris P’12Lynn HashimotoPatricia Hearn and Leslie NeihartChristopher and Lisa Hoyt P’11Jeff and Michelle Huse P’10,’11,’13Julie Jensen

Charissa JonesJudith Kaftan and Kristin Marra P’13Inger KjosnesBrian and Peggy KregerBrian KumasakaJeffrey Lee P’07, ‘12Patricia LeeRamon Limon and Araceli Vichy P’14John LysakerChuck MartinRobert and Julie McCann P’14T.A. and Teresa McCann P’13Eva McGough and Alex HigginsPaul and Judy McGoughBeth McNamara and Jen DuncanKarri Meleo and David Gill P’09Ken Mostow and Martha Straley P’05Lindsey MutschlerDavid Neiman and Keiko Kawaskai P’14David NilssenBen Noble P’14Robert NobleRita O’BoyleEric Olson and Anne Gienapp P’14Joe and Carla Orlando P’14Stephanie ParkerJoe and Kirstin PetersonKieran Phelan and Pricilla Walker P’12Terrence and Arizona Proctor P’10, ‘15Mike and Julie QuammaLinda Quirk

THE CARY WYATT MCRAE MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND was established when we lost our beloved friend and “school mom,” Cary McRae. The money raised for this scholarship enhances our financial aid budget to enable all girls admitted to attend LWGMS regardless of their family’s financial situation. This was a core value for Cary, and we are grateful to continue her legacy. Thank you to the following people who donated to the Scholarship Fund. You enabled us to support our community members receiving need-based financial aid.

GiveBIG! The Seattle Foundation’s 2012 GiveBIG event generated a stunning $7.43 million in online contributions for nonprofits, more than twice last year’s results of $3.6 million and an amazing testament to the philanthropic spirit in King County. During this 24-hour online event held on May 2, more than 37,800 individual gifts were made to more than 1,100 local nonprofits profiled on www.seattlefoundation.org. The Seattle Foundation “stretched” these gifts further, matching a share of every contribution with a pool of funds provided by corporate sponsors, individual contributors and the Foundation. LWGMS was thrilled to receive $3,102.24 in contributions from to following donors and sponsors – three times as much as was donated in 2011. Thank you!

Roberta ReaberEddie and Marcia RichterKathryn Robinson and Tom Braman P’12Kirsten Rooks and Hunter Williams Elizabeth RudolfSteven and Emily Samario P’14Kate Ross and Tim SchmuckalDavid Shulman and Sam Friedlander ‘06Jane and Jim SkrivanLucy Sloman and Steven Antupit P’12Christopher Smith and Karin Hirschfeld P’14Richard and Jeanne Smith P’13Richard Sohn and Susan Papanikolas P’14Marcio and Charito Sotero de Menezes P’07David StearnsDarcie Stella and Stuart Eivers P’12Betty StrongRob and Eunhee SumnerCarl and Sherine Tully P’13Dan and Virginia Turner P’06, ’11John Unangst and Karin KallanderSally WagnerScott and Kristan Weller P’15Curt and Lawrie Williams P’12Ben and Kimberli Wilson P’11, ’14Todd and Nancy WyattMerrily Wyman and Karen BryantFelicia Yearwood P’11Joe Zajonc and Daisy Sanchez Zajonc P’14Michael Witter and Lizzie Zemke P’12

Louise Almgren P’15Kenneth BlaisdellShannon BlaisdellJenn Brandon P’15Zoey Brodsky ‘01Sandy Cioffi and Tammi SimmsRichard Dunn and Laura Widdice P’10Paul and Nancy Hawkes P’15John Hughes and Marni Levy P’07Jeff and Michelle Huse P’10, ‘11, ‘13Hussein and Julia Ismael P’14Robert Jaffe and Susan Isaacson ‘09Michael Leslie and Anne Freitas P’15Paul and Carol NeimanMartin Powell P’11Sara RankinAndrew and April Rauch P’15Frank Retman and Rosselle Pekelis

Scott Rumage and Karin Jensvold P’06, ‘09Seattle FoundationBrandy Taylor P’11, ‘15Jeff TechicoPaul Wirsing and Paola Maranan P’10Rose Yu P’15

Photo by Teresa McCann P’13

AUCTION AWESOMEMore than 200 people joined to celebrate and support Lake Washington Girls Middle School at the 2012 Annual Auction at The Hall at Fauntleroy in West Seattle. After much work and procurement from our dedicated parents, more than 300 items went up for bid on the silent auction tables. After guests enjoyed cocktails, conversation, and silent bidding downstairs, the crowd moved upstairs to take part in our successful live auction. Along with the live auction and a delicious meal, guests viewed a movie that demonstrates the mission of Lake Washington Girls Middle School and what it means to all the girls who attend. Our auctioneer, Laura Michalek, captured the spirit and commitment of everyone involved at Lake Washington Girls Middle School by making this a wonderfully successful event. Together we raised $87,600. Our community is grateful for the wonderful outpouring of support for the girls at Lake Washington Girls Middle School. A special thanks to all the volunteers who made this event a success.

VOLUNTEERS RULE!LWGMS celebrates the power of people and recognizes the collective impact that community engagement through volunteerism has on our strength and success. We appreciate and truly benefit from the efforts of each individual volunteer. We say thank you to all volunteers for sharing your time and for sharing your talents with our girls, faculty, and staff. It is your collective volunteer spirit that shapes our community and models the importance of being present and giving back for our girls. Thank You!

Teresa McCann P’13, 2012 Auction Chair

New to the staff this fall, I immediately felt part of the team. The support and friendship I receive from this amazing crew of women inspire me daily. I love coming to work and supporting L-Dub! –Becky O ’Boyle P ’12 Director of Advancement

Photo by Teresa McCann P’13

Although the world of education is abuzz with STEM education (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) and while LWGMS offers classes in all areas of a STEM, we recognize that something critical to a balanced education is missing from this acronym. A purely STEM focused approach relies heavily on left-brain functions. LWGMS is committed to offering courses that use both sides of the brain. Classes rich in language arts, social studies, drama and fine art ensure that our focus is “whole-brained.” Education researchers at the National Science Foundation and program and policy advisors at the National Endowment for the Arts all recognize that in order to compete in the 21st century, schools must give equal weight to the arts, creativity,and the skills of imagination and synthesis.* As educators, we must provide educational opportunities that endeavor to integrate the arts, sciences, and technology for this to happen. LWGMS already embraces this educational model, and is currently in the process of developing curriculum for our students that is cutting edge, one that teaches 21st century skills and fosters resiliency: STEAM.

“Strategies for Arts + Science + Technology Research: Executive Report on a Joint Meeting of the National Science Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts,” September, 2010.

FULL STEAM AHEAD!

We invite all members of our extended community to share in and support the success of Lake Washington Girls Middle School. We ask you to make LWGMS your highest philanthropic priority if your girls are students or alumnae, as your family recognizes the lasting benefits of the LWGMS, all girls experience. And for those who value inspiring teachers and curriculum, empowering young women to imagine possibility rich futures, a dedication to the art of public speaking, theatre, and creative expression of all kinds, and the ever-important exposure of or nation’s girls to the fields of science, technology, engineering, math, and the arts, we ask for your support as well. While it is important to keep in mind there is an approximate $4,000 gap per student between tuition and the actual cost of education, a gift of any amount is appreciated – participation is such an important lesson for our girls. Annual fund gifts range in size from under $10 to over $10,000.

LEND YOUR HANDS

The LWGMS Annual Fund is made up of hundreds of operating gifts from our loyal alumnae families, parents, students, faculty, staff, and friends. Your gift to the Annual Fund is a direct investment in our teachers and students, and helps us provide

• Our meaningful, experiential, all girls education• Tuition support for every single student• Competitive faculty compensation and enrichment• A wide breadth of academic, arts, and cultural experiences Your gift will ensure our girls will leave here empowered for high school and life. We thank you for your support.

THANK YOU

Cash and Checks Please make your check out to “LWGMS Annual Fund” and mail it to:LWGMS Annual Fund810 18th AvenueSeattle, WA 98122

Online GivingYou can use your Visa, MasterCard, or Discover to make your gift online.

SecuritiesGifts of stock (including mutual funds), bonds, and other securities may offer considerable capital gains tax savings. For more information on making a gift of securities, please contact Becky O’Boyle, Director of Advancement, at 206.709.3800 or advancement@lwgms.org.

Matching GiftsCorporate matching gifts may double or even triple your gift. Contact your personnel office for eligibility requirements and matching gift forms which must be completed and returned with your gift to the school. Spouses, retirees, and board members may qualify. To find out if a particular company or foundation has a matching gift program, please check our website’s Ways to Give page. LWGMS’s EIN is 91-1835055.

WAYS TO GIVE

810 18th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98102 206.709.3800 | lwgms.org

strong in mind, body, and voice

Our MissionLake Washington Girls Middle School prepares girls to be confident young women, strong in mind, body, and voice. Our school values diversity and promotes personal and social responsibility. Students, teachers, and families are active partners in creating a challenging academic environment, fostering independent thinking, and instilling a life long love of learning.

Our VisionLWGMS holds up the opportunity of a world in which girls are nurtured and empowered to reach their academic, social, and emotional potential. To that end, the school provides a supportive single-gender learning environment where students, teachers, staff, families, and our surrounding community are active partners in inspiring leadership, social responsibility, and self-confidence in girls.

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FIGHTS LIKE A GIRL

Questions? Scan me!

In-house photography and design by Director of Communications, Shannon Blaisdell.