Guide to Being

Involved&Invested

Making a DifferenceWhen you choose a school for your child, you also choose a community for your whole family. As an independent, private, non-profit school, we encourage, in fact we depend on, all members of our community to become involved with and invested in our mission. The success of CVA, reflected primarily by the experience and accomplishments of our incredible student athletes, has been built on the countless volunteer hours and generous financial support of ardent supporters over the past thirty years. If everyone gives to the best of their ability we are much more likely to achieve our goals and create a strong sense of community.

We ask that every family actively contribute so that CVA continues to provide exceptional classroom instruction and a world class winter sports experience for our students. Continuing to enhance our school and to strengthen our extended community depends on everyone working to support individual and community goals. Gifts of time, talent, and treasure impact every facet of our program and make a tangible difference. By coming together as a community to support the school, students, faculty, and coaches we can send a powerful message about the value of the CVA experience and the formative role it plays in so many lives. Through fundraising efforts, various events, and organized parental support, we provide a variety of meaningful ways for you to become involved and invested. We set the course, but it is up to you to jump in.

Be InvolvedBy making it possible for your child to attend CVA, we realize that you have already made a tremendous commitment, one that often proves to be the most significant yet for a family. We hope that you will continue to take an active role in your child’s education academically, athletically and by encouraging him/her to be a positive force in our close-knit community. The skills and support you bring to this experience may be different, but they are an essential part of the CVA family. There are a number of ways to be involved, from joining the Parent Support Organization (PSO), helping with special events, volunteering at competitions at Sugarloaf, or helping with admissions and recruiting.

Be Invested Throughout the year, various requests for financial support are made of CVA families with the hope that every member of our community will respond to the best of their ability. Annual giving, through the CVA Annual Fund, is our mainstay, providing critical operational support to the school every year. It is truly an essential part of our ability to provide experiences that are not possible through tuition revenue alone. We work in partnership with the Parent Support Organization to conduct various special events that augment annual giving, such as the holiday wreath sale and Scholarship Fundraiser. We are also in the midst of completing Phase 2 of our New Campus Campaign and working to expand our endowment by $300,000. Your contributions will help shape this phase of CVA’s history.

While we do not expect every family to contribute at the highest level to all of these fundraising efforts, we do hope that every family will come to understand the key role that they all play in our community and will want to contribute in a meaningful way that feels right for them. Your gift will help write someone’s CVA story.

The CVA Annual FundWhat is the Annual Fund? The Annual Fund is CVA’s most important fundraising initiative. Each year, the school relies on donations to the Annual Fund to supplement operating costs not covered by tuition and to supply special resources for students, faculty, coaches, and staff which maintain and enhance the high quality, unique CVA experience. Your annual support of this fundraising initiative is vital and deeply appreciated. Unlike events, special project funds, or the capital campaign which are used to fund a specific initiative, the Annual Fund impacts every CVA student.

At CVA, our fiscal year is from July 1 through June 30 of the following calendar year. Our Annual Fund runs on the same schedule.

How are Annual Fund dollars allocated? Contributions to the Annual Fund touch every part of the school, providing additional resources to support our academic program, supplement athletics and to enhance our responsible community living curriculum. The Annual Fund covers the difference between the money raised by tuition and the full cost of attendance. In the past, the Annual Fund has put SMART Boards in classrooms, upgraded the trampolines in the AGC, bought new slalom gates, paid for athletes to travel to competitions, and provided support for student-initiated activities. Annual giving, through both the Fund and special events, also provides critical funding for scholarship support. CVA deliberately sets tuition below the full cost of attendance in order to keep the school affordable to a wide range of families. Almost half of CVA’s students receive financial aid. The ability to offer support to deserving student-athletes helps to keep us competitive but also maintains a culturally and socio-economically diverse community, which was a key facet of our founding vision and remains a priority today.

Event and Campaign Fundraising

CVA/PSO Holiday Wreath SaleThe CVA/PSO Holiday Wreath Sale is a longstanding CVA tradition. CVA’s Parent Support Organization sells beautiful Maine balsam wreaths to raise money to enhance student life at CVA through activities such as holiday parties, theme nights, dessert nights and fund requests submitted in an annual “wish list” from teachers, coaches, and students. Volunteers are welcome and these wreaths make great gifts. The PSO both ships and hand delivers the wreaths.

CVA Scholarship FundraiserCVA’s primary fundraising event is the Big Raffle and Auction. Unlike the Annual Fund which provides general operational support, all proceeds from this event are directed toward scholarships. Nearly half of all CVA students receive some scholarship support, and this is our only fundraising event. In addition to attending the event, which is usually held in February, there are several opportunities to help and contribute: you can donate an item for the auction, buy a raffle ticket, help with event logistics, or be an event sponsor.

PLEASE PLAN TO JOIN US:

FEBRUARY 21, 2015

on the King Cummings Campus. We are currently in the midst of Phase 2 of the campaign; the academic center was completed and opened in Fall 2013. While the building has been completed, we are still working to cover the cost of construction, along with increasing our endowment by $300,000. Once these goals have been met we can look ahead to Phase 3 which will be the third and final building that will house the dining hall, tuning rooms, executive and administrative offices and some staff housing. The completion of the academic center has been a critically important milestone that will enable us to make a full operational shift to the King Cummings Campus by 2020. The enhanced endowment will allow us to continue to attract the most talented student athletes from around the world, regardless of their financial situation.

Please contact Kate O’Halloran, the Director of Development and

The New Campus Campaign Commitment to the Leading EdgeThirty years ago, CVA’s founders bet that an old ski lodge would serve as the perfect home for what was then a fledgling Academy. Since then, the Capricorn and all of its quirks have become an indelible part of CVA’s success. In 2000, a visionary group of CVA supporters recognized the need for new facilities. Their vision was simple: to develop a safe, modern, and purpose-built campus to accommodate CVA’s world-class programs. They knew this was a crucial step to secure CVA’s future for generations to come.

The initial phase of the New Campus Campaign was completed in 2006 and resulted in the acquisition of land, general infrastructure improvements, construction of the Spencer Murfey, Jr. residence hall and the creation of the Fremont-Smith soccer field and running track

Alumni Connections to learn more about how you can be involved in this exciting time in CVA’s history. 207-237-4489 or kohalloran@gocva.com

Ways to Be Involved

The Parent Support Organization (PSO)The mission of the PSO is to promote understanding, cooperation, leadership and communication among parents, teachers, and coaches and to supplement, where needed, the financial and cultural resources of CVA. Joining the PSO is an opportunity to get involved with the day to day aspects of your child’s life and the CVA student experience in general. In addition to running the Holiday Wreath Sale the PSO regularly hosts dessert nights, weekend activities, and other special student life events. For more information, please contact PSO President Brumbi Grant at 207-237-2591 or brumbi@gwi.net.

Volunteering at a CompetitionThe culmination of numerous hours of dryland training and cold mornings on the hill comes together through the excitement of competitions throughout the winter. Ski races, half pipe competitions, and mogul events are labor intensive affairs and volunteers are always welcome. It’s also a great way to both watch your child compete and become more involved in their sport. Contact your child’s Program Director for more information about volunteer opportunities at competitions.

Helping with Admissions and RecruitingAttracting energetic, committed, and talented young people to attend CVA is always a priority for the school. From being willing to share positive personal stories about CVA with prospective families on the chairlift to more targeted outreach; if you are interested in helping to find and attract the next generation of Big Dogs please contact Dawn Smith and the Admissions Office.

Frequently Asked Questions about Supporting CVA

Who is expected to give?It is our hope that every family will provide some additional financial support to CVA beyond tuition each year. A high level of participation from our current families, especially in the Annual Fund, is as important as meeting our overall financial goal. It demonstrates to prospective families and other supporters how much we all value the CVA experience. Even families whose student receives financial assistance are asked to give every year. Gifts commensurate with each family’s financial means are welcomed and honored.

When will I be asked to contribute?Generally, you will first be asked to contribute to the Annual Fund as part of our annual print version of the Spillway

newsletter in November. If you give in response to that letter you will not be asked to give again to the Annual Fund until next fall. Many donors make their annual fund gift at the end of the calendar year, while some prefer to wait until the spring. You will find that we will keep asking throughout the year so you will have various ways and times to make your gift. The Scholarship Fundraiser event happens in February and is very popular among parents and grandparents. Graduation is also a popular time to make gifts to honor your student and/or a teacher or coach who played a special role in his/her CVA experience.

How much am I expected to give?We know that each family’s circumstances are unique. Each family is asked to give to the best of their ability, and we know that can mean different things at different times. We ask that you make a gift that is meaningful for your family. We receive annual fund gifts from $25 to $25,000. Each and every gift is valued and plays an important role in our collective success. We do NOT disclose or publish any giving amounts or levels.

Are donations tax deductible?Yes, because CVA is a 401(c)3 organization, Annual Fund and capital campaign gifts are tax deductible. Our tax identification number is 01-0384633. Contributions where the donor gets something in return and other Gift-In-Kind donations are governed and limited

by IRS rules. Please call our Development Office at 207.237.4498 should you have any questions or need more information.

How can I make a gift? Checks are still a great way to give and eliminate our paying credit card fees. Checks should be made payable to Carrabassett Valley Academy and mailed to the address on the back of this pamphlet. Another easy way to give is through our web site: www.gocva.com/give using our secure, online giving form. You can also always contact the Development Office directly via phone or in person; we welcome the opportunity to speak with you. You should also inquire with your employer as to whether they have a matching gift program, which is a valuable way to increase your gift to CVA!

Thank you for your support,from all of us here at CVA.

Who’s WhoKate Webber Punderson: Head of School

kpunderson@gocva.com | 207.237.4470

Kate O’Halloran: Director of Development & Alumni Connectionskohalloran@gocva.com | 207.237.4498

Sarah Hinman: Assistant Director of Development & Alumni Connections

shinman@gocva.com | 207.237.4471

Dawn Smith: Director of Enrollmentdsmith@gocva.com | 207.237.4466

Melissa Fogg: Information Specialist and Outreach Coordinatormfogg@gocva.com | 207.237.4505

Waylon Wolfe: Marketing & Public Relations Officerwwolfe@gocva.com | 207.237.4467

Brumbi Grant: President, Parent Support Organizationbrumbi@gwi.net | 207.237.2591

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Carrabassett Valley Academy3197 Carrabassett Drive, Carrabassett Valley, ME 04947

207-237-2250 | www.goCVA.com

Calendar

October• Fall Family Weekend

November• Hardcopy Spillway and Annual Fund Appeal• PSO Wreath Sale

December• Make a tax deductible gift to the Annual Fund before the

calendar year ends and you won’t be asked again all school year!

January• Contribute to the Big Raffle and Auction by buying a raffle

ticket, bidding or donating on an auction item, or sponsoring or helping at the event.

• Volunteer at a competition

February• Attend the Scholarship Fundraiser -- Bring your family and

friends!• Volunteer at a competition

May• CVA Graduation

June• Make a gift before the end of the fiscal year on 6/30 if you have

not yet.