From the Desk of Lara Klement - Advancement Manager
We often get asked, “What is Advancement exactly?’ when people see references to our St David’s Advancement Department.
Whilst the concept of Advancement is relatively new in South African Schools, it is well established in most of our Universities and certainly in most reputable international educational organisations. Without becoming too academic, a good definition of Advancement, and one we subscribe to, is given by CASE (Council for Advancement and Support of Education) as:
“Advancement is a strategic, integrated method of managing relationships to increase understanding and support among an educational institution's key constituents, including alumni and friends, …, the media, members of the community and philanthropic entities of all types.
The primary core disciplines of educational advancement are alumni relations, communications, marketing and fundraising. Advancement professionals work on behalf of educational institutions to:
Secure private financial support from potential donors committed to the mission of the institution
Engage alumni in the life of the institution as volunteers, advocates and supporters
Promote or market the institution to prospective students, their parents and others
Communicate about the institution with those who have a stake in its success, including community members, business leaders, (government officials), the press and others”
At St David’s, we have ‘home grown’ our Advancement structure along these broad lines but in a way that specifically meets our needs and circumstances and that supports the sustainability and strategic objectives of the school. Under our Department’s banner we include:
Admissions (Luzette Rodrigues)
Marketing (Carey Fisher-Gietzman)
Alumni Relations (Sally-Anne Lee)
St David’s Marist Foundation Trust (Fiona Budd)
Corporate & Community Relationships (supported by Debbie Bartlett)
Our roles allow us the privilege of intersecting and engaging with many and diverse members of our community, both internal and external and to see the many wonderful and generous ways that our extended community supports us as a school. What we aim to do as a Department is make sure that in whatever way our community members engage with us, whether it be as new parents applying for a place in years to come for their new baby boy, an Old Boy wanting to reconnect with his Alma Mater, a business wanting to sponsor an event or fund a bursary, a donor wanting to leave a legacy or just someone keen to know more about us (or indeed all of these), that their experience with us is a positive one and managed to the best outcome for that individual/ family/ entity and us as a school.
In today’s newsletter, we are highlighting some of the work being done in our space at the moment.
We welcome conversations and connections and if you would like to connect with us more fully, please don’t hesitate to give me a call- the coffee is always on!
Lara Klement
Advancement Manager
OUR GENEROUS COMMUNITY
St David's is blessed with a supportive community and there is never an appeal that is not responded to whole- heartedly. Through the philanthropic generosity of many in our community, the St David's Marist Foundation is currently able to support 14 boys through St David's, with finances secured for their full journey through to Matric. This year we celebrate three of our young men matriculating, all with excellent academic results, having achieved leadership positions in various areas and having participated at the highest level in their chosen areas of talent and interest. Whilst these young men have taken full advantage of every opportunity provided to them and played such an integral role in our community, it was the financial investment in their lives that made the opportunity possible. Our donor community have collectively played a role in the success of these young men!
A couple of months ago, one of these young men approached Fiona Budd (Foundation Manager) with a R1000 donation of his own, which he had raised through his own endeavours, and which he wanted to use to initiate his own fund under the Foundation's banner to support another boy to attend St David's. He has named his fund the Mizpah Bursary Fund (Mizpah means ‘togetherness, blessing and protection’) and to date the fund has already raised over R10 000.
Recently we celebrated Montagne Day and as part of this celebration, we appealed to our boys to raise R100 through their own efforts (Love of Work) in support of our bursary fund and a "modern day Montagne'. Our wonderful boys (perhaps with a little help from their parents) have to date donated R29 600 through this initiative for 2017. These funds also accumulate as part of the boys' Matric Circles of Friendship - just imagine what the Matric Class of 2030 will have achieved by the time they Matriculate!
Current Year
Matric Class Year Circle
2017 Totals per Class
Grade 00
2030
R250
Grade R / 0
2029
R900
Grade 1
2028
R1433
Grade 2
2027
R2 000
Grade 3
2026
R1 400
Grade 4
2025
R1 950
Grade 5
2024
R2 500
Grade 6
2023
R2 150
Grade 7
2022
R1 633
Grade 8
2021
R5 900
Grade 9
2020
R2 634
Grade 10
2019
R2 300
Grade 11
2018
R2 450
Grade 12
Class of 2017
R2 000
Old Boys
Class of 2016
R100
Total
R29 600
At this time of year, we also run our Christmas Campaign, which has been so well supported over the past three years. Some people chose to donate to this campaign in lieu of giving someone a store-bought gift, in thanks for blessings from the past year or in memory of a loved one passed. The gift of a Marist education is surely one of the greatest gifts there is. Please read further on in the newsletter for more information on the Christmas Star Campaign.
CHRISTMAS STAR CAMPAIGN
Be a Star this Christmas – give the Gift of a Marist Education at St David’s
You can make a young boy’s wish come true this Christmas, through a contribution of any amount to the St David’s Marist Foundation Bursary Programme.
"I don't want my start in life to define my future" (Response from a young bursary applicant during his St David's interview)
The Bible tells us that, at the birth of our Saviour just over two thousand years ago, His young family was assisted in their time of need by the kindness of friends and strangers, some of whom had very little themselves and some of whom brought great gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
This Christmas give the gift of a Marist Education to a young boy for whom this would ordinarily be an unattainable dream.
All donations are eligible to receive a Section 18A Tax Certificate which entitles you or your company to a tax rebate of up to 10% of your taxable income (with this year’s Tax Year closing on 28 February 2018). In addition, company donations to the Bursary Fund qualify for SED and SD points in terms of the Revised B-BBEE Codes for Companies.
The Christmas Star Campaign Please click here to complete a Christmas Star Donation Form and make your donation.
How can you contribute?
You will receive a Christmas Star Certificate in your name (or the applicable gift name), together with a Section 18A Tax Certificate for tax rebate purposes
Donate to the Father Bernard Brewer Bursary Fund
Make a donation of any amount (choose one of the Christmas Star options) in your name, or as a gift donation for a family member or friend. Donate to the Mizpah Bursary Fund
The Mizpah Bursary Fund was established in August of this year by a current Bursary Recipient - his wish is to be able to give future boys with financial need the same opportunities and experiences that he has received at St David’s. (Mizpah means ‘togetherness, blessing and protection’ and the Fund is administered by the St David’s Marist Foundation)
Consider establishing a Family Bursary Fund at St David’s in your family’s name
Invest in the lives of boys and young men who are financially excluded from receiving an education at
St David’s Marist Inanda. There is no better way of leaving a family legacy than ensuring that our world has the leaders and change-makers that are needed to make our world a better place for all generations to come. (Please contact the St David’s Marist Foundation to discuss further)
How to make your donation: Donate via Snapscan (QR Code below)
Banking details:
St David’s Marist Foundation
Standard Bank
421028289
Sandton
019205
Reference: Your Surname + STAR
Donor Cheese & Wine Function in Celebration of the 10th Anniversary of the Chapel of Mary
Saturday 4 November 2017
Following Family Mass on Saturday 4 November, which was also held in celebration of the 10th Anniversary of the Chapel of Mary, the Foundation held a cheese-and-wine event to celebrate this significant event (the official Anniversary date is 28 November). It was wonderful to be able to welcome so many of the original donors and contributors to the building of the Chapel of Mary - Mike Greeff, Director of the Marist Schools (and Chief Executive of St David’s Marist Inanda at the time of the building of the Chapel) gave a very informative talk around how the Chapel came to fruition, the very many people who made it possible and how the Chapel has become the centre of the St David’s community through the Masses and significant occasions that are celebrated there. Mike light-heartedly attributed the completion of the Chapel on time for its opening ten years ago to a young St David’s boy whom he bumped into coming out of the original Chapel when Mike was on his way to a Chapel development meeting ten days before the opening, deeply concerned about whether the Chapel would be completed on time. The young boy asked Mike why he was looking concerned and when he heard the reason he said that he was going back to the original Chapel to “pray some more”! Mike also explained the touching stories behind many of the stained glass windows, artworks, statues and fittings in the Chapel which were donated by individual St David’s families at the time of the building of the Chapel. As Mike eloquently stated, the Chapel became the embodiment of the Marist spirit that had always existed at St David’s.
Fiona Budd
Foundation Manager (St David’s Marist Foundation)
COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS MARKET
Our annual St David's Christmas Market, which has become a highlight on our own calendar and that of the broader community is a lovely manifestation of Marist values and of St David's desire to remain connected to our broader community, despite the landscape outside our gates changing significantly. The market was initiated and continues to be in support of those within our broader community who make their living or supplement their income from crafting, to support community projects (both within St David's and outside organisations), to assist in fundraising initiatives and to support specific charities. It is also one way of us thanking our broader community for their support. This year the market created a platform for over 90 different crafters (including food and beverage) to sell their wares, for our MDC to raise funds for the Matric Dance, for the Rugby parents to raise funds for the 2018 Tour to Ireland, for our Old Boys to raise funds for their various projects, for the Circle of the Friends of the Arts and the Bookclub Circle (Swop Shop moms) to raise funds for the Foundation, for the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to fundraise; as well as various community initiatives to have stalls. Money raised from the raffle will be donated towards an identified Cancer charity. Profits made at the Tea Garden and through various other initiatives are divided amongst our support staff for their collective efforts.
We believe that our strength lies in our community and the relationships we have with it and we thank everyone who played a role in making our Christmas Market such a successful and enjoyable community event.
BOOKCLUB CIRCLE OF FRIENDSHIP
Looking for a good holiday read when you finally get to put your feet up this December? The St David’s Bookclub Circle (set up in support of Cultural Development at St David’s) has several shelves of good quality second-hand novels in the Swopshop which they sell for R50 a book, in support of their Circle. (They also welcome donations of good quality second-hand novels to add to their shelves.)
The St David's Marist Old Boys' Committee invites all Old Boys' (along with their partners and parents) to join us for Barefoot Bowls @ Morningside Country Club on Thursday the 23rd of November.
Time:17h00 till 20h00
Cost: R100 per player gets you on the green - this includes bowls and coaching. There will be a cash bar and restaurant. Space is limited to 56 players – please RSVP to oldboys@stdavids.co.za We look forward to seeing you there.
