December 10, 2019
Dear Families, Friends and Alumni:
Red Cedar has turned 30 and there is much to celebrate! We were thrilled to see so many of you at our reunion in June and missed those of you who couldn’t come.
Thanks to your support over the years, Red Cedar is a thriving and vibrant school. We are honored by the trust you’ve placed in us to educate a generation of children to be caring, creative, thinking individuals who bring these qualities to a world that needs them more than ever!
As we celebrate our 30thanniversary, there is much to be grateful for. We have a full house of engaged students in grades K-8, and strong, supportive parents. Our longtime teaching team of Brendan Collins, Bill Heminway, and myself continues our dynamic collaboration. This fall we were delighted to welcome Corey Selover back after her three-year hiatus out west, and we have been privileged to welcome Megan Johnson.
The Board of Directors continues to assure our financial stability through well-considered decisions that address the challenges faced by a small, independent school. Through their stewardship we were able to purchase a bus, then replace the bus when needed, and will be replacing the school heating system soon. We have been operating in the black and we intend to keep it so to enable the health and longevity of the school.
The turmoil and challenges of the last few years nationally and globally have deepened our commitment to nourish and sustain a school that:
- Respects the dignity and voice of every student, and values diversity and inclusion
- Inspires curiosity and a love of learning, and helps our students become responsible and effective adults who can navigate and understand an increasingly complex world
- Supports the development of thinking, creativity, and communication skills, and promotes the skills of asking questions, analyzing assumptions, considering differing points of view, examining evidence, and using reason
- Nurtures the growth of social and emotional learning and personal responsibility, and gives students the daily experiences of reciprocity, belonging, and problem solving in a close community
- Prepares students to be active citizens of the local and world community and stewards of the environment, and helps students acquire the knowledge and insight they need to make sense of complex, interconnected systems
The work we do gives us hope. We throw our hearts into it because we see the impact on our students each day—young people who love to learn, who are happy and enthusiastic, who care about the values on which our democracy is founded—and who are able to make the connection between our school community and the world at large through these values.
The efforts of so many people—a talented, powerhouse of a staff team; a judicious board of directors; a wonderfully supportive community of parents; loyal and committed friends of the school; and most important of all, the students who do the courageous work of authentic learning each day and who embody hopefulness in their very beings—make Red Cedar a thriving, important, and vital school. We are deeply grateful.
In honor of our 30thanniversary, we would like to create a permanent scholarship fund that will grow over time.This will enable us to increase the amount of aid we are able to give and help ensure the stability of the school into the future.
We are proud of the financial assistance we give each year, which is made possible by the participation of every Red Cedar family in our many fundraising activities and through generous donations by friends like you.
It’s also true that we always want to be able to offer more. We are committed to ensuring a diverse and inclusive school community, and to offering the experience of Red Cedar to as many students who would benefit as possible, regardless of ability to pay.
Please give today to Red Cedar’s Scholarship Fund and help us create an expanding fund that will grow over the next 30 years!
Warmly and with Gratitude,
Jacquie Werner-Gavrin
Director