N&R front page teaser says Greensboro Day School is "turning to the community" for fundraising, and the A2 article (unposted) says the school "hopes local residents" will chip in for a new middle school and other projects.
I'm sure GDS would be happy to have contributions from the general public, but the campaign (I'm on the cabinet) is targeted at the school community -- alums, parents, and friends -- not the broader community, and no general solicitation has been considered.
There is a significant difference between what the N&R reported and what's actually happening out at Lawndale and Lake Brandt. Correction, please.
squandered the endowment already?
Posted by: Kim | Sep 27, 2011 at 10:55 AM
Ed-"There is a significant difference between what the N&R reported and what's actually happening out at Lawndale and Lake Brandt."
I'm not surprised, are you? This is par for the course at N&R.
Lewis Grizzard-"What do you expect? It only costs fifty cents."
MD
Posted by: Mad Dog | Sep 27, 2011 at 10:55 AM
I thought the tone of that piece was odd. I'm glad you cleared it up for me. Hopefully, the N&R will clear it up for everyone else. My thought was, if I weren't connected to the school, I would find it off-putting to have them ask me for money.
Posted by: Thomas | Sep 27, 2011 at 12:09 PM
Thomas, exactly. And in getting the fundraising focus wrong, the article missed key details of what's actually happening, e.g., a carefully developed campus master plan, a well-organized, targeted campaign and fundraising strategy, etc.
Kim, I'm not intimately involved in governance at this point, but I think the endowment is in good shape and is used primarily for financial aid, professional development, and such; this is a campaign to raise money for capital projects, as is commonly done at schools and other institutions, public and private.
Posted by: Ed Cone | Sep 27, 2011 at 12:26 PM
I think the master plan is a very good one. The new tennis courts look great, and I think having the entrance on Lake Brandt is going to be a big improvement.
Posted by: Thomas | Sep 27, 2011 at 12:49 PM
They needed an "-ir" in "the community".
Posted by: Jim Langer | Sep 27, 2011 at 02:07 PM
There's also a box running alongside the story headlined "Want to Give?," with a number for "potential donors" to call at the school.
Nice, I guess, for the N&R to throw such support behind the non-existent public fundraising effort, but all far removed from what's actually going on out there.
Posted by: Ed Cone | Sep 27, 2011 at 02:17 PM
I hope they don't come to my house selling fruitcakes.
Posted by: Ishmael | Sep 27, 2011 at 02:29 PM