St. Lucy School Lighting the Way

What is this year's "Lighting the Way" project focus and goal?

• This year we spotlight the need for renovation of the Julie Billiart/EDC building and the addition of the Little Lightning Pre-Kindergarten program as our significant project.
• The cost for this renovation project is $200,000. 
• Since $25,000 is also needed to fund our school day and bridge the gap between tuition and cost of education, this year’s Lighting the Way goal is $225,000.

Why renovate the Julie Billiart/EDC building?

• This former convent building was built in 1967 and is used by our students daily.  It has not been upgraded since seismic retrofitting in 2001.
• The Extended Care program, open from 7 am - 6 p.m., is housed in this building. A large percentage of our students utilize the Extended Care each month.
  
• Teachers also utilize the learning spaces for small group instruction throughout the school day.
  
• To serve our current families and secure the future of our school, it is essential that we expand ourprogram to include a new Pre-Kindergarten, which willbe housed in the Julie Billiart building.
• Serving as the gateway to our school, the Julie Billiart building is the first impression our visitors and prospective families have of our school.  Our facilities must reflect the excellence of our program.
  
• Renovation includes: Creation of a specialized Pre-Kindergarten learning environment; Interior ground floor aesthetic upgrades such as lighting, wall covering, flooring, and fixtures that create a clean, bright space for all; A new main entrance with steps and a landing facing our primary playground; A Pre-K fenced in play yard, and removal of raised floor and patch tiles; A new entry arbor and landscaping; Sparkling windows that facilitate plentiful natural lighting; Increasing building safety and security through fire-prevention systems; Bringing the building into ADA compliance with features that enable access by all of our students and volunteers.

Why add a Little Lightning Pre-K Program?

• Based on what we now know about children’s brain development during the crucial early years, Pre-K is pivotal and is just as necessary as kindergarten or first grade.
• In a high-quality Pre-K, children become familiar with books, new words and ways to use language, numbers, and problem-solving strategies. They also learn the social skills they need to get the most out of school: how to pay attention in class and interact with peers.
• Bringing more families into our school is a benefit to our entire community, and our family will also grow in a way that serves our children and their parents even more.
• We are eager to be able to welcome children into St. Lucy School who have previously begun these essential years in a preschool program elsewhere.
•  Out of 10 local Catholic elementary schools, 7 already offer Pre-K programs. We must strive to remain competitive in order to attract families to our rich and comprehensive program.
  
• The St. Lucy Little Lightning Pre-K will also foster an understanding of the teachings of Jesus while learning in a faith-based environment.

How can I double the value of my gift?   

• Many local companies offer matching gift programs as a benefit for their employees. This allows employees to maximize their giving potential to St. Lucy School by having their charitable donation matched by their company. Please contact your HR department or the St. Lucy Advancement Office for more information. (408) 378-6196.  It is easy to take advantage of this benefit, which can double your donation to St. Lucy School! 
• Some companies, such as Applied Materials, Cisco, Intel and Verizon, will even match volunteer hours worked with dollars. 
• Adobe, Apple, Applied Materials, Cisco, Dell, Google, HP, eBay, Intel, Intuit, Juniper Networks, Kaiser, LSI, Nokia, Oracle, PayPal, Wells Fargo, and Xilinx are just a few of the SiliconV alley companies that budget to give matching funds to those donated by their employees.

Your gift makes a difference!

• Every single gift makes a difference, and collectively they allow us to serve our families and secure our future.  They enable us to continue to provide an education based on academic excellence, with a focus on faith and service, embraced within a welcoming community. 
• Giving is an investment in our students, the leaders of tomorrow.
• Because of the dedication and contributions of past families, we now have treasured traditions and beautiful facilities such as the science lab, primary yard playground, gymnasium, state-of-the-art technology, and the Library Media Center.
• Just as past St. Lucy families have supported these projects, the torch has been passed to our current families to continue this tradition of giving for those that follow.

How much do I give? 

• We respectfully ask for increased giving this year in light of the value and significance of the project.   We know that every family cannot afford to give the same amount, but please consider giving something according to your means in support of the students of St. Lucy School. 
• We ask those of you who regularly make Lighting the Way gifts to continue, and increase your gift plan or make an additional gift or pledge to account for the greater project need this year.
• We need support from all of our families in order to achieve this goal for our students.
• We ask those of you who regularly support our spring project giving, to please make your gift or pledge through Lighting the Way now instead of waiting until the spring so we can best asses our effort and begin renovation.

How is annual giving beneficial for our families?

•  "Lighting the Way" gifts are tax-deductible.  This annual appeal is designed to be an tax-deductible alternative to additional fund-raising or increased tuition.
• You may pledge now, and pay by May 31, 2012. 
• Many current families prefer to combine pledge payments with monthly FACTS tuition payments.

What do Annual Appeal gifts ensure?

• That we come together as one St. Lucy community and renew our vision for St. Lucy Catholic School, and support the formation and growth of the whole person; body, mind, and spirit.
• That we provide for program expansion with space for a Pre-Kindergarten and facility renovation that will compliment the comprehensive program that is currently offered to our families.
• That we help our children flourish and become leaders in their school, church, and community.
• That we work together to ensure affordable, high quality St. Lucy Catholic education for all children, now and for the next generations.
• That we prepare new graduates to leave St. Lucy School ready to make a difference in the world and meet the challenges that lie ahead.
• That we continue to fulfill our mission and offer programs and activities that help build character, inspire learning, develop faith, and create life-long friendships and memories.   
• That our students have access to innovative academic programs, a large array of clubs and activities, student scholarships, caring faculty & staff, instructional aides, resource teachers, first-rate technology, an expansive campus, student co-curricular programs, campus ministry programs and retreats, community events, and school traditions.

What is "Lighting the Way"? 

• “Lighting the Way” is an annual invitation for all our school families, staff, alumni, parents of alumni, grandparents, parishioners, and friends to help light the way for our St. Lucy students through annual gifts of prayer, participation, and financial support.  
• The appeal is launched at the beginning of the school year and all pledges are respectfully requested by May 31, 2012.
  
• Because we do not charge the actual cost of a St. Lucy education in our tuition, we need to make up the shortfall by asking for your support.  $25,000 of “Lightning the Way” annual giving gifts are needed to complete funding for everything a student encounters during their school day.  
• Every dollar beyond the $25,000 is applied directly to our annual special project.