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Perspective Newsletters
Fall 2005
FINANCIAL SUPPORT
Page 4
Dear Friends of Leary School:
I am writing to ask for your financial support for our school programs.
As many of you may know, it was just about ten years ago that we formed the Lincolnia
Educational Foundation in order to accommodate a long range plan that included:
- Opening the Leary School, Prince George's County program;
- Acquiring the Leary School of Virginia and Job Site programs;
- Offering a Leary School scholarship program; and
- Providing for the long-term continuation of these and other Leary School programs.
The Foundation was established in 1994 as a non-profit 501(c)3 corporation, which
we believed would best provide for its future.
We are very proud that we have been able to accomplish all of this to date, more
or less independently. However, much has come to pass over these past ten years.
Some area school systems have developed and are offering programming for students
who previously would most likely have been referred to one of our programs. While
we believe there will continue to be a significant need for the programming offered
by the Leary Schools, current enrollment is down. A decrease in enrollment equates
directly to a decrease in our ability to provide all the services and supports in
which we believe.
Our tuition rates, which are among the lowest compared to schools offering similar
programming in the region, are regulated by different government agencies. For the
past several years, our rates have been held to the region's cost of living increases
or less, which have not kept up with personnel, benefits, insurance expenses, and
many others. This means other expenses had to be cut back. This also means that the
compensation gap between our staff and their counterparts in area public school settings
is widening.
We had a serious flood over the summer. Some of the necessary repairs were not covered
by our insurance program.
We converted our remaining two oil boilers to gas and made some more than average
improvements to the Virginia facility.
We are currently making some required improvements to the parking lot and business
office, which will be substantial.
We have increased our tuition assistance and continuing education programs for staff.
We invested heavily in our computer network - for students, office and administration.
We have invested substantially in our staff, operations and programming. At the same
time, we are experiencing a reduction in income and a tighter budget each year.
There is no doubt that the Foundation offers necessary and quality programming and
will be here another ten years and longer. Yet, we do need financial support.
The upcoming school year (2005-2006) looks so far to be one of our toughest financially.
Our staff works incredibly hard and is devoted to the program, to quality educational
programming and treatment, and to the students. The administration works equally
hard to direct and support the program and its staff. Even stretching ourselves as
we do almost every day, it may be difficult to maintain our budget projections. We
definitely could use your generous contributions to our general fund.
We also continue to support and offer a scholarship program to our graduates. We
can only do this through the generous contributions of our friends.
We have committed ourselves to bringing what we believe to be very effective and
needed programming into the future. We converted to non-profit as a means to make
this happen. The School and programs belong to the public in the long run. We need
the public's support - your support - to make all of this happen. We try - Leary
School tries - very hard to help every student in every way as much as possible.
I am totally convinced that we have helped thousands of young people over the years
and, without this help, many of our former students may have had unfulfilling lives.
Please be a part of this effort. In the end, we all make a worthwhile contribution
to our community by helping Leary School programs fulfill its mission. By helping
hundreds of students with special circumstances realize important success and fulfillment,
they will, in turn, become our next community.
Please be a part of this mission and, to the degree that you are able, please contribute
financially to help us perform our mission now.
You may indicate on the accompanying envelope in which area you would like your contribution
to be applied. Your contributions will be carefully applied to the areas you select.
We would like to acknowledge all of our community donors. However, if you do not
want your name published in periodicals or other releases we may make regarding contributions,
please indicate that on the envelope.
Thank you so much. Please feel free to call me personally at any time.
Respectfully,
Ed Schultze, Ed.D.
President/Executive Director
Lincolnia Educational Foundation, Inc.
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