FAQs

Why does Lakehill need Annual Support?

Lakehill, like all private schools, relies on tax-deductible gifts to meet our increasing annual operating expenses. You may not know that the average cost of educating each student is approximately $17,000 per year. The Lakehill Annual Fund helps to close the gap between tuition and the operating expenses.

We give a lot to Lakehill – why do you ask for more?

A Lakehill Preparatory School education is a choice for a unique and robust educational experience. Quality education is expensive, but its return on investment is immeasurable. Lakehill continues to place its graduates in the most challenging colleges and universities across the country. Your gift is a way to demonstrate your support of Lakehill’s goals and expectations.

Who else is asked to support Lakehill?

Alumni, current and past parents, Board of Directors, grandparents, and friends of the School have all given generously in the past.

How much am I expected to give?

We ask that families participate at a level appropriate for their circumstances. Gifts range from $25 to the Chairman’s Circle level, and each gift plays a key role in enhancing the Lakehill educational experience. For each family, the amount will differ. We hope that every family will be as generous as possible towards our yearly fundraising efforts.

What are the different Annual Giving Recognition Levels?

** Gifts at the Benefactors Level bridge the gap between tuition and the real cost of educating a Lakehill student.

* Donors at the Partners Level or higher will be invited to the annual Headmaster’s Reception held each spring.

You talk about Annual Fund gifts making a real difference. How can my gift make a real difference?

Gifts to the Annual Fund support the everyday needs of the students. From books, CDs, and digital cameras to desktop computers and advanced science equipment, the Annual Fund ensures the needs of students are met in a timely and efficient manner.

Why is an Endowment so important?

The best model for sustaining a unique and robust educational experience is a strong endowment. Endowments are a permanent and growing source of revenue. An endowment fund is a key form of funding that supports every dimension of the School’s operation.

Think of endowments as putting away money for a rainy day – only this money lasts not just through one rainy day, but through many. An endowment acts as a self-sustaining funding stream, one that may prove crucial to the School's financial stability both in the present and into the future.

Providing a stable income source is not the only benefit of an endowment. With the creation of an endowment program, a school is highlighting its long-term mission and vision, renewing its commitment to donors, and assuring parents, alumni, and friends of its long-term stability.

Why create a Lakehill Endowment?

Every donor has a specific reason for creating an endowment at Lakehill. Whether it is to afford others the Lakehill experience, or to honor a parent, child, or a special faculty member, an endowed fund allows a donor to truly remain part of the Lakehill community forever. Donors may create a restricted endowment in which they designate how the income from the endowment will be used. Donors may also opt to give the Headmaster and Board of Directors the discretion to spend the income in the most fitting manner.