4/15/25 - Update
Dear Friends,
The donor commitments over the past 48 hours have been remarkable. We have $9M+ in pledges, which has given our primary angel donor the confidence to guarantee the money up front to keep the school open for the next three years. Our long-term goal is to set up an endowment so that nothing like this can happen again.
Let's Take a Minute to Connect
We started the Coalition because we couldn’t believe this community working together couldn’t muster the money to stay open despite a financial crisis. We wanted to provide a vessel so the parents, the students, the alumni, and our friends and faculty could all sing from the same songbook. You all have surpassed our wildest expectations. There is an ocean of talent, expertise, resolve, and, most noticeably, kindness in this community. It’s been staggering.
We’ve been operating on a two-phase short-sighted plan - first, get the money.
We are there.
The second part is to keep the school intact and headed in a new and better direction. This is where the primary drivers of this boat need to be the parents. First, let us thank you as a group - our primary donor pool is parents of current students. We know how traumatic this week has been, and we are sorry that we haven’t gotten the parents more involved.
We’ve never done a 10-year Capital Raise in 48 hours without notice before!
And not all of us have children at the school yet. So we have interacted mainly with the people we knew for our time there thus far. We are fully aware that, ultimately, parents need to be at the head of this effort. We built this coalition for the people SSFS belongs to now- the parents and students. And the parents have done the heavy lifting financially. They have taken leadership roles in the Coalition as we've gotten to know everyone in our widely expanding network. And more than anything, we can’t thank you enough for saving the most important part of our childhood and keeping this unique, special community alive. Everything that’s taken place in the last 72 hours has proven that.
I know it sounds crazy, but we are now in a place to believe the school might come out stronger on the other side. We have the money for it. Now we need people to stay and more to join us.
We know you have to make difficult decisions about what’s best for your kids. But right now, if you want to let yourself hope that this place survives and that we can all stay connected to this uniquely special place and the people we love that make it one, we think you can give yourself permission to start doing that.
Now, Let's Get to the Update
General and what we need
You ROCK with all of your amazing ideas and resources you've sent us. Chef's kiss! Please keep it coming. We have the most incredible team-- we hope you will meet them someday-- and they are on every idea you have and every tidbit. We need them. Send away!
We need a PR/spokesperson who's cool, calm, collected, and grounded and who can speak on camera (unlikely) but would feel comfortable doing so. The Coalition has convictions about media, and we need someone to delegate media requests who can align with those convictions and stick to them like glue. You can email us, but please share your experience and work in links or clips. Open to someone outside of SSFS community but in your network.
Pledges. Seriously. Get the form out. Get the word out. We've heard some large groups have had no idea. Please share, share, share.
What has happened and what we are doing right now
Slack is up and running, thanks to a few quiet leaders who could seriously run the world. We need people on those channels for easier communication and leads, so thank you for your patience!
The Coalition is officially united. Originally, there was one group of family members and the Coalition, and now the community is fully united; this was always our goal because we have to be united to row in the same direction. We worked together, externalized, listened, and considered; it's really beautiful what's happening.
I am not trying to bury the lead, but this is probably what you are most here for, and it is related to our goal of requesting a meeting with the Board to present all of your and our efforts to them. We're engaging in thoughtful dialogue with SSFS to chart a constructive path forward. The Coalition is committed to supporting the school's future while being clear that our vision necessarily includes significant board leadership renewal. Our financial support is explicitly tied to these governance changes—not as a criticism of past efforts, but as an essential foundation for rebuilding trust and ensuring the school's long-term stability. In true Quaker fashion, we seek to work through this transition with respect and care, finding solutions that honor the school's mission while embracing the fresh leadership needed for its next chapter.
Shoutouts
Christina Mauro '04 and current parent for getting our infrastructure up and running with no info-- we are so glad you are here
Amaya Henry '03 for rolling up her sleeves and seriously 'beesting her way through all the Coalition members for isolating what we need
A parent who is a quiet leader, who we respect their wish for anonymity, but one day their story will be told, and it'll be the right time. They know who they are, and they are the backbone of this coalition with the deepest understanding of what this community needs. THANK YOU!
Team Captains---- can't have anyone better than you leading your groups! Thanks for stepping up.
Not exhaustive, but the main players today, thank you to all the Coalition Leaders!
That should do it, yeah? Friendly reminder to not judge me for my haste and spelling
Soon,
Heather '00 & Nick '00
Coalition Team
Friends of Sandy Spring Friends School