Annual Fund

The Annual Fund is the primary fundraising vehicle for The Dwight School Foundation. It enables The Dwight School and Woodside Preschool to:

• Provide over $1.5 million annually in financial aid to ensure a talented and diverse student body
• Provide numerous faculty professional development grants to sharpen the skills, expand the knowledge, and kindle the enthusiasm of our world-class faculty
• Provide additional items, which enrich the Dwight experience for all students

Why are these purposes so important, and how do they benefit all students?

Financial aid monies are used by Dwight/Woodside to attract the brightest and most motivated students regardless of financial circumstances. For example, for the last eight years, the valedictorian of The Dwight School graduating senior class has been a financial aid recipient. These scholarship students are an inspiration to all students. One former recipient is currently pursuing a Ph.D at Princeton University with a five-year fellowship in the cutting edge field of nanotechnology. Another was the 2005 winner of the Premier Prix de la Cinéfondation at the Cannes Film Festival for the best student film, selected from among 1,200 entries.

Attracting outstanding students to Dwight/Woodside enriches the educational experience for all students. Dwight’s small class size ensures a high level of interaction among students from a wide variety of social circumstances. Successful graduates of Dwight also enhance Dwight’s reputation at college admissions offices and, later, in the marketplaces where Dwight graduates will eventually work and contribute. In short, Dwight’s financial aid program makes Dwight a better school for all its students.

It is just as critical to highlight the second main purpose of the Annual Fund—a strong commitment to the professional development of Dwight/Woodside’s teachers. The best teachers have a continuing interest in honing their skills and gaining valuable training in the latest innovations in their fields and in teaching excellence in general. In addition, Dwight’s full Pre-K-12 participation in the International Baccalaureate (IB) Program requires Dwight/Woodside teachers to actively participate in the design and implementation of the IB Program worldwide. Dwight/Woodside teachers must attend conferences and training sessions to meet these needs and thus require funding to do so. Without these additional funds for teachers, in time many of the best will seek employment elsewhere.

Finally, Annual Fund dollars are used to provide additional resources that ordinarily would not be included in the School's operating budget. This has included items like an athletics van, Smartboards, science equipment, and other enrichment items.

Dwight/Woodside is proud of the growing support it has received from parents, alumni, parents of alumni, grandparents, and friends through the Annual Fund. We encourage each member of the Dwight/Woodside community to contribute, regardless of the amount. Gifts of all sizes are meaningful to the School and its students. Participation is a key barometer of constituent satisfaction with the Dwight/Woodside experience.