Foundation Update

FOUNDATION UPDATE

May 2012

LATEST UPDATE MAY 2012

It’s incredible to think that we are approaching the half way point of 2012 – a year of great significance as Margaret E Lyttle (Mug) celebrates her 100th birthday in November. Coming immediately after the school’s 80th anniversary in 2011, Mug’s extraordinary milestone provides us with another opportunity to embrace Preshil’s history while we continue to build its future.

This year I have accepted the position of Chair of the Preshil Foundation and would like to thank outgoing Chair Peter George, for his commitment and contribution. As an ex Preshilian and current Preshil parent, I feel strongly connected to the school’s past and its future; and it is wholeheartedly that I take on this position.

When the Preshil Foundation was re-launched 18 months ago, our small community responded with great enthusiasm. With the generous support of many families and friends we have raised almost $200,000 and have been actively working with the school to create the necessary structure for our ambitious fundraising goals for the future.

Together with the school, some of our highlights include:

Completing the new library building at Blackhall/Kalimna, offering the school community a flexible, cutting-edge space for research and presentations

Committing funds for essential works, repairs and landscaping across Arlington and Blackhall/Kalimna, enhancing childrens’ experience and amenity every day

Funding a thorough Heritage Report and Conservation Management Plan as part of the Arlington Master Plan, allowing us to prioritise restoration works and potentially unlock further private and government funding to complete them

Funding important capacity building initiatives, including core Foundation publications and an up-to-date community database

Building significant community awareness through a number of events and a major Soiree at Cutler & Co

Introducing Fee Slip donations to assist ongoing Building & Maintenance at the school.

Early in Semester 2, School Council will have established its strategic plan and specified the Foundation’s key fundraising targets for the balance of 2012 and beyond. You’ll be hearing more from us in relation to specific appeals at that time. In the meantime, the Foundation will be working on a number of initiatives including:

Our major 2012 Soiree later in Term 4, honouring Mug’s 100th year

Funding a series of interviews with Mug, to be published for posterity

Hosting a presentation for parents and friends on the extraordinary research undertaken for the Arlington Master Plan. Details will be available soon

Further capacity-building and friendraising events to ensure we continue to achieve our goals for the school

A small exhibition of the architectural proposals submitted for the Library as part of the selection process run by the school.

The Foundation is a team of dedicated volunteers committed to the long term and continued success of Preshil far into the future and any contributions of time, ideas and energy are encouraged.

Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with any Foundation members should you have any questions or suggestions – we are available to speak with you at any time and welcome your input. Our contact details are below or email foundation@preshil.vic.edu.au

Once again, on behalf of the Foundation, I would like to thank everyone who has supported us. Your assistance has been very important in helping us achieve so much so quickly, to the direct benefit of our children and generations of Preshilians to come. We look forward to your support in the future and to celebrating further progress together.

Sincerely

Zahava Elenberg
Chair, Preshil Foundation

Foundation members:

Zahava Elenberg zahava@move-in.com.au
Peter George Peter.George@minterellison.com  
Katrina Holmes a Court katrina@holmesacourt.com
Phillip Marzella phillipmarzella@gmail.com
Natalie Toohey natalie@natalietoohey.com
Phil Winbanks philipwinbanks@gmail.com

June 2011

SUPPORTING PRESHIL

This is a friendly reminder for those who may be considering making a donation to the Preshil Foundation that the end of the financial year will be upon us next week.

As mentioned in the recent note from the Preshil Foundation, all donations to the ancillary fund, the building and maintenance fund and the bursary fund are fully tax deductible. These monies directly contribute to improving the school’s infrastructure, facilities and accessibility for the benefit of both current and future students.

The Foundation also warmly welcomes non-monetary donations, recognising the invaluable role played by in-kind donations, volunteer time and assistance in promoting our activities for both maintaining and growing our school. Your feedback on the activities of the Foundation and ideas are welcome at any time.

For more information on our tax-deductible giving options, or other programs and opportunities, please contact Bronte in the Communications and Development Office T: 9817 6135 or E: communications@preshil.vic.edu.au or any member of the Foundation Board (details below).

We look forward to your ongoing support over the coming year.

Preshil Foundation board members:

Zahava Elenberg zahava@move-in.com.au
Peter George Peter.George@minterellison.com
Philip Marzella phillipmarzella@gmail.com
Katrina Holmes a Court katrina@holmesacourt.com
Phil Winbanks philipwinbanks@gmail.com
Natalie Toohey natalie@natalietoohey.com

PRESHIL FOUNDATION SOIREE

A huge thank you to all those who attended last Monday’s event hosted by the Preshil Foundation. It was wonderful to see friends from the past with the night providing a great opportunity for old friends to catch up.

The sensational entertainment provided first by children from the ‘Just Strings’ group from Arlington and then by alumnae, Clare Bowditch, cemented the enduring link between Preshil’s present and past. Many thanks to Clare for finding the time in her hectic schedule to share her talent with us.

Our gratitude also goes to current parents, Pascale Gomes McNabb and Andrew McConnell, for opening their superb restaurant, Cutler & Co, for our use on the night, and to their staff for their immaculate service.

Our appreciation extends to our kind donors, Anna and Morry Schwartz for their generous financial contribution that has enabled all proceeds from the ticket sales of the evening to be directed towards the Preshil Foundation for allocation to the two new appeals launched on the night: the enhancement of our creative and performance arts facilities at Blackhall/Kalimna and the restoration and enhancement of the Arlington Junior School Campus.

We are also extremely pleased to announce the tremendous impetus provided to the Arlington project via the significant financial support provided by Zahava Elenberg and Callum Fraser (current parents). Their contribution underwrites the Conservation Management Plan that is essential for ensuring that all necessary works at the heritage listed site are undertaken in a way that maximises the restoration and care of the Arlington campus and its important buildings.

For complete information about our plans for the future and the imminent construction of our new e-Library at Blackhall/Kalimna, please see Marilyn’s speech from the evening in the Principal’s Blog.

For those of you who weren’t able to make it, we really look forward to catching up with you at one of the many events being planned this year as part of Preshil’s 80th birthday celebration.

March 2011

Dear Families

I’m writing to update you on some exciting news.

Due to the generosity of many Preshil families, the Preshil Foundation has now raised over $100,000 and successfully closed out all of our current appeals. Specifically, we have now raised sufficient funds to both complete a heritage report and new Masterplan for the Arlington Campus and commit to building a wonderful new e-library facility at Blackhall Kalimna, with work to commence by Term 3 of this year. This library will provide much needed and flexible learning space for our students, and will be a fantastic resource for years to come.

With completion of the Arlington heritage report, we have now received a $5,000 grant from Heritage Victoria and are eagerly awaiting news on the $12,000 local history grant from the Public Records Office. This grant will allow us to prepare a full Conservation Management Plan for the site. Once this plan is completed, we will seek further funding to implement it and undertake vital repairs and restoration work. We will be sharing the full report with the school community as soon as it is finalised.

Collectively, these projects are about preserving Preshil’s heritage while continuing to improve the experience we offer our students. As we celebrate the school’s 80th anniversary in 2011, this is particularly appropriate.

We are now looking to the school community to help Council establish a new vision and fresh fundraising goals for the Foundation. Please don’t hesitate to share your views and ideas with myself or any member of the Foundation Board, or school Council. In the meantime, keep an eye out for some of the special events and giving opportunities we have arranged to coincide with our 80th anniversary, including:

A public open day in June, showcasing Arlington’s highly significant group of Kevin Borland designed buildings;
A truly amazing ‘soiree’ event to be held at Cutler & Co; and
The launch of our bequest program later in the year

Our fee slip giving program has also proved popular, and will be a permanent part of our fundraising effort. Donations of any kind – including time, ideas and in-kind support – are always welcome and much appreciated.

When we launched the Foundation last year, we wanted to celebrate and re-engage Preshil’s community spirit and tradition of generosity. To have achieved our initial goals in such a short space of time is a true testament to the strength of this tradition and the vision shared by so many in the Preshil community.

Thank you to everyone who has helped to make this possible. On behalf of the Preshil Foundation, we look forward to building on this wonderful start to ensure the school has the resources to deliver Australia’s most nurturing and engaging child-centred education for many years to come.

Yours sincerely,

Peter George

Chair, Preshil Foundation

November 2010

Early last month, the Preshil Foundation held its first formal fundraising event – a soiree for parents and guardians at the home of one of our families. We were delighted to welcome more than 40 people to the event, which was an encouraging turn out and a great start for our fundraising program. Attendees were generous with their pledges and feedback. All told, we have received $17,500 in donations as a result of the soiree – taking our grand total since the July launch to a little over $34,000 for the year to date. A sincere thank you to all the parent volunteers who helped to organise and host the event, as well as those who attended, pledged and donated.

Last Sunday (November 28) we also assisted the Margaret E Lyttle Foundation to raise funds to cover the living expenses of the school’s longest serving Principal and cherished friend Margaret (Mug) Lyttle. A fundraising afternoon tea was held in Mug’s Sitting Room at Arlington House and attendees were invited to make a pledge to help meet the cost of Mug’s care, so she continues to enjoy the best possible support and quality of life in her advanced years.

By now you will have received our revamped school fee slips. These now give families the option to make a donation at the same time as you pay your school fees. This is a quick and easy way to support the school, and may suit those families who do not have the time to attend fundraising events. You can choose to support one of the school’s tax deductible funds, or make a non-tax deductible donation for consumable items such as classroom materials and the like. I hope you will take advantage of this great new giving option.

Finally, I encourage more Preshil families to get involved in the Foundation’s program in 2011. We are planning a number of exciting events that will celebrate the Preshil tradition of giving and ensure our small school has the resources and facilities it needs to continue to be a truly wonderful place for children. Everyone’s help is required, and we would very much welcome your ideas, time and contribution to ensure we succeed.

Warm regards,

Peter George

Chair, Preshil Foundation

October 2010

Continuing the Preshil Tradition of Giving – Preshil Foundation Update

The relaunch of the Preshil Foundation has been very well received by the school community and I’m delighted to report that our fundraising in support of the e-library, masterplan and heritage report is progressing well. It’s fantastic to see our community coming together to ensure Preshil remains at the forefront of progressive, child-centred education in Australia for generations to come.

I trust all parents and guardians have now received personal invitations to attend our first formal fundraising event on the evening of November 8. This night is especially for current parents and guardians who are a vital part of the school community and a great source of energy, ideas and support.

Please email foundation@preshil.vic.edu.au or call 9817 6135 to confirm your participation in what will be an informative and enjoyable evening. Thanks again to the supportive parents who have generously offered to host this event.

Look out for further updates from the Foundation as we advance towards our goals over the coming months, and don’t hesitate to get in touch if you can support our efforts in any way.

Regards,

Peter George
Chair, Preshil Foundation

FUNDRAISING UPDATE

Our fundraising for the development of our e-library is moving forward.

TARGET $1.21 million
RAISED $900,000
STILL TO GO $310,000

We look forward to bringing you more information about our progress towards the Heritage Report and Master Plan in our next update.