Why Blue Rock School Needs Your Support
Economic Diversity
Funding Gap
Since its inception, Blue Rock School has been steadfast in its commitment to socio-economic diversity, fostering a non-elitist community, and to making a progressive education accessible to anyone who seeks it by offering financial assistance to those in need. On average, about half of our families rely on some form of aid and your support truly makes a difference in the life of these children in particular, for whom a Blue Rock education simply would not be a possibility otherwise.
Low Tuition
The School Director together with the Board of Trustees also strives to keep tuition among the lowest of independent schools in the Tri-State area. The trade-off however, of offering a lower tuition and higher than average rate of financial aid, is that not all of the school’s operating and maintenance costs are fully covered in a given year. In fact, on average, tuition usually only covers about 80% of the school’s expenses.
Small Class Size
Blue Rock’s top priority of course is to provide the highest quality of personalized instruction for our children in an intimate classroom setting, and therefore intentionally caps each class at twelve students. A 12:1 student-teacher ratio enables teachers to truly get to know each child, their individual learning styles and their needs. So again, we are limited in terms of potential tuition revenue by virtue of our small class size.
Young Alumni
Also consider that alumni, which for most schools represent a significant percentage of total giving, in our case are quite young, many still in school and generally not yet in a position to give. Even some of our oldest are just getting on their feet and their careers started. This potential has been growing over time, but still does not represent a large pecentage of the gifts we receive.
For these reasons, we must rely on our parents, grandparents, alumni parents and extended community of friends to help close the funding gap each year through our Annual Giving Campaign and parent-led, community fundraising events such as our yard sales, Family Barn Dance, house tours and art auctions.
Your Giving Options at Blue Rock
We thank you for considering making a contribution toward sustaining this creative and dynamic learning environment.
A Blue Rock School education is truly a unique experience, and you now have the opportunity to earmark how your gift is used if you wish. However you choose to support Blue Rock—and at whatever level— your generosity is both essential and greatly appreciated. Every gift truly makes an impact at a small school such as ours.
Feel free to contact the Office of Development any time with questions or for more details at 845-535-3353.
Blue Rock School is a not-for-profit 501(c) (3) organization and all donations are fully tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.
"Blue Rock made me love learning. I thought of school as a magical, joyful place that I wanted to be."
−BRS alumna
If you wish, you may choose from the following areas:
Fall Annual Giving Campaign—
Area of Greatest Need
By supporting our Annual Giving Campaign, you can help the school flourish and its students thrive by maintaining the highest level of education possible. Gifts to this area support general operational needs of the school. Monies are taken from this fund regularly to cover a range of expenses— from salaries, insurance, utilities, transportation, office and classroom supplies, to important initiatives and special projects, as well as any impending emergency needs. A gift here supports the general life-line of the school. In year’s past, we have also raised money for the building of our Arts & Nature Studies Annex, a new van, a new fence and retaining wall for our ball field, and repairs to our historic stone walls. An updated, expanded and re-organized school library has been on our wish list for years.
Our total Annual Giving Campaign goal for the 2022- 2023 school year is $100,000.
Ruth Schaeffer Scholarship Fund
While the private school financial aid award average is between 10-20%, Blue Rock School has a need-blind admissions process and offers, on average, about 50% of its student body some form of financial assistance. Your gift can help Blue Rock offset this loss of income and truly make a positive difference in a child's life. Tuition this year is $24,400, and while all families pay partial tuition, we invite you to consider sponsoring a child. To discuss this option, please contact the Development Office at 845- 535-3353. However, any amount is helpful and welcome at any time of the year.
Building & Grounds Fund
Support to this area helps to maintain and update our beautiful, five-acre campus which includes the Main Building− an 18th century Dutch-style stone farmhouse with original surrounding stone walls, our Barn Building, our Arts and Nature Studies Annex and caretaker’s cottage. Our grounds include flower and vegetable gardens which need resources, as well as several whimsical, wooden play sets which require maintenance and regular inspection. Your gift will help maintain the natural beauty and charm of our historic campus and sustain our gardening program− a vital, hands-on and outdoor element of our science curriculum.
Louise Poresky Community
Building Fund
Created in honor of the school’s late business manager of fourteen years, and seeded by a bequest from Louise herself, this fund helps support the school’s pursuit of peaceful conflict resolution and tolerance through education, dialogue and community. Initiatives supported in part by this fund include the presentation of “Seriously, What Did You Call Me?" featuring Onawumi Jean Moss at the Nyack Center in 2016, along with ongoing staff and parent workshops on racism and conflict resolution.
Environmental Fund
Blue Rock School is deeply committed to the preservation of wildlife and the environment and to reducing the school’s own carbon footprint. We are equally dedicated to exposing the children to the outdoors and fostering a love of the natural world and teaching our students to respect the earth and all of its living creatures. Adopting eco-friendly standards and practices at the school are generally more costly than other more traditional options. Your gift can help make the right choice more feasible. One of the school's overall goals is to become a New York State Green-Certified School. Projects that require funding include the installation of rain barrels and enclosed composting stations, and the implementation of alternative, clean and renewable energy sources on campus as well as measures to increase our energy efficiency. Your support can help us get there and become a model for our students and the wider community.
Ways to Give
Planned Giving
In honor of the school’s founder and created in the spirit of keeping her vision alive, a Margaret Flinsch Legacy Gift allows the legacy of a nurturing, child-centered education to continue. Your gift will help ensure Blue Rock’s future and sustain Blue Rock’s progressive and experiential approach to education and help it be the very best it can for generations of children to come.
Planned giving is simple and for donors of all means, not only those with significant wealth. Additionally, you can create a legacy at any age or stage of life, and a gift of this nature has the potential to grow exponentially over time.
We invite you to speak with your attorney, financial planner, accountant, banker or insurance agent about gifting the following:
securities
stocks
bonds
certificates of deposit
mutual funds
IRAs
401Ks
Keogh
pension plan
real estate
life insurance policy
estate gifts including charitable gift annuities
charitable remainder/lead trusts
bequests
pooled income funds
other estate plans
Please feel free to contact the Office of Development to explore your options at 845/627-0234.
Cash Gifts
Credit card, personal or business check, wire transfers, and cash are considered forms of cash gifts. A majority of the gifts made to BRS come in the form of cash, via check or credit card. A gift of this nature entitles you to the most generous federal income tax deduction available for charitable contributions. You may deduct up to 50 percent of your adjusted gross income for gifts of cash and may carry any amount over that figure forward for up to five additional years.
Monthly Pledge
A pledge is a gift commitment made to BRS that is paid via automated, online monthly credit card installments over time. A convenient, affordable, and easy way to support the school which often enables a greater gift than a one-time payment.
Matching Gifts
Matching gifts are a corporation's way of multiplying the benefits of their employees' charitable gifts. If you or your spouse works for a company that offers a matching gift program, your gift to BRS could be doubled or tripled. Find out if your company matches gifts by contacting your personnel or benefits office.
Anonymous Gifts
Blue Rock is happy to honor those donors who wish to give anonymously.
Give Now
Thank you for choosing to give to Blue Rock School. Your generosity is both essential and greatly appreciated.
Online
To make a one-time online donation or monthly pledge with a credit or debit card
By Phone
Call in a donation or pledge using a credit or debit card by calling
By Mail
Send a check made payable to: "Blue Rock School" and mail along with a note on the memo line of either “Donation” or specify an earmark area per above to:
Blue Rock School
110 Demarest Mill Road
West Nyack, NY 10994
Other Ways to Support Blue Rock
Volunteer
There are many ways in which you can support the school. Volunteering your time is also a valuable contribution you can make. Please contact the school office if interested. We welcome your participation in the following areas:
Community Work Days
Three times a year, parents, alumni and friends are invited to come to the campus on a Saturday to complete various projects throughout the buildings and grounds. Participants share a potluck lunch together, and children are welcome to help and play outdoors. There is also an opportunity to organize some type of entertainment to follow the work day as a way to unwind and express gratitude to our volunteers.
Set and Costume Design and Creation
Volunteers are always needed for the annual Winter Solstice Celebration and spring plays. A nice opportunity to get to know and collaborate with other members of the Blue Rock community, flex your creative muscles and have some fun!
Database Management
Assist the Offices of Development and Alumni Relations with data entry and editing.
Alumni Relations
Help foster a continued sense of community, keeping alumni connected to the school, and assisting in the planning and organization of reunion events.
Chaperone Field Trips
Excursions are an important part of the Blue Rock experience and often in need of an extra parent supervisor and set of eyes. They are wonderful opportunities to be with the students as they discover the world around them.
Become a Class Parent
Each grade has a Class Parent who plays a vital role of assisting the head teacher by facilitating and providing communication, organization, leadership and guidance. If you are a current parent at the school and interested, please contact the Main Office at 845/627-0234
Participate in Fundraising Events
Happy, willing and able volunteers are always welcome. Regular parent-led events include:
Yard Sales Twice a year, there is the opportunity to donate gently used furniture, rugs, linens, housewares, appliances, books, music CDs, movies, baby gear, toys, clothing, artwork, etc. You can also support the event by volunteering a shift and also by shopping. See Annual Calendar for exact dates.
Annual Family Barn Dance A long-time fall tradition here at Blue Rock and a foot stomping great time for the whole family. A festive evening with live fiddle music and dance caller, fresh and locally sourced refreshments and fun raffles and silent auctions. See Annual Calendar for exact date.
House/Garden Tours Blue Rock School has orchestrated tours of a handful of Nyack's precious gems-- uniquely and beautifully renovated and restored homes. You can help by securing a featured property, selling or donating advertising space in the program, and by attending the tour.
Art Exhibition & Auction An opportunity to see some of the area’s best creative talent in an elegant, evening setting with wine, hors d’oeuvres and live music.
Blue Rock Rocks Come out for a lively evening of eclectic, local musical talent and pub fare at a local music venue. Performers are comprised of a mix of current Middle School students, parents, alumni and friends. See Annual Calendar for exact date.
Enroll in Ongoing Reward Programs
Amazon.com
By using the following link: http://smile.amazon.com/ch/22-2825416,
Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible purchases to Blue Rock School.
Fairway Community Partners
A reward program whereby participants are required to present a FMCP card to the cashier at point of purchase, and every quarter, members’ shopping will be tallied and Blue Rock will receive a check representing a percentage of total sales. Fairway will donate 3% for the first $100,000 spent in the quarter and 4% on the dollars spent in excess of $100k per quarter. If interested, simply send us an email.
Stop & Shop A+ Bonus Bucks
Points accrue with each purchase where the Stop & Shop Loyalty Card is used. It also works with purchases made online with Peapod by Stop & Shop. At the end of each month, these points determine the school's cash total which is automatically credited to its account. Register at www.stopandshop.com.
JUST Energy Services
Save money on utilities while generating income for Blue Rock with JE, an approved Energy Service Company (ESCO), which supplies natural gas and electricity to Orange & Rockland. Blue Rock receives a $500 donation up front for every household that signs on. Please contact the Main Office to enroll at 845/627-0234.
Trinity Solar
Blue Rock has partnered with Trinity Solar, the largest privately held solar installer in the Northeast. Trinity has generously offered that for any Blue Rock parent or staff that goes solar with Trinity, the company will donate $1,000 to the school! And for any parent or staff that refers a friend who signs up, Trinity will give $500 to the referring party and donate $500 to Blue Rock. No money required upfront, start saving day one and reduce your carbon footprint, all while earning significant money for the school. A home run! Contact the Main Office at 845/627-0234 or office@bluerockschool.org for more information.
Donate Goods
The school has a 'Wish List' of items. Most items should be new, but some can be gently used. If you own a business that has bulk supplies of a particular good available to donate let us know. Due to limited space all donations must be discussed with the office staff before being brought to school.
art supplies
office supplies
software
books
eco-friendly cleaning products in bulk
seeds, flowers and shrubs to be planted on the grounds
crushed stone
organic fertilizer
hay
picnic tables
flatware
cookware and cooking utensils