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Inspire Campaign: Investing in Faculty, Impacting Students

By Jessica Goski, Director of Development
In February, Josh Cobb was proud to announce the Inspire Campaign, a $12 million endowment campaign dedicated to funding a new faculty compensation structure that rewards teachers for their contributions in the classroom, as well as their impact in advancing Graland’s program.
Bringing Innovation to Compensation
At the heart of the campaign is a new compensation model, designed by Graland teachers themselves, that goes beyond rewarding teachers simply on their years of experience and educational achievements -- what they look like on paper -- and also rewards teachers for how they apply their experience and education to student learning, as well as how they implement and model our values in the areas of innovation, collaboration and leadership. See the story on p. 8 to learn more about the Faculty Compensation Task Force and its process for creating the new system.

Timing is of the Essence
Timing is critical for the Inspire Campaign. With the cost of living skyrocketing in Denver, a national teacher shortage, and local struggles with teacher pay in the public school system, there is heightened awareness and broad concern about properly valuing educators. Graland knew it could not delay in raising funds for its greatest asset - its faculty.

Why An Endowment Campaign?
As with all endowed funds, the purpose of this endowment is to provide financial support and strength for Graland in perpetuity, through long-term investment and annual distributions to the school’s operating budget. The Inspire Campaign establishes a new endowment earmarked for faculty compensation, allowing salary decisions to be made independent of other operational considerations.

Taking a Step Forward: We Need Your Help
Inspire is essential for Graland to both recruit and retain the best and brightest educators for its students, today and in the future. It likewise is critical for sustaining Graland’s tradition of excellence. The school has committed to the new compensation system for the 2019-20 school year. We now need to meet our $12 million goal with commitments by June 30, 2019, and payments by June 30, 2020.

I invite and encourage the entire Graland community to come together to support the heart of Graland: its faculty. Consider making a gift to the Inspire Campaign in honor or in memory of a teacher who touched your life. Your support is critical. 
 
Jessica Goski earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Princeton University and has 15 years of experience in independent school advancement work. She gets joy out of understanding someone’s passions and matching that interest to a complementary need at the school.

Visit graland.org/Inspire to make a gift today.

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Graland Country Day School

Graland Country Day School is a private school in Denver, Colorado, serving students in preschool, kindergarten, elementary, and middle school. Founded in Denver in 1927, Graland incorporates a rich, experiential learning approach in a traditional classroom setting, emphasizing the development of globally and socially conscious leaders who excel academically.