Read: Letter Announcing St. Margaret’s School Closing

A Letter Concerning St. Margaret’s Episcopal School From Lane Hensley, Rector of St. Margaret’s March 16, 2011

Dear Friends,

I am writing today with some difficult news. With regret, the Vestry of St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church, in consultation with the St. Margaret’s School Board, has decided not to reopen St. Margaret’s School for the 2011-2012 school year.

As all of you know, St. Margaret’s School is home to some of the most dedicated teachers and families in the Coachella Valley. However, the modest average tuition and small class sizes that make the school so special also produce a structural deficit-a deficit that is built into the school’s business model. This deficit cannot be fixed by increasing enrollment, because we charge less per pupil on average than it costs to run the school. And regrettably, in this economic climate, we cannot reliably attract enough donors each year to close the gap.

For several years, leaders have tried to sustain St. Margaret’s School by both raising and borrowing more money. Although many generous individuals and foundations have made gifts, St. Margaret’s Church has already had to assume $1.3 million in debt on the school’s behalf. Continuing to allow this debt to mount would jeopardize not only our parish’s ability to carry out its mission but even our very existence.

The leaders of St. Margaret’s Church are making this difficult decision now so that families and teachers have as much time as possible to make other plans for next school year. We will provide assistance both to families seeking other schools and to teachers searching for new jobs, and all teachers will receive full salary and benefits through the end of their 2010-2011 school contracts.

The Vestry has also asked the St. Margaret’s School Board to propose, by April 17, an operational model for a continued preschool and/or kindergarten. We intend to make a final decision about whether or not to reopen the preschool and kindergarten by April 30, and we will communicate that decision to affected families as soon as possible.

We realize that you may have many questions about the decision not to reopen grades 1-8 next year, and we want to talk with you about your concerns. You are invited to attend a meeting tomorrow evening, Thursday, March 17 at 6:00 PM in the church at which leaders of the parish and the school will be available to talk with you. Child care and light supper will be available for children at the school during the meeting. We will schedule another session shortly for those who are not able to attend. As always, please feel free to call me at (760) 346?2697 or email me at laneh@stmargarets.org.

Please join me in keeping the students, teachers, staff, families and alumni of St. Margaret’s School in your prayers. I ask that in the coming weeks, we treat one another and the entire school community with kindness, compassion and forbearance so that we can all best understand where God is leading us next.

Faithfully yours, Lane G. Hensley The Rev. Lane Hensley Rector