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Parents Fund FAQ

What is the NMH Parents Fund?
The Parents Fund, which is part of the NMH Annual Fund campaign, is an essential component of the school’s operating budget. A gift in support of the Parents Fund is an investment in your child’s future and helps the school continue its mission of excellence. Combined with annual contributions from our alumni and friends, the Parents Fund has an immediate impact on the educational experience for which NMH is renowned.

How does my support of the Parents Fund benefit my child directly?
Your support enhances the outstanding academic experience your child is receiving at NMH. Every gift to the Parents Fund directly affects each student at the school. Parents Fund dollars help underwrite everything from scholarships, up-to-date lab equipment, competitive athletic programs, the arts, and advanced technology to, yes, even keeping on the lights!

Your participation also helps us maintain our position as a leader in international education. It allows us to put immediate resources toward creating programs and events for our students that foster global awareness and cultural understanding.

Why should I give to the Parents Fund when I’m already paying tuition?
A little-known fact is that tuition falls short by over $10,000 in covering the “real” cost of an NMH education. The difference is made up from the endowment and unrestricted gifts by parents, alumni, and friends of the school. These gifts help to bridge this gap.

Can my gift go specifically to support faculty?
In 1993, NMH parents voted to allocate a portion of the Parents Fund to the quiet heroes of the school—its teachers. Each year, some of the NMH Parents Fund dollars are directed toward faculty support and development. In addition, the fund underwrites three Parent Council Faculty Chair Awards, given to outstanding instructors in academics, athletics, and residential life. Each faculty chair receives a $5,000 cash prize and community recognition.

Here are just a few ways Parents Fund dollars are put to use right away:

$35 — one music stand
$50 — clay for one ceramic student
$100 — books for one humanities class for a scholarship student
$250 — updated world maps for three classrooms
$400 — visiting speaker in the State of the World Lecture Series
$985 — average price for one computer
$3394 — chili menu for Mountain Day
$8,000 — training room supplies for student athletes
$35,400 — funds student activities with advisors

Through your participation, no matter what the size of your gift, you help NMH maintain our position as an international leader in education. It allows us to put immediate resources toward creating programs and events for our students that foster global awareness and cultural understanding.

Will my gift make a difference?
Absolutely! The Parents Fund is made up of hundreds of gifts in all amounts that collectively have a real and direct impact on the quality of academic, residential, and student life at NMH. Last year, parent gifts ranged from $5 to $70,000. The real strength and success of the Parents Fund is measured not by the size of the gift but by the size of your heart through your participation.

Further, when foundations consider grant applications from independent schools, they look carefully at the level of participation and support by parents, alumni, and friends. It is a very clear indicator of the faith in and commitment to the school and its educational program by those closest to it.

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