Annual Report 2018-2019 ANNUAL REPORT 2018-2019 Letter from the Head of School

Dear Academy Hill Families and Friends:

I am writing today as I began my fourth year as Head of School at Academy Hill. My family is enormously proud to continue our relationship with this special place. As an alumni parent, I know first-hand the difference an Academy Hill education can make in the life of a young person. My daughter continues to reference her years here as ones full of joyful learning in a place resplendent with support and love. Emma will graduate from Deerfield Academy this spring fully aware that the knowledge and skills she acquired at Academy Hill catapulted her to the success she found at Deerfield.

Academy Hill provides an exceptionally strong academic foundation, nurturing an attention to and affinity for skilled, authentic, lifelong learning that leads to the success of our current and past students both in and out of the classroom. Last year, we hosted Alumni Families for an annual Homecoming event the week of Thanksgiving. The alumni in attendance, and their parents, talked in glowing terms about the excellent teachers, the challenging curriculum and the unique programs that are our trademarks, and which they still miss. We are enormously proud of our alumni, and of their many achievements.

This year we continue to focus our attention on attracting and retaining highly motivated learners to join our student body. We ask that our current families and our alumni families serve as our admissions ambassadors. Please spread the word about Academy Hill and its many exceptional qualities to your family, friends, colleagues, neighbors and others. If you would like to host an admissions event or have us visit your work, mom’s/dad’s group, or other gathering, please let us know. If you are able to help us advertise our Open House days we would be enormously grateful.

I invite you to review the Annual Report for detailed information about our program and operations. Please consider making a gift to the Academy Hill School Annual Fund as we kick off the 2019 – 2020 campaign. Your generosity allows us to continue work towards our mission to nurture and challenge bright minds through program enhancements and facilities improvements.

My best,

Melissa Earls Head of School

Letter from the Chair

Dear Academy Hill community,

Welcome to the 2019-20 school year! For my family, this year sees Alexis entering fifth grade, Olivia in third grade, and Zoe in second grade. They each love AHS for its focus on kindness, friendship, and academics.

I hope that your family, like ours, has been enriched by the AHS experience. Moreover, I hope you will turn your appreciation into action! We are currently well below the number of students we need to “break even” and we need your help. Under Melissa's leadership, our focus is on increasing admissions (while still meeting our exacting standards). Please assist Melissa in this effort; we get most of our referrals from existing families, and we need you to get the word out. Please also let Melissa or Kelli know if you would be willing to host a coffee hour to introduce AHS to candidates from your neighborhood, church or temple, or children’s sports teams.

In the meantime, while we concentrate on growing admissions, we will rely on your contributions to the Annual Fund to fill the budget gap and help us minimize tuition increases. Therefore, I ask that you join me, the rest of the Board, and the faculty and staff in giving generously to the Annual Fund.

I look forward to working with all of you to meet our goals, and would be happy to speak with you about our plans and challenges.

Sincerely,

Amanda Andress Chair of the Board of Trustees

Board of Trustees

Ms. Amanda Andress Chair, Parent

Mr. Eric Lunden Vice Chair, Parent

Mr. David Wells Treasurer, Parent

Mrs. Tina Wegrzyn Secretary, Parent & Alumni Parent

Mrs. Jana Bertera Parent

Dr. Tom Cerasulo Parent

Mr. Sean Atkins Director of Admissions, Suffield Academy

Mrs. Tracy Wietsma Alumni Parent

Mr. Nick Hopkins Parent

Dr. Priya Sharma Malik Parent

Mr. David Balise Alumnus

Mission Statement

Academy Hill provides an intellectual, nurturing, and enriching foundation in a welcoming environment for students at the elementary school and middle school levels. Our goal is to develop tomorrow's Visionaries, Leaders, and Innovators by:  Identifying and cultivating talents through challenging, and differentiated programs;  Building character, citizenship, and confidence in students;  Encouraging and enabling creative and critical thought and actions;  Pursuing individual curiosity while encouraging self-initiative and a passion for learning;  Developing the capacity and self-confidence needed for effective public speaking and self-advocacy;  Building the skills our students need to succeed in the future; and  Collaborating with families to provide students with the best possible experience.

School History

Academy Hill School was originally founded as The Ames Hill Center in 1979 by a group of parents and professionals who were dedicated to providing enrichment classes for intellectually gifted children in the greater Springfield, Massachusetts area. At that time, parents were driving children to Worcester, MA, for similar programs. Saturday and summer classes were held from 1979-1981 at The MacDuffie School for Girls in Springfield. In December of 1981, Wilbraham & Monson Academy invited The Center to merge with them and move to the Academy’s campus in Wilbraham. A year later, The Center was renamed The Academy Hill Center for Gifted Children. Mary Crist was named executive director of the Center.

In September of 1986, The Academy Hill Center opened a day school for gifted children. In 1993, Academy Hill School relocated to its original site on the MacDuffie School campus in Springfield. After several years there, the Board of Trustees determined that the school’s long-term goals would be better met by purchasing a larger building.

In September of 2000, Academy Hill School began its first year at its current location on Liberty Street in Springfield. In 2003, the Board of Trustees approved the extension of grade levels to include the middle school grades. In 2013 – 2014, the Board of Trustees voted to add an early learner (pre-kindergarten) classroom to our program. Our enrollment currently sits at nearly 100 students in pre-kindergarten through grade eight. An independent non-profit corporation, Academy Hill continues to be committed to providing excellence in educational services.

Financial Report

Total Income $1,243,609

85%

Tuition Development Ohe ̀ (e. eded cae, SPARK, fee, ec)

Total Expenses $1,250,670

16%

78%

Salaries, Taxes and Benefits Building, Grounds & Maintenance

Capital Projects Other

Financial Report (continued)

Annual Fund Totals $80,000 $70,000 $60,000

$50,000

$40,000

$30,000

$20,000

$10,000

$0 FY19 FY18 FY17 FY16 FY15 Annual Fund Totals $74,945 $70,258 $65,285 $61,348 $42,950

Gifts in Kind and Designated Donations

Heather and Mandy Andress Jeb and Tara Balise David and Kathryn Barzilai Michael and Jana Bertera Big VooDoo Interactive Michael and Erica Blake Robert and Dorrie Boyd Shannon Carey Joseph and Melissa Earls Nick Hopkins and Lindsay Duffy Selina Kell Eric and Aimee Lunden Peter and Hazel Mugo Christopher and Rachel Parent Ronny Priefer and Susan Burke Mark E. Salomone and Pamela O’Connell Ralph Slate and Maria Gulluni David and Elizabeth Wells Eric and Tracy Wietsma

Endowment

Gifts to a school’s endowment are vital to the long term financial stability of the institution. Total Endowment - $142,000

Annual Fund Giving

Amazon Smile Joseph and Melissa Earls

Annika Amstutz Tabor and Rachael Lawrence

Amanda and Heather Andress* Daniel Flanagan and Irene Mao

Sean and Yasmin Atkins Kevin and Laurie Flynn*

David Balise Mark and Eve Forbes*

Jeb and Tara Balise* Nicolas and Nicole Fyntrilakis

Alison Bates Elizabeth Gibbons

Jeffery and Angela Belz* Mark and Elizabeth Goebel

Michael and Jana Bertera* Brian and Jennifer Grenier

Michael and Erica Blake Dianna Hanechak

Joseph Bock Robert Hann

Robert and Dorrie Boyd Patrick and Gretchen Heick

Robert and Kelli Brodhagen Beatrice Heinrichs

Alan and Melina Brody Tom Henske In honor of Roger Crandall and Kiki Walker-Crandall Patrick and Kathleen Burke Nick Hopkins and Lindsay Duffy*

Dayna Campbell Andrea James

Shannon Carey* Shoeb and Yogita Kanorwalla

Jon and Susan Caron Amee Kantesaria and Mark Ewing* Tom Cerasulo and Celeste Donovan Selina Kell In honor of Carol Rosenthal The Chechiles Chad and Nicole LaBonte

Class Bundl Narayanna Lebaka and Uma Chaganti* John and Katherine Danielczuk In honor of Michael and Steven Li and Huimin Xiong Kara Danielczuk Eric and Aimee Lunden Jean Deliso and Lisa Doherty* Kathy Marks Sharon Desjarlais Tom and Kelly Matthew Michael Dindoffer MassMutual Chris and Sage Dow* David and Danielle Mazur

Annual Fund Giving

Gwen McNierney Stop & Shop

Sean and Kristen Murphy Ralph Slate and Maria Gulluni*

Nelnet Foundation Maria Gulluni In honor of the 2018-2019 Board of Trustees Network for Good Springfield Thunderbirds

New York Life Cedric St. Val and Aja Johnson

Robert and Karen Orlando David and Rebecca Strong

Christopher and Rachel Parent* The Proprietor of Springfield Cemetery*

Dan and Amy Piela Craig and Amanda Tini

Ronny Priefer and Susan Burke Verizon Foundation

Craig and Mary Beth Reed William and Kristina Wegrzyn

Linda Robinson David and Elizabeth Wells*

Bridget Roguz and Mary Ann Fitzpatrick Joseph and Betsy Wells

Nathan and Carol Rosenthal Eric and Tracy Wietsma* Nathan and Carol Rosenthal John Zebrowski In memory of Mildred “Mitzy” Brown In honor of Rachel Parent on behalf of the friends in Mark Salomone and Pamela O'Connell* Corporate Technology at MassMutual.

Joseph and Nancy Sklar

*Leadership Level Donor

We have tried our best to ensure the accuracy of the information contained within these pages. If you come across an error or omission, please accept our apologies and let us know of the error so that we may take the appropriate actions to correct it. To make a correction, contact the front desk at 413-788-0300.

Gala Sponsors and Donors We would like to thank the following sponsors, donors, and item donors who helped make the “Non-Gala” Gala possible. We are grateful for your support.

AHS Parent Association Shannon Carey

Amelia Park Ice Arena Connecticut Science Center

Annika Amstutz Jim and Christine Cooley

Anupama Surendran and Thampi Ampadi Costco Enfield

Mandy and Heather Andress Costco Springfield

Asnunstuck Community College Crepes Tea House

Balise Auto Group Cushing Academy

Jeb and Tara Balise The DaCruz/Cushing Family

Bard College at Simon’s Rock Jean Deliso and Lisa Doherty

Alison Bates Sharon Desjarlais

Beech Tree Camp Deerfield Academy

Bertera Auto Group Jose and Danielle Delgado

Michael and Jana Bertera Chris and Sage Dow

Black Labyrinth Tattoo Drunken Rabbit Brewery

Boston Bruins Hockey Joe and Melissa Earls

Boston Red Sox Eastern State Exposition

Boston Swan Boats Eric Carle Museum

Bounce! Trampoline Park Brian and Jen Grenier

Robert and Dorrie Boyd Mark and Beth Goebel

Robert and Kelli Brodhagen Golden Nozzle

Bueno Y Sano Miss Hall’s School

Patrick and Kathleen Burke Homer Laughlin

Dayna Campbell Nick Hopkins and Lindsay Duffy

IHOP Sarah Gallagher Photography

Adam Howe and Jessica Roncarati-Howe Shakespeare and Co.

Interskate 91 Ralph Slate and Maria Gulluni

Andrea James and Eric Spangenthal Sonny’s Place

The Kraft Family Southwick Sassy Sauce

Launch Trampoline Park Springfield Museums

Eric and Aimee Lunden Stoneleigh-Burnham School

The MacDuffie School Stop and Shop

Kathy Marks Suffield Academy

The Mazur Family Table and Vine

Gwen McNierney The 800 Method

Mountainview Landscapes Tower Theater

Peter and Hazel Mugo Town Fair Tire

Sophia Olender Vineyard Vines

Paint Craze John Wanczyk Cleaning Services

Pine Knoll Day Camp William and Tina Wegrzyn

Plan B Burger David and E’beth Wells

Ronny Priefer and Susan Burke Westminster School

MaryBeth Reed Williston Northampton School

Art and Alla Ribinskas John Wanczyk Cleaning Services

Rice Fruit Farm William and Tina Wegrzyn

Grandfriend’s Day Giving

Michael and Johnnie Andress In honor of: Alexis, Olivia, and Zoe Andress Andrew and Leslie Bailey In honor of: Nyah Bailey-Burton David and Eva Bellucci In honor of: Jack Murphy Beth Butin In honor of: James and Eleanor Wells Michael and Ann Chechile In honor of: Arielle Chechile Susuan Coulombe In honor of: Shae Roncarati-Howe Daniel and Janice Conlin In honor of: Quinnton Bertera Samantha Eckman In honor of: Estella Estrada Frank and Mary Gulluni In honor of: Ella and Nora Slate Josephine Hanechak In honor of: Elizabeth Hanechak John and Constance Hegarty In honor of: Jack, Sam, and Ronan Meunier Marcia Johnson In honor of: Quentin St. Val Marilyn Kenyon In honor of: Amory and Camden Dow George and Ellie Kerr In honor of Bianca Kerr Gary and Debra Kielbasa In honor of: Logan Martin William and Denise Kokocinski In honor of: Andrew, Cora, and Kathryn Tini Lynne LaFleur In honor of: Kaylilah Burston James and Theresa Lamicer In honor of: Carter and Chloe Blake Michael and Karen Lemay In honor of: Andrew Fyntrilakis Teena Littleton In honor of: Tovah Woldorf Yuri and Nadya Malinkevich In honor of: Katalina Pazos Keith and Suzanne Martin In honor of: Logan Martin Paul and Barbara Meunier In honor of: Jack, Sam, and Ronan Meunier Sandra Mullen In honor of: Arielle Chechile Noel Murphy and Judith Tremble In honor of: Jack Murphy Edmund Pavlak In honor of: Harry and Katie Lunden Ronald and Patricia Piela In honor of: Ryan and Lauryn Piela Phyllis Savinelli In honor of: The Balise Children Charles and Lois Shaddock In honor of: Pelar Campbell

Grandfriend’s Day Giving

Stan and Elizabeth Smolski In honor of: Ryan and Lauryn Piela Maryanne Stefanelli In honor of: Estella Estrada Michael and Deb Stewart In honor of: Jack Binnall James and Barbara Tini In honor of: Andrew, Cora, and Kathryn Tini Joseph and Betsy Wells In honor of: James and Eleanor Wells Kathryn M. White Lord In honor of: Dean Cerasulo Jamie Yee In honor of: Estella Estrada

Giving Tuesday Donors

Thampi Ampadi and Anupama Surendran Nick Hopkins and Lindsay Duffy Amanda and Heather Andress Chad and Nicole LaBonte Robert and Kelli Brodhagen Narayana Lebaka and Uma Chaganti Patrick and Kathleen Burke Thomas and Kelly Matthew Dayna Campbell Joseph and Yasmin Otero Shannon Carey Bridget Roguz and MaryAnn Fitzpatrick Tom Cerasulo and Celeste Donovan Nathan and Carol Rosenthal Chris and Sage Dow Joseph and Nancy Sklar Joe and Melissa Earls Ralph Slate and Maria Gulluni Tabor Fisher and Rachael Lawrence David and Rebecca Strong Brian and Jennifer Grenier Craig and Amanda Tini Robert Hann David and Elizabeth Wells Joseph and Betsy Wells

How to Make a Gift

Check Make checks payable to “Academy Hill School” and mail to: Academy Hill School 1190 Liberty Street Springfield, MA 01104

Credit Card The quickest way to make a donation to Academy Hill School is by visiting the “Support” page on our website. www.AcademyHill.org

Recurring Gifts Payments You can choose to make monthly, quarterly or yearly payments to Academy Hill School. Contact the Finance Office at 413-788-0300 to set up a payment schedule.

Matching Gifts Academy Hill School received $16,750 in matching employee contributions last year from organizations like MassMutual, New York Life, Verizon and Elastic. Please check with your employer to see if a matching gift program is an employee benefit that is available to you.

Donate to the Annual Fund today!