Capital Campaign
Our Promise for the Future
A Campaign for Manlius Pebble Hill School
Manlius Pebble Hill has developed an action plan to deal with the challenges of an aging physical plant inadequate to meet the needs of a student body of our roughly 530 students. In a recent analysis, similarly sized independent schools across the country were found to have an average of 262 square feet per student, compared to only 150 square feet per student at MPH.
In addition, the School’s endowment, far smaller than that of comparable independent schools, was recognized as too small to provide future financial stability or to generate the income for financial aid and scholarships that our commitment to diversity demands.
Mindful of these issues, the Board of Trustees, with input from the faculty and staff, initiated a long-range planning process that culminated in the development of a revised mission statement, the complete revision of the master site plan, and the initiation of a $6 million dollar capital campaign – the most ambitious campaign in the School’s history. This long-range planning process identified four campaign priorities:
- Growing the Endowment;
- The Laurie Mezzalingua '86 Center for Early Learning;
- The Bradley McNeil '83 Learning Commons; and
- Campus Renovations.
Each of these campaign objectives was selected because of the direct, demonstrable impact it would have on Manlius Pebble Hill’s enduring mission. The Laurie Mezzalingua Center for Early Learning opened in the fall of 2006. This facility and the new campus entrance which was developed as part of the project have already made a significant impact at the School.
Now, in the “public phase” of the campaign, the Board of Trustees and the Campaign Core Committee, continue to work to solicit gifts to the campaign. We have raised close to $4.2 million in pledges against our campaign goal of $6 million, with 100% Board of Trustees and Alumni Association Board participation. Perhaps most significantly, 100% of the faculty and administration have pledged their financial support of the capital campaign.
The list of families who have already made commitments to the campaign also makes a powerful statement. The School administration and campaign volunteers look forward to sitting down with as many parents, alumni, and grandparents as possible to share our story and ask for support. There are many ways to give to this effort; we hope that our entire community will embrace the capital campaign and the positive changes that will result. As the campaign progresses, we will update this portion of our website with additional information about our fundraising efforts and construction plans. In the meantime, if you have specific questions about this exciting campaign, please don’t hesitate to contact Tina Morgan, director of development, at 315/446-2452, ext. 124.
