The Individual Value of All Our Families

I respect and admire when parents challenge my decisions in a thoughtful way. Often times, they can raise philosophical questions that I may have already struggled with and, having reached my conclusions, it is easy to respond. Other times, they may raise concerns I have not considered, and it can cause me sleepless nights as I mull over their thoughts.

One such situation occurred recently with a parent who views our recent decision to post donations to Angels Among Us at different levels as a subliminal message that the more you give, the more you are valued. Her thoughts mirror discussions we had in our Development Committee meetings when we first started to discuss the establishment of giving levels.

I think everyone is aware of the progress we are making on renovating and improving the school. To accomplish any of this, we need to fund raise and develop. This is difficult, from a Principal's perspective, because education, not fundraising, is my "area of expertise". However, it seems more and more that financial matters are often the issues that take up a majority of my time.

As we continue in our development efforts, we need to be very clear as to what our goal is. We are not raising money to bloat our egos or increase salaries, or to elevate the status of those who are able to give at a higher level. We are raising funds to improve the school environment, and this is a goal that benefits every single child that attends the school. If we begin to treat individuals differently because of their donations, then we are failing in our efforts.

We have all heard the gospel story regarding the old woman who's small donation is a much greater sacrifice to her lifestyle than the wealthy man who gives more. We all understand the message implied in this parable, and by no means is breaking our donations into level meant to imply that one family is sacrificing more than another. I know that every family sacrifices just to send their child to our school, and anything above and beyond what is required is equally appreciated. But I have also come to the understanding that the individuals who are in a situation to give at a higher level are doing so for the betterment of the school for every child. We should also be able to teach our children gratitude. A larger donation does not make an individual a better person, but it does enable us to better the school.

We are all in different situations in our lives. Some days I have a dollar in my pocket and am able to pass it along when someone needs help. Other days I don't, and I feel guilty, but it is my reality. I am not a better person on the days I can give, I have a different reality on those days.

Every dollar we receive for AAU is valued and appreciated. However, we also understand that some families are in a position where they are more able to offer the gift of presence, while still others may be able to offer a service or skill. We understand this and value it all. Financial is just one means of support we receive at Holy Angels. As we move forward our goal will not change, our perceptions of our parents will not change, and our students will ultimately be the beneficiaries of all that we accomplish.