As an educational institution of high reputation and storied achievements, Shanghai American School builds the future every day — for its students.

But for a second year, through its Edge for Excellence annual fund, SAS is doing something more. It is creating a future for itself as an institution. On the example of other distinguished schools like SAS, a strong giving program does have the power to remake the future and open new pathways to student success.

It’s hard to remember a time when SAS was not considered among the world’s leading international schools. This was true before 1949 when SAS was abruptly closed, and true since reopening in the early 1980s.

This reputation, however, developed without what today is regarded as standard operating equipment for any world-class school: a vigorous, volunteer-led tradition of annual giving.
Currently, SAS depends solely on tuition and fees for nearly 100% of its annual operating revenue. This is a difficult model to sustain. With the rapidly escalating cost of educational excellence — attracting and retaining the best teachers from around the world, outfitting libraries and laboratories with 21st-century learning tools — each expenditure must be scrutinized, mindful of its financial effect on SAS families.

Every school must wield a sharp scalpel in its yearly budget planning. But what is the secret other leading schools have discovered to meet the challenge of balancing revenue and expense?

The answer is partly cultural. Leading U.S. independent schools, and a growing number of international schools, place a high community value on annual giving. At these schools, it’s a shared attitude, felt immediately and by all. Voluntary giving — in addition to paying tuition — is celebrated, is encouraged from everyone, and is even thought to be a privilege. The annual fund is recognized as a landmark event of every school year.

Shanghai American School in other respects has all that these other schools possess: a rigorous curriculum taught by brilliant teachers on two state-of-the-art campuses; committed students with engaged parents; and a shared ethic of hard work and individual improvement. Everything, that is, except for a well-established tradition of annual giving in support of the operating budget.

But in its second year of existence, the Edge for Excellence annual fund is creating a changed attitude at SAS. The campaign is already transforming that faint “path across the countryside” into a highway to a new future of school achievement. It is a trail that becomes more distinct, and better understood, the more it is walked upon — gift by gift, and year by year.

Campaign co-chairs Mery Montgomery and Fanghua Jiang invite every member of the SAS community to consider a voluntary personal gift this year. Now nearing 45% of its $250,000 goal, the Edge for Excellence fund will provide crucial enhancements to the school’s four-library system serving all six divisions.

For more information, please visit the “Giving to SAS” pages at the school’s website, www.saschina.org. To give quickly and easily online, visit www.saschina.org/giving.  For questions, or to volunteer to help, send an e-mail to edge@saschina.org or call the Office of Advancement at 6221-1445 x2415.

The Board of Directors and the students, faculty and staff of SAS thank you for considering the role your gift can play in making the future of Shanghai American School even stronger. But hurry! The campaign ends March 12.

For a current list of annual fund donors, please see page 7.

GIVING OPPORTUNITIES

The Edge for Excellence campaign runs until March 12. The school will gratefully recognize every donor at every level of support. Here’s how you can help:

Guanxi Circle: Gifts up to $149 or RMB 999
Shanghai Circle: Gifts $150 or more, or RMB 1,000 or more
Consulate Circle: Gifts $500 or more, or RMB 3,500 or more
Ambassador Circle: Gifts $1,000 or more, or RMB 7,000 or more
Eagles Circle: Gifts $5,000 or more, or RMB 35,000 or more
Soaring Eagles Circle: Gifts $50,000 or more or RMB 345,000 or more

Please visit www.saschina.org/giving to learn more.