February 23, 2017
by Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School
As I stand at the front door in the morning, I often think to myself how happy I will be to see each student graduate. When I see the joy in a kindergartener’s eyes, or the eagerness of a second grader, the excitement of a seventh grader, or the accomplishments of a tenth grader, I often wonder what they will be like as graduating seniors. Perhaps I will be the one who hands them their diplomas. Maybe not. None of us knows what life will bring. However, one thing I know for certain is that my support and investment in MPA will continue long into the future.
In addition to our annual gift to the MPA Fund, Ross and I have named MPA as a beneficiary in our estate planning. Our annual gift benefits today’s students and our planned gift will benefit students in years yet to come. Quite simply, planned gifts ensure the financial health and longevity of the school. MPA is a relatively young school. Older schools tend to have large endowments, built by the planned gifts of countless alumni, parents, and grandparents that came before them.
It is helpful to look at planned giving is as a vehicle, often a bequest, trust, or gift of real or personal property, that helps both the donor and the school. The donor reduces taxes, increase income, or satisfies another personal financial need and the school receives a deferred gift that will help the institution into perpetuity. By making provisions in your estate for MPA, you are ensuring that generations to come are afforded the same innovative, creative, and challenging learning environment as your own children.
February is Planned Giving Awareness month. I ask you to consider joining Ross and me, and many other parents, grandparents and alumni, and make a planned gift to MPA. Those who include MPA in their estate plans become members of the MPA Legacy Society. A first step may be to consult with an attorney or your financial planner to explore what type of planned gift is best for you and your family. Becoming a member of the Legacy Society can be simple. For more information about planned giving at MPA, I encourage you to visit the planning giving page on our website or contact LaTasha St. Arnault, Director of Development and Community Engagement. We were pleased to learn that several community members had included MPA in their giving plans through the recent ISACS survey. If you have made such provisions and have not notified the Development Office, please do so. You are a member of our Legacy Society and we would love to include you.
As head of this school, I know that I stand on the shoulders of those who came before me. I’ve had the privilege to meet several of the founding families of MPA. Their stories are inspirational. It was their commitment to the vision of MPA, even before the school opened its doors for the first day of school, that motivated them to not only enroll their children but to invest financially in the school. Over the last 35 years, MPA has benefitted tremendously from the generosity of alumni, parents, and grandparents. We stand on their shoulders and must embrace the same mantle of responsibility to invest in the school now for the benefit of future generations of Panthers. Join me as we look to the future.
