Support Us
Capital Fundraising Campaign for Financial Aid
Dear Fellow Community Member,
On behalf of Cedarwood Academy – a small, not-for-profit, private, outdoor school in Charlotte, NC – we are asking for your support during our 2022 Student Financial Aid Fundraising Campaign, which will provide direct financial aid for student educational needs during the 2022-2023 academic year.
Since 2010, Cedarwood Academy has been fulfilling academic and social needs for preschool, elementary, and middle school children in the Charlotte Metro area through a one-of–a-kind outdoor schooling environment. We currently serve 56 students, 30% of whom are exceptional children requiring Individualized Education Programs, and nearly half of whom are of diverse, ethnic backgrounds. The following page highlights some of the many benefits to exceptional and neuro-typical children provided by outdoor classrooms.
Until recently, we were fortunate to have met all of our financial needs through private tuition, internal fundraising, and support from agencies like Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools and the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority. However, the current national teacher shortages combined with state and local policy changes have put small private schools at a disadvantage for retaining or hiring qualified educators. Through our desire and need to retain the teachers who are so invaluable to our programs, it was imperative that we substantially increase tuition rates in order to provide them with competitive salaries.
Unfortunately, this necessary tuition increase has resulted in hardship for many of our current families, as well as those hoping to enroll their children in Cedarwood. While scholarships and grants exist for exceptional children, most families will not be eligible for such assistance during the upcoming school year, as the wait-list for required educational-psychological evaluations currently averages 7 months to 1 year.
Therefore, Cedarwood has created this Student Financial Aid Fundraising Campaign, which will allow us to aid many families who rely on our programs to support their children’s social, emotional, and educational needs in 2022-2023.
The following page provides ways Cedarwood can accept your tax-deductible donation. We greatly appreciate your consideration and willingness to help.
Sincerely,
The Cedarwood Academy Fundraising Team
