Q.  Why Chatham Parkway?
A.  SCPS expanded to multiple campuses just over twenty years ago in order to reach more students in the island population centers east of Savannah. We eventually closed two of those campuses and focused our second campus efforts on our DeRenne Avenue campus.

Since that time, our growing population base has continued to shift beyond us in the opposite direction to our west. Our Chatham Parkway location now represents the projected epicenter of our regional population. New developments within a few miles of our campus will add more than 10,000 new jobs and bring thousands of families into our educational service area within the next few years. Most current educational, recreational and civic organizations and facilities that could serve this increasing population lie east of our school, i.e. people will have to drive many miles and minutes past our campus to reach them.

In addition to our central location, easy accessibility just off I-16 adds to our situational attractiveness. With the completion of our campus perimeter road and the promised addition of traffic lights at the I-16 exits off Chatham Parkway, we will be the most centrally located and easily accessible private school in our region.

Q.  Why one campus?
A.  Some major reasons in addition to the noted population shift include:

• Educational enhancements for all students - Middle School will inherit current Upper School classrooms, science labs, computer labs, media center and weight rooms, with a larger gym, larger classrooms and new athletic fields. The Upper School will get new facilities that include all of the above!
• Local demographic shifts – Chatham Parkway is the epicenter of area population growth, plus students attend from a nearly one-hour radius in all directions, including Statesburo, Townsend, Tybee Island and Bluffton, S.C.
• Distance - Seven miles and approximately 15-20 minutes currently separate administrative and educational resources for one third of our faculty/student body. This separation creates numerous time and cost inefficiencies.
• Aging facilities on our DeRenne campus will eventually require significant investments to remain functional long-term.
• Ample space on our Chatham Parkway campus to accommodate educational reunification and facility expansion.

Q.  Why are we building a gym first? Shouldn't classrooms be our priority?
A.  Our first building is a multipurpose facility that includes classrooms and offices and will benefit everyone immediately by allowing us to improve and expand programming for all students, especially relative to the Arts and Athletics. Also, our first phase expenditures include necessary site preparation work - surveys, city water and sewer, fields, land preparation, building relocations and more - required for attaining campus consolidation.

The whole redevelopment project is like a puzzle influenced by timing, funding and programming needs. Building a new upper school first would require more than $11 million dollars for something benefits only one student group for now, and still does not get everyone on our Chatham Parkway Campus or provide for replacement programming space already present at DeRenne Avenue.

We have a commitment to maintaining and improving curricular and co-curricular programming during the consolidation process. Some plans, like building a new upper school building first, seem attractive at first glance, but could actually cause significant programming disruptions and financial strain if implemented. We have 500 students, fully 1/3 of our student body, on the DeRenne Campus, and we have no intention of moving them without first providing for replacement and improved curricular and co-curricular facilities for them on the Chatham Parkway campus. Our DeRenne students already have two gyms, a football/soccer field, a softball field, classrooms, offices, labs, media center on their campus. All of that needs to be provided for on the Chatham Parkway campus before they move. It also needs to be provided for in a timely manner that does not leave us with empty buildings for any significant length of time.

We also have no intention of moving the Middle School students to Chatham Parkway without the DeRenne Campus Lower School students, or vice versa. Likewise, we have no intention of negatively impacting the current 1000 students already on the Chatham Parkway campus. Consolidating everyone on Chatham Parkway will require an orderly process that includes:

• Installing upgraded water, sewer and electrical systems across the whole Chatham Parkway campus
• Relocating the current football and baseball fields and maintenance shed to make room for new buildings
• Building the new Daycare building on the current football field so we can tear down the old Daycare buildings and build the new Lower School wing
• Building new Upper School facilities

Q.  How much will we expand?
A.  SCPS could easily expand our student body, faculty and programming immediately if we had more facilities and increased funding. We already offer an unparalleled distinctive educational environment in high demand. We have a 92% re-enrollment rate and the number of new applicants typically far exceeds available space. Many new students endure applicant-waiting pools prior to acceptance. Additionally, our expanding population base already creates demands that exceed availability, which could eventually force new westward developments – including new Christian schools and associated programming.

Current plans include limited addition of about 400 students in PK through 12th grade classes, as well as an additional 110 students in our Daycare/Preschool program. These numbers reflect a probable impact on 270 new families, corresponding to a significant increase in the size and positive influence of our graduating classes.

Q.  Will my kids benefit?
Yes.  Current students are already deriving benefits, plus programming and resources improved by these projects will continue to impact current and future students, faculty and staff, alumni and our local community long after this campaign ends. Also, current students are beneficiaries of former campaigns and represent the fruitful results of previous visionary planning and sacrificial giving.

Ultimately, everyone associated with Savannah Christian Preparatory School can benefit, including:

• Employers who hire our quality students,
• Employees hired by SCPS graduates who themselves already are or will become leaders, managers, CEO’s, owners and entrepreneurs.

Q.  Will combining and expanding compromise our uniqueness?
A.  Savannah Christian Preparatory School is the largest private school in our area, second largest Christian school in the state of Georgia, and the fifth largest independent non-parochial school in the state. Our limited expansion should allow us to better meet the needs of more area students while still maintaining our educational integrity and characteristically warm, familial environment.

The compartmentalized structure of our plan allows each school within our SCPS family the opportunity to maintain its own distinctiveness. According to the master One Campus Plan, each school (Daycare/Preschool, Lower, Middle and Upper) will have their own educational and cocurricular territory separate and distinct from each other school. Building and section divisions will additionally help foster a healthy, intimate educational environment.

Q. How much will it cost?
A. Total estimated costs for currently planned projects exceed $30,000,000.

Q. How will we pay for it?
A. Through a combination of charitable gifts and borrowed funds.

Q.  How long will it take?
A.  That depends primarily on funding. If we had all the money now, we could complete the entire project in three years. More realistically, we will complete Phases One and Two during that time frame, with hopes to complete everything within five to ten years.

Q.  What if we can't raise enough money?
A.  We will build in a timely manner according to our funding success. Every dollar we raise will be spent to improve and advance the mission of Savannah Christian Preparatory School. If all we can afford to build is a big tent and it becomes apparent that God wants us to educate our children therein, we will revise our vision accordingly. On the other hand, if it takes longer than expected to raise the necessary funds, we will revise our timetable.

Q. When will we start building?
A. When we have appropriate monies available relative to the anticipated cost for each project.

Q. When will we relocate the DeRenne Campus students to Chatham Parkway?
A. When we are able to offer replacement and improved facilities and fields on the Chatham Parkway campus to all of our DeRenne Avenue students, possibly 3 to 5 years. Note that all of the current Upper School facilities -- classrooms and offices, gym, science and media center and labs, and music and arts buildings -- will revert to the Middle School as part of the redevelopment process. The Middle School will also get new football, soccer and softball fields, as well as the swimming pool.

Q. What will happen to the DeRenne Campus?
A. This 14 acre campus has been appraised at $3.2 million dollars. We plan to sell it and invest part of the proceeds into our Chatham Parkway capital improvements, and part into a Tuition Assistance Endowment fund.

Q.  Will we have a stadium?
A.  That depends on how people define "stadium." Many alumni remember playing in Memorial Stadium, and, no, we will not build a facility like that on our campus. We currently play our games at Westside Stadium for a total cost of $700 per game, or approximately $3,500 per year.

However, plans do include improvements to field within the track. Plans include drainage improvements, raising and leveling the playing field, reseeding, irrigation, additional bleachers, lights, and concessions. But, we prefer to use the term “nice playing field” rather than “stadium.”

Q.  How is the school funded?
A.  We fund our own school through:

• Tuition and Fees - Fee payments directed toward general operating expenses, such as staff salaries and benefits, insurance, textbooks and teaching materials, academic expenses, student activities, utilities, maintenance, building renovations, equipment, furniture, standardized debt service and inflationary increases.
• Annual Fund - Charitable gifts and special event earnings directly deposited into the school’s operating budget to purchase classroom and lab equipment, computers and software, media center books, teacher resources and a multitude of other instructional-based needs. Proceeds also help fund needed renovation and repairs of campus buildings. We encourage all SCPS supporters to consider giving $10 per month to the Annual Fund.
• Capital Campaign - Charitable gifts expended on capital improvements to the school, including buildings and furnishings, fields, roads and land. Tuition Match Challenge gifts equal approximately one year’s tuition at Savannah Christian Preparatory School, or $5,000 given over a three-year period.

Q. How much debt do we have right now?
A. We paid off all current debt obligations in September 2005.

Q. How much total debt can we manage or “service”?
A. Utilizing Tax-exempt Variable-Rate Demand bonds and repaying according to a projected repayment schedule, we can handle the interest and principle payments on between $5 and 6,000,000.

Q. Will tuition rise as a result of this campaign?
A. No. Tuition fees have always included a fixed amount dedicated toward annual facilities expenditures, so special campaigns and projects such as this Generation to Generation Capital Campaign do not affect the tuition rate.

SCPS has a long-standing commitment toward keeping tuition affordable for the average family, while also adequately funding our mission. We remain committed to these core principles and will continue to steward every dollar for maximum impact.

Q.  Will any capital campaign money given go toward scholarships or need-based financial aid?
A.  As noted previously, we plan to sell the DeRenne Avenue campus and possibly invest the proceeds into a Tuition Assistance Endowment fund. This would allow us to redevelop and increase financial aid as part of the same project!

Q. Is giving beyond tuition payments expected?
A. Tuition payments are not gifts; they are required fees for educational services rendered.

SCPS charitable giving, on the other hand, is an opportunity, not an obligation. We do fully fund ourselves through people who believe in our mission, and do challenge all SCPS alumni, parents, grandparents and friends who want to support SCPS and invest in our children’s future to give generously and sacrificially.

Q.  Is there a baseline gift or pledge expected?
A.  No. However, we would like all SCPS supporters to consider our “Tuition Match Challenge” of $5,000 – an amount equivalent to approximately one year’s tuition. We realize that some people, families and companies are capable of far more, and others far less, during the three-year time period of this campaign. No matter what amount people give, we are grateful for every gift given in support of current and future SCPS students.

Q.  What happens when we meet personally with a school representative about the campaign?
A.  We try to arrange a meeting at a convenient time and place during which we can spend approximately 20 to 30 minutes together. During that time, we get to know each other better, look over the project plans slated for development over the next three to seven years, and answer questions about the projects and the school’s past, present and future. We also provide each family with a proposal that includes details about the school and projects, SCPS leadership, an alphabetical list of current donors, information on giving and a personal letter inviting your participation in the campaign.

Q.  What if we cannot arrange a personal meeting?
A.  We can send you a proposal by mail or e-mail. Just contact Lynn Lewis to request a proposal.

Q.  What if we do not want to meet with anyone or do not want to consider a proposal?
A.  Just let us know so we can be sensitive to your wishes.

Q.  What if no one has yet contacted us personally?
A.  Take inititative. We are trying to get in touch with thousands of SCPS family members in person, by phone and mail. You can help us get in touch with you by getting in touch with us!

Q. How many families comprise our constituency?
A. Approximately 1,300 current parent families, over 1,500 grandparent families, and 3,000 alumni, plus community friends; well over 5,000 families connected to our SCPS family.

Q. What about the Annual Fund campaign?
A. The Annual Funds campaign will continue every year, since Annual Fund contributions go toward a variety of educational enhancements not funded by our general tuition budget and separate from Capital Campaign projects. We challenge all SCPS Alumni, families, and friends to give a minimum of $10 per month, or $120, to our Annual Funds every year.

Q. When and how can we give?
A. Although we are currently in the early phases of launching our campaign, we have already received some gifts and pledges and can accept money any time. The sooner we receive necessary funds, the sooner we will build. Gifts can be cash, checks, credit card, payroll deduction, stocks, securities or other property. We are truly grateful for the excited and energetic pioneers that have already made pledges and began fulfilling pledge payments.

Q. Can we revise our pledge commitment?
A. Yes, at any time.

Q. Can our business, class, group, club, church, or ministry give?
A. Yes.

Q. Can current SCPS students give?
A. Yes. We encourage all SCPS students to consider giving at least one week's allowance per year to the campaign.

Q.  How will the money be spent?
A.  All capital campaign funds will be explicitly used to pay expenses related to implementing and completing the One Campus plan. Expenses will include consulting, design and construction fees; licenses; construction materials; salaries; and supplies and furnishings.

Q. Can someone come and speak to my family, group, organization or me about the school and this project?
A. Yes, Headmaster Roger Yancey, Director of Institutional Advancement Lynn Lewis, and others are available. Please contact Dr. Lewis at 234-1653 Ext. 209.

Q.  What about donor recognition?
A.  All donors, unless they explicitly request otherwise, will be recognized publicly. Gifts may be given in honor or memory, and will be published in print and online. Some projects may also include additional avenues of donor recognition.

Q.  Are there any naming opportunities available?
A. Possibly. Substantial gifts totaling more than 50% of the capital cost of any building or designated portion of a building or fields may provide naming opportunities in accordance with guidelines established by the Board of Trustees.

Q. Can we help?
A. Definitely. We would like as many people involved as possible. Contact us to donate your time, expertise, home, business products or professional services, etc.