GHCA Fund Committee named

    The Board of Directors of Greater Houlton Christian Academy has launched the start-up of the GHCA Annual Fund for the 2008-2009 school year. To effectively organize and operate this fund drive, the Board has established a committee to lead a collective effort to make known the opportunity for potential donors to invest in the mission and purpose of the Academy. The Annual Fund Committee is a first for the Academy.
Contributed photograph
BOARD MEMBERS — Members of the Greater Houlton Christian Academy Board of Directors are, from left, front, Barrett Potter, Julie Winslow and Gregg Swallow; back, Head of School Mark Jago; Dallas Henderson, Steve Bither and Matthew Nightingale. Absent from the photograph is Peter Holmes.
    The eight-member Annual Fund Committee consists of Board members and parents who have a strong passion for GHCA and its educational program. Matt Nightingale, vice-president, treasurer and chief financial officer of Katahdin Trust Company in Houlton, is the committee's chairman.
    “The volunteer work of the committee members will be spent primarily in generating ideas to communicate the need for additional funding, and then working those ideas,” said Nightingale.
    “Because GHCA is committed to providing a private Christian education that the families of greater Houlton can afford, tuition is affordable and financial aid is available; but it does require the need for additional funding from outside its school families,” he added.
    Tuition that parents pay covers approximately 70 percent of the operating expenses. This pays for the staffing and instructional personnel of 25 employees. The remaining 30 percent of operating expenses comes from the income received through the annual fund. The gifts and donations from individuals, churches and businesses help bridge the gap between the tuition charged and the true cost to educate. Tuition for one child in kindergarten through grade 12 at GHCA is $3,290, payable in 12 monthly payments.
    This year's annual fund goal is $235,000. Board treasurer David Gates shared with parents at the school's recent Association meeting, “This year's budget is an aggressive amount because of the steps we've taken to raise the bar towards excellence,” he said.
    Head of School Mark B. Jago added, “Our parents have expressed the same desire as administration to strive for excellence in our academic and extracurricular programs.”
    As a private school, GHCA receives no state or federal funding and relies upon tuition to meet the majority of the operating expenses and those that support the mission of the Academy.
     “GHCA is a school that is unashamedly academic and committed to a biblical worldview teaching,” said Jago. “The potential of our 180 students in pre-K–12 to impact the world for Jesus Christ is incredible. Every student is valuable and one that we are empowering to be a godly leader.”
    This is what motivates the  Annual Fund Committee members to work beyond their regular job’s hours in promoting the opportunity for those to support GHCA's mission through the annual fund. If you would like more information about how you can contribute to the Academy's mission, contact the school office by phone at 207-532-0736 or e-mail at office@ghca.com. A representative from the Annual Fund Committee will  contact you.