Welcome to West Chester Friends School! Whether it is your first year or you are a returning
family, we are excited that you are a member of the WCFS community.

As a Play School through 5th grade school, parents play a critical role in the success of WCFS.
We rely on the time, talent, and resources contributed by our parents, and together we work
to steward our school. Financial contributions are especially important because, like most
independent schools, the total cost of educating a child at WCFS far exceeds the actual cost
of tuition. Including WCFS in your philanthropic giving allows us to offer flexible tuition and
supports our innovative programming and dedicated teachers. The following are some of the
ways in which the development office will engage with families this year.

Annual Fund: In late fall we will kick off our annual fund campaign and ask all parents to
make a gift to the WCFS Fund. Every year, we have a goal that 100% of our families will
participate and make a gift that is meaningful to them. A gift to the Annual Fund is like a vote
of confidence in your child’s school and education. We also ask all faculty and staff, board
members, alumni, grandparents, and friends of WCFS to participate. Last year the WCFS
Fund raised close to $100,000 which had a direct and immediate impact on our students,
faculty, and programs.

Education Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) Program: The state of Pennsylvania has a
program that allows families and businesses to make contributions to independent schools,
like WCFS, and receive 90% of that contribution back as a dollar-for-dollar reduction of PA
state taxes. This is a great way to make a significant gift to WCFS while also receiving a tax
credit. We hope all new and returning families will explore The Friends Collaborative and see
if this program may work for you. Please contact me if you would like to learn more.

Parent volunteers: Parents play a central role in development and fundraising at WCFS,
from helping to plan our activities, to communicating with fellow parents, to research, and
more. Please contact me if you would like to help with our fundraising efforts or to learn more
about development at WCFS.

We are delighted that you have chosen WCFS for your child’s education. And as always, we
appreciate your support!

In friendship,

Kim Walters, Director of Development