Why I Give

As the Director of Development, it’s my job to raise money. However, as a parent at ESK, I can relate to the struggle of paying a hefty tuition. These conflicting identities have helped me do my job better since I know the questions parents are asking because there was a time when I asked the same ones. A common example is, “Shouldn’t tuition be enough?” and the answer is that unfortunately it’s not. Our tuition dollars don’t cover the full cost of educating our children at ESK. Tuition covers only 86% of the school’s operations and the rest must come from our fundraising efforts. Your gifts make the difference between good and great for our students and the bottom line is that at ESK, we won’t settle for good.

I have had some conversations with parents who wonder why ESK isn’t run more like a business. Of course, like a business, we certainly want to be good stewards of our tuition and fundraising dollars. However, unlike a business, a school is not in the business of making money. ESK’s mission is to educate our children for a lifetime of learning. So, we as administrators would never attempt to become more efficient by combining classrooms or reducing staff. In fact, we do just the opposite at ESK. Our small class sizes and additional support staff give our children greater personal attention and increased intellectual stimulation they need to flourish. So, our gifts are supporting the extras that make ESK so special!

Folks ask me all the time about the importance of having 100% parent participation. Are we just shooting for the stars to be able to land on the moon? Actually, no. 100% participation is a huge vote of confidence for ESK. It is an important sign that we, as parents, invest in our children’s welfare and support the school’s mission. Also, the percentage of parent giving can have an impact on the funds we request from outside sources. Most foundations consider parent participation before handing out grants to a school. Foundations want to see investment at all levels and that includes parents. So, our gifts, regardless of size, can have a big impact on ESK!

Why do I give? I give because my gift supports the talented instructors and teaching assistants who interact with my daughter each and every day. I give because I want the school to have the best reading and math curriculum in the Knoxville area. I give because it guarantees our classrooms and facilities are outfitted with the most up-to-date technology. I give so each classroom can accommodate different learning styles. My gift makes a difference and so will yours.

Ryan Sparks

Father of Sophie ‘22

ESK Director of Development