THANK YOU, ORCHARD COMMUNITY!
Some of our faculty and staff members have a special message for you after helping us crush both goals yesterday! We knew the Orchard community would rally together to help support Orchard families in need, but your generosity blew us away. You helped us raise over $88,000 on Green & Gold Day of Caring!
Special shoutout to our dollar-for-dollar matching gift donors who generously offered $40,000 yesterday! Matching gifts were made by Matt & Emily Huntley, Mary Lou Hurst, Will Lawson & Stephanie Goodrid Lawson, three anonymous donors, and jointly by the Board of Governors and Board of Trustees. Thank you!
Another special thank you goes to Orchard's Alumni Heritage Association for their generous gift of $5,000 on Green & Gold Day of Caring. Thank you for your continued support of Orchard! Owls forever.
BREAKING: We Reached our Goal to Support Families in Record Time!
Thanks to our generous community, we reached our $60,000 goal in record time! We have increased our goal to $80,000 in hopes we can continue to raise funds to help Orchard families in need. The funds raised during Green and Gold Day of Caring will provide tuition assistance for current families whose economic circumstances may have changed due to the global pandemic.
Thank you, Orchard Community!
Across our country and city, families are suffering the effects of economic hardship. We want to help our Orchard community and our Greater Indianapolis community. That is why we’re inviting you to participate in Orchard's Green and Gold Day of Caring.
GIVE
During the good times and the challenging times, the Orchard community comes together to support one another. That’s why, in response to the unprecedented upheaval caused by COVID-19, Orchard is activating its Emergency Financial Aid Fund. This fund will provide tuition assistance for current families whose economic circumstances may have changed due to the global pandemic. But we need your help!
This year’s Green and Gold Day of Caring is an opportunity to help Orchard families that have been impacted directly by the COVID-19 pandemic. All gifts to this special Green and Gold online fundraising event will support the Emergency Financial Aid Fund. This Fund is part of the Campaign for Orchard, and will help families who are currently struggling to make their tuition payments.
Please consider a gift during our Green and Gold Day of Caring on May 19 in support of the Emergency Financial Aid fund. Your contribution will directly benefit those families in need.
**If your family has been impacted directly by the COVID-19 pandemic and would like to learn more about our emergency financial aid fund, please reach out by e-mail to Director of Institutional Advancement Steve Sturman to apply.
DOUBLE YOUR DONATION!
An anonymous donor has offered an ADDITIONAL $10,000 dollar-for-dollar match to double the impact of your gift.
The $30,000 dollar-for-dollar match made by Matt & Emily Huntley, Mary Lou Hurst, Will Lawson & Stephanie Goodrid Lawson, two anonymous donors, and jointly by the Board of Governors and Board of Trustees has been fulfilled! Thank you, donors!
DONATE YOUR REFUND
Several current Orchard families have inquired whether they might be able to donate their food service or middle-school trip refunds to support Orchard families who are in need, and we are grateful for their generous offer. If you would like to donate your refund to support the Emergency Financial Aid Fund, please reach out directly to our business office via e-mail.
DROP-OFF
In addition, the Diversity Committee has joined with the Development Office on externally facing initiatives to assist our greater Indianapolis Community. We hope that all families and friends will participate in these efforts. The efforts include:
- Support the Patachou Foundation’s Lunchbox Letters for Kids
Our students and families are writing short notes with encouraging messages and/or drawing pictures for inclusion in the meals that the Patachou Foundation distributes to more than 4,000 families. These notes and pictures can be mailed to Orchard or dropped off in Orchard’s foyer after May 15. They can also be dropped off in the middle school loop during Orchard's End-of-the-Year Car Parade Celebration on May 20. The goal is 1,000 letters! - Support Orchard’s “Activity Care Packages for Adult Women” drive for Wheeler Mission. Families have been asked to create packages for adult women at Wheeler Mission. Click here and register to create a package on Sign Up Genius. Packages can be dropped off in Orchard’s foyer after May 15. They can also be dropped off in the middle school loop during Orchard's End-of-the-Year Car Parade Celebration on May 20.
SHARE
Please create a GiveCampus account and share the campaign via social media, text message or email. When you share the campaign, you will help us spread the word about the campaign to the entire Orchard Community.
Honoring An Orchard Legend
After 32 years, Julie Wingate is retiring. Day of Caring is a great opportunity to give a gift to Orchard in her honor!
"Every child is the most precious gift. I close my eyes and see beautiful faces, feel sticky fingers holding mine, and witness a desire for knowledge that is infectious and inspiring.
I leave with so much love and gratitude for all my students, parents, colleagues, and for Orchard the institution. I am, forever, an Orchard Owl."
Click here to read Julie's farewell letter to Orchard, watch her car parade send-off, and see photos from the last few years.
We will celebrate Julie the right way once we get through the challenges of COIVD-19.
Julie, we love you and thank for 32 amazing years! You are an #OrchardLegend.
*Watch the video above and keep an eye our for a special message from Julie at 3:19.
Traditions Continue During Week Seven of Remote Learning at Orchard
Orchard keeps the spirit alive for some end-of-the-year celebrations. Spring pageant, the fourth-grade play, field day, poetry night, and the first-grade talent show are traditions unlike any other at The Orchard School. So instead of passing over them, our teachers and parents kept the spirit alive for some of our most beloved end-of-the-year celebrations! CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO
CLAP ALONG AS ORCHARD TEACHERS SHARE THE 'HAPPY' WITH LIP-SYNC VIDEO
We all know Orchard teachers are the best, but did you know they're also excellent lip-sync performers?
This video embodies the fun-loving spirit that we all appreciate about Orchard teachers. And in true Orchard fashion, they did this for their students.
A PEEK INSIDE REMOTE LEARNING AT ORCHARD
Remote learning and social distancing are not concepts that feel synonymous with Progressive education, but the ability to adapt and learn is still intact. Through virtual platforms, Orchard's faculty and staff are working hard every day to maintain a learning journey that’s joyful, interactive, and aligns with our mission to educate the whole child.
When a challenge presents itself, an opportunity always awaits. And this opportunity to innovate while supporting the greater good will provide positive learning moments for everyone during this new (temporary) chapter.
Please enjoy these videos covering remote learning at The Orchard School. They show the true strength of the Orchard community!
Thank you, Alumni Heritage Association for your generous $5,000 donation to support Orchard families in need!
Thanks to our generous community, we reached our $60,000 goal in record time! We have increased our goal to $80,000 in hopes we can continue to raise funds to help Orchard families in need
Matching Gift Update
The $30,000 dollar-for-dollar match made by Matt & Emily Huntley, Mary Lou Hurst, Will Lawson & Stephanie Goodrid Lawson, two anonymous donors, and jointly by the Board of Governors and Board of Trustees has been fulfilled! Thank you, donors!
An anonymous donor has offered an ADDITIONAL $10,000 dollar-for-dollar match to double the impact of your gift.
Thank you for your generous support! The Orchard Community always comes together to help each other out. Please continue to help us spread the word!
2313 days ago by Kelsey SchlarbOrchard Students Planted 1000 Tulips to Make a Positive Impact in the Community
Earlier this year, Orchard science teacher Mrs. P challenged first graders to think of ways they could help the community. One idea emerged was that flowers would make people feel happy. The group decided to do a beautification project with tulips! They found space in Orchard's parking lot to plant one thousand tulips. Finally, they sketched a plan, did the math, and dug their hands in the dirt to lay the groundwork for a beautiful display.
Originally, these flowers were going to be passed out to teachers during Teacher & Staff Appreciation Day, but with school closed, Mrs. P delivered to them to residents of a local nursing home.
A few weeks ago, Orchard’s tech director Nate Surls was asked to bring his 3-D printing skills from the Orchard Makerspace to the “Split Vent” team at IU Health. He jumped at the opportunity. “I want to do whatever I can to help people during this time,” Nate said.
Click here to read more about the "Split Vent" team and how IU Health is working to be proactive during this time.
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