December 3, 2023
Dear Odyssey Parents and Friends,
The Odyssey campus has a bright glow of new growth with the return of the rains, and when I returned from our biking elective on Friday at 5pm it gave me a second wind to see the colorful volleyball net staked out across the verdant Odyssey lawn. I always love the way the land bounces back with this turn of the season, but I especially love how our students have continued to thrive outdoors despite the cooler and wetter weather: a hive of activity, throwing Frisbees and footballs, playing volleyball and badminton, jam packed around the foosball table, coursing with a soccer ball, and running through the hillside in extraordinary campus-wide variations on tag. We got off to a fast start this year with three highly successful expeditions, and it seems that nothing will slow our students down – certainly not the colder, wetter weather, which Field Class and expeditions have taught them to take in stride. While the rest of the area retreats indoors and begins to slow down for the winter months, Odyssey students continue to flourish with unabated enthusiasm, indoors and outdoors. Our expanded Japanese and Language Arts programs have given them more room to grow, and students have responded with energy! They bring vitality, expeditionary behavior, and joy to the classroom and playing field alike. I’m deeply thankful for the extraordinary community our students and families form with Odyssey, and for the team of compassionate and dedicated teachers who have provided the foundation upon which Odyssey thrives. This is a team which continues to grow and strengthen, and I’m delighted by Leo’s arrival as our new Science teacher!
Our Annual Fund, being launched today, December 3rd, is a fundraising effort to urge all Odyssey families to donate online through our Commit Change portal for your annual donation. Although many schools will give families stricter guidelines, e.g. 10% of tuition, Odyssey has avoided such guidelines in the past and I am also of the mind that families should be asked only to do their best, donating as much as they think they can. It is important to underscore that our objective is 100% participation by all Odyssey families.
Donating through the Annual Fund is an important way you can reach out and demonstrate your support for Odyssey. In truth, there is a gap between what it costs to educate our Odyssey students and what we charge, a gap of just over $3,000/student, so that fundraising plays a significant role in narrowing and filling that gap. More importantly, our fundraising contributes to financial aid and access, and plays a critical role in ensuring economic diversity amongst our students. It also allows us to continue expanding our dynamic educational program.
Help us secure Odyssey School’s future as a great educational institution with your donation!
With Gratitude and Warmth,
Jon Hale
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