Dear Friends: Over the past four years, I have eaten a lot of pizza withseniors during the lunches I host in my office for senior advisories. I like to check inwith them about how senior year is going and learn what has been most valuable tothem about their AFS experience. Overwhelmingly, there is one common theme in

these discussions: how AFS teachers have ignited PASSIONS forthem and generously shared their lives with them.

Our faculty are our TREASURE, forming relationships and creatingopportunities that change lives. Teaching well today takes anextraordinary range of skills and talents. Creating a great facultymeans not only finding and hiring excellent teachers, but sustain-ing their best work. It means providing compensation and bene-

fits that can competitively attract and retain teachers of great spirit and promise.

The Vision in Action Campaign significantly advances our ability to “invest in fac-ulty”. There is absolutely no better investment we make in the education of our chil-dren than in the people who share their daily EXPERIENCE as teachers, advisors andmentors.

RICH NOURIE, Head of School

From the Co-Chairs:We want you to know how excited we areto be the co-chairs of Vision in Action: People, Program & Potential. We have beenthrilled with the response so far. We know times are tough but we feel it is now moreimportant then ever to show our support for AFS.

As parents of an AFS 10th grader and, an AFS graduate,and as longtime members of this vibrant community, wehope you will share our excitement about the School’svision for creating an even stronger program. This $4million Campaign builds on the significant capitalimprovements achieved in the last few years and willhave a profound and lasting impact on every student inthe school. With your commitment and support, we areconfident we can achieve our goals.

As Campaign chairs, we have made two pledges to theCampaign. We have pledged a gift to the capital com-ponent and we have pledged gifts to the Annual Fundover the next three years so that our Annual Fund gift in2010 will be double what it is today.

We ask you to join us in supporting the Campaign with your own gifts to both thecapital component of the Campaign and to the AFS Annual Fund. Let’s worktogether to achieve our goals for this Campaign so that our students can reap all thebenefits of this compelling Vision in Action.

With deep appreciation,

Pat Mutchler and Ann Thompson, Campaign Co-Chairs

Vision in Action: people, program, potential

Off to a Great Start, continued:

One of the most important aspects of ourCampaign is that we are taking the oppor-tunity to build our Annual Fund at the sametime. Our hope is that $1.7M of theCampaign goal of $4M will be generated byAnnual Fund dollars. We aim to double ourAnnual Fund in the next three years to fuelsignificant aspects of our program. Withthat in mind, I hope you will consider theenticing mathematical possibilities if every-one doubled their Annual Fund gift to AFS.We could generate $800,000 that way andbe in a very healthy place financially. Todate, a number of friends of the schoolhave made this a philanthropic priority and Ithank them for their leadership.

Please enjoy this first issue of the campaignnewsletter and thank you for your support.

Jon HarrisAssistant Head of School for Advancement

Faulkner family members at the Campaign launch.

Progress Report:

“”

Tracey and I are very pleased tosupport the Campaign because welove the AFS product. My oldestdaughter is thriving in collegebecause of what she received fromAFS and I have no doubts aboutwhat Diana will take with her whenshe graduates in 2011. Webelieve the Campaign’s goals willonly enhance an already greatschool

Rod Sandmeyer,AFS parent of Lindsay ’08 and Diana ’11

CAMPAIGN GOAL $4MTOTAL PLEDGED $1.9MPERCENT TO GOAL 48%CAPITAL GOAL $2.3M

CAPITAL PLEDGED $1.2M

ANNUAL FUND $1.7MGOAL (over 3 years)

ANNUAL FUND $670KPLEDGED

Off to a Great Start:I hope you enjoy this first issue of our cam-paign newsletter, which will be coming toyou three times a year to keep you up todate on the progress of Vision in Action.

Given our launch of the Campaign onNovember 19, 2008 just as our financialmarkets were beginning to tumble, I feelvery good about where we are at this earlystage. To date, we have raised more than$1.2M in capital pledges, and nearly all ofthat comes from about 35 people. This tellsme two very important things. One, theCampaign’s goals resonate with our philan-thropic leaders and two, these same peopleare making significant contributions to theSchool even at a time when people mightbe reluctant to pledge future dollars toward

Campaign Leadership Committee

Ann Thompson and Pat Mutchler,Co-Chairs

Naomi and Skip AtkinsMarc and David BermanJill and Randy BownGwen and Dave CampbellPatty and Rob DelanyHerb FisherRicki and Steve FisherHeather and Mark GarrisonSuzanne and Keith HodgesJanet and Jim IsraelSuzanne and Jeff KahnMargie and Kevin McGlynnPaula and Marc PerryBeth and Mitch SargenBonnie and Peter SchorschTracey and Rod SandmeyerRich NourieJon Harris

Giving to the Campaign

For information about making arestricted gift to the Vision in Actioncampaign, contact Jon Harris, AssistantHead of School for Advancement at215-576-3956.

For information about making a gift tothe AFS Annual Fund, contact GabrielleGiddings, Director of Annual Giving at215-576-3957.

Abington Friends School575 Washington LaneJenkintown, PA 19046215-886-4350www.abingtonfriends.net

a campaign. My conclusion is that theybelieve enough in the school to make surethat AFS will weather this economic stormand come through on the other side with anenhanced academic program, more competi-tive salaries for our faculty and a renovatedcafeteria to better accommodate our students.

Heather and Mark Garrison at the Nov. 19 kickoff.

Campaign Update March 2009