Trinity School at River Ridge Annual Report 2018-19

ANNUAL REPORT 2018/2019
TrinitySchools
. .
T R U T H B E A U T Y G O O D N E S S

2 Trinity Schools 2018 / 2019

TABLE OF CONTENTS
4
6
8
LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
WHO WE ARE
OUR SCHOOLS
10
STUDENTS & ALUMNI WE SERVE
12
MEET OUR BOARD
14
STEWARDSHIP OF OUR MISSION
16
GRATITUDE
18
RIVER RIDGE CAMPUS
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LETTER
FROM
THE
PRESIDENT
WITH ALUMNI FROM THREE CAMPUSES, 2,370
STUDENTS ARE IN THE WORLD AS TRINITY
SCHOOL GRADUATES.
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Dear Parents, Alumni, and Friends of Trinity School,
For nearly forty years, Trinity Schools has been
offering excellence in education with one clear
mission: to train students to be of use to God in
the wise care and governance of his creation and
in the building of his kingdom by establishing
a culture marked by the discovery of truth, the
practice of goodness, the creation of beauty, and
the development of intellectual and aesthetic
habits of mind.
With alumni from three campuses, 2,370 students
have gone into the world as Trinity School
graduates. They serve as doctors, lawyers, priests
and pastors, engineers, homemakers, educators,
missionaries, and in hundreds of other ways.
For the last several years, we have been working
to bolster our communications with the launch
of new web sites for each campus, the creation of
Veritas Journal, an online journal of education and
human awakening, and several other initiatives.
This newest tool for keeping you informed will be
regularly published with content common to all
three of our schools as well as content specific to
each of our campuses. This first issue also serves
as our annual report, featuring an overview of
our schools’ history, new initiatives that we have
undertaken, a budget report, and a word on our
national board.
I hope you find it helpful. If you have any suggestions,
please let us know.
In Christ,
Jon Balsbaugh
President

WHO
WE
ARE
In 1981 Trinity School opened its first campus, Trinity
School at Greenlawn in South Bend, IN. Two schools
followed. Trinity School at River Ridge in Eagan, MN
opened in 1987 and Trinity School at Meadow View
in Falls Church, VA held its first classes in the fall of
1998. From the beginning, it was clear that Trinity
would provide not only a different kind of education,
but also a different understanding of what it means
to be educated.
Early on, the founders realized that it would not
be enough to simply take the existing template for
education and try to improve upon it. In order to
create a genuinely different education, they knew
they would have to start from a different foundation.
The answers to these questions became the Trinity
School curriculum. The mathematics and sciences
that have shaped our world, the history and political
theory that have brought us to where we are now, and
great works of philosophy and literature—we believe
all students should encounter these things.
And the way we chose to educate is as important as
the curriculum. We believe that education ought to
be about awakening, awakening minds and souls to
the pursuit of truth, the creation of beauty and the
practice of goodness. In fact, we believe that genuine
learning only happens when we encounter reality in
this way.
In the years since our founding, we have become a
national leader in education. Trinity schools have
been awarded an astonishing ten blue ribbon awards
for excellence from the United States Department
of Education. We are widely recognized as early
pioneers of what would come to be known as the
classical education movement. And our curriculum
and philosophy of education have served as the
explicit model for dozens of private and charter
schools in the United States.
We are honored by this legacy and continue to
measure our own success by the kind of young men
and women our graduates become. At Trinity School,
students become articulate, educated, and inquisitive
agents of their own learning. They are well-rounded,
dynamic young men and women who we are proud to
go out into the world as Trinity graduates.
So instead of merely asking how to “do school” better,
the founders of the school began instead with the
desired outcome and asked, “What should educated
adults in our time really know? What intellectual skills
should they possess to deal with the world in which
they find themselves? What topics and texts should
they have wrestled with?”
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TO US, THE REAL MEASURE OF
EDUCATIONAL SUCCESS IS SEEN
IN OUR GRADUATES. AT TRINITY
SCHOOL, STUDENTS BECOME
ARTICULATE, EDUCATED AND
INQUISITIVE AGENTS OF THEIR
OWN LEARNING. OUR ALUMNI
ARE WELL-ROUNDED, DYNAMIC
MEN AND WOMEN. WE ARE
PROUD TO HAVE THEM GO OUT
INTO THE WORLD AS TRINITY
GRADUATES.

OUR
SCHOOLS
SHARING OUR GIFTS
The Trinity Schools curriculum has been adopted by
over thirty private and charter schools
nationwide serving nearly 20,000 students.
OUR MEMBER SCHOOLS
In 2014, Trinity Schools began a fresh initiative in
national education—the Trinity Member School
Program. In partnership with the Wilberforce School
in Princeton, NJ and Trinity Academy in Portland,
OR, Trinity Schools provides curriculum, teacher
training and ongoing development to independent,
like-minded schools.
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248 STUDENTS
TRINITY AT GREENLAWN
SOUTH BEND
275 STUDENTS
TRINITY AT RIVER RIDGE
EAGAN (suburb of Minneapolis)
152 STUDENTS
TRINITY AT MEADOW VIEW
FALLS CHURCH (just outside DC)
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STUDENTS
AND ALUMNI
WE SERVE
TRINITY SCHOOLS TOTAL ENROLLMENT
TRINITY AT GREENLAWN
TRINITY AT RIVER RIDGE
TRINITY AT MEADOW VIEW
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ONE OF OUR HIGHEST GOALS IS TO PRESERVE
AND ENCOURAGE EACH STUDENT’S
SENSE OF WONDER. OUR EFFORTS TO ASK
HELPFUL QUESTIONS AND THEIR GROWING
ABILITY TO FORMULATE THEIR OWN GREAT
QUESTIONS LEADS TO INSIGHTFUL CONVER-
SATIONS AND DEEPER UNDERSTANDING.
TRINITY SCHOOL ALUMNI AND STUDENTS
ARE ENCOURAGED TO LOOK DEEPLY INTO
THE WORLD AROUND THEM.
TRINITY SCHOOLS TOTAL ALUMNI
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MEET
OUR
BOARD
Trinity Schools are operated jointly and governed by
a national board of trustees. Our board is responsible
for overseeing the mission and vision of the schools as
well as the financial security of the schools.
Our board members come from many walks of life.
They are professionals with expertise in law, education,
business and the sciences. Many are parents of
current students or alumni. Each brings wisdom and
experience to the management of the schools. Our
board meets three times a year to engage in board
development, explore new and ongoing strategic
initiatives, and review and approve the budget.
Craig Lent, Chair
Ph.D. Physics, University of Minnesota, B.S., Physics
University of California, Frank M. Freimann Professor
of Electrical Engineering and concurrent Professor of
Physics, University of Notre Dame
Jon Balsbaugh (ex officio)
M.A. English, University of St. Thomas, President,
Trinity Schools
Dan Brewer
J.D. Golden Gate University - School of Law, Director
of Human Resources and Financial Aid, Trinity
Schools (retired)
Beth Bulger
M.A. English, University of Minnesota, B.A. in English,
Carleton University, Freelance Editor, Bulger Editing
Johanna Clark
Ph.D. Pharmacology, Georgetown University, B.S. in
Chemistry, St. Mary's College, Head of School,
Trinity Academy
Larry Lamanna
B.A. in Theology and Liberal Studies, University of
Notre Dame, M.A. in International Relations, Yale
University, Ph.D. in Political Science and International
Affairs, University of Georgia
Laurie Magill
B.A. in the Program of Liberal Studies, University of
Notre Dame, Former Faculty and Administrator at
Greenlawn and Meadow View campuses
Kevin Ranaghan
Ph.D. Theology, University of Notre Dame, Chairman,
Branch Relations Council, People of Praise
Walt Seale
M.A. Teaching Writing and Literature and M.F.A.
Creative Writing, George Mason University,
Coordinator, Indianapolis, Campus Division, People
of Praise
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ATHLETICS COMPLEMENT THE
CLASSROOM AND THE VIBRANCY
OF THE SCHOOL’S CHRISTIAN
CULTURE, AS WELL AS PROVIDE
A FORUM THAT ENHANCES OUR
STUDENTS’ CHARACTER AND
DEVELOPMENT.

STEWARDSHIP OF
OUR MISSION
Trinity Schools operates a single budget for the
nonprofit corporation. With input from local heads of
schools, the president presents a budget incorporating
each of the operating expenses of the three schools
and the expenses of the central office to the Board of
Trustees for approval.
The work of the central office involves curriculum
development, teacher training, branding and
messaging, and other similar functions that are held
in common by all Trinity Schools. Moreover, a wide
variety of practical financial matters such as payroll,
insurance negotiations, and reimbursements are
handled centrally to support the schools.
In order to support a project or need at a local campus,
Trinity Schools offer a wide range of ways in which
donors and generous benefactors can partner with us -
financially, including restricted donations. All schol
arship donations are distributed locally, all capital
campaigns are local, and we have a wide variety of
ongoing initiatives at each campus. The Director of
Development at each local campus works with our
benefactors to find a method of giving to the school
that honors and maintains the intentions of those
benefactors.
The budget for the central office represents
approximately 6% of the overall budget of Trinity
Schools annually.
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TRINITY SCHOOLS
2018-2019 SUMMARY OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES
OPERATING REVENUE
Public Funds
Tuition and Fees
Scholarship and Restricted Giving
Public Funds
Annual Giving
Investment Income
Other (misc gifts, affiliate fees,
etc.)
TOTAL
$ 9,818,786
$ 871,841
$ 300,298
$ 142,670
$ 120,000
$ 79,677
$ 11,333,272
OPERATIONAL EXPENSES
Salary and Benefits (all faculty and staff) $ 5,728,653
Unfunded Financial Aid $ 1,783,123
General Operating Expenses $ 1,439,615
Buildings and Grounds $ 1,324,103
Office of the President $ 730,000
Funded Financial Aid $ 315,000
TOTAL $ 11,320,494
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GRATITUDE
The Heads of School, faculty, and professional staff at
each campus are extremely grateful for the amazing
generosity of so many dedicated partners and engaged
members of Trinity Schools’ community of learners.
Trinity Schools’ mission to form its students is only
possible through the generous partnership it enjoys
with current student families, alumni parents,
alumni, grandparents, benefactors, and supportive
friends in each campus community. It begins with
thousands of volunteer hours that support all manner
of activities throughout the academic year. From
the performing arts and sporting events to student
field trips and extracurricular activities to community-building
gatherings of all kinds, volunteers enhance
and strengthen each campus’ school community.
Trinity Schools also benefits greatly from the varied
professional expertise of its parents and alumni who
contribute to both the academic and operational life
of each school campus. Many partners step forward
each year to make a variety of contributions. These
include faculty members at local universities offering
guest lectures, advisors for a mock trial team or a
robotics team, and coaches for athletic teams as
well as those who sit on committees both formal and
informal supporting strategic, financial, and development
goals at each campus.
Additionally, members of each school community
contribute generous financial gifts at all levels. This
annual support enables each campus to respond to
several important areas of need including unfunded
student financial aid, faculty recruitment and development,
and classroom enhancements. Generous
benefactors also make possible improvements to the
academic and athletic facilities. All of these efforts
continually work to enrich the experience of the
Trinity Schools mission for our students, families, and
partners.
TRINITY PROVIDES
A CAREFULLY-CRAFTED
CURRICULUM. READING
GREAT LITERATURE, STUDYING
GEOGRAPHY, CREATING MUSIC
AND ART, AND STUDYING
CALCULUS-BASED PHYSICS
ARE JUST SOME OF THE WAYS
THAT TRINITY STUDENTS
ENCOUNTER REALITY.
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RIVER RIDGE
CAMPUS
NATIONAL RECOGNITION
On September 26, 2019, Trinity School at River Ridge
was named a National Blue Ribbon School with the
designation of Exemplary High Performing School.
We received this honor previously, in 1996 and 2008,
making us the only high school in Minnesota to
receive the honor three times. 45 minutes after the
Department of Education announcement, bells rang
to end fourth period early, and students, faculty and
staff headed to the auditorium. The excitement was
palpable as students speculated about what the good
news might be.
This moment served as an opportunity to remind
ourselves that the stuff of our ordinary days — solving
problems, preparing for the Christmas concert, and
conducting Humane Letters seminars — is the living
out of our extraordinary vision for education, and
that this mission is made possible by the
community of families and friends that supports
and sustains our community of learners. We
celebrated with an all school picture and cupcakes!
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NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARS
Congratulations to our National Merit Commended
Scholars and Finalists! Seven members of the Class of
2020, 14% of its senior class, were recently recognized
by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation for
their achievement on the PSAT. Cassandra Demlow,
Erik Iverson, Charles Nykamp, Abigail Walter, and Carl
Yaeger earned the honor of being named Commended
Scholars by scoring in the top 3% of the 1.5 million
students who took the PSAT nationwide. Erik runs
with Trinity’s cross country and track teams. Charles
is Program Captain of the Robotics team, and sings
in Chamber Singers; Cassie, Abigail, and Carl are
musicians in Wind Ensemble. Abigail is a photographer
for the yearbook, and Carl leads the Speech
Club. Finalists Luke Bormann and Kate Mealey scored
in the top 0.5% in Minnesota. Luke is a three-sport
athlete and a member of Chamber Singers. Kate is
a yearbook editor and participates on the Robotics
team as a CADD designer. Congratulations to each of
these students.
AT TRINITY SCHOOL,
ALL STUDENTS TAKE ART
ALL STUDENTS LEARN TO CODE
ALL STUDENTS ACT IN A
SHAKESPEARE PLAY
ALL STUDENTS GET RECESS!
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