FAQs

In 2022, St. John’s Episcopal Parish Day School embarked on a strategic planning process led by the Board of Trustees. The resulting plan builds on our powerful mission and strong foundation of 70 years demonstrated success in preparing children for lives of learning and service. The plan is organized around six goals that will help shape our priorities and guide our developments over the next five years. The first of these Goals - ‘Build for the Future’ - resulted in the completion of a facilities master plan that will support the current generation and future generations of St. John’s students. From this master plan has come the need for a capital campaign to support the completion of this vision. 

‘A Place to Grow’ is the name for the largest and most ambitious capital campaign in the history of the school. As guided by the Strategic Plan, St. John's is building for the future. The school will transform the S Plant Ave Campus into state-of-the-art facilities that maximize our thriving urban setting. We envision a campus that supports unprecedented opportunities to transform the lives of the current and future generations of children.

The entire St. John’s community - past and present - will be asked to participate in the campaign. Campaigns are conducted sequentially by a small number of campaign volunteers. Some members of the St. John’s community will not be contacted right away, but it is imperative to the success of the capital campaign that everyone contributes in a way that is meaningful to them at the appropriate time.

The overall goal is $25 million. With $9 million already gifted or pledged, we are off to a strong start, but there remains plenty of work for all of us to do as we do not want fundraising to hold up the project once the permitting and architectural processes are complete.
 

The ideal situation is to obtain a loan through a bank that is secured by gifts and pledges. We rely on your philanthropic support to reduce any potential debt burden associated with this project.

Annual Giving (The Eagles Fund) is the foundation of giving at our school. School-wide participation of parents, alumni, grandparents, faculty, staff, administration, partners, and friends demonstrates a personal and collective commitment to the experience and needs of each child and every teacher. Every gift is essential to our ability to provide the tools, resources, and enhancements to the ‘people, program, and place’ of St. John’s. Gifts to the Capital Campaign are a tax deductible, long-term investment in the future of St. John’s. Gifts to the Eagles Fund and Campaign are fully tax deductible by law.

The financial model we have developed for the new campus includes some increase in tuition to help fund new, state-of-the-art facilities. Ideally, we will minimize this increase via success with the capital campaign. The amount tuition will need to increase and when this will take effect is determined largely by the success of fundraising efforts over the next several months. It is also important to remember that the consolidation from three to two campuses will bring about some operational cost savings. Moreover, St. John’s comprehensive tuition will remain extremely family budget friendly compared to our peers. This will not change even after any increase in tuition.   

While providing your child with an enhanced school experience may be one of the most evident reasons to support the campaign, there are many other compelling reasons to do so. Some contribute because they see their child continuing to benefit from their St. John's experience throughout high school and college and beyond. St. John's alumni who have recognized how their own St. John's education has positively impacted their lives may contribute for this same reason. Some contribute because they know having strong schools in Tampa significantly benefits the community at large, boosting Tampa’s economic competitiveness and developing the community leaders of tomorrow. Additionally, ensuring the strength and success of the school into the future so that multiple generations of one's family may have the chance to benefit from a St. John’s education can be a strong incentive to give. Whether you are the parent or grandparent of a child just beginning their learning journey or a graduate finding great success in high school, college, and beyond, St. John’s will always be your school.

Everything we enjoy at St. John’s is the result of the generous gifts from those who came before us; as they provided for you and your children or grandchildren, it is now our responsibility to provide for those who will follow. Your belief in St. John’s mission was, in part, what led you to choose the school for your children. You can reinforce that choice with a gift that reflects your continuing commitment to the goals and values that a St. John’s education represents. A gift to this campaign will ensure St. John’s strength and success in the future.

Yes, there will be many naming opportunities available, including corporate naming opportunities. The Advancement Office will work with donors in the order of the date on which a gift or pledge agreement is executed to select an appropriate opportunity. Please contact the Advancement Office for details. Naming opportunities begin with a gift or pledge of $100,000 or more.

Please see the "Ways of Giving" page for information about cash gifts, pledges, matching gifts, bequests, and gifts of appreciated securities, real estate, stock, qualified charitable contributions, life insurance, and life income.

We are happy to answer all your questions. Please contact the Advancement Office at 813.849.4200 or advancement@stjohnseagles.org.

Our new campus will provide St. John's students with unprecedented opportunities via new programming, community gathering spaces, student support and wellness centers, innovation labs, music, choral, and performance spaces, 'green space' and much more! Completion of the campus will further reinforce our standing as the area's premier school and help further transform the skyline of thriving downtown Tampa.

No. The school has no plans to increase the size of the student body from its current maximum of 600 students school-wide nor are there any plans to add Grades 9-12. We are a K(4)-Grade 8 school and will remain so, as we believe this is in the best interests of children. The new campus will house a maximum of 480 students in Grades 1-8.

The S Orleans Ave campus is the eldest of the three campuses. The design and age of this building means that fundamentally important improvements are not feasible. Consolidating to two campuses (the new Grades 1-8 campus and the Primary Division campus) will bring significant improvements to the student and family experience. These include improving drop-off and pick-up, dedicated parking, modern and spacious classrooms, ‘green’ play space, and the opportunity to create a stronger sense of community in Grades 1-8 while maintaining and protecting the developmental identities of each division. 

Several factors influence the timeframe for the completion of projects of this scope and ambition. One of the most important factors for success is fundraising. A second is the planning process with the City of Tampa. A third is the process of building design and architectural input. The Board of Trustees Building Committee has retained an Architect, Project Manager, and Land Use Attorney to work with the City of Tampa. 

The final cost of the project has not been determined at this time. 

It will not. Many projects of this size and scope involve disruption to teaching and learning. Our master plan does not. Students remain in their current locations at lower and middle divisions while construction takes place on the Platt Ave property. Once the academic building is complete, students will vacate their current locations and move into the new campus. 

Our volunteer Board of Trustees approved the capital project and will regularly monitor project expenses. The Board of Trustees Building Committee will closely monitor the project, along with the Finance Committee, under the ultimate oversight of the Board of Trustees.

As a parish day school, our relationship with St. John’s Episcopal Church is at the heart of our mission. Graduation will continue to take place at the church. Additionally, Grades 1-8 will gather for a monthly Eucharist at the church. The Master Plan allows for lower and middle division students to gather for chapel and Eucharist, something not possible with our current facilities.  

Yes. Grades 1-8 will gather for chapel at the new campus, something that has not been possible before. It is our hope that in the future a dedicated Chapel will be constructed at the Platt Ave Campus.