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at river oaks baptist school our mission is to prepare children to meet life s challenges and lead tomorrow s world as our students grow in knowledge character and faith they learn to think critically choose wisely and act compassionately today in honor of nancy heath hightower ed.d you can help r.o.b.s fulfill its special mission for years to come.

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your generosity is vital to the long-term strength of river oaks baptist school while today we can only imagine the children parents and teachers yet to come we re preparing for them right now your gift can make a tremendous difference.

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enjoys a special place in the educational landscape of houston founded in 1955 as a mission of river oaks baptist church the school now welcomes children from age two through eighth grade over the years the school has grown in size and stature to become one of the premier schools in this metropolitan area today r.o.b.s is respected for providing rigorous academics and robust character development in a nurturing christian environment in recognition of its successful approach to educating children r.o.b.s has been honored as a blue ribbon school by the u.s department of education and a national school of character by the character education partnership the school also has received the prestigious melba p woodruff award for exemplary elementary foreign language program from the american council for the teaching of foreign languages ultimately it is our students who benefit from this long tradition of excellence in faculty programs and facilities the success of r.o.b.s can be measured directly by the accomplishments of our students and alumni every year students receive local state and national honors in a broad range of subjects including writing math science spanish art music and athletics typically 93 to 99 percent of our graduates go on to enroll in their first or second choice of high school your generosity ­ together with the benevolence of the entire r.o.b.s community ­ makes all of this possible river oaks baptist school we are steadfast in our commitment to educate the whole child ­ academically morally spiritually socially and physically through a curriculum that engages mind and heart we help our students discover their god-given talents and interests we lay the foundation for our students to soar.

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your gift to the for children forever endowment campaign fulfills two distinct purposes honoring the career of dr nancy hightower ­ a leader like no other ­ and providing for future generations of river oaks baptist students a legacy we all will cherish.

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how do we sustain this great school forever enduring excellence is the reason for our for children forever endowment campaign we must adhere to our mission and to the high standards embodied by our leaders at the same time we must adjust what and how our students learn in response to the ever-changing world around us by pursuing these objectives with optimism and conviction we will remain the best school of our type year after year generation upon generation remaining a great school takes ongoing work it also requires a reservoir of financial resources independent schools have three primary sources of revenue tuition annual giving and income from endowment currently r.o.b.s relies heavily on tuition and annual giving with only 3.65 percent of our revenue coming from endowment income the school s long-term financial security rests on strengthening the third income stream by adding significantly to the endowment our goal is to raise $20 million for the river oaks baptist school endowment fund a separate not-for-profit legal entity we re especially pleased to name the campaign in honor of dr nancy hightower the time to honor her is now how big should our endowment be according to experts for ongoing financial security an independent school should have an endowment at least two to three times its annual operating budget at r.o.b.s our 2011-12 operating budget is approximately $16 million and our endowment stands at $18.8 million as of 1/31/2012 meeting our campaign goal will bring r.o.b.s much closer to long-term financial sustainability.

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what is the difference between endowment and annual giving like a checking account annual giving dollars are used to pay the current year s operating expenses with an endowed gift you provide permanent support for r.o.b.s your gift which increases the principal of the endowment is invested each year a portion of the endowment s earnings are distributed to support the program or area of your choice in this way the endowment functions as a kind of savings account for longer-term needs investment returns above the distribution rate help the value of the endowment grow over time so that the income it generates can keep pace with inflation and its spending power can increase what type of growth can gifts produce by every measure r.o.b.s has grown over the past two decades in enrollment faculty size and expertise physical plant library volumes computers and technological resources for faculty and students financial assistance and much more that growth has been possible only through the generosity of people like you gifts to the endowment are a sound investment in a better future through prudent management by experienced investment advisors the endowment has earned an average annual return of 6 percent over the last eight years your endowment gift makes us better to continue offering one of the finest educations in houston we must build an endowment that will sustain our current and future needs today the best independent schools rely on endowment to fund strategic needs that tuition alone cannot fully cover a robust endowment helps to attract the finest teachers and administrators and helps to maintain and enhance the quality of programs and facilities a well-funded and well-invested endowment also positions r.o.b.s to seize opportunities when they arise and to withstand challenges if they come your support will give river oaks baptist school a more firm financial foundation today and in the years ahead.

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teachers are the heart of our school faculty excellence has been an enduring priority because teachers make the difference in the quality of education children receive we search for teachers who are enthusiastic about their profession stimulate intellectual curiosity and encourage and motivate students to become self-directed learners.

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throughout our history people who love r.o.b.s have stepped forward to reach ambitious goals for the school with their time and treasure they have encouraged us advised us and enabled us to excel we invite you to be one of those special people what we can accomplish together is immeasurable.

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