Parents of current McDonogh students may sign up for website accounts. Signing up for an account allows a parent to access the online directory, DASH, and your customized parent Personal Page.
In anticipation of the Legacy Campaign’s close at the end of the School’s fiscal year, nearly 125 members of the McDonogh community gathered on Tuesday, May 14 to celebrate their collective commitment to the School. With the Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Middle School building—one of the campaign’s three main priorities—as the backdrop, guests learned about the impact the Campaign has already had on the community.
President of the Board of Trustees Mike Cummings provided a campaign update, highlighting the $20 million state-of-the-art Middle School building, a 14% growth in the McDonogh Fund since the campaign’s start, and more than $42 million in gifts and commitments for scholarship and other endowments. Cummings also announced the establishment of the Heritage Society, McDonogh’s newest giving society recognizing an esteemed group of donors who have contributed more than $1 million to the School.
“Drawing inspiration from a meaningful line in the School’s ‘Dedication Hymn,’ the name—Heritage Society—reflects the responsibility we all have to ensure McDonogh’s future success for those who follow,” Cummings said.
Attendees had the pleasure of hearing from two members of the School community who described how the Legacy Campaign has impacted them. Student Alexa Klein ’24 spoke of her immense gratitude for her scholarship which made it possible for her to attend McDonogh, and Middle School Spanish teacher Susan Scherz thoughtfully reflected on the impact of her recent teaching chair award and ongoing professional development support.
During the event, Donna and Sam Wright ’64 were inducted into the Circle of Philanthropy—the School’s highest level of recognition. They were honored for giving more than $1 million to McDonogh during their lifetime; having a schoolwide impact by directing fundraising for the Legacy Campaign; and generally going above and beyond the call of duty for McDonogh and the larger community.
In presenting the award, Head of School Dave Farace ‘87 said, “Today, we recognize and thank Sam and Donna for their exceptional philanthropy, leadership, and dedication to McDonogh. Their lifelong commitment to doing the greatest possible amount of good for the School makes them a fitting addition to this prestigious society.”
Wright, a Co-Chair of the Legacy Campaign Committee, and Kristin Kushlan Finkelstein ’03, a Legacy Campaign Committee member, ended the evening with additional thanks. “The Legacy Campaign set out to accomplish several bold initiatives intended to strengthen our physical campus and ensure the School’s long-term financial vitality. Each of you joined in this important work and shared our vision for McDonogh. We could not have achieved these incredible results without you,” said Finkelstein.
The Legacy Campaign a $90 million capital campaign—the largest in McDonogh’s history— has augmented the School’s annual giving program and increased endowment to support faculty and staff, financial aid, programmatic growth, and campus preservation. Commitments from the campaign were also used to construct the Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Middle School for students in grades five through eight, which was completed in 2021.
