Development

The Development Committee was established in 2004 to promote the recruitment and retention of students, to establish and grow an alumni association, and to build a solid financial future for the school in order to assist Saint Thomas More Cathedral Parish in providing our children with a quality Catholic education at an affordable price. The Development Committee works throughout the year under the direction of the Rector and Principal to sponsor Open House programs, reestablish ties with alumni, promote the good news about our school, and raise money for the benefit of the school. Members include the Rector, the School Principal, school parents, and other interested parishioners.  Members are appointed by and serve at the direction of the Principal in consultation with the Rector.

The Development Committee is distinct from the PTO, but both share a common goal: the betterment of the school.  The PTO is necessarily more focused on current school needs.  In addition to funding some current needs, the Development Committee is also committed to laying groundwork for the viability of the school for years to come.  The President of the PTO is automatically a member of the Committee.

Development includes fund raising. Some funds are raised to support the current educational needs of the students. In addition, the Development Committee seeks to promote a strategic, long-range and comprehensive effort to generate resources which help advance the school's mission and services thereby ensuring quality, stability and growth in years to come.

In particular, the Development Committee sponsors the Annual Appeal, an opportunity for parishioners, parents, alumni, and friends of St. Thomas More Cathedral School to provide financial support for special projects that would otherwise not be addressed.

Past uses of Annual Appeal proceeds include grants to assist outstanding young teachers continue their graduate studies and significant improvements to our classroom technology, including the addition of “ActivBoards” to our classrooms. These touch-sensitive screens are used by teachers and students in conjunction with a computer, and easily integrate video, animation, graphics and audio with traditional whiteboard functionality (writing, circling, highlighting, and labeling). Our teachers also received advanced training on the use of this groundbreaking new learning tool. The Annual Appeal also provided tuition assistance to a number of our students who otherwise would be unable to attend STM.