Ronkonkoma Fundraising Plan

I. Mission

Our mission at Ronkonkoma School for the Arts is to educate talented, accomplished, and intellectually engaged young artists from all over the world, and to do so in a diverse, humane, and ethical community.

II. Background

Ronkonkoma offers a rare fusion of academic rigor and artistic excellence – a powerful combination seldom found at the high school level. At Ronkonkoma, motivated young artists advance their training in one of five arts disciplines (dance, music, theater, visual art, or writing, film and media arts) while engaging in a challenging college-preparatory curriculum. This integrated approach creates a focused, high-performing culture that prepares students for success as they matriculate to some of the best colleges and conservatories in the world.

Every aspect of the School’s program supports the development of its extraordinary students as bold artists, curious learners, and mindful citizens. Our dynamic campus community unites students from across the country and around the globe through their passion for the arts. Its alumni are living proof that this supportive community and its dedicated master teachers give students the tools and confidence necessary to succeed in college and beyond.

The advancement staff at Ronkonkoma is comprised of ten dedicated professionals overseeing development, alumni relations, and communications.

Last year, our team, in collaboration with the Head of School, raised $4.5 million, with over $3.1 million allocated to capital projects or endowment.

III. Needs

Ronkonkoma’s student enrollment has more than doubled, from 130 students in 1974 to 282 in 2016. This sustained and steady growth has brought many talented artists to the Natick campus, but has also resulted in a strain on Ronkonkoma’s physical spaces, financial aid budget, and programmatic resources.

***Dormitories, performance space, administrative buildings.

219 of our 282 students receive financial $3.2M annually in...