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Thursday, December 15, 2016


Dear Friends,Before we leave for winter break, I want to share the good news that the School has now taken ownership of the Washington Home and 3939 Wisconsin Avenue.While we had not planned to make two major purchases simultaneously, the Board of Trustees did not want to miss this exceptional opportunity to secure the School’s long-term future. These properties not only provide us with great flexibility to imagine the Sidwell Friends of the next century but also will give future stewards of our School the latitude to execute their own vision. Indeed, during our recent reaccreditation process, visiting educators heralded these actions as bold and farsighted.Given the speed with which events unfolded and the unexpected availability of 3939 Wisconsin Avenue, the board has wisely decided to develop a comprehensive plan to ensure that the properties are put to the highest and best use for our students. To that end, it has formed a strategic planning committee made up of alumni, parents, and faculty. This inclusive group has already begun a dialogue within our community, in the manner of Friends, to gain a full understanding and appreciation of our needs and the possibilities that lie before us. The board hopes to have a strategic plan ready in June 2017.In the meantime, both properties will be leased back to, and maintained by, their current occupants. We have agreed to allow Community Hospices, the hospice arm of the Washington Home, to rent the property for one year at the cost of $1; Fannie Mae will be leasing back its offices at 3939 for the next two years at market rate. As a result, we will take the much-needed time to explore our options and to engage in a capital campaign to implement the strategic plan. The leadership phase of the campaign will continue until June 2018, when we plan to announce a campaign goal and invite the School community to participate in funding the purchase of these properties, growing the endowment, and supporting the Annual Fund.I am honored to be part of a Quaker school that has educated and instilled important values in children for over 130 years. I trust that you will share in my enthusiasm as we embrace this historic and extraordinary opportunity to shape the future of Sidwell Friends.Best wishes for a peaceful holiday season and a healthy and happy 2017.In friendship and with gratitude,Bryan


3825 Wisconsin Avenue NW Washington, DC 20016 Tel: 202-537-8100 Fax: 202-537-8138


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