Villa Augustina needs major capital campaign

By GRETA CUYLER
Union Leader Correspondent
 
GOFFSTOWN - Villa Augustina may not be ready to begin a major capital campaign, but parents will have to launch one to save their school from possible closure in June, Randy Benthien told a group gathered on Tuesday night.

Benthien, who wrote the school's capital feasibility report, called its past fundraising efforts "unsophisticated." He told parents a major capital campaign will mean asking for donations face-to-face from current and past parents, alumni and grandparents.

"I believe you can raise a great deal more money than you ever thought you would be able to raise if you're willing to put in the effort," Benthien said.

Minutes after he spoke, school Principal Jack Daniels announced an anonymous gift of $100,000 toward capital improvements -- and another $200,000 in matching gifts from the same donor.

"It's a huge lift," said parent spokesman Gary Bouchard. "We all understood that without a leading gift like that, our job would be very difficult."

The Religious Order of Jesus and Mary, which runs the pre-kindergarten through eighth-grade school, announced last week it will cease operation of the school at the end of the academic year. Financial difficulties have forced the decision, the Order said.

At a minimum, a capital campaign will need to raise at least $1.2 million, the amount needed to replacing exterior stairs and bathrooms. Other future capital projects will include enlarging classrooms, making bathrooms handicapped-accessible and a new heating and ventilation system.

Costs for all repairs could be more than $5.6 million, according to Janet Stolba, the U.S. Provincial Superior for the religious order.

Benthien suggested the school create a new board of trustees and school board that would connect with the larger surrounding community. He said the school should also contact its well-connected alumni -- which include a member of the State Supreme Court and a former college president -- to spread the word about the school's campaign.

Putting donations in an escrow account could reassure donors they would get their money back if the capital campaign failed.

The school has 260 students in grades kindergarten though eighth grade. It serves students from 14 towns, including Goffstown.

On Tuesday night, parents elected five people to serve on a transitional leadership team to work with the school trustees to transfer ownership to a nonprofit organization that would own and run it.

At the same time, some parents are exploring legal options to block the closure of the school.

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Reproduced by the Goffstown Residents Association.