EIGHT INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS JOIN TOGETHER TO HELP KATRINA SURVIVORS

Pittsburgh, PA--November 4, 2005 - Eight local independent schools are banding together to lend a hand to schools and students in the hurricane-ravaged Mississippi delta.

The eight schools, under their umbrella organization, the Pittsburgh Consortium of Independent Schools (PCIS), will identify a similar number of schools damaged by hurricanes Katrina and Rita. They will assist the damaged schools to determine their needs and how the PCIS schools can help fill them. "Once we've determined what needs to be done, our schools will develop activities to engage students, faculty and parents in fundraising," said Michael J. Kennedy, Headmaster of Valley School of Ligonier and President of PCIS. "Our school staffs and students are committed to lending a hand to our counterparts in the south."

In addition to the joint PCIS program, students at each PCIS independent school have been active in helping Katrina survivors.

"Independent schools teach their students to be leaders in the community," said Kennedy. "The initiative and imagination our students have shown in finding ways to help are very much in keeping with our emphasis on service to the community and concern for others."

Here is an overview of some of the local independent school students' fundraising efforts:

• The Ellis School (K-12)
  Ellis raised almost $3,000 in student led initiatives, such as bake sales and lemonade stands. Students and teachers are also collaborating with area businesses to fill one hundred backpacks with school items for Katrina victims.


• Fox Chapel Country Day School (K-5)
  Offering to enroll up to 10 displaced students of Gulf Coast independent schools; students are holding fundraiser sales.


• The Kiski School (9-12)
  Donating profits from sporting event concession stand sales, holding raffles; selling running bracelet and donuts.
  


• St. Edmund's Academy (K-8)
  Collecting durable goods to ship to 300 dislocated families


• Sewickley Academy (K-12)
  Senior School students organized an auction raising more than $5000; Middle and Lower School students collected 10 boxes of school supplies for Gulf Coast schools. Students raised $800 from a car wash and collected household goods and clothing. Sewickley Academy immediately opened its doors to students from the region.


• Shady Side Academy (K-12)
  Holding a variety of fundraisers and brown-bagging their lunches one day so that the school could contribute the cost of the meal to the relief effort.


• Valley School of Ligonier (K-9)
  Donating allowances and soliciting contributions from faculty and parents. The school has offered to enroll up to 10 displaced independent school students at no charge for the first term.


• Winchester Thurston School (K-12)
  Selling bracelet and soliciting sponsors, who donate money to Katrina relief when the students do their local community service projects.

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