Saint Mark’s School Awarded $1.7 Million to Fund New Partnership to Empower Underserved Students
Saint Mark’s School is proud to announce a new partnership with The Children’s Education Initiative (TCEI), a San Diego-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of education for socioeconomically disadvantaged children. TCEI has pledged $1.7 million over several years to Saint Mark’s to support elementary school students, providing tuition assistance and funds to cover additional expenses, such as technology and extended care. The partnership aims to bridge the opportunity gap and ensure that more children have access to a quality education during the foundational years of their lives. This commitment is the largest in the school’s history.
Head of School, Jennifer Foley Tolbert, sees the partnership with TCEI as an extension of Saint Mark’s School’s mission. “We are thrilled to be one of the first schools to partner with TCEI. TCEI’s goals strongly align with our values of celebrating diversity and inclusivity. We have long prioritized serving a socioeconomically diverse community, and TCEI is providing the funds and framework for us to make a significant impact on the lives of more young people. Our community will be enriched through their involvement.”
TCEI identified Saint Mark’s as a potential partner school because of the school’s ongoing commitment to serving a diverse student body with families across the socioeconomic spectrum. Through a competitive application process, Saint Mark’s stood out for delivering a strong academic and social-emotional wellness program, integrating cultural competency into the curriculum, and having a successful track record of graduates thriving in middle school and beyond.
Maggie Young, Director of Enrollment Management, emphasized the impact that TCEI’s commitment will have on individual students. “This partnership allows us to welcome additional students into our community regardless of their family’s ability to pay. The funds provide students with the resources needed to access the full Saint Mark's experience, not just tuition. TCEI is helping remove financial barriers for families and enabling us to fully support students throughout their time here.”
TCEI’s grant to Saint Mark’s marks the beginning of a partnership that will transform the lives of children, by giving them the educational foundation needed to be future leaders in their communities and the world.