Building Toward Our Centennial: Exceptionally Sanford

This story is from our Sanford Magazine Fall/Winter 2025
Written by Justin Mclellan '16

With fresh white ceilings, new LED lighting, upgraded windows and doors, and sleek, flexible classrooms designed for collaboration, the Nancy C. Sawin Math/Science Building would be nearly unrecognizable to the generations of Sanford students who studied there under Jackie Pitts ’55, whose name will soon grace the second floor of the newly renovated space. Sanford’s entire campus is undergoing a dramatic transformation, modernizing facilities while preserving the values and legacy that define the Sanford experience. Renovated classrooms and labs, expanded learning spaces, and improved infrastructure are all part of a coordinated effort to support student growth across all divisions, addressing current needs for students and faculty while positioning the school for long-term success.

This progress is being driven by the Exceptionally Sanford campaign, a bold initiative to enhance learning environments, support enrollment growth, and ensure sustainability through a strengthened endowment. The effects of the campaign are already being felt. When students and teachers returned in fall 2024, they stepped into a familiar campus transformed. For Kevin Needham, Sanford’s facilities manager, the excitement was palpable. “The students and teachers were so excited when they came back in the fall last year based on what we got done last summer,” Needham said. “And then we have just as much to do this summer, so it’ll be a big improvement again when they come back in the fall.”

The Math/Science Building renovation is just one part of the broader campaign. Sanford’s Middle School is receiving new carpeting and a redesigned outdoor space, as an above-ground retention basin is replaced with an underground system, creating a new green area for student use. The Lower School is slated for a significant expansion, with construction of a two-story addition beginning in 2026. The addition will include five new classrooms, a larger nurse’s office, and flexible learning spaces, an essential response to a 59% increase in Lower School enrollment in recent years.

Needham and his team are a major reason Sanford can stretch each dollar further. Thanks to their broad expertise, many of the projects that would typically require outside contractors are completed in-house. “Because of the skill and experience on our team, we can take on work that most schools would have to outsource. That saves Sanford a lot of money and lets us accomplish much more within our budget. It means more improvements, faster, and at a higher standard.”

Even with this kind of resourcefulness, the scope of Sanford’s vision requires the full support of its community. Renovating buildings, expanding facilities, and investing in the future cannot happen without significant financial backing. “While tuition revenue makes up the largest portion of Sanford’s annual revenue, it does not cover 100% of our annual expenses,” explained Jody Cross, Associate Director of Development. “The Exceptionally Sanford capital projects fall outside the scope of the school’s annual budget. With around 20 buildings and an 88-acre campus, there is always a need to plan ahead for big capital improvements, and these are typically accomplished through campaigns.”

Launched in 2023, the Exceptionally Sanford campaign is a $10.5 million initiative that aims to raise $6.5 million for capital improvements across all three divisions and $4 million to grow Sanford’s endowment. As of June 2025, the campaign has raised more than half of its goal, with 67% of capital project funds and 72% of endowment funds secured through gifts from foundations, board members, current parents, alumni, planned gifts, and other sources. While upgrades to the Math/Science Building and Middle School are nearing completion, the Lower School expansion is now the campaign’s top fundraising priority. “The building is at full capacity,” Cross said. “The impact that a two-story addition will have on our smallest Warriors and our Lower School faculty will be tremendous, and we need our community’s help to raise the remaining $2.17 million.”

Beyond bricks and mortar, the campaign’s focus on the endowment reflects a commitment to long-term sustainability. A larger endowment increases annual investment income available to the school, supporting competitive salaries for faculty, financial aid for families, and stability during economic downturns. “A large endowment plays a crucial role in ensuring that we have robust endowment income each year, and it acts as a failsafe against bad economic times,” Cross said. “It’s essentially like an IRA for nonprofits.” Some endowment funds are restricted, such as those supporting scholarships, while others are unrestricted and can be used where the Board of Trustees deems most beneficial. Over time, these funds not only grow in value but also deliver consistent support for students and educators.

That support has tangible results. In recent years, major gifts have enabled Sanford to reimagine the Geipel Center for Performing Arts, renovate the the Struthers Family Sports Center, and transform The Michael & Nancy Pia Center for Creativity at Hebb Hall—projects that would not have been possible without philanthropy beyond the annual budget. For Needham, the difference is clear: where once Sanford staff avoided showing prospective families older buildings, now those spaces are centerpieces of campus tours.

As Sanford prepares to enter its second century, the campaign is not just about meeting today’s needs; it’s about shaping the school’s future.

Head of School Jaime Morgan ’02 sees the campaign as central to that vision. “Facility upgrades in all three divisions are needed and will impact students now, as well as generations to come. Building our endowment is critical to long-term stability,” she said. Morgan is especially passionate about the Lower School expansion, which she believes will set the stage for students’ long-term success. “Lower School is bursting at the seams,” she said. “Children only have the chance to be in Lower School once. It’s important to not only establish a solid academic foundation but to make childhood magical. Our Lower School team does that every day.”

Morgan expressed her excitement about leading Sanford into its next chapter, particularly its upcoming centennial in 2030. “This is a huge milestone in the life of the school, and having the opportunity to lead the school that has given me so much into its second century is incredibly special.” With the support of the community, that future is bright—and exceptionally Sanford.