The Office of Advancement 

Marketing                  Capital Gifts                    Events
Annual Appeal           Endowments                    Alumni Relations

General E-mail: advancement@greatfallscentral.org Fax:  (406) 216-3343  Address: 2800 18th Avenue South   Great Falls, MT 59405-5160    or Hugh Smith Director of Development:    hsmith@greatfallscentral.org

          Hugh started with GFCCHS as its first principal when the school reopened for the 2000-2001 school year.  He was responsible for the initial Montana state accreditation through the Board of Public Education.  Throughout the twelve years under his supervision Central grew from 25 students in 2000 to 103 students in 2012.  Projections for the 2012-13 school year exceeds 120 students.  Hugh now takes his twelve years of ministry as principal and moves on to take on the challenge of Director of Development/Advancement.  He states, "The move is a wonderful way to stay connected with Central and to take my passion and love for this school to lead the efforts for fund-raising, alumni relations, and recruitment.  Central is an important part of the mission of the Catholic Church and we need a great deal of financial support to continue our incredible journey.  I hope that everyone shares my passion and the great things we have done for students in the past twelve years.  We now take Central into its teenage years as we enter our thirteenth year of operation.  Please contact me to see how you can be part of our future."

Hugh can be contacted at (406) 216-3344 or at hsmith@greatfallscentral.org

 

You are invited to share in the ministry of Great Falls Central Catholic High School.  

We at Central Catholic are proud of our school which is founded in the finest tradition of Roman Catholic education. Great Falls Central Catholic High School is a diocesan college preparatory institution committed to fostering a Christ-centered community, encouraging academic excellence and nurturing the integrity of every student so that each may live fully God’s will for his or her life.

We are the Contact Point for Many to Central:

• Parents exploring enrollment for their children.
• Benefactors seeking to support Catholic Education through Central’s Endowment Fund, the Annual Giving Campaign, or our gala Celebration Fundraiser the first Saturday after Easter.
• Alumni and parents of alumni wishing to keep in touch and remain a part of the Central family.
• The Community.

What we do...  This office provides information on our school to the wider community through publications, announcements, press releases, advertising, and participation in parish and civic groups.
Within Central’s daily operations, the advancement staff:
spearhead the Annual Giving Campaign, provide staff support for the Endowment Fund and team with parents to put on successful school auction and fundraising events. We also work with the administration for student recruitment and retention, and coordinate work with family volunteers. We also oversee production of publications to promote the school fund and fundraising activities and maintain giving records for alumni and donors.

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Great Falls Central Catholic High School is making a difference in developing the leaders for tomorrow.  Central is dedicated to the education of the whole person, fostering growth spiritually, morally, socially, and academically.  Small class sizes allow for one-one-one attention.  Students are taught to develop and utilize strong study habits and self-discipline in completing a challenging workload. 

Our ministry flourishes when we share the blessings we have been given.  People sharing of the blessings given to them is essential to every ministry. 
 
This is ministry we strive to pass onto our students, and through them, a minister to the world. This section of our web site focuses on the sharing of treasure. Financial help from friends and benefactors is crucial to the operation of Central as a ministry.

 Why Help Central?

Tuition covers only half of the costs
Some of the following pages, and others on this web site, will show:

• Prudent cost controls

• Parents who are able to pay their full share do so.

• Many families can only afford a portion of the cost.  Affordability should not be a barrier to receiving a faith-filled Catholic Education.  That is a principle Central strives to uphold.

• More value not counted "on the books" 

• Dedicated, certified faculty, and other staff, accept below market salaries as their means of supporting this ministry.

• Families provide time and talent to do things for the school that ordinarily would add to expenses, or provide services the students and school would otherwise not enjoy.
  

So where does the difference between total financial costs and the school's tuition income come from?

You are needed!

How To Help Now
This section of our web site covers how funds donated to Central are used, and the many ways you might be able to help.

• Our Annual Giving Campaign, which provides funds for student tuition aid and facilities improvements.

• The Endowment Fund which provides a permanent endowment for our school.  Earnings on that endowment provide tuition assistance to needy families and upgrades to instructional programs and facilities.

• Our spring auction Celebration.  Through donating auction-related items, parents and friends of Central enable a source of revenue for school operations.  Through attending our auction and bidding, you provide those revenues, enjoy a great time, and maybe go home with a super bargain.
  

Special Ways to Help

• Gifts of appreciated securities and real estate:  There are substantial tax advantages you can gain by contributing these assets to Central, rather than selling the assets and giving the proceeds.

• Cars, boats, other large items you no longer need:  Donations can provide you with an income tax deduction equal to the market value of the item, and help make a Central education affordable to more families.

• Wills:  Giving through your will is simple and may save considerable estate taxes while supporting the good work of Central. The proceeds of bequests may be designated to our Endowment, and thus benefit Catholic Education for an enduring future. Will language can be as simple as:
   
  "I hereby bequest to Great Falls Central Catholic High School Endowment Fund, PO Box 1399, Great Falls, MT (state dollar amount, percentage of estate, or describe a specific asset being given)."
  

• Life Insurance: If your paid-up life insurance policy no longer plays an important part in your estate planning goals, you can support future students when you make Great Falls Central Catholic High School the beneficiary of your policy.
  

Who to Contact

Hugh Smith at Great Falls Central

hsmith@greatfallscentral.org

If you have questions, or seek assistance, the staff in our development office will be happy to help.
 

 

 © 2012