Board of Trustees Q&As

A: Like most independent schools, tuition covers most—but not all—of the cost of a full CAIS experience. It accounts for about 80%, leaving the remaining 20% to be supported by philanthropy (that’s where your generous support of the Annual Fund and ShowCAIS comes in!) and auxiliary programs.

A: Philanthropic support helps power

• Faculty – competitive salaries and professional growth opportunities to attract and retain the very best
• Adjusted Tuition
• High-Quality, Safe, and Innovative Facilities
• Global Learning & Cultural Exchange – 5th and 8th grade Global programs access for all students
• Student Programs and Services – SST, STEM, etc. 
• Arts & Athletics 
• Out-of-the-Classroom Experiences – field trips and adventures that bring learning to life

All gifts to the Firedragon Annual Fund are unrestricted, meaning they can be used to support any initiatives or needs the school identifies. CAIS directs these funds where they are needed most, often supporting multiple areas, many of which are highlighted above.

CAIS offers a restricted giving opportunity through our annual Fund-A-Need, which takes place at ShowCAIS and on our Day of Giving. (See more information in the ShowCAIS Q&A section.) Other examples of restricted giving include targeted campaigns, such as the Campaign to Build our Forever Home, which we closed in 2024 after raising $18M to support renovations for our new campus. You can read more about this below.

We ask that families make unrestricted gifts because this allows the school’s leadership and financial team to allocate resources where they are needed most, ensuring the greatest impact across CAIS.

For those interested in making a legacy-level gift (typically $500k or more), there may be opportunities to support a specific initiative. Please contact our Director of Advancement to explore giving opportunities at this level.

A: The Building Our Forever Home campaign concluded at the end of the 2024 school year, raising an impressive $18M. While this amount doesn’t cover the full cost of our campus renovations, we successfully reached our fundraising goal, and the additional funding is secured through a loan. We are deeply grateful to all members of our community who supported this effort with gifts ranging from $1,981 (in honor of our founding year) to $2M!

A: ShowCAIS is our annual fundraising gala that brings together current, incoming, and former CAIS families, as well as faculty and staff, to celebrate our school and enjoy a fun evening together. Tickets for faculty, staff, and their guests are generously underwritten by sponsors, allowing them to attend at no cost. Support from ShowCAIS plays a vital role in advancing the school’s mission and raising over $1M annually. ($1.54M total raised in 2024 and $1.35 in 2025.) 

Gifts to ShowCAIS—through ticket purchases, sponsorships, party sign-ups, and online and live auctions—are unrestricted and used at the school’s discretion to meet the greatest needs during that school year. 

Attendees also have the opportunity to make a restricted, fully tax-deductible gift by contributing to our live Fund-A-Need paddle raise. Each year, the Fund-A-Need “priority” is determined by the school in partnership with the Board of Trustees and shared with the community prior to the event. For those who do not attend ShowCAIS, the following week’s Day of Giving provides another opportunity to support the Fund-A-Need initiative.

A: The board works in partnership with the HOS to decide together on undertaking new long-term projects. The decision to move forward with a large capital project will align with the current strategic plan. We currently do not have any big projects in the pipeline.

A: We currently rent out our gym space to nonprofit third parties. There is room to increase our facilities revenues by utilizing our other assets, such as the theater.

A: Maybe. This is something that is in conversations at the board level, but is not a priority at this time.

A: We typically focus on the following year’s budget, which is centered on the tuition setting, along with ad hoc financial oversight, along with the long-term sustainability of CAIS and how we manage our finances.

A: We start the process in late Fall, going into January timeframe for when the budget and tuition are set for the next academic year.  We consider our overall financial position, our debt covenant requirements to maintain a reserve, and our projected enrollment.  Based on existing tuition, and then we run several sensitivities under the direction of Steve Bajc, CAIS DFO.  We also compare our figures from the current academic year with peer schools in terms of gross tuition, net tuition, and teacher compensation, given that  labor is the most significant expense for CAIS.

A: Steve Bajc, the DFO, and his staff, including the controller and accountants, prepare much of the materials that are discussed during Finance Committee meetings. Steve and his staff have created a financial model for the current academic year and staff also prepares a high level model for future academic years to better understand and analyze the financial situation of CAIS.  The Treasurer and others on the Finance Committee provide strategic oversight on these materials as it pertains to the budget, tuition, as well as certain ad hoc items.

A: The Board of Trustees is ultimately responsible for setting CAIS’s strategic plan as part of its governance role to set long-term direction and ensure mission alignment. The Strategic Vision Task Force is currently gathering input and researching topics for the Board’s consideration.

Parents and other stakeholders are critical to this process by offering input through surveys, focus groups, and other opportunities throughout the year to ensure that the final strategy reflects the aspirations of the entire school community.

A: In keeping with independent school governance best practices, Board meeting minutes are not made publicly available, as they often contain confidential information related to personnel, finances, and strategy. Major decisions and updates are shared with the school community through the Head of School’s communications, school newsletters, meetings, and other communications.

A: The Strategic Vision Task Force is exploring a range of ideas to strengthen the school’s connection to Chinese culture and to the broader community. Using the CAIS campus as a hub for engagement is an idea under consideration. At this point in the process, the discussions are still exploratory.

A: Engaging our alumni community and supporting their connection to the Chinese language are themes emerging from initial input from the community. The Strategic Vision Task Force is examining ways to foster connections with CAIS graduates and support their Mandarin language learning after graduation. At this point in the process, the discussions are still exploratory.