A Culture of Giving

Throughout its history, Old Trail School has been sustained by generous gifts from generations of families, alumni, faculty and friends in the pursuit of excellence.

During the first years following the school's creation in 1920, Dr. William A. Parks, one of Old Trail's two founders, often walked door-to-door to raise money and teachers agreed to reduced pay or went without pay on occasion to ensure the school's survival.

These remarkable sacrifices set a powerful example, one that has been repeated over and over throughout the school's history, and created a culture of giving at Old Trail.

It is because of the contributions of so many that the school's unwavering dedication to high academic standards, experiential learning and commitment to the whole child has remained the foundation of the Old Trail experience more than 100 years later.

Time and again, committed stakeholders—including parents, grandparents, alumni and friends of the school—have been united by a shared purpose of developing intellectually curious, independent thinking students who emerge with a passion for discovery, critical thinking and collaborative learning.

Ways to Support Old Trail

We give to The OTS fund to ensure children for years to come can learn and grow in an environment where curiosity is celebrated and possibilities are endless.

Suzanne and Colin Kinney, P'22, '25

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is it important to support the OTS Fund?

Each year, tuition covers less than 90 percent of the cost of providing an Old Trail School education. Old Trail depends on donations to The OTS Fund to make up the difference. This financial model is common to most independent schools and universities in the United States.

Because The OTS Fund benefits every student, Old Trail seeks 100% participation from current families. Strong participation is essential to funding school programs, and helps OTS attract and retain excellent faculty.

Why not just raise tutition?

Raising tuition would likely result in the loss of many valuable students whose families could not afford the increase. A drop in enrollment would lead to cuts in both educational programs and staff. Equally as important, Old Trail School values its economic diversity. We encourage parents to make tax-deductible gifts to keep tuition affordable while maintaining the superior quality of education for every child.