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A coed, independent, Episcopal day school in Tampa, Florida, educating students in pre-k through twelfth grade

What’s Happening at Berkeley

$4 Million in Gifts Will Benefit Berkeley Preparatory School Teachers

May 30, 2024

Three families at Berkeley Preparatory School, Tampa’s #1 private school, are taking action to support and invest in teachers. Berkeley is deeply grateful to Shanna and Bryan Glazer, Chad Harrod ’95 and Sarah Harrod, and Carla and Punit Shah for generously contributing a total of $4 million to Berkeley’s Endowment for Teaching Excellence this school year. Their transformational gifts will ensure that Berkeley’s 283 faculty members receive the resources and financial support they need to provide a truly exceptional education to over 1,400 Berkeley students.

 

A recent report from the National Education Association found average teacher pay has not kept up with inflation over the past decade. Shanna and Bryan Glazer say as the cost of living rises in Tampa Bay, adequate compensation is crucial to attract and retain high-quality teachers, which is why they made a gift of $2 million: “Providing recognition and support can significantly boost teacher morale, reduce burnout, and improve job satisfaction. Well-supported teachers are better equipped to deliver high-quality education, innovate in their teaching methods, and address diverse student needs. All of this leads to more effective learning environments. Our teachers’ dedication, hard work, and ability to inspire and educate have a lasting impact on their students and overall advancement of the community.”

 

Berkeley alumnus Chad Harrod ’95 and his wife, Sarah, decided to make their $1 million gift after coming to a similar conclusion: “Our family realized that tuition increases alone cannot support paying the best teachers what they deserve. By investing in the teachers, we are investing in our children. Supporting Berkeley in this way not only helps the school continue to attract the best, but it also helps pay our teachers what they are worth.”

 

Carla and Punit Shah say Berkeley has been the ideal setting for their son, fostering a supportive and enriching environment where he can grow. They explain the factors that went into making their $1 million gift: “It was imperative for us that our gift carried a meaningful and lasting impact to the school, particularly for the educators that mold the character of our children each day. We are grateful to play a modest role in continuing Berkeley’s long-standing success by supporting efforts to recruit and retain the nation’s finest educators.”

 

Berkeley Preparatory School Headmaster Joseph W. Seivold says he is thankful for the contributions from all three families: “We are committed to attracting, retaining, and rewarding the most outstanding faculty and staff possible; to do so in these economic times requires us to significantly grow teacher salaries and benefits via generous giving to Berkeley’s endowment. I am deeply grateful to the families who have already invested in this effort, and I look forward to many more doing so in the years ahead.”

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