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Welcome Mark Takehara – Serendipity Center’s new Executive Director!

Serendipity Center welcomes our new Executive Director, Mr. Mark Takehara, who will officially start on Monday, August 9, 2021. Mark brings to this role his extensive experience in a wide array of non-profit youth development and education programs, including 15 years of executive leadership.  

 Mark started his career in non-profits back in 2002 with the Boys & Girls Clubs in Southern CA and most recently was interim Executive Director for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Bend that serves over 300 youth.  He holds an MBA from the UC Riverside A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management, and a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration with a minor in Chinese from Brigham Young University.   

 The Board and Leadership of Serendipity found Mark through an intensive search process that was expertly facilitated by Nonprofit Professionals Now. During his first few weeks at Serendipity Mark will take part in a comprehensive knowledge transfer with our outgoing Executive Director, Belinda Marier.  

 Serendipity has been so fortunate to have a leader like Belinda at the helm for the past 21 years and to have found such a highly capable and promising individual like Mark to guide us into the future.  

 Please join us in officially welcoming Mark Takehara!  

Congratulation to Serendipity’s Class of 2021!

We are so thrilled to wish Serendipity’s class of 2021 a huge congratulations! Despite the challenges of completing diploma requirements through distance learning, 10 seniors graduated this past week on June 17! We want to wish them the very best and say “WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU!”

Thank you to Brown and Brown Northwest Insurance, KPFF and Heritage Bank!

Thank you so much to Brown and Brown Northwest Insurance, KPFF, and Heritage Bank for their support of Serendipity students and our mission.
As we only have a few more weeks until we close our fundraising campaign for the 2020-2021 school year, please consider donating by clicking here. Thank you!

Resiliency Conversation #10 with Executive Director Belinda Marier

In our final Resiliency Conversation, Executive Director Belinda Marier shares with us how Serendipity will be transitioning into a hybrid model of instruction in the next few weeks. She also extends her personal invitation to Serendipity’s ‘Expressions of Resiliency’, a video event on April 30th that will wrap up the first phase of our Resiliency Response Fundraising Campaign. We are so excited to have you join us to learn more about how your support has been an integral part of keeping Serendipity strong and resilient during the incredible challenges of this pandemic!
If you haven’t had a chance to donate yet, please consider clicking the link below:

 

Thank You to our Most Recent Corporate Donors!

 Thank you so much to our corporate donors The Standard and BRIC Architecture! WE are so grateful for their generous support of our Resiliency Response!

Resiliency Conversation #9 with Data Analyst Deb Schultz

In Resiliency Conversation #9 we get a chance to hear from our Data Analyst and Reports Developer, Deb Schultz, about her new position and work at Serendipity which is being called the Outcomes Project. She shares her excitement about being able to interpret and apply data in a meaningful way to help our students achieve their goals as well as communicate the importance and impact of Serendipity’s mission.

Everything that Deb is working on is part of a larger undertaking called the Outcomes Project. This project is incredibly significanct in informing the evolution of our school, and children’s mental health service delivery in general. We want to extend a special thanks to the Heatherington Foundationfor being the first investor in the Outcomes Project. They are responsible for much of the progress that is occuring and we are so grateful for their generosity.

Our Resiliency Response Fundraising Campaign is wrapping up in April and we need your help to reach our goal! Every donation matters! Please consider supporting Serendipity by clicking here.

 

Resiliency Conversation #8 with Interventionist Jason Lockhart

After the extreme winter weather and power outages this past week, we hope you are all staying warm and safe. Many of our staff and students were affected, closing Comprehensive Distance Learning for several days while we waited for crews to restore power. We are thankful to be back on-line this week and are thinking of those around the country that are still struggling to get running water and electricity.
In Resiliency Conversation #8 we get to hear from one of Serendipity’s Interventionists, Jason Lockhart. From food share deliveries to one-on-one connections with students, Jason shares with us how the Intervention Team is impacting students during Comprehensive Distance Learning.
2021, like its predecessor, is testing our resiliency as individuals and as a nation. We share these Resiliency Conversations with you to not only keep you informed about the logistics of running a school in CDL but more importantly… we need your generosity to help our students and staff continue to be resilient as we face unique and extraordinary challenges this school year. Please consider donating by clicking here.

Resiliency Conversation #7 with Upper School Teacher Kelly Robinson

In Resiliency Conversation #7 we get to talk with one of Serendipity’s Upper School Teachers, Kelly Robinson. Kelly shares with us what a typical day looks like for a student during Comprehensive Distance Learning as well as insight into how teachers are connecting with their students and each other despite being isolated by COVID.

We hope these Resiliency Conversations are giving you a better picture of how much care, intention, and energy Serendipity’s staff is pouring into our students, maintaining trust and connection in the midst of CDL.

Kelly stated, “we all have the same goal – to be there for our students as best we can.” Please join us in supporting Serendipity teachers by clicking here!

Thank you ARCIFORM and Great American Insurance Group!

We want to thank our most recent 20/21 corporate donor ARCIFORM for their continuing commitment to our mission.

We also want to thank the Great American Insurance Group and their employees for their generous donations during the past two months while Serendipity was their chosen Holiday Giving charity.