Why the Butler Family Supports PC

As an OPC, I know how meaningful it is to be able to give your children the gift of a Penn Charter education. The transition was challenging when my son Mark started at PC in sixth grade. The academics were more rigorous than at his previous school, and he struggled to keep up with the pace, staying up late and finishing his homework most nights. But I saw in his experience the same thing I had been fortunate to receive a few decades prior: the encouragement and unconditional support of the faculty. 

I, too, had entered Penn Charter with apprehension after discovering how different this place was from the Catholic school I had attended in Germantown. The nervousness faded quickly, though, as teachers like Beth Glascott, Liz Flemming, Charles Cooper, John Burkhart, Jack Rogers and Steve Bonnie ushered me through Upper School, offering guidance and consistency that helped me find my footing. They helped make Penn Charter my home away from home. 

I saw some of those same teachers and many others provide wrap-around support for Mark. Charlie Brown equipped him with the time management and study skills to flourish, and Dave Bass and the entire PC basketball coaching staff guided him to success on the basketball court. Mark is now thriving at Lafayette and playing basketball for Mike McGarvey OPC ’02 because of the foundation PC provided him. My wife and I have always believed in supporting PC, but as parents, we gained a deeper understanding of how our gifts tangibly impact the students and the faculty who have meant so much to all of us. We give back as a family because we care for this community. 

All of us need to care for each other by supporting PC. Through the years, we have given toward faculty professional development, extracurriculars and supplies for students, and the general needs of the school. We know our gifts help create more opportunities for teachers and allow kids to tap into their potential and access the best education possible. We hope to inspire others to give back for the reasons that matter most to their families. It is a meaningful way to express to Penn Charter that we are forever thankful. 

- Mark L. Butler OPC ’87 

Join the Butler family with your gift to the Annual Fund. The generosity of our community allows us to provide professional development opportunities for teachers, maintain world-class facilities, and support students' passions through clubs, arts, athletics and beyond.

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