We know our students are the future. So, we are preparing them to shape it with courage, creativity, and purpose. Each year, the Firebird Fund brings our community together to ensure that when opportunities arise, our answer can always be “Yes!” Yes to bold ideas, to extraordinary experiences, and to a future our girls are ready for!

The Firebird Fund bridges the gap between tuition and the full cost of a Girls’ School of Austin (GSA) education, funding the “extras” that make our school exceptional—field trips, guest speakers, teacher growth opportunities, service-learning projects, and so much more. It ensures that beyond our students receiving a top-tier education, they are empowered to imagine bold possibilities and take meaningful action.

This year’s theme, See the Future. Be the Future., highlights how the Firebird Fund powers GSA’s most meaningful initiatives:

• Futures Thinking – Empowering students to explore “what if?” scenarios, practice creative problem-solving, and think like innovators.
• Empowering Our Teachers – Supporting competitive salaries and investing in professional growth opportunities so our educators can continue to inspire and thrive.
• School Growth – Preparing to expand our Middle School with thoughtful programs and spaces that meet the needs of our growing community.

The Firebird Fund is all about saying “yes” to experiences that enrich every girl’s journey at GSA. Thanks to donor support, our girls enjoy opportunities like:

• Guest speakers, authors, and artists like Cap Brooks (ceramics), Deborah Barak (photojournalist), and annual author visits that spark new ideas and creativity.
• Electives and enrichment opportunities like Model UN, poetry, Folklore, and Firebird Flyer—plus coaching partnerships with UT students and programs like HTL Think Forward.
• Classroom innovations, including new Chromebooks for 3rd–8th grades, LEGO Robotics kits, motion sensors for Middle School science, and a second hydroponic garden for hands-on learning and service.
• Unique service-learning projects like growing vegetables for local ATX Free Fridges, connecting science with community impact.
• Teacher development programs that fuel creativity and collaboration—like Facing History and Ourselves, Leadership+Design, and summer curriculum grants that brought ideas like math video libraries and interdisciplinary Spanish resources to life.

These are the moments that spark imagination, fuel passion, and remind our girls that learning doesn’t stop at the classroom door.

More than just the dollars, the Firebird Fund is a lesson on participation and solidarity. Each year, GSA families rally together with a goal of 100% parent participation. This tradition demonstrates to our girls the importance of giving back and reflects the strength of our independent girls’ school in Austin.

Volunteering parents and students join together to educate and inspire other parents in the girls’ class about the importance of giving to the Firebird Fund.

More than that, classes that reach 100% participation by November 21st receive a $50 Philanthropy Award to donate to the charity of their choice. Our girls see firsthand how generosity can ripple outward, and that is, by far, the most impactful result.

Because of you, GSA can say “Yes!” today, tomorrow, and for years to come. Every gift, no matter the size, makes a difference in the lives of our girls. Together, we can ensure that they don’t just adapt to change—they lead it.

Whether you’re a current parent, alum, or supporter of private schools in Austin, your participation strengthens the GSA community.