Chuck and Claire were longtime residents of Pebble Beach and local philanthropists, supporting Chartwell as it grew into a preeminent school for students with learning differences. As a former member of the Board of Trustees and lifelong dyslexic, Chuck was a passionate advocate of Chartwell. Chuck was a successful entrepreneur, while Claire was a former elementary school teacher who was actively involved with charitable causes, including the SPCA of Monterey County.

The remarkable gift was provided with clear direction to the Board of Trustees that the funds be applied to key programs that are independent of the school’s daily operations, which are supported by the school’s Annual Fund. These priorities include:

1. Strategic visioning and planning of the 60-acre Chartwell School property to complete the original campus plan with a new high school and other facilities. This preliminary planning process is being launched in response to the growing demand of high school-aged students with dyslexia and other associated learning differences.
2. Expansion of the Chartwell TTI to provide teachers across California with the tools and expertise to effectively educate all struggling students in their classrooms. As part of this commitment, Chartwell will expand its ongoing public school partnerships that involve both intensive teacher training and ongoing in-school support from Chartwell teachers across both general education and special education teachers.
3. Creation of the Charles E. and Claire R. Jacobson Memorial Endowment Fund which will support the need-based financial aid budget, which is currently utilized by 38% of school families. Additional financial aid will allow Chartwell to equitably distribute more grants and scholarships to students based on a family’s financial need. The Charles E. and Claire R. Jacobson Memorial Endowment Fund will also be used for expanded professional development opportunities for Chartwell faculty and staff.

As part of the Chartwell mission, we seek to reach students with learning differences beyond our campus boundaries. An essential component of this mission is our Teacher Training Institute (TTI), which provides California’s public, private, and charter school teachers with science-based tools and strategies to systematically navigate and educate students with specific learning disabilities within their schools, including dyslexia and ADHD. The gift will allow us to expand the TTI by bringing more teachers throughout California into the program.

Chuck and Claire’s gift provides the seed money to conduct a visioning process for a new high school facility on our existing campus. The introduction of an enhanced high school experience has been a long-held priority for Chartwell and these funds will help facilitate the initial planning of this effort. 

The demand for project-based learning has steadily increased for high-school aged students with a diagnosis of dyslexia and associated learning differences. Chartwell’s existing high school program was launched in 2009 and is embedded within our existing facilities alongside our Grades 1-8. To create a more dynamic high school experience for students, the new high school is the next step in achieving our mission.

The campus expansion will benefit all members of our Chartwell community with the potential inclusion of shared facilities such as additional fields, athletics and arts buildings.

The gift was expressly identified by Chuck and Claire for certain priorities as outlined above. Gifts to the school's Annual Fund remain essential to support the day-to-day operations, program and people of Chartwell.

Yes. Currently, nearly 40% of our school families utilize financial aid. This bequest will increase our ability to allocate more resources toward students based on their family’s financial need.