Frequently Asked Questions
AT THE EVENT
TICKETS?
Ticket pricing is as follows:
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Early Bird (through February 28): $150
- Regular Tickets (available until sold out or March 27): $175
- Faculty/Staff: One complimentary ticket
Ticket price includes entrance to the event, 3 drink tickets, wine service with dinner, all non-alcoholic beverages and your meal. Complimentary tickets for financial aid families are available. Please see email from Regan with discount code to enter when purchasing tickets. Please email Regan at reganw@thelittleschool.org with any questions.
CHILDCARE?
Make it a fun night out for the whole family. Drop the kids off at TLS (a 19-minute drive to the venue) where TLS faculty will oversee a night of pizza, snacks, activities and a movie. Childcare is available for enrolled TLS students and their siblings ages 3-11. The cost is $50 for one child or $75 for multiple children. Financial aid is available.
For families using childcare, consider leaving a car or two and carpooling from school.
You can add childcare to your ticket purchase or register separately on the "Childcare" tab of this website.
PARKING?
Parking is complimentary at Liljebeck Farms. We encourage families, especially those dropping children off at childcare, to arrange carpools. Uber and Lyft are easy to get to/from the venue.
WHERE IS THE VENUE? HOW FAR FROM CAMPUS?
We are returning to last year's venue, Liljebeck Farms, a beautiful 11-acre family farm snuggled in the Paradise Lake area, a 19-minute drive from TLS. With complimentary parking and its convenience to the highway, don't let the distance worry you. Take a look at the venue here!
WHAT SHOULD I WEAR?
As this year's theme suggests, we encourage you to dress in your favorite "vintage mystery elegance" attire. Ultimately, have fun and wear what makes you feel celebratory and authentically you!
HOW DOES SEATING FOR DINNER WORK?
We will do our best to accommodate all seating requests submitted when tickets are purchased. You may indicate families you'd like to sit with in the "I/We would like to sit with" comment box on the ticket purchase page. If you do not indicate another family you would like to sit with, we try to place families by grade/age of their children.
CAN I LIVESTREAM THE EVENT?
This year's event will be fully in-person and not available to livestream. We hope you can join us on Saturday, April 5, 2025 at Liljebeck Farms. The silent auction catalog will be available online and will close the following day, Sunday, April 6 at 5 p.m. Exclusive live auction items, class projects and favorites like the dessert dash are available only in-person.
I AM UNABLE TO ATTEND, HOW CAN I PARTICIPATE?
This year, the event is in-person only. If you can’t attend, you will not be able to bid on live auction items or Class Projects. But worry not, there are still ways to participate:
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Online Catalog: There will be lots of amazing packages available in the online catalog from March 28-April 6, 2025. Get ready to bid on favorites like teacher experiences and TLS Exclusives, plus incredible get-a-aways, sporting events, family-friendly memberships and more! The catalog will be available beginning on March 28.
- Raise the Paddle for Financial Aid: If you can’t make it for the event, you can still contribute to the raise the paddle for financial aid by donating online. The dollars raised at this event ensure that TLS can continue our commitment to a $1 million financial aid budget each year. Check for employer matching. Every dollar counts toward our fundraising goal!
SILENT AUCTION & CATALOG
Where do I bring the items I want to donate?
When dropping off items, please bring them to the Development Office in the Rivers Building (first office past Michele's front desk). Please make sure to hand them off to a staff person - either Michele, Jenny or Libby. If you need a hand with anything, please let us know! We have carts, etc. and are happy to help with transport from your car.
What are TLS Exclusives?
TLS Exclusives are packages only available to current TLS families. They include teacher experiences, hosted events by TLS families and class projects. Some TLS Exclusives have a limited number of tickets, sold at a set price. These often sell out *very* quickly. Events range from private dinner parties hosted by TLS families, to faculty-lead excursions, to ice skating parties and movie nights.
What is Send Your Teacher Packing (SYTP)?
SYTP is a fun TLS tradition! Every year, there is a special donated package saved for faculty. For $25 you can enter your favorite TLS faculty and staff to win a fabulous getaway. There is no limit to how many nominations you can purchase - the more nominations, the better the chances that your teacher will be the one sent packing! The lucky winner will be drawn at the live event on Saturday, April 5, 2025. SYTP proceeds benefit TLS financial aid.
How do I collect my winning items?
Class art projects will be displayed and winners selected at the event. While some tangible silent auction items will be displayed at the auction, the bidding will conclude on Sunday, April 6. An email will be sent to winning bidders to arrange pick up of all other tangible items at The Little School after Tuesday, April 8. Whenever possible, gift certificates will be transferred electronically.
ONLINE BIDDING INFO
What can I expect of the Silent Online Auction?
This year’s silent auction will use Greater Giving Online Bidding – allowing for a paperless bidding system. You will bid using your smartphone or tablet on silent auction items. The Silent Online Auction will close the day after the event, on Sunday, April 6 at 5 p.m. You can easily track Packages by “following” their activity without having to continuously return to a table or bid sheet. Please note: this year, we will continue using a physical paddle for the live auction and Raise the Paddle sections of the evening.
How to Bid with Online Bidding:
Once you have been invited to join Online Bidding, you have a number of options available to you.
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Select the Package you wish to Bid on.
- Select either the Bid option to bid the next increment, or select Bid More to choose your increment.
- Or, if available, select Buy Now to purchase the Package for the price listed.
- Click the star icon to save the Package to your Favorites.
- To make a donation, click the Donate button on the home page and enter your amount.
- Use the menu in the top left to view Packages you have bid on, favorited or to browse by Category.
- When the auction closes, the high bidder can find Packages they have won in the Bids area of the menu.
How can I participate in Online Bidding?
Please include your mobile phone number while registering for the event to receive text updates about bidding. Mobile bidding will open on March 28 and more information will be shared about how to participate as the event nears.
What are the benefits of Online Bidding?
Once bidding starts, you will be alerted on your mobile device when you have been outbid, so you can instantly respond with another bid.
Bidding can occur at any location within the auction itself, whether you are in line for the bar or mingling with friends. You do not have to be at the display tables to make a bid.
The check out process will run efficiently because your credit card information will have been entered into our system in advance of winning bids.
Online Bidding Highlights
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Online Bidding allows for a completely paperless bidding system.
- You are able to use technology you already know, your own smartphone or tablet (iPad, Samsung Galaxy, etc).
- It is fun and easy.
- You are notified via text when you are outbid and can rebid immediately from your phone.
- Online bidding eliminates overcrowding and hovering around auction packages and bid sheets.
- It is more accessible - even if you can't attend the event in person, you can bid on items.
Will this work for all mobile devices?
Yes, you can bid with any mobile device. There is no app needed, just a website link that will be shared as the event nears. With smartphones and tablets, you can browse, search and bid via a web browser.
When registering your mobile device, you will be provided a custom URL for bidding purposes.
With standard mobile phones, you can bid and receive alerts via text messaging.
Additional questions?
THE FINE PRINT
Refunds: All sales are final. Ticket and purchases are non-refundable. Please note specifications and restrictions such as expirations dates or quantity limits carefully before bidding.
Terms: Payment by the successful bidder must be paid in full and will be charged by credit card within three days of event.
* Pickup of items is the responsibility of the purchaser and will be arranged with the school after the event.
* All sales are final and no exchanges or refunds on items are allowed.
Please note: Although TLS has attempted to describe all items correctly, all items are sold as-is. The Little School neither warrants nor represents and in no event shall be responsible for the correctness of descriptions, genuineness, authorship, provenance or condition of the items. No statement contained in the online bidding site or elsewhere shall be deemed a warranty, representation or assumption of liability.
