Olympia Education Foundation

The Olympia Education Foundation is dedicated to our mission of empowering every student through community support. We value: access, community, compassion, equity, inclusion, kindness, support and wellness.

To fulfill our mission to empower every student, we offer the following programs and services:

• Principal’s Emergency Fund

• Teaching & Learning Grants

• Mental Health Initiative

What is the Principal’s Emergency Fund (PEF)?

• Created in 2008 by Lt. Gov. Denny Heck, retired principal Paula Heck and others, it: 

  • Allows staff to immediately meet the urgent basic needs of students, including stable housing, as Anitra shared, as well as items so many take for granted, such as new shoes and laundry vouchers so they can wear clean clothing to school, as these staff shared.

  • Helps improve learning, school and life for students: Jennifer Weldon, CFO of Multicare Capital Medical Center, shares a personal story about growing up homeless, and how resources like the PEF can be a lifeline for students and benefit the entire community.

  • Danni Connor, OSD Deaf/Hard of Hearing Program teacher and district parent Jackie share a story about how the PEF helped student Addi.

A snapshot of Principal’s Emergency Fund spending, 2022-2023:

What are Teaching & Learning Grants?

• “Mini grants” – up to $2,000/each – for OSD staff who work directly with students

• They help fund things that enhance student learning, but for which there are limited district and building funds, including:

  • Library books

  • Extracurricular clubs

  • Art projects

  • Musical instruments

  • Guest speakers / assemblies

  • Field trips

  • Mental health / social emotional needs

  • P.E./fitness equipment

What is the Foundation’s Mental Health Initiative (MHI)?

• Founded in 2019 out of concern for students’ mental health and to support OSD’s student outcomes:

  • Be compassionate and kind

  • Advocate for social, physical and mental wellness of themselves and others and be hopeful about the future.

• So far the MHI has helped fund:

  • Suicide prevention training for all OSD staff

  • A trauma-informed online mental health training for all families, staff and students

  • OSD mental health resource library

  • Grants for counselors, social workers, behavior techs and others to support student mental health

How can the community support the Foundation?

• Follow us on social media (Facebook and Instagram)

• Attend or sponsor a fundraising event (PEF Golf Scramble in August; PEF Breakfast in September/October)

• OSD staff: Automatic Payroll Deduction

• Join the Board of Trustees 

• Volunteer at an event or to work on a committee

• TELL OTHERS ABOUT US!

• Reach out to info@olyedfoundation.org to learn more!