Fifth graders pack your overnight bags, Camp Cispus is on!

Wreath sales to support fifth grade overnight outdoor education this fall broke previous records. OSDEF coordinated the sale of 2,004 wreaths this fall, nearly 500 more than last year. Thank you to all the sellers and buyers whose holiday door décor will be a testimony of support for this beloved Olympia School District tradition. Funding for Cispus comes from three sources: OSDEF, the Olympia School District, and parent tuition. All students benefit from the wreath sale proceeds because every student has a portion of their costs underwritten. Thank you!

Principal's Emergency Checkbook Fund Breakfast Raises $24,000

Guests at the September 22, 2011, breakfast benefiting the PECF heard principals Aaron Davis and Bob Hodges share stories about the challenges many students face—and triumph over—when their lives are affected by poverty. The PECF gives principals of all 17 OSD schools a resource to meet basic needs that, if not addressed, become barriers to learning. From a first "real" haircut, to food for bare cupboards, to medical and dental care, to the simple need for a bicycle lock to protect a boy's prized possession, items financed through this fund are making a big difference in helping kids through difficult times. We are thrilled with what our generous community was able to give. Special thanks to our event sponsor of four years, Thurston First Bank, to new donor Verizon for their contribution of $1,500, and to Wells Fargo Bank for its $2,000 employee/employer-match donation.

Haughton Family Trust Supports Science and Math Initiative

The Haughton Family Trust recently donated $10,000 to support the Foundation's new Science and Math Initiative. The trust is co-managed by long-time OSDEF Board Member Kevin Haughton.  Dr. Haughton, who recently retired after seven years on the board, is a true champion of education.

The initiative responds to an increasing need for enhanced science and math skills to better prepare students for 21st Century careers. The Foundation collaborated with teachers and administrators to identify priority math and science projects that otherwise might not be funded. Initial awards fund middle- and high-school tutoring; science equipment maintenance and replacement; sixth grade robotics course; middle school science fair support; and related field trips. 

Other businesses and individuals interested in investing in the science and math initiative should contact the Foundation at 753-8853. We'd love to add you to our list of education champions.

Weyerhaeuser Company Foundation Donates to Outdoor Education Program
Thanks also to the Weyerhaeuser Company Foundation for a grant of $7,000 to help support the long-standing fifth-grade overnight environmental and science activity.  Wreath sales and the Weyerhaeuser grant provide partial funding for the program.  Families will still pay tuition, with some scholarships available.

Teacher Grants Fund Variety of Activities, Materials
The Foundation awarded more than $26,000 in grants to teachers for a variety of programs and activities in the 2009-10 school year. Grants were given for reading intervention materials, field trip transportation and entry fees, after-school assistance programs, specialized play equipment for autistic children, current maps, music education supplies and much more. Teachers can apply online.