october 2023 update
managing anxiety and stress:
resources for parents and students
Free mental health series open to all district families starts Thursday
We are thrilled to launch through our Mental Health Initiative this week a series of presentations led by local parent educator Emily McMason.
The first three will focus on managing anxiety and stress, a topic that is top of mind for so many families and students right now.
All presentations are offered at no cost and open to any family in the Olympia School District -- even if the presentation is scheduled at a school where their student is not enrolled. Our goal is to reach as many families as possible. Presentations at elementary schools will include free onsite child care for kids who are able to use the toilet on their own.
The presentations are as follows:
7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 26, at Olympia High School (1302 North St. S.E.) in the library: Anxiety, Stress & School: How to help at home. The school year can be an exciting time filled with great moments. It can also come with sleep problems, procrastination, anger and lots of other symptoms of stress and anxiety. Come join us for a conversation about what's going on -- from the brain changes in middle school to the best approaches to take with students in high school. Tweens & teens are welcome to join us so the whole family can learn about the tools to use all year long. This presentation is meant for middle- and high-school families and students.
6 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 7, at Garfield Elementary School (325 Plymouth St. N.W.) in the library: A is for Anxiety: How to help our kids at home when school is stressful. Elementary school can be an exciting time filled with great moments. And learning ABCs and 123s can also come with sleep problems, procrastination, anger and lots of other symptoms of stress and anxiety. Please come join us for a conversation to talk about what's going on for our students and how we can help them succeed both at home and at school. This presentation is meant for K-5 families. Free onsite child care available for those who can use the toilet on their own.
7 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 13, at Washington Middle School (3100 Cain Road S.E.). Same content as the Oct. 26 presentation described above. This is meant for middle- and high-school families and students.
Additional presentations -- in different school buildings -- will be scheduled for late winter, and early and late spring of 2024. If you'd like to suggest a topic that would be helpful to your family, please complete and submit the feedback form at the bottom of this page on our website.
breakfast recap
Thanks for celebrating with us!
This year's breakfast, held Friday, Oct. 13, was not just a celebration of our work to empower every student, but also of some of the people and organizations in our community that go above and beyond to support that work.
This year we honored:
Friend of the Foundation: Andrea Griffith of Browsers Bookshop is our inaugural recipient of this award, which she earned for supporting more than $20,000 in grants for books in libraries and classrooms throughout the district -- and and for empowering thousands of students with that support.
Hecks' Hero: McKinney-Vento Designee Leslie Gowell was recognized for her tireless advocacy of students and families who do not have stable housing. This video highlights the story of just one of many families she has been able to assist. In this case, that support included securing housing for them with Principal's Emergency Fund resources.
Students' Champion Award: The middle- and high-school social worker team of Leigh Archbold, Jennifer Gould, Jessica Pickert, and Kim Senger received this award for the work they do every day -- on and off the clock -- to support students' mental health. The award includes a $2,000 Foundation grant for use this year.
One of the things that made this event so special last year and again this year is that it occurs on a day when school is not in session and staff are instead engaged in professional development. That makes it possible for staff to attend our event -- and for students to volunteer at it. We are grateful for the dozens of students who helped out at this early morning event -- especially when they could have been sleeping in.
Special thanks to:
Student CHS Theatre crew members who ran lights, sound and videos during the program portion of the event.
Drew Mikkelsen of KING 5 News for once again doing an incredible job as emcee.
Finally, we couldn't be more grateful to Left Bank Pastry for turning out 350 pastries the night before the breakfast and to Ember Goods for providing coffee. Their generous donations mean we can nearly all funds raised at the event toward our programs!
Our goal of raising $125,000 to support all of our work to empower students is within reach. Can you help us get even closer?
wreath sales are now open!
Help students experience outdoor ed
Order your beautiful and locally crafted wreath by Nov. 5 to help ensure every fifth-grade student and high-school counselor can participate in overnight outdoor education this spring.
Choose from one of two pickup locations -- Olympia High School or Capital High School -- when you place your online order.
Then mark your calendar for Sunday, Nov. 19. All wreaths must be picked up by the purchaser or a designee on this date -- and only from the location selected at the time of purchase.
Don't want a wreath, but do want to support outdoor ed? Feel free to make a donation instead.
foundation grant update
A student uses a sensory tool, purchased through a Foundation grant, at Roosevelt Elementary School last year.
District staff: Next grant deadline approaching!
The Foundation is pleased to have awarded more than $71,000 in grants this month that will support a variety of projects -- in nearly every school in the district -- during the 23-24 school year. We look forward to sharing some of these projects once they are off the ground.
Our next grant deadline is quickly approaching: 5 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 21. Guidelines, key dates, summaries of grants awarded last year, and the application for all 23-24 Grant Requests can be found here.
Funding is available for:
Teaching & Learning Grants,* which support educators seeking to enhance student learning, close opportunity gaps, and meet needs that the district and individual school buildings cannot. Maximum amount granted per request: $2,000.
Browsers Books Grants, which support the establishment or expansion of classroom and school libraries. Maximum amount granted per request: $500. Funds are nearly exhausted already. Apply immediately! (All books must be purchased through downtown Oly's Browsers, which offers a generous discount to educators.)
Social Emotional Learning (SEL) & Mental Health Grants, which support counselors, social workers, behavior techs, and restorative justice centers, and must specifically address SEL and mental health. Maximum amount granted: $2,000 (except sensory tools, which are a maximum of $500 per school per year).
Diversity Equity & Belonging (DEB) Grants, which support DEB opportunities that the district, individual school buildings, or parent organizations cannot. Funds are nearly exhausted already. This is likely your last chance to apply until next year!
To be considered for any of the above:
Grant Requests must be submitted by 5 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 21. Applicants will be notified by no later than Friday, Dec. 15, of the status of their request.
If you were awarded funding in previous years, you must have submitted a complete Post-Grant Report before any new requests will be reviewed.
Subject to available funds, there will be one more application period this school year.
*Grants are limited only by the applicant's creativity and the needs of their students. However, the Foundation does NOT consider requests for the following: sports uniforms; leases (e.g., printers, copiers, etc.); school or science fair supplies to be distributed building-wide; professional development opportunities; technology and curriculum requests that have not received prior approval from appropriate district staff.
join our board!
We are seeking new trustees!
We are looking for community members to join our volunteer Board of Trustees. This is an exciting time to come aboard, with many efforts under way intended to further strengthen our organization, programs and fundraising.
Just as we are committed to our mission to empower every student, we are committed to including all voices from our community to better inform, improve and enrich the programs and services we offer.
In particular, we are looking for people who, in addition to possessing a genuine interest in our nonprofit, have one or more of the following:
professional background in finance, marketing and/or public relations, mental health or education (in particular working for the Olympia School District)
community relations or event planning experience (and a passion for it)
experience in and/or a commitment to diversity, equity and belonging efforts
lived experiences that will strengthen the work we do to empower every student
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the positions have been filled.
If you have questions, or need access to the application in an alternative format, contact Executive Director Katy Johansson at info@olyedfoundation.org.
save the date: give local
Community giving campaign feels good!
We are excited to be one of dozens of nonprofits in Thurston, Mason and Lewis counties participating next month in Give Local, the online community giving campaign.
Our campaign this year we will focus on food insecurity.
More than one-third of students in Olympia's schools meets the federal definition of poverty. For many of them, school is their only reliable source of nutritious meals, which comes in the form of free- or reduced-price breakfasts and lunches. When schools close for breaks, students lose access to this nourishing food.
We want to help ensure students aren't hungry at home during the 24 days school will not be in session in November and December.
Stay tuned to learn more!