Waukesha Education Foundation Inc.

Problem-solving. Empathy. Relationship skills. Emotional management. Social emotional learning (SEL) skills equip students of all ages with strategies and tools to help them regulate their emotions and responses. Numerous research studies have shown that SEL can have a positive impact on students’ academic performance. Additionally, it can help reduce misconduct in students. Many students across the United States are finding themselves feeling anxious, depressed, sad or stressed. As a result, an increased focus on SEL tools and concepts, particularly at the elementary level, can help SDW students feel more at ease, learn coping skills they’ll use into the future, and reduce conflicts in the classroom. In 2021, Prairie, Bethesda, Rose Glen and Summit View elementary schools received grants from the Waukesha Education Foundation to help enhance and increase SEL programs at their schools to positively impact and support students. “The use of social emotional books is helpful for teachers ...

It’s the eve of April Fools Day, but we’re not joking - the WEF grant window will be closing in 1 week and you could get free money to bring your ideas to life! Visit our website for everything you need to know about applying for a grant and for useful resources.  Have questions as you work on finishing up your request? Reach out to Janaka, our Grants & Allocations Chair, at WEFOutreach@waukeshaeducationfoundation.org . All applications must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on April 7 in order to be considered.

Happy St. Patrick's Day! If you're looking for gold, you could earn some by applying for a WEF grant. Did you hear the LUCKY news? In honor of our 20th anniversary and because of the amazing success we've had with our events and donations, this year, we're awarding !!! $50,000 !!! Once applications are submitted, they are reviewed and evaluated by a committee to determine which ones will receive funding from WEF. If your request is one that we will fulfill, you will receive funds to implement your project, program or initiative to benefit your students. Want to learn more about grants? Click here to access the application form, a sample budget template, helpful tips and more.  But don't forget....the deadline to submit your request is April 7 at 11:59 p.m.

Who doesn’t love a good escape room? Breakout EDU came to Hillcrest Elementary thanks to a 2020 WEF grant, providing students and staff with a unique and fun team building and problem solving activity.  In addition to fostering collaboration and communication, Breakout EDU also promotes discourse. Students who may be hesitant to share their ideas in a classroom are less reserved in this fun setting and less fearful of sharing a wrong answer. Grant winner Andrea Weber reported that it has been positively received by students. “We saw student engagement increase and they learned how to work as a team. They were so excited when they knew we had breakouts planned.” #WEFGrantsWork

For most SDW students, and their parents, a trip to the Horwitz-DeRemer Planetarium was absolutely part of their school experience.  For the first time since it opened in 2005, the lobby of the planetarium was remodeled, allowing an update to technology and the addition of more interchangeable displays. A 2020 WEF grant supported this remodel, and helped get the lobby ready for the more than 9,000 Waukesha students that visit each year. #WEFGrantsWork Check out some of the new displays!

Today marks the opening of the 2023 WEF grant window! You can submit your request from now until April 7. We’re glad to offer this opportunity to SDW teachers, staff and administrators and we hope to see an application from you this year. All of the information related to our grant process, including the link to the application form, can be found on our website . This page also contains helpful resources such as a budget template and a copy of the reviewer rubric that is used to evaluate the proposals. If you have applied for a grant in the past, you are eligible to apply again this year. There is no limit to the amount of grants a teacher or staff member can receive. If you aren’t sure what request to submit and need some inspiration, there a few ways to figure out a potential grant proposal: Conduct some online research - see if there are any trends or new technologies for your subject area that you would like to try with your students and implement in your classroom. Check out our p...

The Waukesha Education Foundation (WEF) 2023 Grant Application will open one week from today. To prepare to submit your request, visit our website to learn about our grant process and access helpful resources. Grant writing tips, a copy of the rubric our reviewers use and a sample budget template you can use to outline the monetary aspect of your request are all available. Also, we have documents listing all of the grants that we have funded since 2004. These might provide some inspiration or thought starters as you consider a request that you could submit for your school or classroom. When the application goes live next week, the link to it will be on our website on the grants page. SDW teachers, staff and administrators are eligible to apply for a WEF grant. If you have a project, program or educational tool in mind that would enhance student learning, we encourage you to submit a request. If you have any questions about the grant process, eligibility, etc., please contact Janaka Su...

Waukesha North’s Entrepreneurship class has historically focused on creating a business plan for a fictitious business to get students into the entrepreneurial mindset. But teacher Katie Cortez decided to get a bit more creative, and with the help of a Waukesha Education Foundation (WEF) grant, her students had a much more hands-on experience. The WEF grant provided seed money, or a “small business loan”, to students. They formed small groups as their “business” and researched products or services they could provide. Over the course of the semester, they managed their marketing, production, and all necessary elements of a business to ensure they made a profit and were able to repay the loan, with interest, by the end of the semester.  This project was a great success, and offered students a chance to learn by seeing their plan in action, and testing their theories and ideas with real-world experience. “This experience helped students collaborate to operate a small business, and pro...

  Just over a year ago, there was no Waukesha South High School Esports team. This spring, the newly formed team won their first Wisconsin High School Esports Association (WIHSEA) Division 1 state title. So what is Esports? And why is it suddenly so popular? Esports is a community that gathers and competes around video games. Many students who do not participate in traditional sports or activities for various reasons may find a welcoming community in the world of Esports. It is composed of different games, each with different requirements to play. Like other activities, it allows students to gather that have an interest in playing video games competitively. Because it can be team based, it can also build students’ communication skills with the teammates and opponents. As Esports has grown significantly in popularity, access to the technology needed to compete can sometimes be a hurdle for those wanting to participate. That’s when Andrew Yep, Waukesha South math teacher and Esport...

On Friday, May 20th, the Wolverine Wardrobe at Waukesha West High School had its grand opening celebration. As a recipient of a 2021 grant from the Waukesha Education Foundation, members of our board were excited to participate in the unveiling event. The ceremony was led by Jeff White, special education teacher at West. On-hand were many of the students from the Live & Learn class that helped build the new Wolverine Wardrobe. Morgan Baker, one of the founders of the Wolverine Wardrobe, did the official ribbon cutting. Students from the Wolverine Wardrobe Club led faculty, students, staff and parents on tours of the new space.    The Wolverine Wardrobe was an idea that originated from former students Sarah Powers and Morgan Baker as part of their Trek class. The mission of the space was to help other students in need by providing an easily accessible place where they could go for clothing and accessories. It was originally located in the back of student services but it qui...

The Waukesha Education Foundation Board of Directors and volunteers spent Thursday, May 26 surprising educators with grants to fund innovative projects for the 2022/23 school year.  Throughout the year, the Waukesha Education Foundation, Inc. (WEF) raises funds through community events to be awarded as annual grants. Each spring, teachers and staff throughout the School District of Waukesha may submit grant proposals to the foundation, requesting support for unique teaching opportunities or innovative programs that normally wouldn’t be funded by the school district.  The WEF was able to award 26 grants, totaling $40,000, impacting 13 schools, the Horwitz-DeRemer Planetarium and the School District of Waukesha Environmental Education program. Foundation board members set out to deliver grant notifications with novelty checks, prizes, and good news and were greeted by staff and students alike with smiles and appreciation.  “These grants allow for enhanced learning opportuni...

  Calling All Golfers! Join us for the 2022 WEF Golf Outing! Get your foursomes together and register today! (We can also accommodate twosomes! On your own? Give us a call and we'll do our best to accommodate you!) Know someone that loves to golf? Know of a business that might be interested in one of our few remaining sponsorships?  Look No Further!  Registration Site -- here is the link:  http://sdwone.us/wefgolf2022  Use this site to register to both register to golf OR sponsor. ( Here is the link to a printable list of sponsorships, just in case that's helpful!  This is a live document and reflects what is still available and what is sold out!)  Want to download this flyer? 

The Waukesha Education Foundation, Inc. (WEF) announces the nomination period for the annual WEF Recognition Awards is now open.   Each year, the Waukesha Education Foundation, Inc. accepts nominations for individuals or organizations that have made a difference within the School District of Waukesha and throughout the community. The WEF Recognition Awards include three separate categories: Corporate Partners in Education award, Community Partners in Education award, and the Sally Jo Michalko Lifetime Excellence in Education award.  These awards honor corporations, organizations, individuals, or educators that have made a significant contribution to education in the School District of Waukesha. WEF seeks nominees that are innovative examples of collaboration with the community that demonstrate our motto STRONG SCHOOLS=STRONG BUSINESSES=STRONG COMMUNITIES. “We look forward to honoring our 2022 award winners at our Evening for Education event, ” explained Lynnette Kalmadge,...

There’s still time to apply for a WEF grant! If you haven’t done so already, check out our website ( https://bit.ly/WEFGrantsInfo ). The page contains the link to the application and additional resources including helpful tips and a budget template. PRINCIPALS - You can ABSOLUTELY apply for a grant that would benefit your building. It has come to our attention that some of our administrators were not aware they were eligible. They most certainly are! Our only rules are that (1) The request meets our funding criteria and (2) The applicant is a School District of Waukesha employee. In the past, we've had administrators (including principals, District departments, etc) successfully apply, as well as support staff. Two years ago, we had a custodial staff member co-write a grant with a teacher for outdoor learning space. As long as the grant writers are employed by the SDW, they are eligible to apply. Hope everyone had a fun St Patrick's Day and has a great Spring Break!

Happy Valentine’s Day and happy 2022 Grant Window opening day! WEF loves supporting teachers and we’re glad to offer the opportunity for SDW educators to apply for a grant.  Click here to access the application and resources that can help you write your grant.  If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to us! Send an email to wefinfo@waukesha.k12.wi.us and we’ll be happy to help.  We look forward to seeing many grant applications this year!  Grant applications are DUE by April 8 #WEFGrantsWork

Each year, the Waukesha Education Foundation, Inc. honors community members who have made a significant contribution to education in the School District of Waukesha. These individuals/organizations are honored each year at our Evening for Education. As we start 2022, we would like to take a moment each week to honor and highlight the six award winners (three from 2020 and three from 2021) who were honored at our event this past fall. To learn more about the WEF Awards, visit the  Awards  tab on our website.  Congratulations to the 2021 WEF Sally Jo Michalko Lifetime Excellence in Education Award Winner - Diane Voit.   Mrs.  Voit accepted this award at the 2021 Evening for Education.  Since 1976 Diane Voit has dedicated her life to supporting high-quality educational opportunities in the SDW. For 38 years, she taught Business Education and Special Education at Waukesha North High School & eAchieve. For decades, she collaborated with local emplo...

The Waukesha Education Foundation 2022 Grant Application will open in 1 week. In the meantime, check out our website to learn about our grant process and read through materials that can help you prepare your grant request. On the page, you will find grant writing tips, a copy of the rubric our reviewers use and a sample budget template you can use to outline the monetary aspect of your request. Additionally, there are documents listing all of the grants we have funded since 2004, so if you’re looking for some inspiration or thought starters for your request, that might be a place to start. When the application goes live next week, the link to it will also be on our grants page.

Each year, the Waukesha Education Foundation, Inc. honors community members who have made a significant contribution to education in the School District of Waukesha. These individuals/organizations are honored each year at our Evening for Education. As we start 2022, we would like to take a moment each week to honor and highlight the six award winners (three from 2020 and three from 2021) who were honored at our event this past fall. To learn more about the WEF Awards, visit the  Awards  tab on our website.  Congratulations to the 2021 WEF Corporate Partner Award Winner -  Delzer Lithograph. Mr. Mike Delzer accepted this award on behalf of Delzer Lithograph at the 2021 Evening for Education.  Delzer Lithograph has been a part of Waukesha MADE (Manufacturing*Automotive*Design* Engineering) program from the start, serving as a sounding board for curriculum and equipment, advocating for career and technical education, and creating real world projects that students...

Each year, the Waukesha Education Foundation, Inc. honors community members who have made a significant contribution to education in the School District of Waukesha. These individuals/organizations are honored each year at our Evening for Education. As we start 2022, we would like to take a moment each week to honor and highlight the six award winners (three from 2020 and three from 2021) who were honored at our event this past fall. To learn more about the WEF Awards, visit the  Awards  tab on our website.  Congratulations to the 2021 WEF Community Partner Award Winner -  St. Luke’s Lutheran Church & Child Life Ministries. Pr. Lindsay Jordan & Courtnay Stangl were honored at the 2021 Evening for Education.  As St. Luke's Lutheran Church celebrates 100 years of serving the Waukesha area community, they are also proud to have served working families for 25 years with their Child Life Ministries (CLM) program. St. Luke's CLM provides in...

Each year, the Waukesha Education Foundation, Inc. honors community members who have made a significant contribution to education in the School District of Waukesha. These individuals/organizations are honored each year at our Evening for Education. As we start 2022, we would like to take a moment each week to honor and highlight the six award winners (three from 2020 and three from 2021) who were honored at our event this past fall. To learn more about the WEF Awards, visit the  Awards  tab on our website.  Congratulations to the 2020 WEF Sally Jo Michalko Lifetime Excellence in Education Award Winner -  Dr. Todd Gray. Dr Gray was honored at the 2021 Evening for Education.  Dr. Todd Gray served as Superintendent of the School District of Waukesha (SDW) for 12 years, retiring in 2020. When Dr. Gray assumed the role, SDW was facing challenging financial and funding issues. He utilized his background in finance to develop a solid foundation for the future financia...