Programs
LINKS - Looking Into the Needs of Kids and Schools
The Foundation funds LINKS, the Volunteer and Mentoring Program of the Lake Washington School District. Supporting the District's goal that every student should find a place where they belong and can be successful, LINKS volunteers work 1-on-1 with students who need extra support. LINKS volunteers support academic achievement, give confidence to students in developing relationships with others, and help students acquire the skills needed for lifelong success.
As a result of our increased funding of the LINKS mentoring program, the District was able to double the number of volunteers over last year, provide more volunteer training, and make more community connections to recruit. Over 60% of our students placed in 1-on-1 mentor relationships come from families classified as Very Low or Low Income as defined by HUD. Teacher evaluations highlight noticeable improvement in academics and in social and emotional development.
Visit the LINKS web site for more information.
Access Fund
The Foundation provides an Access Fund for secondary school students to help lower income students defray some of the academic related costs of attending school such as class fees and lab manuals. The fund also helps these students build toward a future that includes college by paying for SAT, ACT, or AP tests. Students who have access to financial assistance are in a better position to choose classes to meet their education objectives.
Classroom & School Enrichment Grants
The Foundation offers Classroom & School Enrichment Grants to support innovative educational projects initiated by building staff and volunteers that enhance the District curriculum and actively engage students in learning. Small grants of up to $1,500 for elementary and $3,000 for secondary schools provide teachers and staff an opportunity to address a broad range of local educational needs.
Core Academic Summer School
Kids that fall behind all too often stay behind. Some fail to graduate at all. Summer school gives these kids a critical opportunity to stay with their peers, learn essential materials and skills, and graduate on time, prepared for college, career, and life.
Lake Washington School District offers a summer school program for elementary students but parents have to pay tuition for their students to attend. In 2010 a grant of $31,784 from the Lake Washington Schools Foundation enabled 58 elementary students who are academically at risk and in financial need to attend Core Academic Summer School at no charge. This grant is the largest the Lake Washington Schools Foundation has given to a single program in Lake Washington School District.
In 2011, the Foundation was able to increase the number of kids attending summer school to 105 at a cost of $59,393.