What We Do
The Winnetka Public Schools Foundation (WPSF) is a volunteer-based, not-for-profit organization that works to enhance and support the educational mission of Winnetka District 36 beyond the means of conventional public funding. Working closely with the Superintendent and district leadership, the Foundation makes grants in support of curriculum, professional development, and innovation. Many successful programs initially supported by the Foundation have become integrated into the District’s curriculum. The Foundation is extremely proud of the impact its programs have on our children each day — both in the traditional academic sense and in the area of social and emotional learning.
In addition to providing programs that enrich the school curriculum, community support for the Foundation helps us continue to attract the cadre of teachers that seek to work in our district. The Foundation has earned the respect of other foundations both here in Illinois and nationally.
WPSF grants help teachers and students dream bigger and achieve more by providing:
Additional materials and programs to enhance the core curriculum in every subject area
Innovative learning strategies in the classroom and creative endeavors in each school
A summertime professional development institute, which is held in Winnetka and is available to all teachers
Foundation grants touch every child and have a significant impact across all five schools in Winnetka. Many small-scale pilot projects initially funded by Foundation grants are now essential parts of the exceptional curriculum provided by District 36. For more information on grants that have become part of our curriculum, click here.
The Foundation has been widely supported by generous donations from parents of students and the community at large. Since its inception in 1995, more than $4.2 million in funding has been provided to support the school district.
“We are thrilled to be kicking off this school year with energy and passion for the work ahead as we continue to engage in work that brings our Strategic Plan to life and further exemplifies the quality of education we seek to provide our students. The Foundation continues to be a vital partnership that supports this work, allowing us to consider resources that we may not otherwise have immediate access to, while also continuing to promote the creative and innovative instructional design that our district has historically celebrated. We are immensely grateful to the Foundation for its commitment to our schools, students and staff, and excited about the possibilities in the year ahead”