Bellevue Schools Foundation readies Spring for Schools fundraiser to support mental health, robotics and early learning

The Bellevue Schools Foundation is preparing its Spring for Schools fundraising event, organizers said on a Bellevue School District podcast, pitching the annual fundraiser as a way to shore up programs affected by recent district funding pressures.

"This episode of our podcast is part 2 of our discussion with our friends at the Bellevue Schools Foundation," said Barry of the district communications team, introducing volunteers and Foundation leaders who discussed the event and the Foundation's program grants.

Why it matters: Volunteers and Foundation leaders described how donor dollars directly support classroom pilots, enrichment and staff positions that the district cannot always cover. On the podcast, guests highlighted ongoing Foundation funding for mental-health counselors, teacher national-board certification support, robotics teams and small classroom grants that fund field trips and equipment.

Program example: "It's been really awesome to see peer to peer connections and joy that Thread has brought to our students and our entire school community," said Jen Streli, program coordinator for the Evergreen Transition Program (ETP), describing a Foundation grant that enabled an ETP partnership with the platform Thread to give young adult students with disabilities hands-on, post‑secondary learning opportunities.

Fundraising format and goals: Michael, who the podcast identified as the events lead and who described himself as "the chief fundraiser," said Spring for Schools will include both silent and live auctions, student musical performances and a paddle raise for directed gifts. "You don't have to bid on a trip," he said; "we also have what is commonly referred to as a paddle raise, and those will be things that are money that's directly for programs." He said the Foundation is working on a longer-term plan to expand access to early learning for families on the preschool tuition wait list (he reported roughly 60 children waiting).

What donors can expect: The auction will include experiences (trips to Costa Rica and Iceland), a Mariners suite with a catering package, unique school visits (including a glass-blowing session at Sammamish High School), student performances from Interlake and the district international choir, and robotics team showcases.

Context: A host on the podcast noted community concerns about district budget constraints, saying, "we have a lot of people who are impacted by the $20,000,000 budget cuts here in Bellevue," and framed Spring for Schools as a concrete way for residents and local employers to contribute to programs across all schools.

Voices from volunteers: Tanya, a parent volunteer who described moving from Australia in late 2019, urged involvement through small steps such as attending principal coffees and iConnect sessions. "I have to be brave. I'm gonna go to every meeting, walk in, meet people, become part of this community," she said, explaining how those actions led to deeper engagement with the Foundation.

How to participate: Organizers directed listeners to bellevueschoolsfoundation.org (or bsfdn.org) to register and view sponsor and event details.

Next steps: The podcast closed with invitations to attend Spring for Schools and to consider direct donations or corporate tables to help maintain programs across the district.