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Education Foundation reports $250,000 lead gift, rising demand for student supports
Summary
The Education Foundation told the board it received a $250,000 lead gift and has refocused around five core programs (food assistance, counseling, dental screenings, scholarships and a market for supplies). The foundation reported increased demand and program growth in the past year.
Ginny Stradley, executive director of the district’s Education Foundation, briefed trustees on a strategic refocus of the foundation and recent fundraising progress. Stradley said the foundation received a $250,000 lead gift toward its 2025 year‑end campaign and has concentrated its work on five core programs: meal forgiveness for students who do not qualify for free and reduced lunch, the Jean Cole Smith counseling program (eight to ten counseling sessions per student), the Love Your Teeth dental screenings, the long‑running Teton County scholarship program and a market that provides clothing, school supplies and hygiene items.
Stradley reported that the Love Your Teeth program has screened 279 students so far this year and identified 40 students with major dental findings requiring follow‑up; the Kiwanis Club provided $10,000 toward follow‑up care. Participation in the district scholarship program has grown from about 85 awards in 2020 to 166 in 2025.
Trustees and foundation leadership discussed administrative capacity, fundraising priorities and the role the foundation plays as the district’s philanthropic partner under an MOU. Trustees encouraged continued coordination on shared priorities and asked the foundation to consider how fundraising could support employee housing and larger capital needs in the future.
Stradley invited trustees to upcoming fundraisers and emphasized that foundation funds are intended to complement, not replace, district resources for essential student needs.
