Ski 4 Schools Lift Tickets has ended for the 2021-2022 Season!

Since 2003, over 8000 students have benefited from Ski4Schools!  Thank you to Mt. Bachelor for their support of this program that benefits middle & high school students served under the Free & Reduced Meals program to participate in after-school athletics!

Ski or ride for a cause and save big during a limited time promotional offer! With the advance online purchase of a special “Ski 4 Schools” All Ages ticket, you can ski or ride on all open lifts at Mt. Bachelor during the specified dates.  2021-2022 dates and link to purchase tickets will released soon! We are waiting on Mother Nature, so do your snow dance!  Watch here and our Education Foundation for Bend-La Pine Schools Facebook page for the latest information.

Online ticket purchases through Mt. Bachelor.  Deal is limited to (6) tickets per customer and each ticket must have a date of use and guest assigned to it at time of checkout. All tickets are non-transferable and non refundable.

100% of proceeds from the Ski 4 Schools program go to benefit the Education Foundation for Bend-La Pine Schools and Redmond School district on behalf of Mt. Bachelor’s Play Forever initiative.  Lean more about Mt. Bachelor’s Play Forever commitment here!

The 2023-24 Classroom Grant program has moved to a fall timeline in order to get the projects in the hands of teachers during the same academic year they request funds.  We have made this decision to better align with the needs of students and the schedules of the dedicated teachers who apply for our grants.  The application process is open with an October deadline.  We feel this will better impact the almost 17,000+ students of Bend-La Pine Schools.

We are excited to again partner with the innovative and dedicated educators who go out of their way to apply for these grants.  If you want to learn more about the classroom grants please go to Classroom Grants.

If you are a teacher or educator and you would like to apply for a grant please see our Classroom Grant Information Guide and Application.

If you have further questions please email us at [email protected].

For the first time ever, the Education Foundation is offering Back-to-School classroom funding for educators in the Bend-La Pine School District.

BEND, Ore. (August 20, 2019) – The Education Foundation for Bend-La Pine Schools announced today that the organization will be offering a new classroom funding opportunity to educators in the Bend-La Pine School District this fall. The first-ever Back-to-School Classroom Grants for Educators program provides an exclusive opportunity for public school K-12 educators to apply for limited funding of between $200-$1,000 for classroom projects. For over 30 years the Education Foundation has served the K-12 educational community by providing resources to prepare students for success and the future through exceptional educational and extracurricular opportunities.“We couldn’t be more excited for this new form of funding to our local educators,” stated Executive Director, Michelle Johnson. “Educators really feel the financial strain at the beginning of each school year, and the Education Foundation works hard to alleviate this in any way we can. The Back-to-School classroom grants program is a perfect way for our educators in Central Oregon to gain added support for their school-year programs and offer more to their students.” The mission of the Foundation is to prepare Bend, La Pine and Sunriver K-12 public school students for success and the future through exceptional and extra-curricular opportunities.

The Back-to-School grants program is a new form of funding that is separate from the Foundation’s spring Classroom Grants program. This past academic year, the Education Foundation funded over $70,000 for forty-one contributory and supportive classroom grants from educators, with priority given to Title 1 and high need schools. The Foundation has supported the funding of District-wide coding kits, drones, music & art enhancements, science lab improvments, school gardens and trauma informed care training among other projects. The generous support the Education Foundation has received from the local business community and hard work of the Board has made this funding possible and will support educators for the upcoming academic year. These needs can range from general support or current projects involving STEM art, music and wellness projects.

“Since 1988, the Education Foundation has invested over $1.6 million into our schools through our programs,” shared Education Foundation Board President, Wendy Graunitz, Manager of OnPoint Community Credit Union. “From innovative Classroom Grants to Activity Fee support for high need middle and high school students to participate in after school athletics, to scholarships for graduating Latinx and Perseverance Award students, our organization is committed to providing our local educators with support that goes directly to the needs of our students in their classrooms day-in and day-out. The Back-to-School grants program is just another example of how our Board is innovating for education!”

The application window is September 4th – October 18th. Details and application instructions can be found on the Education Foundation’s website, www.engagedminds.org, where a sample application PDF has been posted.

About the Education Foundation For Bend-La Pine Schools:

The Education Foundation receives no federal dollars and relies on the support of their Foundation partners, business supporters and individual donors to support K-12 education. The Education Foundation, founded in 1988, prepares District students for success and future through exceptional educational and extracurricular activities and affects the greater population of 18,400+ students and over 2000 educators and staff equitably within the Bend-La Pine school district. To donate, or find out more about the Education Foundation, visit www.engagedminds.org.

Contact:

Dave Beltramini, Executive Director
Education Foundation For Bend La-Pine Schools
(541) 355-5660 / [email protected]

BEND, OREGON June 27, 2019 – Nineteen graduating Latinx students from Bend and La Pine received scholarships through a collaboration with the Education Foundation for Bend-La Pine Schools, the Oregon Community and the C.O. Latino Partnership Program this past June. The scholarships were also made possible by a generous donation from the B.E. Knudson Foundation and D.A. Davidson & Co. In 2018, first year of the program, ten scholarships were awarded.

Cheryl Puddy, Program Officer for the Oregon Community Foundation’s Bend office says, “A big thank you to local OCF and Bend community donors who provided funding and to our partnership with the Education Foundation. Together we are helping create a lasting impression on the lives of Central Oregonian students.” Students receive scholarship funds that can be applied to higher education or trade school plans. Priority is given to students who have participated in the Avanza, Ganas or Junto programs through COCC during their high school year.

“I am the first in my family to ever receive an education. As a child of immigrants, I have experienced the hardships of language, education and financial barriers and I currently work two jobs. My parents always emphasize the importance of education. Community resources such as Avanza and Ganas have helped me to continue and I am grateful. I would like to return the favor by helping other families and children achieve success and a healthy life.” stated one Bend High Latinx Scholarship recipient. Most of the students are the first in their family to attend higher education, with many of them working while attending high school. “We are honored to present the scholarships to our graduating Latinx seniors, almost doubling the amount provided last year, and to support their educational or career dreams and aspirations. This is the only local Latinx scholarship opportunity available. Without the generosity of our donors, this would not be possible “said Michelle Johnson, Executive Director.

The Education Foundation has invested over $1.5 million in financial support to the Bend-La Pine and Sunriver K-12 educational community over the past 30 years for the benefit of over 18,300 students and 2000 educators. For more details about this scholarship program and the work of the Education Foundation, contact us at (541) 355-5660 or visit the website at www.engagedminds.org.

About the Education Foundation for Bend-La Pine Schools

The Education Foundation, founded in 1988, prepares District students for success and future through exceptional educational and extracurricular activities.

It all began in 1988 when our first board, comprised of local business and community leaders, recognized the need to support our public schools and worked to donate $4,420 to educational and activity programs to our public schools. Today, through continued hard work and because of the generosity of our supporters, the impact of the Education Foundation to improve the quality of education and enhance the learning and extra-curricular activities of our students in Bend, La Pine & Sunriver has grown substantially.

With gratitude we honor our founding board members. Without their vision and tireless work our support of the K-12 educational community in Bend, La Pine and Sunriver would not be possible these past 30 years.
Craig Moore, President
Kathy Hoffman, Vice President
Sen. Neil Bryant, Legal Counsel
Liz Main, Secretary
Linda Huston, Treasurer
Board of Directors: Keith Battleson, Don Bauhofer, Bob Bristol, Carol Carter, Fred Cartmill, Sherry Curl, Gary Fiebick, Cathy Grogan, Jim Jarvis, Art Johnson, Becky Johnson, Brenda Kinkaid, Ray Lakey, Patti Moss, Larry Patterson, Jim Prosser, Gordon Robberson, Vicki Russell, Clella Thomas, Jeff Timm, Jean Tonsfeldt, Maria Wattier and Candy Williamson.

We provide resources and support to educators, with priority given to District identified high-need schools, to engage and better prepare students for the demands of college and today’s job market. Although we continue to have unfunded or partially funded classroom grant requests, our efforts focus on fulfilling our mission and creating impact in our public schools – just as it was in 1988. Without our committed board members and wonderful supporters and donors, the work of the Foundation in enhancing educational and extra-curricular activities would not be possible. THANK YOU.

$89,000 for innovative STEM, Art, Music & Wellness Classroom Grants 2018-2019
$36,000 for Activity Fee Scholarships for at risk middle & high school students 2017-2018
$28,000 for Perseverance Awards for graduating students 2018-2019
$10,000 for Latino Scholarships for graduating students 2018-2019

The term “It takes a village” is a proverb that leverages the cultural context and belief that it takes an entire community to raise a child. A child has the best ability to become a healthy adult if the entire community takes an active role in contributing to the rearing of the child. The Education Foundation Board is a group of highly dedicated community citizens who exemplify this proverb by supporting our “village”. Without their commitment, dedication and willingness to serve, much of what we do would not be possible. Thank you!

Local education funding took a critical turn in 1990 with Oregon’s landmark Measure 5. Property taxes dedicated to local schools were capped and gradually lowered by this legislation. Funding was no longer controlled by local districts. Similar changes in tax structure have been implemented in many other states. In 1988, The School Foundation, Inc. was formed by concerned Bend community and educational leaders. In 2002, the name of the Foundation was changed to The Education Foundation for Bend-La Pine Schools.

To read more about the May 2017 School Bond measure that was passed with tremendous support from the Bend community, click here.

EVERYONE BENEFITS FROM A COMMUNITY THAT PUTS EDUCATION FIRST. To everyone in our village, we thank you. We believe engaged minds lead to bright futures. Without you, this would not be possible. Thank you!

Congratulations to all the 2017-2018 Teacher Grant Recipients! We awarded over $54,000 in innovative classroom grants to teachers in the Bend-La Pine School District! We are excited to see all these amazing grants in action in the next school year!