Saint Louis Park Public Schools Foundation

The mission of the Saint Louis Park Public Schools Foundation is to enhance learning for the students of St. Louis Park. We accomplish this by funding teacher-initiated grants in these target areas:

• arts
• math
• science
• transitional programs

The grants made possible by donations to the Foundation have been used to provide great programs and have helped maintain and build on a proud tradition of academic excellence. Our staff-initiated grants enrich the learning opportunities for the St. Louis Park public schools’ student body.

Our goal is to fund at least $30,000 in annual grants, typically averaging $1000 - $2500 in size.

With support from donors like you, we've distributed over $200,000 in grants since the inception of the foundation.

Making a Mark in Elementary Schools: Grant Funds Elementary Performing Arts

Supporting local arts initiatives, the St. Louis Park Public Schools Foundation presented Aquila Elementary with a Drama Exploration Grant this spring. The $3,000 grant has helped fund an after- school theater program for students in kindergarten through fifth grade attending the school.

Elementary teacher Rachel Haen, the pioneer of the program, sought the creation of the program as a way to explore education through different mediums and expand artistic outlets within the community.

“I realized that in St. Louis Park there are not many opportunities to participate in theater until junior or senior high,” Haen said. “Since children are natural performers I think it’s important to expose kids to creative programs early on.”

With support from the Drama Exploration Grant, the program will launch in November and will be available to students free of charge. The funding will also provide an after- school snack and bussing to optimize accessibility of all students.

In addition to providing students with a first glimpse into the world of theater arts, the group will introduce new literary aspects and build upon attitudes promoted by the school’s International Baccalaureate Programme, such as kindness, caring, and respect. To exercise these elements, the program is looking beyond the confines of the school.

“I’m hoping to involve the local community as well,” Haen said. “Also, it would be nice if our program could serve as a model for other schools in the district.”

One example of this is involving the school’s neighboring nursing homes for performances. By doing so, the program will develop a basis of activism for students while exposing them to the realms of artistic expression.

By funding programs such as Drama Exploration, the SLPPSF is able to support the community and fulfill its goals of nurturing programs within the arts.