thankful thursday: part i
part one of three: student & community well-being
We hope the first full week of 2025 is off to a great start for you.
For many, a new year marks an opportunity to set new resolutions.
We are fond of renaming the month of January "Thank-uary" and spending part of it celebrating the support from kind and compassionate community members like you.
During the next three weeks, we will share a few examples of how your support is cultivating student potential in Olympia's public schools every single day. And impacting our entire community.
Today's "Thankful Thursday" will focus on our Student & Community Well-Being efforts (formerly our Mental Health Initiative). The following two Thursdays will feature our Principal's Emergency Fund and Teaching & Learning Grants.
Here's to cultivating even more student potential in 2025!
student well-being grants
Washington Middle School students enjoy yoga during teacher Lauren Troyer's wellness class last year. The experience was made possible by a Student Well-Being Grant awarded by the Foundation.
Grants providing students with relief
Since September, your support has provided nearly $25,000 in grants that are already benefiting -- or will soon benefit -- the well-being of 13,000-plus students in Olympia's elementary, middle and high schools.
Student Well-Being Grants are funding a variety of much-needed outlets during the school day this year, including: a running club at Centennial Elementary; social-emotional supports that are allowing special education students to participate in general education classrooms at Roosevelt Elementary; an alternative lunch space for students at Washington Middle School who find a loud and crowded cafeteria overwhelming; a Peace Club at L.P. Brown elementary for fourth- and fifth-graders to learn how to communicate respectfully with each other; and a wellness center at Madison Elementary that is providing students with a calming environment equipped with regulation tools, comfortable seating, and resources to support emotional wellness.
Current OSD social worker and former Madison counselor Denise Hammer shared that the wellness center, which you can learn more about in this video, is a comfort to many students there.
"One student, new to the school, experienced significant challenges transitioning throughout the day, with recess being particularly difficult due to sensory overload," Hammer said. "By engaging with the wellness room, this student found a supportive environment to build relationships and develop essential skills. They began visiting the space regularly, where they could water plants, discuss stressors from home life, and practice treating materials with care. These activities helped the student develop a sense of belonging and competency while contributing to the upkeep of the wellness center."
The Foundation asks every grant recipient to report back to the Foundation on their projects. We look forward to sharing more stories and photos with throughout the year as they are submitted to us.
In the meantime, if you'd like to learn about another project that your support has made possible the past couple of years, take a few minutes to watch this video about HOPE Bike Shop, and how it is helping students at Reeves Middle School.
speaker series
Community once again embraces speaker series
While your support will always benefit students, you are also helping parents and other caregivers -- so they have more tools in their toolbox to help their kids. The result, we hope, will eventually be an entire community that is better equipped to support the social-emotional needs of students.
Thanks to support from you and the Community Foundation of South Puget Sound, this school year the Foundation is presenting another free Student & Community Well-Being speaker series.
In November, longtime family therapist and parent coach Alexis Roberson presented a virtual workshop on becoming a neurodiversity-affirming caregiver, during which she shared simple changes caregivers can make to increase connection, decrease stress and move more easily through today's challenging times.
In December, local parent coach Emily McMason presented on the ever-popular topic of "screens," and shared how parents and caregivers can help kids navigate and live in a digital world safely.
We know that it can be challenging to attend both in-person and virtual events. If you missed either one of these, you can find the videos, handouts and other resources on our website!
Read the story below to learn about the presentations we are offering this winter and spring.
winter events
Upcoming events announced
Your support is making additional Student & Community Well-Being presentations possible this winter and spring from a wide variety of experts, including:
Jan. 27 and Feb. 10 -- Gender Diversity: This two-part virtual event will feature renowned author and educator Aidan Key, who will touch on the personal, social, legal, political and educational implications that come with creating more gender-inclusive schools.
6 to 7:30 p.m.
2-part virtual workshop
Register and receive the link here.
March 19 -- Mental Health Is Generational Wealth: Join Dr. Bre Haizlip for this dynamic workshop that will provide participants with the tools they need to invest in emotional well-being for lifelong success, including the 12 Mental Wealth Investments every child needs to build resilience, emotional intelligence, and lasting well-being.
6 to 8 p.m.
In-person (location TBD)
Registration opens soon!
April 29 -- Support Your Student: This community-building event for Spanish-speaking families and featuring therapist Jessica Martinez will focus on how families and caregivers can support their students. (All students and families welcome. Presentation will be given entirely in Spanish.)
6 to 7:30 p.m.
Roosevelt Elementary
Free on-site child care and food will be provided.
We are planning to host two additional presentations this school year and our website will include details about them as soon as they are available.
In the meantime, if you'd like to share feedback about a topic that would be helpful for your family, please use the feedback form.
community spotlight
Thanks to the Community Foundation of South Puget Sound for helping make possible this year's Student & Community Well-Being speaker series -- and for all the support the provide nonprofits in Thurston, Lewis and Mason counties!