Our History

The Foundation for Edmonds School District began as the Public Education Foundation (PEF), founded in 1984 by then-Superintendent Hal Reasby. At the time, the District had just experienced a double bond failure. Hal recognized the District would face a significant financial gap that would impact our teachers and students and formed the PEF to fill that need. An office was set up in an old building on 196th Street in Lynnwood, and Maureen Pierre became the Foundation’s first Director. The PEF was the first school’s foundation in our area and many others have since followed our example.

In 1986, the Foundation launched Street Strut, a 5K run held in a location near Alderwood Mall. After more than 20 years on hold, the event was brought back in 2008 in memory of Bill Hamilton, an ESD teacher and founding board member. In 2012, it grew into the Celebrate Schools 5K Run/Walk, held at the original location of the Street Strut. Today, the Monster Mad Dash 5K continues as a beloved community tradition, now located in Mountlake Terrace, bringing people together to support students and schools across the district.

Another tradition began in 1988 with our first Business Breakfast. Governor Booth Gardner, a local astronaut, and Boeing President Phil Condit were among the inaugural speakers. The breakfast has been a cornerstone event for the Foundation, and in 2024, our 40th Anniversary, we celebrated at our Ruby Gala. Since then, our annual fundraiser has expanded from breakfast to a Day of Impact, titled Unlock Education: Keys to Success. More than 400 people joined us for our very first Day of Impact and we look forward to many more.

In 2009, the Public Education Foundation became the Edmonds Public Schools Foundation to align with other school foundations across the state. A full brand refresh in 2015 gave us our current name and new logo: the Foundation for Edmonds School District. That same year, we launched the Nourishing Network to ensure students had reliable access to food during out-of-school times. Today, the Nourishing Network feeds hundreds of students through a suite of meal programs including weekend meal kits, holiday meals, summer camps, and pop-up pantries.

Career and College Readiness is an important part of the work of the Foundation. Our scholarship program began in 2013 through a merger with the Edmonds School District Alumni Association, bringing together a shared commitment to support graduating seniors as they pursue their goals after high school.

In 2015, the Foundation merged with the Mountlake Terrace Educators Association (MTESA), creating even more scholarship opportunities for students across the district.

Today, the scholarship program includes over 30 partnerships with community organizations, businesses, and families through a collaborative Scholarship Consortium that helps increase access to scholarships and streamline opportunities for graduating seniors.

In 2017, we launched Whole Families, Whole Communities (WFWC), an initiative designed to connect families to critical services through a coordinated network of community partners and school-based staff. In 2025, WFWC began its pilot After School program at Alderwood Middle School to support middle school students with mentorship, activities, and a safe space after school.

In 2022, we created an endowment to ensure support for future generations. Additionally, in partnership with the Edmonds School District’s Career and Technical Education department, we piloted our On-the-Job Training (OJT) program The program provides dual-credit bearing courses that allow students to learn important job readiness skills, a paid internship, and the opportunity to apply for a scholarship. Today, OJT has expanded across the district, helping students achieve their dreams after high school.

In 2023, the Foundation created the Early Learning Program to support early childhood providers, so children enter kindergarten ready and equipped with the skills and confidence to succeed. The program continues to grow as we engage new providers and create a network of learning and support.

Across 2024-2026, the Foundation ran the Save the Arts campaign to raise funds for music classes. Thanks to Dave Earling, Greg Hoff, and Rick Steves and donations from our generous community, we helped save more than 16 music classes, preserving comprehensive music programming at both the middle and high school levels and impacting hundreds of students. As we look ahead, the Foundation is working toward creating sustainable funding for the arts in our schools.

Our board is composed of stakeholders from local businesses, individuals, and families who volunteer to raise money to enrich learning opportunities for all students in the Edmonds School District.

For more than 42 years, we have supported students, families, and schools by investing directly in classrooms and programs that make the greatest difference in learning and community well-being.