Two new members elected to LPEF Board

Two community activists and parents of children in La Crosse schools have been elected to three-year terms on the Board of the La Crosse Public Education Foundation. Katie Berkedal is the fund allocation manager at Gundersen Medical Foundation. She is a Central High School graduate and received her bachelor’s degree

UPDATED: 7 Rivers students raise $960 to help the homeless in La Crosse

Summary: Students from 7 Rivers Community High School are raising money to create care packages for the homeless in La Crosse. Goal: $5,000   •   Amount raised: $960 including $500 in online donations   •   School: 7 Rivers Community High School                   About Our Project: ​To help the

Logan High Pride of the North Side Marching Band benefits from new Quarberg endowment

The Logan High School Pride of the North Side Marching Band will be the beneficiaries of a new endowment fund established by Brad and Gail Quarberg. The Quarberg Family Pride of the North Side Endowment is being funded through a multi-year gift to the La Crosse Public Education Foundation. The

Cleary family gift supports projects for students at Central and Logan

A new scoreboard for the football field at Central High School, and a major upgrade to the sound system in the Weess Theater at Logan High School, are among improvement projects being funded through a major gift from Gail (Kumm) Cleary. Gail, a 1951 graduate of Central, provided the donation

Added $100,000 gift expands reading program to Northside

The anonymous donors funding the Readers Creating Readers program at Hamilton Elementary School have provided a new $100,000 gift to continue the program at Hamilton, and add a similar program at Northside Elementary School. About 120 students at Hamilton were involved last year in the special tutoring program funded by

LPEF grants spur innovative projects; more than $128,000 awarded in 2-year period

Innovative projects in every La Crosse public school and in every curriculum area have been funded through the classroom grants program of the La Crosse Public Education Foundation. About 90 grants, totaling more than $128,000, have been awarded in just the past two school years. For more background on our

Schools meet growing need for Random Acts of Kindness funds

When a new student arrived at school without a backpack and other basic supplies, Random Acts of Kindness funds allowed the school to buy the needed items and help the child move seamlessly into her classroom. When families could not afford to send snacks to school so their children would

Closed (success): Unity T-shirts to bring together Hamilton, SOTA I students

Summary: Help buy T-shirts for Hamilton and SOTA I students to unite the two schools housed within one building. Goal: $1,500   •   Amount raised: $885 from online fundraising, plus other fundraising allowed the school to achieve its goal •   School: Hamilton and School of Technology & Arts I   •   Sponsor Name: Kristopher Miller        

Cheese sandwich fundraiser boosts Random Acts of Kindness fund

Students at 7 Rivers Community High School demonstrated the power of a simple idea Oct. 20, and fellow students will enjoy the benefits. Teachers and students made grilled cheese sandwiches, tomato soup and other goodies, and they raised $142 for LPEF’s Random Acts of Kindness funds for La Crosse schools.

Innovative effort will address trauma among Northside Elementary students

An innovative project to help Northside Elementary School students succeed in school and overcome adverse childhood experiences has received a major grant from the Robert & Eleanor Franke Charitable Foundation. The $10,000 grant to the La Crosse Public Education Foundation (LPEF) will pay about half of the first-year cost of