Parent group seeks donations to fund after-school programs at Olympia’s McLane Elementary
There aren’t enough care options for working families who need place for their kids to go after school, so the Parent Teacher Student Organization at McLane Elementary School in Olympia is trying to do something about it — with the public’s help.
Nadine Gerber, president of the PTSO, said the nonprofit is working to expand its after-school activities at the Delphi Road school for kids who need a place to be until their parent or guardian can pick them up. Since it would be outside of school hours and operated by the PTSO, the school district can’t fund it.
So a GoFundMe was created last week with a goal of $5,000.
The fundraiser has a deeper goal, too. Not all families can afford to pay for after-school programs. According to the GoFundMe page, the money will work as a scholarship to ensure that every student at McLane has the opportunity to participate in a range of programs.
As of Sunday afternoon, the GoFundMe page had raised $530.
Gerber said the lack of after-school programs in Thurston County has become more of a problem after the school district shifted elementary school ending hours to before most people are off work. And some programs can become costly quickly, especially for families with more than one child.
But the PTSO has been working at the problem for a while. They’ve organized sports programs led by coaches and parent volunteers, and the YMCA has partnered with the school for theater and music classes and more.
But programs fill up quickly and funding the nonprofit has set aside is being used up faster, Gerber said. She said the GoFundMe scholarship is aimed to ensure those who need after-school care the most will get it, especially those who may have not been able to access it before.
Gerber said the PTSO has been working closely with one of the school’s family liaisons, Taylor Velazquez, to connect to families facing the largest barriers to programming. She said Velazquez has been successful identifying families who are interested in getting their kids involved, but might not feel comfortable reaching out.
OSD spokesperson Conor Schober said the district doesn’t fund after-school activities at the elementary level, and that the district is grateful to the PTSO for trying to ensure equity across the board.
“The district has a mechanism for schools to raise funds directly with no administrative fee withheld,” he said. “However, this mechanism is not available to PTSOs, as any donations would run through the district and PTSOs’ finances are separate. Therefore PTSO’s look for ways to raise funds using accessible mechanisms.”
This story was originally published January 9, 2023 at 5:00 AM.
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