Meet Education Foundation Executive Director Kate Winckler

What do you with the Education Foundation of Greendale?
I am the Executive Director of the Education Foundation of Greendale School.

(This is a part-time position).  With our Board of Directors, I manage day-to-day operations,communications and fundraising for the Foundation.
 
How does the foundation help the community?
The Education Foundation raises money for Greendale Schools. Our mission is to fund creative and innovative programs benefiting students and staff in the Greendale School District.
 
Teachers and staff write grants to the Foundation for educational needs. Some of those needs might be technology (iPads or iPods), events like EmptyBowls at GHS, author visits, or digital recording equipment. We are always looking for ways to help students and staff at Greendale Schools.

There are many needs in our district that the Education Foundation can help to fill. From Lunch Bunch Book Clubs for elementary students, to iPads for middle school math, to college scholarships for Greendale seniors, we support children and schools.  Last year, we funded $20,000 towards an improved sound system at the high school auditorium, so some of your readers may have been to a show and enjoyed better sound!

What did you before you came to the Education Foundation?
In the rest of my work life, I’m an independent public relations practitioner in Oconomowoc. I help schools, small businesses and non-profits communicate better with their unique audiences, using social media, marketing and websites.

What have you learned about education in Greendale?
I’ve learned that the Greendale community places a high value on top-quality education. Many people work together around the village to make a difference for students and families in Greendale. There is great collaboration between school leadership and staff, community members, and families to keep striving toward the vision of excellent public education. You can tell what a good job they’ve been doing, by the recognition Greendale received in Milwaukee Magazine, and by how many people want to enroll in the district. From my perspectiveat the Foundation, individuals and businesses have been very generous by donating funds and items for our .  Each time I visit a building, I see students who are engaged and respectful. There is a lot of school pride, communitywide in Greendale!

Where do you live? 
I live in the beautiful Lake Country – Oconomowoc, Wisconsin.
 
Do you have kids?
I have two daughters who attend intermediate school andhigh school in Oconomowoc.
 
What are some of your hobbies?
I love the outdoors, so in the summer I like to play tennis. My family and I take kayaks out on the lake or river in Oconomowoc. I also love to go hiking and running with my dog Lucky, and I learned to downhill ski last year. I enjoy cooking, and trying out new recipes on my unsuspecting family!