Adopt-a-School: Connecting Community to Classrooms
The Adopt-a-School program is a dynamic bridge between schools and the community. Partners are more than donors. They work closely with school leadership to identify strategic opportunities in support of the School Improvement Plan (SIP).
About Adopt-a-School
Partners build equity and create opportunity.
The Foundation works with Adopt-a-School partners to align their efforts and interests in support of School Improvement Plan goals in myriad ways – reading with students, volunteering in the classroom, donating school supplies/snacks/winter gear, providing field trip support, internship opportunities, and much more. We ask partners to commit to a minimum of a one-year engagement to help build mutually rewarding relationships among all involved.
What Schools Get
Mentors, materials and motivation for students.
When you adopt a school, you provide new experiences and opportunities for kids. You can serve as a tutor or lunch buddy, guest speak on a topic, provide job shadowing and so much more.
What Partners Get
Engage your employees. Build a better community.
As an Adopt-a-School partner, you will actively engage with and invest in the community where you live and work. You will share your time, attention, talents and experiences with students, staff and teachers, contributing to vibrant school communities.
“Giving time is really important. Teachers have a lot that they’re managing and the more space we can give them to do those things, the better supported our students will be.”
Joy Pfeiffer
Human Resources Specialist, WIDA at the Wisconsin Center for Education Research – Partner to Midvale Elementary Schools Since 2011
Success Stories
Partnerships In Action
East High School
Tipping the Scales Program Gives Students Access to Legal Profession
In 2020, Adopt-a-School partner, Alliant Energy, launched Tipping the Scales, a program connecting attorneys, judges, and other local leaders in the legal field with East High students to share their stories and professional experiences. Now entering its fourth year, participating students enjoy a five-field trip experience that exposes them to various professional legal environments, and opportunities to hear from many legal professionals of color.
Memorial High School
Personalized Pathways: Giving students real-world experience.
Unity Point Health-Meriter makes it easy for students at Memorial High School to put what they learn in the classroom into action, giving them opportunities to job shadow and learn from healthcare professionals.
Lake View Elementary, Sherman Middle, and East High Schools
Mock interviews mean business.
American Family Insurance, one of the largest employers in Dane County, has been an Adopt-a-School partner since 2014. At Sherman, they continue to give students one-of-a-kind developmental experiences.
La Follette High School
Opportunities take center stage.
Forward Theater Company’s Adopt-a-School partnership with La Follette High School is focused on supporting performing arts students. Forward offers workshops for students on auditioning, provides professional mentors in stage management, lighting, and marketing, and has provided professional directors for several productions.
Adopt Us: Our Schools Currently Seeking Partners
Allis Elementary
Black Hawk Middle
Chávez Elementary
Crestwood Elementary
Elvehjem Elementary
Emerson Elementary
Gompers Elementary
Henderson Elementary
Huegel Elementary
La Follette High
Lowell Elementary
Mendota Elementary
Muir Elementary
Nuestro Mundo
O’Keeffe Middle
Olson Elementary
Orchard Ridge Elementary
Shabazz City High
Shorewood Hills Elementary
Spring Harbor Middle
Stephens Elementary
Toki Middle
Van Hise Elementary
West High
Whitehorse Middle
Who’s Helping Who
Current Adopt-a-School Partnerships
Allis Elementary
Group Health Cooperative of South Central Wisconsin, J.H. Findorff & Son
Anana Elementary
Attic Angel Association, Blackhawk Church, Exact Sciences, Group Health Cooperative of South Central Wisconsin, St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church, TruStage
Badger Rock Middle
Doxa Church, Fields Auto, Group Health Cooperative of South Central Wisconsin, TruStage
Capital High
Blackhawk Church Downtown, Wisconsin Evaluation Collaborative
Cherokee Heights Middle
Thermo Fisher Scientific, Westminster Presbyterian Church
Crestwood Elementary
Asbury United Methodist Church
East High
Alliant Energy, American Family Insurance, J.H. Findorff & Son, Summit Credit Union
Emerson Elementary
Bethel Lutheran Church, Kiwanis Club of Downtown Madison
Franklin Elementary
M3 Insurance
Hamilton Middle
TruStage
Hawthorne Elementary
DEMCO, First United Methodist Church
Henderson Elementary
WPS Health Solutions
Huegel Elementary
American Girl
Jefferson Middle
Madison Church, Madison West Middleton Rotary Club
Kennedy Elementary
Crosspoint Church, Messiah Lutheran Church, St. Paul A. M. E. Church
La Follette High
6AM Marketing, Forward Theater, J.H. Findorff & Son, Summit Credit Union
Lake View Elementary
American Family Insurance, UW Health Northeast Family Medical Center
Lapham Elementary
State of Wisconsin Department of Health Services
Leopold Elementary
Blackhawk Church – Fitchburg, Christ Church Madison, the Church at Christ Memorial, City on a Hill, Group Health Cooperative of South Central Wisconsin, State of Wisconsin Department of Revenue
Lincoln Elementary
Doxa Church, HOPE worldwide, St. Mary’s Hospital/SSM Health, State of Wisconsin Department of Employee Trust Funds
Lindbergh Elementary
Catholic Charities, TASC
Lowell Elementary
Capitol City Lodge #2, Trinity Lutheran Church
Marquette Elementary
State of Wisconsin Department of Administration Affirmative Action Advisory Committee
Memorial High
Capital City Theatre, J.H. Findorff & Son, Summit Credit Union, UnityPoint Health-Meriter, Yahara Software
Mendota Elementary
Christ Presbyterian Church, Door Creek Church, Seva Circle
MMSD Metro Schools
Madison Public Schools Foundation
Midvale Elementary
Kiwanis Club of West Madison, WIDA at UW Madison
Muir Elementary
TruStage
Orchard Ridge Elementary
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Randall Elementary
Wisconsin Athletics
Sandburg Elementary
Door Creek Church, Group Health Cooperative of South Central Wisconsin, Wisconsin Association of School Administrators
Schenk Elementary
Seeds of Peace / Common Grace
Sennett Middle
IFF, LocknCharge
Sherman Middle
American Family Insurance
Spring Harbor Middle
Wisconsin Technical College System
Stephens Elementary
Covenant Presbyterian Church
Thoreau Elementary
American Printing Company, Group Health Cooperative of South Central Wisconsin, Matt Winzenried Real Estate Partners, Westminster Presbyterian Church
Transition Education Program
Alpha Delta Kappa/Delta Chapter
West High
Geneva Campus Church, J.H. Findorff & Son, Summit Credit Union
Whitehorse Middle
Optimist Club of Downtown Madison, WEA Member Benefits
Wright Middle
Strand Associates, Inc., Mt. Zion Baptist Church