PWSSD Foundation revived, ‘significant gift’ expected

The long-dormant PWSSD Foundation, a nonprofit organization created a decade ago to raise money to support the Port Washington-Saukville School District, was officially revived Monday with the election of new officers.

The organization’s focus will be raising money for, and awarding grants to, teachers to pay for innovative programs not funded by the School District, Andrea Marquard, the foundation’s president, said.

“Our new officers and our directors are very energized and really focused on bringing a bump of energy and joy to the district,” she said.

The foundation, Marquard said, has “starter funds” in the form of unspent donations raised under the group’s previous administration and expects a substantial gift in the near future.

“It’s definitely a significant gift,” she said, referring questions about the donation to Supt. Michael McMahon, who has worked to procure the contribution.

McMahon said the district has worked with a number of local employers and hopes to announce the donation next week.

Although the foundation’s mission is to support the School District, it is a separate entity that alone will determine how funds are raised and distributed. And as a nonprofit organization, it can provide tax deductions for donors.

Educational foundations, McMahon said, have become increasingly important sources of funding for area school districts, and since being hired to lead the district in 2024 he has made reviving the PWSSD Foundation a priority.

“I was surprised when I came here that the foundation wasn’t active,” he said. “We’re seeing our neighbors using donations to enhance educational programs and tap into open enrollment students.”

The PWSSD Foundation was created in 2016, a year after the district received referendum approval to borrow $49.4 million to renovate Port Washington High School and enlarge and renovate Dunwiddie Elementary School.

The referendum did not include money to upgrade outdoor athletic facilities, and that, specifically the installation of artificial turf on the Port High football field, was the goal of a fledgling foundation eyeing gifts from corporate donors.

Ultimately, the district contributed the lion’s share of the money — $725,000 from the sale of property — to the $890,000 project.

The new iteration of the foundation isn’t focused on a singular large project but rather making a difference in classrooms with teacher grants, the first of which will be awarded ahead of the 2026-27 school year, Marquard said.

“To start with, and because we are all new to this, we’ll stay focused on getting money to our hard-working teachers so they can enhance education in their classrooms,” she said.

Marquard noted that the foundation’s leaders are all parents of children in the district. In addition to her, they include Vice President Katie Becker, Treasurer Megan White, Secretary Sean Malloy and directors Matt McCann, Lauren Malloy, Renae Buyeske and Jered McGivern.

For more information about the foundation or to make a contribution, contact Marquard at amarquard.pwssdfoundation@gmail.com.