Our Mission
The Mercer Island Schools Foundation unites our community to secure funding that ensures our schools achieve and maintain top-tier excellence in public education. Foundation dollars support the needs of every student, helping them reach their full potential.
Our Vision
The ways YOU foster excellence in education with your support for our schools through the Mercer Island Schools Foundation:
Our History
Founded in 1981, the Mercer Island Schools Foundation began with a simple but powerful belief: when a community invests in its public schools, students thrive.
That year, a group of parents and community leaders imagined something more for Mercer Island – expanded opportunities for students, stronger support for teachers, and access to innovative learning resources beyond what public funding alone could provide. With passion, persistence, and a deep love for education, that vision became reality.
The Foundation was created by two dedicated community members, Richard Weinman and Bob Klein, and their early work set the tone for everything that followed: a community-led commitment to excellence.
Hear the story in their words: Watch our founders, Richard Weinman and Bob Klein, reflect on the early days of the Foundation and why this mission still matters today.
Since then, the Mercer Island Schools Foundation has grown into a catalyst for innovation and enrichment across the district – helping ensure educators have the most up-to-date tools, resources, and programs to create exceptional teaching and learning experiences for every student.
Thanks to the generosity of Mercer Island families and local businesses, the Foundation has raised more than $32 million – an ongoing legacy that strengthens public education for generations of students.
The Foundation’s success is rooted in something simple and extraordinary: Mercer Island is a community that deeply values education, and shows it through consistent support of our schools.
Learn more about the impact of our community’s commitment to education.