From The Community, To The Schools,
For The Future.
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SAVE THE DATE!
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2021
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Due to circumstances surrounding the Covid-19 Pandemic, the OPEF Board of Directors made a very difficult decision in Spring to cancel our 2020 Annual Ball. We are pleased to announce that we will be holding our 2021 Annual Ball on Friday, November 12, 2021 at the Golden Mast with entertainment provided by Ted Oliver's Dueling Pianos.
The annual ball serves as OPEF's primary fundraiser. We rely on the generous donations and sponsorships of our community members and area businesses in order to allow us to continue to carry out our mission and fund special projects within the Oconomowoc Area School District. OPEF supported projects positively impact students and the community by encouraging leadership, fostering excellence and nurturing a sense of belonging through our public schools.
Last year, our annual ball, "A Gatsby Affair" raised nearly $70,000. We will miss seeing everyone this year, but we look forward to seeing you in 2021! Below are some pictures from our 2019 annual ball. Please contact us at info@opef.info if you are interested in becoming a sponsor for our 2021 annual ball. |
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Please consider donating to OPEF to help us continue to provide unique learning opportunities for our OASD students.
Thank you!
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Past OPEF Funded Projects |
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Since 2007, OPEF has given over $500,000 for classroom grants that directly benefit OASD students. Please visit us HERE to learn more about all of our grant projects.
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Meet the OPEF Executive Board |
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Barb and her husband Bob moved to Oconomowoc nearly 24 years ago when they were seeking a smaller community to raise their children. Their two children, Ali and Bennett who are both OASD graduates are now grown, but their two Siamese cats help keep them company in their empty nest. When Barb is not working at her job as a customer service manager, she enjoys walking downtown or around the lake with her husband, gardening and reading. Prior to joining OPEF, Barb served as a board member of the Oconomowoc Parent Education Network (OPEN) which provided educational programs to parents and educators in the district based on current needs of the student community.
After serving on the OPEN Board, Barb was eager to continue that connection with the schools. When the opportunity to join the OPEF board came about, she jumped at the chance to support our educators at the classroom level. She loves hearing the passion teachers show for their students and the innovative ways they look to engage the classroom. Being part of making the educational experience truly first-class has been an opportunity she is honored to be a part of.
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Chris Skumatz and her husband Mark have lived in the Oconomowoc school district for 31 years. They have 4 great kids who have all gone, or are going, through the Oconomowoc schools. Mackenzie, their oldest, just began her second year of teaching 2nd grade. Zachary is a senior at MSOE majoring in Structural Engineering. Logan is a sophomore at UW-Stevens Point majoring in French Horn performance and their youngest, Katherine, is an 8th grader at Nature Hill Intermediate.
Chris is currently the Research Program Manager in the Department of Ophthalmology at the Medical College of Wisconsin where she has worked for 32 years. Chris enjoys spending her free time refinishing furniture and working on home improvement projects. An avid runner, she has participated in 18 half-marathons over the past 11 years. The family is a big supporter of the OASD band program and is active in the Boy and Girl Scouts. Prior to serving on the OPEF board, Chris served on the Parent Advisory Committee for the Oconomowoc Parent Education Network for several years.
Chris currently serves on the Executive Board as Secretary and is a part of the Grants Committee. Her favorite part of being a board member is the insightful, intelligent, caring discussions of the board as decisions are made regarding programs for OASD students.
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Maura Rich joined the OPEF Board in September 2019 and given her background as a tax accountant for a public accounting firm, she was elected to serve as the OPEF Board Treasurer. When she is not busy crunching numbers, she enjoys getting outside, hiking and traveling.
Maura is an OHS alum and her younger brother currently attends Nature Hill Intermediate. She wanted to get involved with OPEF as a way to give back to her community. Another added perk of serving on the board is the opportunity to spend some more time with her mom, Kerry, who is currently serving her second term on the board. Maura believes that serving on the board is a great way to support our schools and to become more involved with the Oconomowoc community.
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Rachel Lloyd has two children in the Oconomowoc Area School District. Madalyn, age 10, attends Silver Lake Intermediate School and Carson, age 7, attends Park Lawn Elementary. Rachel works full time as a Senior Director of Organizational Effectiveness and Talent Management and she loves what she does. Training and development of employees is the space that brings fulfillment in her professional life, so OPEF was a natural fit.
Given her extensive background in human resources, Rachel leads the onboarding process for new board members. In addition, she serves as the OPEF Board Bookkeeper. When Rachel is not working or volunteering, she enjoys spending time with her husband, Tyler, working on home remodeling projects, taking vacations and cheering their kids on at their sporting events.
Education is extremely important to Rachel and she believes that any teacher or staff member willing to put forth the extra effort to enrich a child’s learning experience is special. She decided to join OPEF in order to support those individuals. She enjoys being part of an organization that encourages the creative minds of teachers and students.
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As a parent, I got used to hearing, “Nothing”, when I asked what my kids did in school that day, but every once in a while, my kids would give me actual details with such excitement you could see the joy on their faces. On those days, what they learned had much to do with how they learned it. For me, that’s what OPEF is about, enhancing the educational experience so students are excited to learn. We could not do that without the support of our community, so I ask that you consider OPEF as you decide your financial giving for the year. If you’re able to give us your time, we’d happily accept as either a volunteer or a board member. As a volunteer you can be part of the action without being involved in the business side of the organization and you can focus your efforts where your skills or passions lay. However, we’re always looking to add board members to expand our areas of expertise and our network. There are so many ways to support OPEF that can match your time, talents and treasures, so please reach out, I’d love to talk to you about it. Please feel free to contact me at info@opef.info to learn more about how you can get involved!
Barb Woodruff
OPEF Board President
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2020-2021 OPEF Board of Directors |
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2020-2021 OPEF Board of Directors:
Barb Woodruff, President; Maura Rich, Treasurer; Chris Skumatz, Secretary; Laura Baird, Tom Bartos, Matt Carrico, Rachel Lloyd, Allison Mueller, Lori Naylor, Kerry Rich, Kristin Schreindl, Vicky Voelz and we would like to welcome new board members Megan Larson, Michele Smith and Jennifer Leinen. Katie Westerman, formerly OPEF Board Vice-President and Grants Chair currently serves as Marketing and Communications Coordinator.
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Pictured Bottom Row (L-R): Laura Baird, Kerry Rich and Kristin Schreindl
Top Row (L-R): Chris Skumatz, Secretary, Barb Woodruff, President, A.J. Mueller, Jen Leinen and Vicky Voelz
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P.O. Box 444
Oconomowoc, Wisconsin 53066
Phone: 262-560-2178
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