Los Alamitos Education Foundation
PROGRAMS
Mental Health Counseling Intern Fund
The Los Alamitos Education Foundation (LAEF) partners with the school district to fund stipends for counseling interns. The interns serve as mental health and guidance counselors and are additional support in our Well Spaces. LAEF funds up to 8 interns at $15,000 annually.
This extra support has proven to be invaluable, increasing the number of students that can be served daily in our school Wells Spaces.
Innovation Grants
The Los Alamitos Education Foundation (LAEF) grants funds to schools, teachers & programs to provide amazing, hands-on learning, cutting edge technology, support and supplies. Teachers submit applications focused on curriculum enhancements, cutting-edge classroom supplies, hands-on technology, and instructional support.
Since 2016, LAEF has funded STEAM (science, technology, engineering, the arts, and math) through grants to support anything STEAM related, such as curriculum, supplies, technology and/or staff salaries. In addition, LAEF supports school STEAM Fairs with a teacher stipend and a budget for expenses at up to nine district campus. The program has been expaned for the 2024-25 school year to include innovative ideas that are not limited to STEAM.
Well Space Upkeep
The Los Alamitos Education Foundation (LAEF) donated funds to create the Los Alamitos High School Well Space, to build the middle school well spaces and to furnish the elementary school well spaces. The Los Alamitos School District currently has 9 Well Spaces. These spaces are a calm and safe place for students to reset and seek counseling support. They promote improved mental health, and provide tools for social/emotional management and coping strategies. LAEF provides annual donations to each school to maintain and stock each Well Space.
The Well Spaces have become part of the culture of each school with more and more students utilizing them as a calm place to reset and receive counseling support. LAEF has not only partnered with the district to help maintain them, but has also funded counseling intern stipends for extra support. In addition, LAEF has partnered with non-profit to offer free after-school counseling groups at the Middle School Well Spaces. The feedback from the Wellness counselors and Counseling Interns was overwhelming positive with the amount of students who are utilizing these spaces on a daily basis.
Special Education Fund Aide Support
LAEF encourages the use of aides for those students who require assistance in our classes. In November 2023, LAEF established a fund to support expenses for one on one aide support to students with special needs. Where warranted, LAEF will hire an instructional aide that is familiar with the student's indvidual needs who is willing and available to support the student as a service for the family of the student.
In Spring 2024 we worked with approximately 15 families to coordinate aide support and use of this new program.
CONTACT
Los Alamitos Education Foundation
PO Box 1210
Los Alamitos, California 90720