About Us

About The Viking Foundation

The Viking Foundation is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization formed to support the students and schools of the North Shore School District. The Foundation was established in 1995 by residents of the North Shore School District to preserve and enrich excellence in the educational experience of our community. It relies solely on the incremental financial support of business leaders and residents of the North Shore area.

Witnessing the current need for support within the community, the Viking Foundation is expanding its vision and commitment to the North Shore School District, as demonstrated by the inspired effort of our current campaign goals and our plan to bring this to fruition. The Viking Foundation is governed by a Board of Directors made up of residents of the communities within the North Shore School District and from North Shore High School parents and alumni. The Foundation works closely with and seeks advice from the North Shore School Board of Education and from residents of the communities that comprise the District.

The District is comprised of Glen Head Elementary School, Glenwood Landing Elementary School, Sea Cliff Elementary School, North Shore Middle School and North Shore High School. These five schools create a dynamic educational community with a rich mix of students whose academic performance is consistently high, enabling the District to maintain a position as one of the strongest public school systems in the nation.

The Viking Foundation is an ally to the District in realizing the mission to nurture and enrich each student’s natural delight in learning.

The Viking Foundation sets out to help provide students with an environment that fosters individual attention while sustaining our community’s culture of being passionately engaged in continuous growth.

Integral to providing the environment for educational success is the District’s commitment to maintaining and improving all of its facilities—including those used for academics, athletics and the arts. Historically, the District has asked the community to approve budgets that reflect this commitment to our children while maintaining exacting standards of fiscal responsibility and prompt, transparent public reporting.

In today’s environment of soaring property taxes and restricted State budgets, the District has sought new and innovative funding sources outside of tax revenues, including charitable contributions from the community. This is where the Viking Foundation has found its renewed vigor and why it is moving forward with, and for, the community.

To support the District and ensure that key projects are successfully achieved in a timely manner, the Viking Foundation is undertaking a capital campaign seeking private donations. The idea of this type of foundation is not new, as surrounding school districts and hundreds of school districts across the nation are now facing similar changing economic environments and utilizing this approach. As a result, our community is investing in itself and its children’s future.

Board of Directors – 20-21 School Year

Maureen Denley – Co-President

Douglas Wefer – Co-President

Cheryl Brown – Treasurer

Molly Ludmar – Secretary

Rachael Bowen

Roseanne Frankel

Perry Frankel

Freddie Gumm

Toni Labbate

Dr. Edward Melnick

Lori Berglin – President Emeritus

Haleh Stamitiadi – Administrative Assistant