Schroeder Foundation links up with Seven Oaks division, as WSD stops partnership

The Schroeder Foundation is parting ways with Manitoba’s largest school division after a multi-year, multimillion-dollar partnership and has decided to join forces with another city division.

The Seven Oaks School Division will receive $1.5 million and in-kind donations next year to feed students and expand community outreach in north Winnipeg.

Superintendent Tony Kreml announced what he called “an unprecedented act of generosity and partnership” on Wednesday.

“This relationship is about, of course, universal nutrition, but it’s much more than that,” Kreml said, following a formal event at Garden City Collegiate.

The parties share in their belief that public education is a great equalizer that can help students break cycles of poverty, he said.

A crowd of almost 100 people, including students, staff members and philanthropists Walter and Maria Schroeder, gathered for a morning celebration at 711 Jefferson Ave. The high school’s atrium was decorated with a banner displaying the phrase, “Thank you Walter and Maria!”

Over the last decade, the national charity has made targeted donations to support students in the neighbouring Winnipeg School Division, where its namesakes both attended classes as children.

The duo has gifted about $9 million for various scholarships and programs in inner-city schools run by division leaders who have decided to stop accepting support, starting in 2026-27.

The Schroeder family’s latest donation is anticipated to transform Garden City into a divisional nutrition hub with industrial equipment to scale its meal program and deliveries to other schools.

While the majority of the $1.5 million is for the 1,400-student high school, $140,000 is being set aside for kitchen upgrades and meal preparation at Elwick Community School.

The foundation is also supplying kitchen staff, community outreach workers and one post-secondary co-ordinator who will work alongside Seven Oaks employees in 2026-27.

“We’ll be watching for future announcements as the fear of influence of the Schroeder Foundation increases in Seven Oaks,” said Jeff Cieszecki, president of the teachers association that represents 950 educators, including principals, classroom teachers and clinicians.

Cieszecki said it is noteworthy that another metro school division recently turned down hundreds of thousands of dollars from the organization. He did not expand on the subject.

The Winnipeg School Division issued a statement on Wednesday indicating it plans to take over the work the foundation, often carried out via its Terra Bay team in Winnipeg, has supported.

“(WSD) is grateful for the strong partnership with the Schroeder Foundation and Terra Bay over the past nine years,” division spokesperson Jillian Recksiedler said in an email.

The charity’s representatives had worked closely with staff at St. John’s High School, Daniel McIntyre Collegiate Institute and Sisler High School, particularly in the CREATE program.

“There’s a wide variety of philosophies. Some people believe that there’s no room for philanthropy in the public school system,” said Duane Brothers, chair of the foundation’s Terra Bay advisory committee. “I believe that philanthropy can fill in the gaps.”

Brothers said his team has long been interested in branching out to work with schools outside the city’s core.

The retired superintendent — who held a senior position in Seven Oaks more than a decade ago — indicated the government funding allotted for school nutrition is “wonderful (but) it’s not enough.”

Brothers said external entities should not be involved in funding curriculum or daily decision making in schools.

Asked about the Schroeder family’s controversial contributions to school trustee campaigns in 2022, he indicated individuals — not the foundation — supported candidates. There won’t be any involvement in elections on a go-forward basis, he said.

The provincial government has adopted new rules requiring school board candidates to release their campaign finances ahead of this year’s elections.

The crowd in the Garden City atrium was told the Schroeders are determined to pay forward the generosity that was shown to Maria when she attended high school in Winnipeg.

Maria wouldn’t have graduated if her public school principal hadn’t recognized her family was poor and gave them cash so she didn’t have to drop out to work, a representative for the foundation said.

The family made its fortune by building one of the world’s premier bond rating agencies.

“They’re (wealthy) and really, really kind. I know people have mixed feelings about lunch programs because ‘oh, they’re a free handout’ … but in our school, there’s no shame,” said Rachele Bolisay, a Grade 12 student who co-chairs Garden City’s philanthropy club.

The 17-year-old said the lunch program both feeds students in need and helps build community.

Rachele said she hopes extra funding will increase portion sizes, especially on mac-and-cheese day — her personal favourite.

maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca