Welcome from the Lee Foundation:

Welcome to a new school year at Lee Elementary School.  We hope that you will take a few moments to learn about the Lee Foundation.  If you are a Lee Elementary School family, you are a member of the Foundation, which is a non-profit corporation and public charity.  We welcome your input and participation.  If you have questions, comments, or requests, please contact us.

Please join us, also, in welcoming Lee Elementary School's new Principal, Cindy Taylor.  The Lee Foundation looks forward to working with Ms. Taylor as we continue to look for ways to enhance the Lee School experience.

Mission statement:

To create a lifetime experience for the Lee School community by establishing a community resource that enhances safety, physical health, and recreation for students, faculty, parents, and neighbors while enriching the educational experience of Lee students and preserving the historical school as an educational treasure.

With other more pressing concerns that TPS must address, the Lee Foundation, in collaboration with the Principal and school staff, focuses on capital improvements at Lee. This allows the PTA to focus on curriculum enhancement, day-to-day volunteer coordination, and programming for children.

Having a concrete plan in place, year-round monthly meetings, and board continuity, the Lee Foundation is well positioned to manage ongoing collaborative efforts to upgrade the school's physical facilities.

About our projects:

The Lee Foundation was founded in 1997 for the purpose of raising funds from Lee School alumni and other donors in the Tulsa area, for capital improvements to the school grounds.  Our initial fundraising effort generated approximately $15,000.00, which was used in conjunction with the Jump Rope for Lee fundraiser to build the jogging track on the Lee School playground.

To build on this success, the Lee Foundation board worked with Howell & Vancuren, a Tulsa landscape design and site planning firm, to develop a master site improvement plan. The donation of professional services by Howell & Vancuren is estimated to exceed $11,000.00.

The site plan had three objectives:

  • Development of a physical education center for the children while providing a community resource.
  • Update school facilities to help attract families in today’s competitive school environment.
  • Maintain Lee’s historical status within the beautiful Maple Ridge neighborhood as the oldest elementary school in Tulsa.

Several of the projects included in the site plan have been implemented:

  • Placement of brick pavers to line Cincinnati Avenue from the curb to the sidewalk, covering exposed roots and mud. This project was accomplished through a Vision 2025 grant secured by the Lee Foundation.
  • Installation of nine historical light fixtures along Cincinnati and 21st Street to provide illumination of our school. These lights have provided increased security for the school and neighborhood -- including those who attend the many activities which occur after dark, such as Science Enrichment training, Cub Scouts, “Read in the Dark” and many more.
  • Remodeled exterior entrance for Lee school, with brick walls defining the office entrance and a handicap accessible ramp.
  • Replacement of the big wooden toy on the south portion of the playground with new playground equipment.
  • Replacement of the chain link fence along 21st Street, with historically correct security fencing.

The final step in the site plan developed by Howell & Vancuren is the installation of a covered pavilion with seating for students, teachers, and the Lee School community.  The pavilion will be located along the east side of the jogging track.  Fundraising has been completed.  The foundation has been installed.  The structure has been ordered and will be installed this Fall.

Current board members: 

  • Myers Campbell, Lee Foundation Treasurer
  • John Maley
  • Chris Meek
  • Molly Mathis, Lee Foundation Historian and PR Rep.
  • Jim Milton, Lee Foundation Pres.
  • Tara Roper, Lee Foundation Secretary
  • Pam Short
  • Cindy Taylor, Lee School Principal

Past board members:

  • Tom Adelson
  • Sharon Atcheson, Lee School Principal (retired)
  • Lydia Birkes
  • Paul Burgess (past president)
  • Melanie Burgess
  • Martti Cade (original board member)
  • Elizabeth Howell
  • Joe Howell
  • Amy Fuller
  • Paula Inman
  • J. David Jorgenson (original board member)
  • Karen Kelley
  • Hal Lewis
  • Jim Rusher
  • Claire Trinidad
  • Frances Whitehurst (original board member)