Letter from the President

I first learned about Friends of Oscar Mayer, known in shorthand as FOM, the summer of 2021 when my middle child was accepted into the school via lottery. FOM paired me with a Bulldog Buddy—the president of FOM!—and my family attended the annual Meet & Greet event FOM organizes before school begins. 

That day we met our child’s teacher, the principal, and the parents who ran FOM, and I could feel it right away…the passion everyone connected to this school has for Mayer. Their shared mission of success. Their enthusiasm for what makes Mayer so unique: the Montessori program from PreK4 through third grade, the IB program for sixth through eighth graders, and the wealth of arts programming. 

I heard excitement when they spoke of FOM volunteer opportunities, I saw sincerity in their eyes when they shared what Mayer means to them and their children, I witnessed parents and kids reuniting with each other and their teachers—hugging and smiling. 

My husband and I walked away excited for the year ahead and eager for the day all three of our children would be Oscar Mayer Bulldogs. We had found our home within CPS.

Fast forward four years. Here I am stepping into the role my Bulldog Buddy held. All three of my kids are thriving at Mayer, and I can say without hesitation FOM plays a huge role in that.  

The fundraising by FOM keeps Mayer whole. It bridges the growing deficit between the CPS budget and Mayer’s needs, and allows for: teaching assistants; wellness and sustainability programming; STEAM, arts, and athletics programming support; a mathematics interventionist; teacher training; classroom materials and resources; teacher wish lists; school beautification; and more, all of which enriches our children’s daily experience. 

This year Principal Drayton has chosen “Together With Purpose” as her theme. It dovetails perfectly with the mission of Friends of Oscar Mayer, and how we support the school.

The hundreds of hours of volunteer opportunities, organized by FOM and carried our by our litany of parent, guardian and grandparent volunteers, do more than keep our school programming whole, they keep our community strong. 

From managing the Bulldog Buddies and room parents programs, to organizing social events like Parents Night Out and the Ice Skating Social, to assisting on school beautification efforts, to planning and running our Big Three Fundraisers: the Annual Fund, the Gala & Auction, and the Walkathon, FOM and our league of dedicated volunteers work together with Mayer for the purpose of keeping our school a shining example of success.

There are a variety of ways to get involved with FOM and play an active role here at your child’s school. If you have questions, or would like to learn more, please reach out to me at president@friendsofmayer.org.  

The 2025-2026 FOM Board looks forward to another successful year ahead. It can only happen with your support, because we are all Friends of Oscar Mayer. 

Go Bulldogs!

Heidi Kiec

FOM President