Our fundraising goal for the Dragon Dash this year is $30,000. You all may be wondering what exactly all the money we raise goes towards and why. Well, it varies year to year, but we want you to know that the PTO Board and school administration thoughtfully discuss all the needs (and wants) of the school at the beginning of each year. So below are some more details to give you a better understanding of where the money we raise this year will be going.

Teacher Workroom and Lounge Update (~$5,000-8,000): Due to the number of amazing students at Dan Mills and in preparation for adding 5th grade next year, the teachers lounge and teacher workroom have been consolidated. After years of heavy use, the lounge furniture is in need of replacement. Additional organizational furniture needs to be purchased for the workspace. The goal is to create a dedicated space in the room for the work area and another dedicated space for the teachers to enjoy during their lunch breaks.
Financial Support for Teachers (~$10,000) - As you likely know, teachers spend a lot of their own money on special classroom projects or on classroom supplies. It’s also no secret that teachers are underpaid. So we can help them by providing each one of them with the funds and resources they need to help their students. They can purchase those items that will make a lesson come to life or they can buy that bookshelf and fill it with books. Whatever they choose, it ultimately benefits all of the students at Dan Mills!
Curriculum (~$10,000) – Each year the PTO pays for all kinds of resources that support the teachers’ curriculum. This includes online platforms like IXL and Study Island, as well as Accelerated Math and Reading A-to-Z. It doesn’t sound fancy or that exciting, but it’s a resource we’ve provided for years that the teachers have come to rely on because the expense of these supporting curriculum can be prohibitive. This year, we will also be purchasing LiveSchool which is a tool for both students and parents. We are proud that we can consistently provide these resources to the grade-level teams to support the students and families at Dan Mills.
Outdoor Improvements (~$4,000-5,000)

We have several things we would like to improve on the school grounds:

If you’ve ever walked to school by way of the sidewalk on Greenland, you’ve probably seen and walked up the steep hill. When it’s rainy, the hill often becomes a big muddy mess. Adding stairs on the hill at the side of the school for walking families will cut down on the muddy slip-n-slide. The only other way to pick up walkers is to walk around into the side drive where the buses pick up, and we want to keep that area clear so that buses can safely start their routes when students are loaded.
A locked container for outdoor equipment would allow students to have access to balls, cones, bases, etc.
The Outdoor Classroom is a great space, and we want to make it as easy for teachers to access as often as possible. After conducting a teacher survey, we’ve pinpointed some specific needs for the outdoor classroom in order to achieve this.

Additional Funding Support: Paying for Professional Development for teachers, supplementing field trips, providing additional equipment for classrooms and the school, teacher appreciation efforts (such as the Happy Cart and teacher appreciation week), and providing supplies for our social-emotional curriculum are just some examples of the types of things that the PTO is also able to provide with these funds.

Your donations are intentionally and thoughtfully used to the benefit of the Dan Mills students and are always much appreciated!