What We Do

There are many ways to contribute! Inside and outside of the school. Weekdays and Weekends! Morning, Afternoon or Evening! We understand that we all have very busy schedules and lives outside of our school. Even if it’s just a few hours each year, TOGETHER we can create wonderful memories for our student (s) during their time at Dormont Elementary! #ittakesavillage

Here are some great ways YOU CAN HELP!

*The following are our main activities. You could volunteer to be the Chairperson in charge of the entire event, or volunteer just a few hours of your time at an event that works with your schedule. No amount of involvement is too big or too small!

Assemblies

Did you know that the DEPFO plans the assemblies for our students? Assemblies are intended to reinforce and/or enhance the curriculum. Examples of assemblies include visits from the Pittsburgh Zoo, National Aviary, Carnegie Science Center, Dormont Police Officers, Dormont Firefighters (Fire Safety and Emergency Drills), etc. Please email dormontelementarypfo17@gmail.com if you would like more information on helping organize the assemblies at Dormont Elementary.

Class Parties

A great way to create memories with your student is to volunteer to plan and help at a classroom party! Each year we host a Halloween Party, a Winter Holiday Party and Valentine’s Day Party! Each classroom has two or three parents who volunteer to plan games, activities, or crafts for the classroom party. If interested, please email dormontelementarypfo17@gmail.com.

Dances

The PFO holds various family dances throughout the year including the Halloween Dance in October and a Family Dance in February. Dances have activities, and snacks are served. The Halloween Dance features a costume contest and both feature an awesome DJ for dancing! If interested, please email dormontelementarypfo17@gmail.com.

Haunted Trail

In October, the PFO puts on a Haunted Trail around the elementary school, complete with ghosts and ghouls and a campfire for roasting marshmallows for s’mores! The trail is typically held immediately following the Halloween Dance on Friday night, and also on Saturday night. If you’re interested in helping decorate for the trail or dressing up and helping out during this frightening but fun event, please email dormontelementarypfo17@gmail.com.

5th Grade Projects

Making the transition to Keystone Oaks Middle School can be daunting for many of Dormont Elementary’s students. 5th Grade Projects is here to help ease that transition. Throughout their 5th grade year, Dormont Elementary students will mix and mingle with Aiken and Myrtle 5th grade students. The students will go on field trips together, have dances, and do other fun activities. Of course, this awesome fun comes with a price. There are a lot of fundraisers that take place to help fund this program, starting in the summer months with the concession stand at “Movies in the Park” and then continuing throughout the school year to help offset the cost of these meaningful 5th grade activities. We will need volunteers to help organize these activities and to help chaperone! To find out more about the 5th Grade Projects, please email dormontelementarypfo17@gmail.com.

Book Fairs

The PFO holds book fairs several times a year as an opportunity to get books in the hands of our students and encourage the importance of reading. Each book fair has a theme, and many volunteers are needed to help with planning, decorating, and working shifts before, during and after the book fairs. If you’re interested in helping, please email dormontelementarypfo17@gmail.com.

Garden Committee

Have you walked past Dormont Elementary and wondered where those gorgeous raised beds full of vibrant colors and delicious vegetables came from? Well, that’s the hard work of the Garden Committee! This committee meets periodically to discuss planting, weeding, watering, and all things gardening. They are also in charge of the ongoing maintenance of the beds as well as Holiday Decorations! Did you know the Garden Committee was responsible for the installation of the wonderful Outdoor Classroom for our students? The Garden Committee is a great opportunity for both adults and students to help develop and maintain the outdoor spaces at Dormont Elementary. For more details and put your green thumb to work please email dormontelementarypfo17@gmail.com.

Winter Carnival

The Winter Carnival is a wonderful community, family-friendly event at the beginning of each December. The carnival consists of local vendors selling items that make perfect gifts for everyone on your list. Some of these vendors are even students at Dormont Elementary or Keystone Oaks Middle School! There is also a fun area with games and prizes along with a cookie decorating station. For information on how you can help with this winter wonderland please email dormontelementarypfo17@gmail.com.

Field Trip Chaperones

The PFO helps to coordinate field trips throughout the year for each grade and always looks for parents to volunteer to attend the field trips as chaperones. Typically the volunteers will meet at the site of the field trip, and help throughout the day. Volunteer forms are sent home to parents prior to each field trip.

Teacher Appreciation Week

During Teacher Appreciation Week, typically the first full week in May, the PFO comes up with a number of ideas to help thank our wonderful teachers and staffulty for all they do for our Dormont Elementary students, such as putting signs up around the school and coming up with special gifts for the teachers, etc. If you’re interested in helping with ideas to show our teachers we care, please email dormontelementarypfo17@gmail.com.

Field Day

Field Day marks the unofficial end of the school year. This day-long event is definitely a highlight for both the students and staffulty! As you can imagine, it takes a lot of hands to put together such a memorable event. Tasks such as filling water balloons and organizing game schedules happen before field day, while manning the inflatables and refilling student water bottles happen the day-of. Cleaning up afterward happens….well afterward. If you want to help make this day extraordinary please email dormontelementarypfo17@gmail.com.

So that’s HOW YOU CAN HELP!

More opportunities not listed above include (but are not limited to) Blacktop Painting, Fundraiser Fridays, Street Fair Booth, Pool Parties, Camp Read-A-Lot, Bingo, International Night and The Color Run! We are always trying to think of new ways to engage with our Students and Staffulty so this list will always be changing. Keep those clearances up to date and let us know how you would like to help to create wonderful memories with your student(s) together with the DEPFO at Dormont Elementary!