Get FUnding

Classroom Accounts (Y5-8)

Classroom funds can be spent at your discretion for any sort of field trip or enrichment for your students, as well as day-to-day expenses and supplies. 

• Classroom funds are distributed based on the number of students in your classroom. In 2023-2024, the allocated amount was $65/student.

• Funds are available at the beginning of the year and will be reflected in your restricted account Google spreadsheet report. 

Keep in mind: 

• Please remember to budget for your transportation. Bus bills often don’t arrive until several months after the trip has been taken.

• Check requests (to reimburse you or to pay a vendor) should be submitted as far in advance as possible, with at least 2 weeks notice required.

(** Account balance link updates TBD as we transition to a PTO management platform/toolkit to streamline so many processes at the school! Contact the Treasurer in the meantime to access your account balance **)

Y5

Dairia Mustapha

K

Diane VanDorn

Edie Linton

Tyra Johnston

1/2

Jamie Martin

Joe Tomassi

Luke Jackson

Sarah Kairis

Stella Rodriguez

3/4

Jennifer Thomas

Tori Jovanovski

Chad Downs

Tom Gibb-Randall

Sheril Bulley-Simpson

5/6

Johnny Thompson

Ko Shih/Jason DePasquale

Kayleigh Robb

7/8

Aina Bernier, Cedric York, Brian Thomas

Project-specific, Restricted Accounts and the Authorized Signer

Art - Deb Ennis

Athletics & Gym, including PE and Swim - Jesse Deucher, Jodi Kinnard

Band - Justin Hammis & Melissa Carpenter

Community Support & Emergency Fund - Kate Funk-Carter, Krista Visser 

Foreign Languages - Marieta McGraw

Intramural Sports - Cedric York

Library - Anne Callison

Orchestra - Tim Wilkins

Outdoors/Gardening - Aina Bernier, Sam Firke

Principal's Teacher Fund - Krista Visser

Resource Rooms - Anna Courage

Vocal Music - Bridgit Cook

Other projects, historically, budgeted for annually

8th Grade Graduation - Parent Committee Co-Chairs 

Central health and wellbeing - Abby Dumes

Focus Studies - Anne Callison

Grant Program - FiFun Committee

Peer2Peer - Chad Downs

Physical Education/Field Day - Jesse Deucher, Jodi Kinnard

Poet-in-Residence - Ko Shih/Jason DePasquale 

Safe Routes to School - Jesse Deucher

Scholastic News 

Science & Maker Fair - Pete Pasque, Vita Strumba, Heather Petteys

Science Olympiad - Erica Businski, Erica Dierkens

Snack Pantry - Anna Courage, Aleah Barker, Krista Visser

Staff Appreciation Week - Elisa Weber-Saintin, Jill Mortimer

Staff Professional Development Grants 

Yearbook

Professional Development Funds

Professional Development funds can be used for registration fees, transportation to/from the class/conference, including fuel, accommodations, and/or necessary materials.

• All full-time teaching staff are eligible for $150 each year towards professional development

• To obtain this grant, the teacher will discuss the specific class/program that they wish to attend with an AAO Principal for approval.

• The teacher will then submit their check request form. Be sure to indicate the Principal's approval with that submission.

School-wide Grant Funds

About the Grant Program    |   Make a Grant Request

Any staff member, parent/guardian, or student of the Ann Arbor Open Community may apply for a grant by completing a Grant Request Form.

• Grant requests will be reviewed at least 3 times per year at the October, January, and March meetings of the Finance and Fundraising Committee. 

  • Requests should be submitted by the 1st of the month, respectively.

  • The schedule for all FiFun Committee meetings are posted on our homepage. Applicants are welcome but not required to attend. 

• Requested funds are not guaranteed. The FiFun Committee will review all requests, and decide whether to approve, deny, approve a modified version, or defer each request. The applicant will be notified of the funding decision in a timely manner. 

• Please submit requests as early as possible so that the committee may collect and review all relevant information. If approved, a separate check request will be required for distribution of funds.

• For class specific requests, class funds should be used prior to a grant request.

• Reimbursement requests for grant funds must be completed by the end of the fiscal year (July 31) as these accounts do not roll over to the next year.

Additional classroom fundraising for trips or experiences should be discussed with families in advance at the beginning of the year. Teachers have historically done this on curriculum night. 

Planning this in advance is important so that our families are able to anticipate what will be asked of them financially in any given year. 

• • • This is why we request the lump sum at the beginning of the year which is based on how much teachers have historically spent.

If you or parents you know are thinking of fundraising for anything during the year, contact the Fundraising Co-Chair first! 

(Full AAOCC Board Directory Here)

• • We can set up a DonorBox page to sell tickets, collect donations, and have those funds go directly into an account that will be accessible for you to spend from for that specific, intended purpose. 

  • When you use DonorBox, families immediately get a receipt from our 501(c) 3 non-profit organization so they can keep records of their taxable donation.

  • Cash and Venmo fundraising is financially risky and not approved by the district or the AAOCC, and even illegal in some instances.