Kiddo! FAQ
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Kiddo! was founded in response to the passage of Proposition 13, which drastically reduced property taxes and, correspondingly, public school funding. As a result, numerous vital programs would simply not be available to Mill Valley public school students without the annual contributions of our district families and community.
94% of Kiddo!'s program expenses pay for teachers' salaries and benefits. Kiddo! provides the funds required for these district needs:
• Art teachers and materials (grades TK-8)
• Vocal Music teachers and supplies (grades TK-8)
• Instrumental Music teachers, specialists and supplies (grades 4-8)
• Dance specialists (grades TK, K, 4 & 5)
• Curriculum-integrated Drama Programs (grades 2 & 4-8)
• Poetry specialists (grades 1 & 3-6)
• Teacher Grants for innovative teaching programs (all schools)
• Robotics (MVMS)
• Scientific Drawing (all 7th graders)
• Math "Design a House Project" (all 6th graders)
Absolutely. Gifts of any size are welcome and appreciated. Every dollar truly helps make a difference. Our goal is for 100% of district families to participate at whatever financial level is comfortable for them.
Kiddo!’s Annual Campaign kicks off at the beginning of each May to raise funds for the upcoming school year. By starting the fundraising cycle each Spring, Kiddo! can help the District plan ahead to secure staffing for programs that begin that August. We encourage families to make their annual donation in May, but donations are appreciated at any time.
Making a donation is easy!
• Donate online; or
• Mail payments to the Kiddo! office using this mail-in form; or
• You can also create a monthly payment plan online or on the mail-in form (see below).
These are great ways to augment your gift! You can designate Kiddo! on your United Way contribution, or ask your HR department if your employer matches gifts to non-profit organizations. All matching gifts count toward your total gift. You can also click here to see if your company matches gifts.
With thousands of households in the Mill Valley School District, we need to reach out several times throughout the year. This means we sometimes communicate to families who have already donated. Please know that our goal is simply to ensure that we get enough family involvement and support to fund the programs that are so valuable to each child’s education.
Yes! Many people spread payments out over time. You can sign up for an automatic credit card payment or checking account withdrawal each month, or you can create a custom monthly payment schedule, provided payments conclude no later than the end of the school year. Create a payment plan online or on the mail-in form, or call the Kiddo! office at 415-389-7789. Start the payment plan process here.
In addition to your annual donation, there are a number of other ways to help support Kiddo!:
• Earn money for Kiddo! while you shop. Some merchants will automatically donate to Kiddo! while you shop. Learn what merchants to visit and how to sign up for shopping rebate programs.
• Volunteer to join the Kiddo! Spring Gala Committee. The Kiddo! Spring Gala is held every other year. Next one is 3/4/22. Note: Some of the proceeds from the Gala benefit the Kiddo! Endowment for the Arts, but may be used to fund teachers and programs if Annual Campaign goals are not met in a given year. Email us at info@kiddo.org to learn more.
• Volunteer for some of our other events. Kiddo! relies on many volunteers for our success. Make new friends and have fun while doing something vitally important for our schools! Learn about opportunities.
The District, PTAs, and Kiddo! work together to help deliver an exemplary education at every school.
Each school's Parent Teacher Association (PTA) raises money for school-specific enhancements to enrich students educational experience, parent education, and parent community events at that school.
Kiddo! helps the district by providing the funding for arts education and academic programs equitably across the District. The funding that Kiddo! provides is primarily used by the district to pay the salaries of its teachers and specialists for district-wide programs, including art, music, curriculum-integrated drama, dance, and poetry. Kiddo! also funds innovative teacher grants throughout the district every year.
Please support both organizations, as both provide vital programs and services at your school.
The Mill Valley School Board and District administration determine the curriculum for the District, establish priorities for program development, and identify crucial District needs. Kiddo! then collaborates with the District to provide funding where needed to execute the Board-approved plan. All programs and services funded by Kiddo! are developed and managed by the District, and all teachers and staff are employees or contractors of the District. Click here to learn more about the Mill Valley School District.
Call Kiddo! (415) 389-7789, email us info@kiddo.org, or use our online contact form.