Turf area for the yard
This year's big project and the main focus of the $10,000 goal. Next up: a yard walk with the principal and one installer quote, then approval from the school and OUSD.
I can helpThornhill Elementary, Oakland
Thornhill dads and father figures,
pitching in for our school.
Thunder Dads runs Kids Night Out on seven Friday nights this school year, takes on fix-it jobs for teachers, and raises money for bigger projects on campus. This year's big one is a turf area for the yard.
$10,000$7,500$5,000$2,500$0
Goal for the 2026-27 school year
$10,000
About $3,000 to $4,000 is in the Thunder Dads fund now. The PFC Treasurer will confirm the exact number.
In the fundEstimate range
This year's big project: a turf area for the yard
Most of the goal goes here. The rest covers Kids Night Out and fix-it materials.
Donate link added at launch
Why a dads group
Thornhill has plenty of work that needs more hands. Thunder Dads gives every dad a simple way in: help at a Kids Night Out, take a fix-it job, or help raise money for something bigger.
Free to join, no minimum. Give an hour or a whole Saturday.
Kids do better when dads show up at school. In a federal survey of K-12 families in two-parent households, half of students got mostly A's and enjoyed school when their fathers were highly involved at school, compared with about a third when fathers had low involvement. National Center for Education Statistics, 1998
What we do
Kids Night Out
A Friday evening for Thornhill kids, with pizza, a movie, and the dads in charge, while parents get a night off. Kids come free when a parent stays for the night.
Fix-it projects
Teachers and staff tell us what's broken, like wobbly desks, tired chairs, or the picket fence, and a dad takes the job on a workday.
Bigger projects
This year's big project is a turf area for the yard, and shade is on the list too. The dads raise the money and work with the school and the district to make them happen.
Kids Night Out
Tickets are sold on Givebutter. If your kids want to come and you can't pay for any reason, reach out to Principal Scott. Every Thornhill kid is welcome, no questions asked.
Fri, Dec 4Next Kids Night Out
Kids Night Out, 6 to 9 PM in the multipurpose room
Pizza, popcorn, and a movie. Bring a sleeping bag or a pillow. After December: Jan 22, Feb 19, Apr 16, and May 14.
Tickets link added when sales open
Pizza, popcorn, and a movie. Bring a sleeping bag or a pillow. After December: Jan 22, Feb 19, Apr 16, and May 14.
Vote for the movie
Every ticket comes with one vote, and the movie with the most votes plays.
The December 4 vote. You pick when you buy your ticket on Givebutter, and the winner is announced the week before.
This year at a glance
| Date | Event | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Thu, Sep 10 | NFL kickoff get-together | Taps & Take Out |
| Fri, Sep 25 | Kids Night Out | Thornhill MPR |
| Fri, Oct 23 | Kids Night Out | Thornhill MPR |
| Fri, Dec 4 | Kids Night Out | Thornhill MPR |
| Fri, Jan 22 | Kids Night Out | Thornhill MPR |
| Fri, Feb 19 | Kids Night Out | Thornhill MPR |
| Fri, Apr 16 | Kids Night Out | Thornhill MPR |
| Fri, May 14 | Kids Night Out | Thornhill MPR |
From the school's public calendar. Past events are grayed out.
Project board
Every request from a teacher or staff member lands here, so anyone can see who has it and where it stands. Submit a project request
Big projectThe year's main fundraising goal. This year, the turf area.
Fix itDad labor plus small materials from the fix-it fund.
Fund itA bigger materials buy, under a per-project cap the dads set.
Find itBeyond the dads' budget. The dads help find the money.
Projectors for the music room and stage
Mount one projector in the music room and one on the stage.
I can helpRoom 7 chairs
Repair the chairs in Room 7 and repaint them in their fun colors.
I can helpBall holder cages
Build four ball holder cages. The boxes are in the main entry hallway, to the right.
I can helpEmergency supplies for the safety plan
Lanyards in a color for each grade, to go with the new emergency cards, plus flashlights, batteries, and a few games for the emergency container. The PFC didn't budget for them.
I can helpPicket fence update
Materials come from the Thunder Dads budget, and dads do the work on a workday.
I can helpShade structure for the yard
Also on the list. Construction on a public school site goes through the district, so the dads raise money and work with OUSD on approval and a certified installer.
I can helpFolding walls for the stage
Estimated at $7,000 to $10,000, more than the dads can fund alone. The dads help find the money: DonorsChoose, the auction, or the PFC budget.
I can helpNothing in this lane yet.
Teacher requests come from the school's request form and show up here on their own. The dads set the lane, status, and owner in the project queue.
Request a project
For teachers, staff, and the principal. Tell us what needs fixing and a dad will pick it up.
This is the school's own Thunder Dads request form, the one teachers already use. It asks for your name, the room or place, and what needs fixing.
Daily dad joke
A new one every day. Groaning is allowed.
Join Thunder Dads
Scott Johnson leads Thunder Dads. Questions go to thunderdads@thornhillschool.org.
Join the WhatsApp community
Groups for Kids Night Out, Walkathon, Auction Stuff, Thunder Games, and Announcements. Jump into the ones you care about.
Invite link added at launchGet cleared to volunteer
OUSD asks every school volunteer to register, get a TB clearance, and complete mandated reporter training. Working without OUSD staff on site also needs fingerprints.
Oakland Ed Fund volunteer FAQCome to a meetup
A regular dads meetup, day and place to be set.
Dad scorecard
Every finished job earns 10 points. Half-day jobs add a 10-point bonus, and big jobs add 30. Everyone named on a job gets the points.
| Rank | Dad | Jobs done | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| No finished jobs logged yet | 0 | 0 |
Completed this school year
Every finished project, with the date and the dads who did it.
| Date | Project | Done by |
|---|---|---|
| To be filled in | Projects finished so far in 2026-27 go here | Names to come |