Frequently Asked Questions
Mills High School Athletic Boosters
Updated August 2021
1. What is the Mills HS Athletic Boosters’ Mission?
The purpose of the Mills HS Athletic Boosters is to provide supplemental financial support and volunteer services to the Mills athletic program, athletes and coaches to help sustain a safe and competitive sports environment, while fostering school spirit.
2. What is the Participation Donation?
The Mills HS Athletic Boosters requests the participation of all families to support the Mills Athletics program with a participation donation to help defray costs of the various sports. Currently, the suggested amount is $100 for the per athlete, per sport. For example, if one student participates in one sport each season, the total amount would be $225 ($100+$100+$100 = $300). This is the primary source of Mills HS Athletic Boosters funding.
3. How is my participation donation used?
The Mills HS Athletic Boosters uses participation donations and other fundraising revenue to support items outside of district funding. Examples of Booster funding; full financial support for all Freshman sports, full financial funding of a Strength & Conditioning Coach, basketball shooting machine, softball pitching machine, and golf cart for the athletic trainer. The Mills HS Athletic Boosters also help raise funds for programs by selling concessions at home football games and basketball quads.
4. When and where do the Mills HS Athletic Boosters meet?
The Mills HS Athletic Boosters hold our meetings monthly September-June at 6 p.m. in the Principal’s Conference Room on the first Tuesday of the month. The meetings are open to all so please join us!
View the Calendar for dates.
5. What is the Family Pass and the Family Pass Plus?
If you enjoy watching Mills HS football and basketball games, a Family Pass will admit two adults and two children (up to 13 years old) to all SMUHSD athletic season home and away games. (Aragon, Burlingame, Capuchino, Hillsdale, Mills and San Mateo). A Family Pass purchase has a greater impact on supporting Mills HS Athletic Boosters directly. The Family Pass funds will remain with our school, as opposed to purchasing a single ticket at the door, where funds go to the District and shared among all the district schools.
The Family Pass Plus adds one MHS spirit item to the Family Pass at a discounted rate.
6. I cannot attend the meetings. How else can I participate?
The Mills HS Athletic Boosters can always use volunteers to help with the concession stand, assist during the seasonal Sportsmanship meetings, assist during Mills-hosted tournaments, serve on the Board, and act as parent liaisons for their student’s team. Fill out the Volunteer Form.
7. Why should I become a member of the Mills HS Athletic Boosters?
Mills HS Athletic Boosters is a parent volunteer organization. Parent participation, across all seasons and sports, helps build greater school/community spirit and pride. We know that participation in a team/individual sport builds confidence and self-esteem, fostering and valuing hard work, sportsmanship and cooperation. A Participation Donation automatically provides Membership to the Mills HS Athletic Boosters. All donations provide direct financial support to the sports programs and it allows for one vote, per member, for board elections.
8. What does Mills HS Athletic Boosters pay for versus what is paid by the school versus individual team fundraising?
Mills HS Athletic Boosters can help purchase items which are beyond the scope of essential items provided by the district for each sport. For example the district provides game day uniforms, balls, catcher’s gear, and athletic trainer’s supplies. The district provided items can be found in List of Essential Items.
Individual sports teams often choose to raise money for personalized apparel, specialty competitions or for transportation outside of district allowable areas. Recent Mills HS Athletic Boosters purchases have included football hudl account, agility ladders, tennis wind screens, basketball shooter machine, softball pitching machine and canopies for water and running sports.
9. My child’s coach said they requested support from the Mills HS Athletic Boosters to purchase equipment and supplies. Why haven’t we seen these purchases?
Some supplies are provided by the district and the Athletic Director can assist coaches in determining from whom to request additional items.
Items requested from the Mills HS Athletic Boosters must follow a process involving a written request from the coach. This request form is here or from the Athletic Director. Once properly submitted the request will be reviewed at the next Mills HS Athletic Boosters meeting. While the Mills HS Athletic Boosters would like to fund all requests some may require additional documentation or discussion or may be beyond the current funding abilities of the group. For more information, visit the Requests page.