By EMILY SPARACINO / Staff Writer

CHELSEA – Faculty and staff members from Forest Oaks Elementary School immersed themselves in a different work environment last week to raise money for new classroom technology for their students.

FOES partnered with McDonald’s in Chelsea on Feb. 18 for Spirit Night, an event at which the school collected donations for the purchase of mobile Chromebook classrooms.

More than a dozen FOES administrators and staff members took turns from 5-8 p.m. working the drive-through, making milkshakes and manning the cash register at McDonald’s.

Between donations and McDonald’s contribution of 25 percent of all sales in the three-hour period, FOES raised nearly $1,000 at Spirit Night, PTO board member Emi Burton said.

“That’s a lot of Happy Meals,” Burton said, laughing. “This is the first time we’ve used administration and staff participation. It was a great response from parents, students and administration and staff.”

Burton said the Chromebooks will be purchased and installed at the school before the end of the current academic year.

“Our goal is when teachers have a need that they are readily available for them,” Burton said of the devices.

The first Spirit Night took place at Dairy Queen in November 2015. Burton said she was pleased with the success of the second Spirit Night on Feb. 18.

“It was a tremendous turnout,” she said. “It was a fun night for students and families to see their teachers working when they came to support our school.”

The FOES PTO also operated Gingerbread Lane in December, where students bought gifts for their family members, and all proceeds went toward technological needs.

Burton said the school will continue to hold Spirit Night.

“It’s a fun event for the community,” she said. “This is just another fun way to get the community involved, and the school can benefit.”