The school was named after Dag Hjalmar Agne Carl Hammarskjold, who was a Swedish statesman and United Nations official who served as the United Nations Secretary-General for more than eight years. While on a mission concerning a separatist movement in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (now Zaire), he was killed in a plane crash in September, 1961. Hammarskjold was posthumously awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1961 for his book of meditations, Markings.

When Dag Hammarskjold was built in 1968, there were walls to define each classroom. In 1973, to accommodate the "open classroom" concept, the classroom walls were removed, and the open areas that were created were called pods.  The pods were named  Peace, Happiness, Unity, Friendship, Freedom, and Brotherhood, symbolic of the United Nations.  Pods were created to facilitate the movement of students in the open classroom concept. Through the years, some rooms have closed up their classrooms, and in some areas, walls have been built.

Dag's principals have been:

• Principal Ellen Weston from 1968 to 1978
• Principal Patricia Matlin from 1978 to 2001
• Principal Rick Ruth from 2001 to the present

Dag Hammarskjold Elementary is one of fifteen elementary buildings in the Parma School District. At the present time, there are 284 students enrolled in the school, with one or two classes at each grade level, from kindergarten through sixth grade. Music and Physical Education are taught twice weekly, and Art class is taught in a one hour block once per week.

At the present time, we have a choir, band, and orchestra that present winter and spring concerts. Our instrumental teachers work with students to improve their musical abilities on instruments like violin, viola, cello, flute, trumpet, clarinet, saxophone, etc.  Our school has two teachers who work with students with special needs.

Dag Hammarskjold has the proud distinction of having been rated an "EXCELLENT" school by the Ohio Department of Education.  This rating was achieved through outstanding scores on the Ohio Achievement Tests in grades three, four, five, and six. 

Dag is also proud to be a National School of Excellence in Parent Involvement as awarded by the National Parent-Teacher Association.