I teach 6th grade life science in a very low-income small school district. We have a large population of economically disadvantaged students and a limited budget for supplies. The materials I am requesting would help make the time I spend with my students more effective and beneficial.
Our school district qualifies as economically disadvantaged and about 75% of our students qualify for free or reduced breakfast and lunch due to living at or below the national poverty level. Our district has closed 4 of our 8 elementary schools and consolidated our 2 junior highs into 1 school in order to cut building maintenance costs and yet we still have very limited resources. As a result, teachers are forced to seek alternative means of obtaining materials that would benefit our students.
Because we have limited resources and most students do NOT bring basic supplies with them to school, it becomes the teacher's responsibility to get what we feel is most needed by any means necessary. I am requesting both basic materials such as rulers and calculators as well as some very beneficial materials like the student microscopes and slides. Being able to have EACH student view samples on their own microscope is the best because it reduces the class time needed since everyone can see the specimen at once rather than have 32 students waiting in a line for just a few microscopes. The calculators will be useful because we only have one set for three classrooms to share and on occasion I have been unable to use them during a lab where calculations were necessary. As a result, the students had to use general data rather than their own data for their conclusions.
Your donation would benefit the 130 students that I am teaching this year and hundreds more in years to come. I have spent thousands of my own dollars trying to provide the best education for my students during my 15 years and feel that with your help I can begin to meet the needs of my underachieving students in my poverty stricken district. Your donation would be GREATLY appreciated by my students and me.
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mrs. Scholz and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.