Altoona Elementary School in Altoona, Iowa on DonorsChoose

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By mastering word parts through these materials, students no longer get stuck stuttering through every single letter. They recognize sight words and phonetic patterns instantly. This rapid recognition has greatly improved their reading speed and oral confidence.\r\nStrengthening Writing Knowledge\r\nOur writing workshop has completely changed for the better. Students now use their word-building skills to spell unfamiliar words independently during writing time. Instead of stopping to ask for spelling help, they confidently apply phonetic strategies to write complete sentences. Their sentence structure and spelling accuracy have improved dramatically.\r\nA Special Classroom Moment\r\nRecently, a struggling reader successfully spelled the word \"jumped\" using our new letter blocks. He looked up with a huge smile and shouted, \"I built a big word all by myself!\" He immediately grabbed his journal and wrote a whole story about his dog jumping over a fence. Your gift gave him the tools and confidence to see himself as a true author.\r\nThank you for providing the foundation these young learners need to become confident, lifelong readers and writers.","fullyFundedDate":1665095438168,"projectUrl":"project/word-makers/6871153/","projectTitle":"Word Makers!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Moore","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7355649_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1595958573246","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/7355649"},{"teacherId":7355649,"projectId":5695831,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your incredible generosity in funding our classroom fidget resources. Your support has transformed our daily routine and profoundly impacted my first graders' emotional well-being and readiness to learn. We use these tools daily to support emotional regulation and focus. Each morning, students select a fidget from our new sensory station. This routine has dramatically eased the morning transition from home to school. This predictable routine calms their nervous systems and prepares them for the academic day ahead. A few weeks ago, a student arrived at school in tears, overwhelmed by a chaotic morning at home and unable to calmly enter the classroom. I handed them a fidget from our new collection. Within five minutes of quietly squeezing the fidget, their breathing slowed, the tears stopped, and they safely joined their peers at the rug. It was a powerful testament to how these items serve as bridges from anxiety to security. When the boxes arrived and we opened them together, the classroom erupted into pure joy. The children gasped, cheered, and eagerly gathered around. They were thrilled by the different textures, bright colors, and moving parts. I allowed them an extended free exploration period that first day, which provided much-needed sensory play and allowed them to discover which tools felt most comforting to them. Thank you for opening your hearts to our classroom and giving my students the tools they need to feel safe, calm, and ready to succeed.","fullyFundedDate":1628349307445,"projectUrl":"project/fidget-fidget-and-fidget-plus-leanring/5695831/","projectTitle":"Fidget, Fidget, and Fidget Plus Leanring!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Moore","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7355649_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1595958573246","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/7355649"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_51944","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":429,"numTeachers":31,"percentFrplEligible":53,"percentAsian":2,"percentBlack":13,"percentWhite":68,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":9,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","percentHawaiianImputed":0,"percentMultiracialImputed":4,"gradesServed":"Pre-K - 5","studentTeacherRatio":"13.8:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"SUBURBAN","ncesMetroType":"SUBURB_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":91.3,"schoolId":51944,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Altoona Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Altoona Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/iowa/southeast-polk-community-school-district/altoona-elementary-school/51944"}

About this school

Altoona Elementary School is a suburban public school in Altoona, Iowa that is part of Southeast Polk Community School District. It serves 429 students in grades Pre-K - 5 with a student/teacher ratio of 13.8:1. Its teachers have had 5 projects funded on DonorsChoose.

Supporting this school will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

Public School

Title 1

Grades Pre-K - 5

429 Students

31 Teachers

301 6th St SW

Altoona, IA 50009 View local requests

http://www.southeastpolk.org

Direct, proactive support

Empower teachers at Altoona Elementary School to request what their students need.

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Ms. Vero, a DonorsChoose teacher for 9 years.

Kindergarten teacher at PS81 - Robert J. Christen School in Bronx, NY

Altoona Elementary School Teachers on DonorsChoose

Mrs. Moore

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Altoona Elementary School Demographics

53%

of students receive free or reduced price lunch

Source: the National Center for Education Statistics

24%

of students are Black, Latino, Native American, or Asian

Schools in districts that mainly serve students of color receive substantially less state and local support than similar districts that serve primarily White students. Learn more about this gap, why it exists, and how you can help close it.

Altoona Elementary School Support on DonorsChoose Last updated Jun 19, 2026

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