{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"Catherine School Pre-K Head Start ","outOfStateSupporters":29.6,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":7653965,"projectId":9888832,"letterContent":"When the Kinetic Sand arrived, my students were absolutely thrilled. Many of them had never worked with sensory sand before, so simply opening the bags and seeing the bright blue, green, and purple colors created instant excitement. We introduced the materials during small-group centers, and students immediately began molding shapes, creating pretend food, and building structures together. This hands-on sensory experience helped them develop fine-motor skills while also supporting language development as they described what they were creating.\r\n\r\nThese new materials have become a daily part of our classroom routine. We are using the Kinetic Sand to strengthen social-emotional skills like sharing, turn-taking, and cooperative play. For example, one student who normally struggles with peer interactions was able to sit for over ten minutes with a partner, working together to build a \"sand city.\" Watching students communicate, negotiate roles, and explore through touch has shown me how powerful sensory play can be for early learners.\r\n\r\nAs we move forward with our current units of study, the sand will continue to support imaginative play, scientific exploration, and creative thinking. Students will use it during literacy lessons to form letters, during math time to create number models, and during science to explore texture, design, and cause-and-effect. These resources have opened the door for rich hands-on learning opportunities, and I am so grateful for the difference they are making. Thank you for supporting my students and helping create a classroom where learning truly comes alive through play.","fullyFundedDate":1763564314693,"projectUrl":"project/stem-in-the-sand-building-designing-a/9888832/","projectTitle":"STEM in the Sand: Building, Designing, and Exploring Together","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Lawrence","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7653965_orig.jpg?crop=1242,1242,x0,y66&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1605916936068","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/lawrence105"},{"teacherId":7653965,"projectId":9891743,"letterContent":"Thanks to your generous support, my students have been fully engaged in hands-on math learning every single day. The transparent counters, critter counters, ice cream sorting set, and counting bears have transformed our classroom into an exciting, colorful space where early math skills come alive. One of our first activities was a \"Sort & Build Math Centers\" rotation where students used the materials to sort by color, create patterns, practice one-to-one counting, and build small-number equations. Watching them confidently explain their thinking while stacking counters or spinning the counting bear spinners has been incredible—they are truly learning by doing.\r\n\r\nWhen the materials first arrived, the joy on my students' faces said everything. They gasped, cheered, and immediately asked to explore each item. Many of my students thrive with hands-on manipulatives, and these resources gave them the tools they need to visualize math concepts, communicate, and stay focused. Students who normally hesitate during math time are now excited to choose counters or critters to help them solve problems. The ice cream stacking set has quickly become a class favorite for practicing color matching, sorting, and fine-motor control.\r\n\r\nOur next steps are to use these manipulatives to deepen understanding of early addition, subtraction, and number sense. We will be building simple math stories, comparing sets, and using the transparent counters on the light table for visual exploration. Because of you, my students have access to meaningful, high-quality tools that support their curiosity and confidence. Thank you for believing in our classroom and for giving my students the chance to learn in ways that meet their developmental needs. You've made a lasting impact on their love for learning.","fullyFundedDate":1763569910542,"projectUrl":"project/sorting-our-way-into-math-success/9891743/","projectTitle":"Sorting Our Way Into Math Success","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Lawrence","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7653965_orig.jpg?crop=1242,1242,x0,y66&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1605916936068","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/lawrence105"},{"teacherId":7653965,"projectId":9888116,"letterContent":"The new messy trays, kinetic sand, and sand sifters have transformed our sensory play and hands-on learning time in the classroom. Students are now able to explore textures, colors, and early science concepts in a clean, organized, and engaging way. One of our favorite new activities has been our \"Sand Discovery Stations,\" where children rotate between trays filled with different colors of kinetic sand, using sifters, molds, and tools to investigate how sand moves and changes. These trays have also supported small-group learning by helping students build language skills as they describe what they feel, create, and notice.\r\n\r\nWhen the students saw the materials for the first time, the room erupted with excitement. Many of them immediately began sharing tools, comparing colors of sand, and inviting friends to join their play—something that supports both social-emotional skills and cooperative learning. The disinfecting wipes have also been a huge help, allowing us to keep materials clean so students can explore safely every day. Watching their curiosity grow as they touch, build, and experiment has been such a joyful experience for our entire classroom community.\r\n\r\nOur next steps include expanding our sensory science lessons by introducing concepts like sink or float, texture sorting, and simple measuring activities using the trays. These resources have opened the door for richer, more meaningful exploration, and my students are already asking what new creations and discoveries they will make next. Thank you for giving them the tools to learn, explore, and shine!","fullyFundedDate":1762828870811,"projectUrl":"project/dig-build-and-learn-stem-construction/9888116/","projectTitle":"Dig, Build, and Learn: STEM Construction Play in the Sandbox","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Lawrence","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7653965_orig.jpg?crop=1242,1242,x0,y66&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1605916936068","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/lawrence105"},{"teacherId":7653965,"projectId":9781887,"letterContent":"When our new craft materials arrived—foam shapes, colorful pom-poms, pipe cleaners, tissue squares, and googly eyes—my students' faces immediately lit up with excitement. They couldn't wait to explore the textures, colors, and shapes. We began using these supplies to create art projects that connected directly to our weekly themes and lessons. For example, during our \"All About Me\" unit, students used the materials to make self-portraits, proudly adding their own unique details like curly pipe-cleaner hair and bright tissue paper shirts.\r\n\r\nThese materials have helped my students strengthen their fine motor skills while expressing creativity and individuality. Cutting, gluing, and assembling the pieces also supported hand-eye coordination and encouraged collaboration—students often worked together, sharing colors or suggesting new design ideas. Their confidence has grown tremendously as they've seen their ideas come to life through art.\r\n\r\nThe addition of these new supplies has made our classroom a vibrant hub of creativity and learning. Next, we plan to integrate the craft materials into literacy and math centers—using foam shapes to create letters, pom-poms for counting, and sticks for pattern building. Thank you for giving my students the opportunity to imagine, create, and learn through hands-on experiences that spark joy every day!","fullyFundedDate":1762266377727,"projectUrl":"project/creative-hands-colorful-minds/9781887/","projectTitle":"Creative Hands, Colorful Minds","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Lawrence","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7653965_orig.jpg?crop=1242,1242,x0,y66&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1605916936068","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/lawrence105"},{"teacherId":7653965,"projectId":9869281,"letterContent":"When our new Feelings Pocket Charts and Emotional Regulation Posters arrived, my students' faces lit up with excitement! We immediately used them during our morning circle time to talk about how we were feeling that day. Each child had the chance to choose a feeling card that matched their mood and place it in the pocket chart. This simple activity sparked meaningful conversations about emotions, empathy, and how to manage big feelings in a positive way.\r\n\r\nThroughout the day, students began using the Feelings Chart independently. I noticed children referring to the chart when they were frustrated or excited, using words like \"I'm sad\" or \"I feel proud.\" The visual support helped them name their emotions and learn strategies to calm down—skills that are so important for social-emotional development.\r\n\r\nThe MYLU Emotional Management posters have become a permanent and powerful part of our calm-down corner. Students use the Zones of Regulation posters to identify which zone they're in and practice strategies to get back to the \"green zone.\" These tools are helping build a classroom environment where feelings are respected, and students are learning that all emotions are okay—it's how we handle them that matters.\r\n\r\nThanks to your generosity, my students are not only learning about emotions but also developing lifelong social skills that will help them succeed in school and beyond.","fullyFundedDate":1762266417144,"projectUrl":"project/big-feelings-little-learners-building/9869281/","projectTitle":"Big Feelings, Little Learners: Building Emotional Regulation in Preschool","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Lawrence","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7653965_orig.jpg?crop=1242,1242,x0,y66&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1605916936068","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/lawrence105"},{"teacherId":7653965,"projectId":9839756,"letterContent":"When our new Zingo Bingo and Alphabet Learning Toys arrived, the classroom was buzzing with excitement! The students couldn't wait to take turns sliding the Zingo tiles and shouting out matching letters, pictures, and numbers. These games quickly became a favorite center activity where children practice letter recognition, number matching, and vocabulary in a fun, social way. During one activity, a small group worked together to fill their bingo boards—celebrating each match with smiles and high-fives.\r\n\r\nThese resources have transformed our literacy and math time into interactive learning experiences. The Joyreal Alphabet Sorter Tubs encouraged students to sort letters and objects while naming beginning sounds, building both phonemic awareness and fine motor skills. Watching their confidence grow as they identify letters and numbers with enthusiasm has been so rewarding.\r\n\r\nNext, we will use these materials to strengthen our letter-sound and number-quantity connections as we prepare students for kindergarten readiness. The cooperative play also supports sharing and turn-taking—skills we reinforce daily in our classroom community.","fullyFundedDate":1762266366840,"projectUrl":"project/building-bright-minds-with-alphabet-nu/9839756/","projectTitle":"Building Bright Minds with Alphabet & Number Games!","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Lawrence","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7653965_orig.jpg?crop=1242,1242,x0,y66&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1605916936068","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/lawrence105"},{"teacherId":7653965,"projectId":9864884,"letterContent":"When the Trace & Write Alphabet Center and Magnetic Letter Builders arrived, my students' excitement filled the room! They immediately gathered around the table, curious to explore the new materials. During literacy centers, children have been using the tracing boards to practice forming letters, strengthen fine motor control, and identify both uppercase and lowercase letters. The magnetic builders have turned letter recognition into a hands-on engineering experience—students connect the colorful pieces to build letters, compare shapes, and proudly name the letters they've made.\r\n\r\nThe moment the materials were introduced, my students' reactions were priceless. Many of them cheered, saying, \"We can make the alphabet!\" or \"Look, I made my name!\" These tools have encouraged collaboration and perseverance as they help one another form letters correctly. For students who need extra support with handwriting or letter formation, the tactile and visual feedback has made a huge difference—they are now more confident and motivated to write during center time.\r\n\r\nOur next step is to continue building on these early literacy skills by incorporating name-writing, word-building, and phonics activities. The materials will remain a core part of our literacy rotation, allowing students to explore letter formation and sound connections in meaningful, playful ways. Because of your generosity, my students are truly seeing that learning letters can be fun, creative, and full of discovery.","fullyFundedDate":1762266379950,"projectUrl":"project/building-strong-alphabet-skills-through/9864884/","projectTitle":"Building Strong Alphabet Skills Through Hands-On Learning","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Lawrence","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7653965_orig.jpg?crop=1242,1242,x0,y66&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1605916936068","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/lawrence105"},{"teacherId":7653965,"projectId":9805107,"letterContent":"The new alphabet dough stampers and ABC pops have brought an exciting and engaging way for my students to explore letters and sounds! During small group and center time, students have been using the stampers to press both uppercase and lowercase letters into playdough while saying the letter name and sound aloud. This hands-on approach has made learning letters come alive—students are not only seeing and hearing the alphabet but also feeling it as they stamp and create. The mini ABC pops have been a class favorite during literacy centers; students love matching the uppercase and lowercase \"pops\" while practicing their phonics skills through playful challenges.\r\n\r\nWhen my students first saw the new materials, their eyes lit up with curiosity and joy! They immediately began exploring, sharing tools with peers, and proudly naming the letters they recognized. Many of my students are developing early literacy and fine motor skills, so these materials provided the perfect combination of learning and play. It was inspiring to see how confident they felt while creating and identifying their own letter prints.\r\n\r\nThe next steps for our class are to continue using these tools to build stronger connections between letter recognition and beginning writing. Students will soon begin using the stampers to spell out their names and familiar sight words, helping bridge the gap between identifying letters and forming words. These materials have truly made a lasting impact on their motivation and excitement to learn!","fullyFundedDate":1761944804441,"projectUrl":"project/alphabet-adventures-hands-on-letter-lea/9805107/","projectTitle":"Alphabet Adventures: Hands-On Letter Learning for Little Learners","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Lawrence","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7653965_orig.jpg?crop=1242,1242,x0,y66&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1605916936068","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/lawrence105"},{"teacherId":7653965,"projectId":9789903,"letterContent":"When the new microscopes arrived, my students' faces lit up with excitement and curiosity. They could not wait to explore the world through a scientist's lens! We immediately began using the GeoSafari Jr. My First Microscope and Kidscope during our STEM center time to examine everyday classroom materials such as leaves, rocks, fabric, and even their fingerprints. The microscopes have quickly become a classroom favorite, turning every child into a little scientist ready to discover something new.\r\n\r\nOne special moment was when a student exclaimed, \"I can see the bumps on the leaf!\"—a perfect example of how these tools are helping students make real-world connections through hands-on learning. These microscopes have supported our exploration of science vocabulary like \"observe,\" \"magnify,\" and \"compare,\" while encouraging teamwork and communication as students take turns sharing what they see.\r\n\r\nOur next step is to build on this excitement by incorporating weekly \"Science Discovery Fridays,\" where students will choose new classroom or outdoor items to investigate under the microscopes. This project has truly opened their eyes—literally and figuratively—to the wonders of science and sparked a love for discovery that will continue to grow throughout the year.","fullyFundedDate":1760657554509,"projectUrl":"project/discovering-the-hidden-world-exploring/9789903/","projectTitle":"Discovering the Hidden World: Exploring Science Through Microscopes","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Lawrence","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7653965_orig.jpg?crop=1242,1242,x0,y66&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1605916936068","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/lawrence105"},{"teacherId":7653965,"projectId":9706581,"letterContent":"When our new dramatic play materials arrived, my students' excitement filled the classroom! They immediately began exploring the Indestructible Play Dishes, Pots & Pans Playset, and Little Hands Tool Tote. It was amazing to see how quickly they took ownership of their learning environment—setting up their own \"kitchens\" and \"restaurants,\" taking turns cooking, cleaning, and serving meals to friends. These tools gave them the chance to practice sharing, problem-solving, and teamwork in meaningful, play-based ways.\r\n\r\nSince adding these new materials, I've noticed a huge boost in pretend play and communication skills. Students who were once hesitant to join peers are now more confident and expressive. They use the play dishes and pots to act out family routines, which helps build language, social-emotional understanding, and real-world connections. The tool tote has been a favorite among my little builders who love \"fixing\" things around the classroom and pretending to be community helpers.\r\n\r\nAs we move forward, we'll continue to use these resources to support our thematic studies—like \"Buildings,\" \"Family,\" and \"Community.\" My students are already planning to open a classroom \"restaurant\" where they can take orders, count play money, and write menus. Thank you for helping bring this level of creativity and imagination to our classroom. Your support has truly made learning come alive for my students!","fullyFundedDate":1760118431557,"projectUrl":"project/cooking-building-and-learning-through/9706581/","projectTitle":"Cooking, Building, and Learning Through Play!","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Lawrence","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7653965_orig.jpg?crop=1242,1242,x0,y66&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1605916936068","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/lawrence105"},{"teacherId":7653965,"projectId":9764886,"letterContent":"My preschool students have absolutely loved exploring the new Big Bolt Construction Master Set! These materials have become a favorite in our STEM center, where students use the bolts, wrenches, and colorful pieces to build vehicles, animals, and imaginative structures. The set encourages hands-on learning and helps develop fine motor skills, problem-solving, and teamwork. During one activity, students collaborated to build a \"robot friend,\" taking turns tightening bolts and sharing ideas about how to make it move—showing incredible creativity and cooperation.\r\n\r\nWhen the materials first arrived, the excitement in the room was contagious. The children's faces lit up as they unpacked the set and immediately began experimenting with the tools. Many of them proudly showed off their creations, calling friends over to see what they built. It was inspiring to see how quickly they engaged in meaningful play that combined engineering concepts with social interaction.\r\n\r\nMoving forward, these tools will continue to be used to support lessons on building, design, and early engineering concepts. We plan to integrate them into our upcoming Creative Curriculum \"Building Study,\" where students will explore how real structures are made and use the construction pieces to model what they learn. Thanks to our generous donors, my students now have high-quality materials that make learning fun, challenging, and full of discovery every day.","fullyFundedDate":1759447834443,"projectUrl":"project/little-engineers-at-work/9764886/","projectTitle":"Little Engineers at Work","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Lawrence","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7653965_orig.jpg?crop=1242,1242,x0,y66&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1605916936068","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/lawrence105"},{"teacherId":7653965,"projectId":9709510,"letterContent":"When my students first saw the GeoSafari Jr. Talking Microscope and jumbo magnifiers, their eyes lit up with excitement and curiosity. Many of them had never used a real science tool before, so hearing Bindi Irwin's voice describe the specimens made them feel like real scientists. We spent the morning exploring slides of insects, plants, and shells—students were amazed to see the tiny details up close. One student shouted, \"I can see the bug's eyes!\" and another said, \"I want to be a scientist when I grow up!\"\r\n\r\nThese new resources have become a cornerstone of our STEM center. We use the magnifiers during our \"Exploring Nature\" lessons and the microscope for guided investigations on living and nonliving things. The hands-on experience has strengthened students' observation skills and vocabulary, especially for those who learn best through tactile exploration. It has also encouraged more teamwork and sharing, as students take turns examining the slides and recording what they see.\r\n\r\nOur next step is to expand our learning into a class science journal where students will draw what they observe under the microscope and write simple sentences describing their findings. Thanks to your generosity, science in our classroom has transformed from pictures in a book to real-life discovery—and my students now see themselves as young scientists ready to explore the world around them.","fullyFundedDate":1759097047276,"projectUrl":"project/exploring-science-through-magnification/9709510/","projectTitle":"Exploring Science Through Magnification!","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Lawrence","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7653965_orig.jpg?crop=1242,1242,x0,y66&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1605916936068","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/lawrence105"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_117450","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":null,"numTeachers":null,"percentFrplEligible":95,"percentAsian":7,"percentBlack":43,"percentWhite":12,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":22,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"Pre-K - Pre-K","studentTeacherRatio":null,"demographicsDataSource":"MDR District Record","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":false,"metroType":"UNCLASSIFIED","ncesMetroType":null},"inStateSupporters":70.4,"schoolId":117450,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Catherine School Pre-K Head Start on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Catherine School Pre-K Head Start ","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/pennsylvania/philadelphia-city-school-district/catherine-school-annex/117450"}