{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Christopher Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":16.0,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":9611538,"projectId":10599178,"letterContent":"My students are having a blast using the letter playdough stamps. They are practicing identifying/ constructing their name and students who are not ready to start using writing utensils are still able to participate. It is wonderful to give them access to the learning in a way that will allow them to participate in an age-developmental way but not put extra strain on them to write before they are ready to. \r\n\r\nMoreover, it has also allowed students to start practicing using scissors with the playdough scissors without the extra safety concern of cutting unnecessary items. I am excited to see what we will be able to do with letter recognition and these tools.","fullyFundedDate":1790907945536,"projectUrl":"project/literacy-and-fine-motor-pbj-sandwich/10599178/","projectTitle":"Literacy and Fine Motor: PB&J Sandwich","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Diaz","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9611538_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1723514221462","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/maestra-diaz-tk"},{"teacherId":8206330,"projectId":10323320,"letterContent":"Thank You for Supporting Our Students Through Sports!\r\n\r\nFirst and foremost, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to all of our wonderful donors who helped make this project possible! Your generosity has made such a meaningful difference in our students' daily experiences at school. What may seem like a simple donation of sports equipment has provided our students with opportunities to build friendships, develop confidence, practice teamwork, and most importantly, have fun while being active!\r\n\r\nAt our school, the budget for sports equipment is extremely limited. Unfortunately, this often means purchasing inexpensive balls and other materials that simply cannot withstand the amount of use they receive from our students. With so many students eager to participate in physical activities, equipment can become worn out, damaged, or completely unusable after only a few uses. This creates challenges because we want every student to have opportunities to participate, but we do not always have enough equipment to support everyone at once.\r\n\r\nThanks to your generous donations, that is beginning to change!\r\n\r\nOne of the most exciting parts of receiving our new sports equipment was seeing the students' reactions. Their faces lit up with excitement when they saw the new materials! They were eager to explore the equipment, begin playing, and share their excitement with their classmates. It was wonderful to see how something as simple as having new, quality sports equipment could bring so much happiness to our students.\r\n\r\nWhat has been especially meaningful is the pride our students have taken in caring for these materials. They understand that this equipment is special and was generously donated specifically for them. Because of this, they have shown a greater sense of ownership and responsibility. They are learning to use the equipment appropriately, take care of it, and make sure it is available for others to enjoy. These are valuable life lessons that extend far beyond the playground or classroom.\r\n\r\nOne of the biggest improvements has been our ability to provide multiple activities at the same time. Previously, limited equipment meant students often had to wait their turn or share one ball among a large group. Now, we can offer different games and activities simultaneously, allowing more students to be actively engaged rather than standing around waiting.\r\n\r\nThis is especially important because our students have a wide range of abilities, interests, and needs. Some students thrive in competitive games, while others prefer smaller groups or activities that allow them to practice skills at their own pace. Having additional equipment allows us to create more inclusive opportunities so that every student can participate in a way that feels comfortable, successful, and enjoyable.\r\n\r\nAs a special education teacher, I see firsthand how important movement, physical activity, and social interaction are for student development. Sports are not just about learning how to throw, catch, kick, or bounce a ball. They are opportunities for students to practice communication, problem-solving, emotional regulation, patience, cooperation, and perseverance.\r\n\r\nFor some students, participating in a game and successfully taking turns is a major accomplishment. For others, learning how to handle winning or losing appropriately is an important social-emotional milestone. These activities give students opportunities to practice skills they are learning in the classroom in a natural, engaging environment.\r\n\r\nOur next steps are to continue building these skills through structured games, cooperative activities, and opportunities for students to develop greater independence. We want students to learn not only how to play different sports but also how to encourage their classmates, resolve disagreements respectfully, follow rules, and demonstrate good sportsmanship.\r\n\r\nWe also plan to continue teaching students how to care for and organize the equipment so that it remains available for years to come. Our hope is that these donations will benefit not only our current students but also many future students who will have the opportunity to enjoy these materials.\r\n\r\nMost importantly, we want our students to develop a lifelong appreciation for physical activity. We want them to understand that movement can be fun, that teamwork makes us stronger, and that everyone deserves an opportunity to participate regardless of their abilities.\r\n\r\nYour generosity has helped us create a more welcoming, engaging, and inclusive environment where students feel excited to participate and proud of the materials they have been given.\r\n\r\nThank you for recognizing the importance of providing quality resources to our students. You have given them so much more than sports equipment. You have given them opportunities to grow, connect with their peers, develop important life skills, and create joyful memories at school.\r\n\r\nFrom the bottom of my heart, thank you for investing in our students and helping us provide opportunities that our limited school budget would not otherwise allow. Your kindness truly makes a difference, and we are incredibly grateful for your support!","fullyFundedDate":1788781836165,"projectUrl":"project/removing-barriers-through-play-expandin/10323320/","projectTitle":"Removing Barriers Through Play: Expanding Access to Sports & Recreation","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Hunter","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8206330_orig.png?crop=640,640,x0,y46&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1670347791218","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8206330"},{"teacherId":8622035,"projectId":10176860,"letterContent":"New books help our kids read more and build a good habit each day. Reading is our main early finisher task, so kids pick up a book, not a screen. We also read in Social Studies, Science, and Tech. We use a text to find facts, back up claims, see new views, study events, and learn how tools work. Some kids now use our class library, while others finish books they have now. We hope each child can find a book they like, read with more skill, and see books as a fun and normal part of the school day.","fullyFundedDate":1778505729580,"projectUrl":"project/calm-minds-strong-hearts-sel-tools-for/10176860/","projectTitle":"Calm Minds, Strong Hearts: Sel Tools for My Classroom","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Aguilar","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8622035_orig.jpg?crop=720,720,x111,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1693524390162","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8622035"},{"teacherId":9611538,"projectId":10486530,"letterContent":"It has been absolutely wonderful to see the impact that the calming resources you provided have had on the overall well-being of the classroom. These tools have been especially helpful when a student has a big emotion that they can't quite shake off. We can direct them to our calming space and they know exactly what to grab to help themselves self-regulate. There are students who grab the breathing ball to take some deep breaths, there are others who enjoy hearing the Water Bubble Fish Tube Floor Lamp or watch the fish inside. \r\n\r\nDue to these resources, myself and my aid have been able to be more proactive in the classroom and not need to have a student at our hip who needs more emotional support.","fullyFundedDate":1787923736946,"projectUrl":"project/helping-tk-students-regulate-and-thrive/10486530/","projectTitle":"Helping TK Students Regulate and Thrive","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Diaz","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9611538_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1723514221462","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/maestra-diaz-tk"},{"teacherId":9611538,"projectId":10320201,"letterContent":"My classroom has been able to grow their gross motor skills while practicing their coordination and balance with the resources you provided. It has been such a treat to see how materials that I used in my early education are just as impactful now as they were back then. \r\n\r\nMy students current favorite resource from this project has been the Balancing Stilts for Kids Walking Buckets. There was a learning curve to using them at first, but once they got the hang of it, they were using the stilts to create outdoor obstacles courses. I hope to later get more outdoor play and gross motor resources at a later time.","fullyFundedDate":1787877114150,"projectUrl":"project/growing-our-gross-motor-skills/10320201/","projectTitle":"Growing Our Gross Motor Skills","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Diaz","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9611538_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1723514221462","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/maestra-diaz-tk"},{"teacherId":8206330,"projectId":10485818,"letterContent":"Our new organization bins are already making a huge difference in our classroom! As a TK–8th grade special education classroom, we support students across many grade levels, learning needs, and five different curriculums. Having clearly labeled and organized materials allows both students and teachers to quickly find exactly what they need without losing valuable instructional time.\r\n\r\nWhen the students first saw the newly organized materials, they were excited to explore them and see where everything belonged. More importantly, the organization is helping our students become more independent. Instead of always needing an adult to locate a resource, students can begin learning where materials are stored, access what they need, and return items to their designated places.\r\n\r\nThese bins also help us make multisensory learning much easier to implement. We use manipulatives, visual supports, hands-on literacy and math materials, task cards, games, and other tactile resources throughout the day. Now, when a student needs letter tiles for phonics, manipulatives for math, or a visual support for a lesson, we can quickly access those materials and get right back to learning.\r\n\r\nOur next step is to continue labeling and organizing our resources so that materials are accessible for students across all grade levels. We want our classroom to be a space where students know where to find the tools that help them learn and feel confident using them independently.\r\n\r\nThank you so much for helping us create a classroom where everything has a place and every student has access to the tools they need to be successful. Your support isn't just helping us organize our classroom—it is helping us create a more accessible, independent, and engaging learning environment for our students!","fullyFundedDate":1787231731070,"projectUrl":"project/a-place-for-everything-creating-an-acce/10485818/","projectTitle":"A Place for Everything: Creating an Accessible Learning Space","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Hunter","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8206330_orig.png?crop=640,640,x0,y46&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1670347791218","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8206330"},{"teacherId":9058800,"projectId":10291506,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous donation and continued support of my classroom and students. Thanks to you, we were able to start the school year strong with the materials we need to print, laminate, and create meaningful learning activities for our students.\r\n\r\nThe donated printer ink, laminating sheets, cardstock, Velcro, folders, and envelopes have already become valuable tools in our classroom. Because my students have different learning, communication, and academic needs, I am constantly creating individualized materials to help them learn and participate more independently. We use the printer to create visual schedules, task cards, communication supports, matching activities, academic worksheets, and visual directions. The laminating sheets and Velcro allow me to turn these materials into durable, reusable activities that students can interact with over and over again.\r\n\r\nMy students especially enjoy hands-on activities where they can move pieces, match pictures, make choices, and see their progress. For students who may struggle with traditional paper-and-pencil assignments, these interactive materials make learning more engaging and accessible. Visual supports also help many of my students understand classroom routines and expectations, communicate their needs, and complete tasks with greater independence.\r\n\r\nThe organization materials have also helped us keep individualized activities organized and easily accessible throughout the school day. This allows students to spend more time learning and less time waiting for materials to be prepared.\r\n\r\nYour generosity is making a difference from the very beginning of our school year. These supplies may seem simple, but they allow me to transform technology into meaningful, hands-on learning experiences tailored to each student. Thank you for helping me create a classroom where my students can learn, communicate, build independence, and feel successful. Your support truly means so much to all of us!","fullyFundedDate":1780187248864,"projectUrl":"project/structured-learning-stations-for-autism/10291506/","projectTitle":"Structured Learning Stations for Autism Success","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Olvera","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9058800_orig.jpg?crop=474,474,x87,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1685656331826","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9058800"},{"teacherId":9058800,"projectId":10153831,"letterContent":"I'd like to express my most sincere gratitude for your generous donations. On behalf of my students and classroom staff, we truly appreciate your support.\r\n\r\nThanks to you, our classroom is now equipped with a variety of sensory tools that help students manage their emotions, regulate their bodies, and develop self-regulation skills. We started the school year strong with the wonderful resources purchased through your support, and my students have already begun benefiting from them.\r\n\r\nOne of my favorite moments was when we introduced the new materials to the students. They were immediately curious and excited! Several students wanted to explore the bubble tube and watch the colorful fish move through the water. They also tried to get the fish out. Other students were eager to try the vibration plate and discover how it felt. The calming tent quickly became a special space where students could take a quiet break from the busy classroom environment. Seeing students independently choose a sensory tool that helps them regulate has been incredibly rewarding.\r\n\r\nThe LED Bubble Fake Fish Tube has quickly become one of our favorite resources. It is a wonderful way to start the day, especially on a Monday morning. Our students sometimes have difficulty returning to school after the weekend and readjusting to the structure and routines of the school week. Watching the colorful bubbles and fish slowly move up and down provides a calming visual experience that helps students settle their bodies and minds before beginning their academic activities.\\\r\n\r\nThe vibration plate has also been a very popular and successful tool for supporting our students. One morning, a student was having a particularly challenging time regulating and was struggling to engage in classroom activities. Using the vibration plate provided the sensory input he needed while also supporting his self-regulation. After spending some time using the vibration plate, he was able to calm his body, regulate his emotions, and return to the classroom routine. This was a wonderful reminder of how important it is to provide students with individualized sensory supports that meet their unique needs.\r\n\r\nOur next steps are to continue teaching students how to identify when they need a break, choose an appropriate sensory tool, use it safely, and return to learning when they are ready. We are working toward building independence so that students can eventually recognize their own sensory needs and make appropriate choices without always relying on an adult.\r\n\r\nThank you again for helping us create a classroom where every child has the opportunity to feel comfortable, regulated, and ready to learn. Your support has provided more than just classroom materials—it has given my students additional tools to help them participate, communicate their needs, and become more independent learners.","fullyFundedDate":1778505721164,"projectUrl":"project/sensory-tools-to-help-my-students-self-r/10153831/","projectTitle":"Sensory Tools to Help My Students Self-Regulate and Learn","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Olvera","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9058800_orig.jpg?crop=474,474,x87,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1685656331826","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9058800"},{"teacherId":9611538,"projectId":10289488,"letterContent":"The light table has brought a new found joy for STEM learning. This light table is creating the curiosity and interest in STEM that I could not create with plain paper and pencil. They have been able to combine other STEM exploratory objects like magnatiles with the light table and it has been amazing to witness the connections they make with the interaction of these items. \r\n\r\nI'm hoping to be able to collect other STEM related items to add to the exploration with the light table. Students are also enjoying the sensory items and creating their own \"treasure\" adventures.","fullyFundedDate":1779195472206,"projectUrl":"project/lighting-up-learning/10289488/","projectTitle":"Lighting Up Learning","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Diaz","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9611538_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1723514221462","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/maestra-diaz-tk"},{"teacherId":9611538,"projectId":10287073,"letterContent":"I have been able to use the puppets to play out real-life classroom scenarios. This has made the students visualize what is a more appropriate way to react to one another as they navigate what it means to be a student. What was once a complex retelling of events, is now a movie scene that they can see, pause, and replay through the use of the puppets. What once was a complex idea, is now a tangible skit that they can see and react to. The level of learning that the puppets have brought has been phenomenal.","fullyFundedDate":1780696851243,"projectUrl":"project/tiny-voices-big-stories-puppets-for-tk/10287073/","projectTitle":"Tiny Voices, Big Stories: Puppets for TK Learners","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Diaz","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9611538_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1723514221462","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/maestra-diaz-tk"},{"teacherId":10510574,"projectId":10317538,"letterContent":"Your generosity is truly appreciated by my TK SDC class. With your support, my students are able to access tissues, chewies, and glue sticks. \r\n\r\nMy students love to play with the wooden cars, especially driving the cars on our rug with tracks. My students use glue sticks in art activities that help with their fine-motor skills, such as ripping up colored construction paper and gluing them inside a shape. \r\n\r\nThank you so much for helping my learners get access to these items. They are learning more and more each day and are thrilled to use these materials to guide their learning.","fullyFundedDate":1785865151328,"projectUrl":"project/big-learning-for-little-learners/10317538/","projectTitle":"Big Learning for Little Learners","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Becky","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10510574_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1778688988071","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10510574"},{"teacherId":10510574,"projectId":10288180,"letterContent":"As a first year teacher, starting from the ground up sounded very intimidating. I was starting my first year in a brand new classroom. With your support, my students are able to access basic school materials such as glue sticks, colored construction paper, crayons, markers, and pencils.\r\n\r\nThese materials were used in our first week of school in an art project where we practiced our fine motor skills and ripped up pieces of colored construction paper and glued them within an apple shape.\r\n\r\nThis project allowed my students to fill our classroom with beautiful art. Thank you so much to our donors!","fullyFundedDate":1779297045076,"projectUrl":"project/building-our-tk-classroom-from-the-groun/10288180/","projectTitle":"Building Our TK Classroom From the Ground Up","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Becky","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10510574_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1778688988071","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10510574"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_4872","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":424,"numTeachers":15,"percentFrplEligible":64,"percentAsian":14,"percentBlack":0,"percentWhite":4,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":76,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","percentHawaiianImputed":0,"percentMultiracialImputed":2,"gradesServed":"Pre-K - 8","studentTeacherRatio":"28.3:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":84.0,"schoolId":4872,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Christopher Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Christopher Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/california/oak-grove-school-district/christopher-elementary-school/4872"}