{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Cool Spring Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":51.4,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":5875889,"projectId":10009729,"letterContent":"We are using our birthday celebrations to make birthdays a special part of our classroom family. My students love the idea of sitting in the birthday chair, wearing a crown, and choosing a little gift on their special day! Seeing their excitement reminds me how much these small moments mean to children.\r\n\r\nNext, we will continue creating a classroom where students celebrate one another, practice being Community-minded, Organized, Outstanding, and Leaders as COOL students, and develop a strong sense of belonging. Thank you for helping me make every child feel special and valued!","fullyFundedDate":1776292646369,"projectUrl":"project/celebrating-my-students/10009729/","projectTitle":"Celebrating My Students","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Elliot","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp5875889_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1657649477720","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/a-elliot"},{"teacherId":3225553,"projectId":10477528,"letterContent":"These environmental justice books made a meaningful impact on my little English Language Development learners by helping them build vocabulary, strengthen their English language skills, and develop a deeper understanding of the world around them. Through colorful illustrations and engaging stories, my kindergarten students explored ways to care for the Earth, protect natural resources, reduce pollution, and keep their communities clean and healthy.\r\n\r\nThese books supported my students' language development by introducing new vocabulary in meaningful contexts. During read-alouds and classroom discussions, students practiced listening, answering questions, sharing ideas, and expressing themselves in English. Visuals and relatable stories helped make new concepts accessible to students at different stages of language development while encouraging participation and building confidence.\r\n\r\nBeyond literacy, these resources introduced environmental justice in an age-appropriate way. Students began exploring why everyone deserves a clean, safe, and healthy environment and how their everyday actions can make a difference. The stories encouraged curiosity, empathy, and responsibility while helping students connect classroom learning to their own lives and communities.","fullyFundedDate":1789663814442,"projectUrl":"project/books-that-grow-justice/10477528/","projectTitle":"Books That Grow Justice!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Bruning","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp3225553_orig.jpg?crop=1158,1158,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1721924705078","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/3225553"},{"teacherId":5875889,"projectId":10364178,"letterContent":"My students are using our new books during read-alouds and independent reading. We talk about the characters, learn new vocabulary, and connect the stories to our own lives. When the students saw the books and bookshelves, they were excited to explore the stories and choose books they wanted to read.\r\n\r\nWe also have a special project coming up where students will work together to create a class book, sharing their own ideas and experiences through writing and illustrations. Thank you for helping my students build confidence, creativity, and a love of reading.","fullyFundedDate":1785164884428,"projectUrl":"project/our-first-grade-classroom-library/10364178/","projectTitle":"Our First Grade Classroom Library","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Elliot","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp5875889_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1657649477720","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/a-elliot"},{"teacherId":5875889,"projectId":10314483,"letterContent":"My students are enjoying using the new materials during our daily literacy and math lessons. The LCD writing tablets give them a chance to practice writing letters, spelling words, and solving math problems while sharing their answers with confidence. The writing station also gives students a special space to express their ideas and practice writing independently. When they first saw the materials, they were excited and eager to try everything! Next, we will continue building our writing skills by drawing, writing sentences, and sharing our ideas with classmates. Thank you for helping make learning more engaging and enjoyable for my students!","fullyFundedDate":1785164995819,"projectUrl":"project/building-independence-and-engagement-in/10314483/","projectTitle":"Building Independence and Engagement in First Grade","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Elliot","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp5875889_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1657649477720","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/a-elliot"},{"teacherId":3225553,"projectId":10267620,"letterContent":"My kindergarten ELD students are using the new LEGO materials for hands-on STEM challenges that encourage them to build, create, problem-solve, and work together.\r\n\r\nWhen my students first saw the LEGO materials, they were immediately excited to start building! They loved choosing their own pieces and sharing their ideas with friends. The materials gave even our quieter students a fun way to participate, communicate, and show their thinking.\r\n\r\nOur next steps are to continue using LEGO STEM challenges to practice designing, building, testing, and improving our creations during indoor recess. Students will work with partners to describe their designs, compare structures, and use new STEM vocabulary while developing their speaking, listening, and problem-solving skills.","fullyFundedDate":1783116210505,"projectUrl":"project/brick-by-brick/10267620/","projectTitle":"Brick by Brick","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Bruning","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp3225553_orig.jpg?crop=1158,1158,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1721924705078","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/3225553"},{"teacherId":3225553,"projectId":10184798,"letterContent":"My kindergarten ELD students are using their individual planters to put their learning into action after completing our unit on plants. Each student will plant a seed, care for their own plant, and observe how it changes over time. They will use drawings, labels, and simple sentences to document their plant's growth and practice the vocabulary we learned during our unit.\r\n\r\n When my students first saw the planters, they were so excited to have something that was their very own! They loved the idea of becoming \"plant scientists\" and getting to take care of a living thing. The hands-on experience made the science concepts feel real and meaningful.\r\n\r\n Our next steps are to plant our seeds and begin a classroom plant-growth project. Students will observe their plants each week, measure or compare changes, and share their observations with classmates using sentence stems. This project will continue building their science knowledge, vocabulary, speaking, and early writing skills.","fullyFundedDate":1785260836195,"projectUrl":"project/little-planters-big-impact-growing-flo/10184798/","projectTitle":"Little Planters, Big Impact: Growing Flowers for a Better World","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Bruning","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp3225553_orig.jpg?crop=1158,1158,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1721924705078","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/3225553"},{"teacherId":3225553,"projectId":10151866,"letterContent":"These new books introduce our kindergarten ELD students to important skills while teaching them about protecting sea turtles and our oceans. Students are learning how to identify the main idea and key details, build environmental vocabulary, make observations, ask and answer questions, and use pictures and words to understand informational text. They are also practicing speaking in complete sentences using sentence stems as they share their thinking with classmates.\r\n\r\nReading in our classroom is interactive and hands-on! During the story, I pause to model thinking, introduce new vocabulary with visuals and gestures, and give students opportunities to turn and talk. Students use sentence stems to share what they notice, make connections, and explain their ideas.\r\n\r\nMy students especially loved receiving their own sea turtle book to take home. They were so excited to have a book that belonged to them! I am especially excited for students to share what they learned with their families and revisit the vocabulary and ideas from our environmental justice unit at home. I am eager to hopefully receive another set for my new kindergarteners this school year!","fullyFundedDate":1773875572014,"projectUrl":"project/save-the-sea-turtles/10151866/","projectTitle":"Save the Sea Turtles!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Bruning","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp3225553_orig.jpg?crop=1158,1158,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1721924705078","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/3225553"},{"teacherId":3225553,"projectId":10090965,"letterContent":"My students are using the new resources to make our classroom a more joyful and engaging place to learn. SkinnyPop and Ring Pops are special rewards for celebrating birthdays, positive choices, and student accomplishments, while the squishy toys provide a fun incentive that keeps my kindergarten ELD students excited and motivated to participate.\r\n\r\nWhen my students first saw the materials, their faces lit up! They were especially excited to see the colorful squishy toys and the special birthday treats. These small surprises have helped create moments of celebration and encouragement throughout our school day.\r\n\r\nOur next steps are to continue building language and literacy skills through hands-on lessons, partner talk, and interactive activities. I am so grateful that these resources help me celebrate my students while creating a classroom where they feel excited, supported, and proud of their learning.","fullyFundedDate":1772550235900,"projectUrl":"project/sweet-success-treating-students-to-rewa/10090965/","projectTitle":"Sweet Success: Treating Students to Rewards and Joy","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Bruning","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp3225553_orig.jpg?crop=1158,1158,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1721924705078","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/3225553"},{"teacherId":10077724,"projectId":9529066,"letterContent":"From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for supporting our project, \"Tools for Growing Readers.\" Your generosity has given my fourth-grade students resources that have made reading more engaging, interactive, and enjoyable. Many of my students come to class with different reading abilities, and these materials have helped me provide meaningful learning experiences that meet their individual needs.\r\n\r\nThe excitement on my students' faces when they saw the new tools was unforgettable. They couldn't wait to use them during small-group instruction, independent reading, and literacy centers. I've watched students become more confident as readers, participate more actively in discussions, and celebrate their own progress. It's amazing to see students who were once hesitant to read now eager to pick up a book and share what they've learned.\r\n\r\nBecause of your kindness, these resources will continue helping students strengthen their reading comprehension, vocabulary, fluency, and critical thinking skills throughout the school year. More importantly, you have helped nurture a love of reading that will stay with them long after they leave my classroom. Thank you for believing in my students and investing in their future. Your generosity has truly made a lasting difference.","fullyFundedDate":1754396555067,"projectUrl":"project/tools-for-growing-readers/9529066/","projectTitle":"Tools for Growing Readers","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Robinson-Swain","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10077724_orig.jpg?crop=1005,1005,x0,y50&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1754177026234","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10077724"},{"teacherId":10077724,"projectId":9460020,"letterContent":"Dear Donors,\r\n\r\nThank you so much for your generosity and for making our project, \"Lighting the Way to a Love of Reading,\" possible. Because of your kindness, my students have had access to engaging reading materials that make learning more exciting and meaningful. Many of my fourth graders come into my classroom reading below grade level or are learning English as a new language, so having resources that capture their interest is incredibly important.\r\n\r\nWhen the materials arrived, my students were so excited. They couldn't wait to explore them, and I immediately noticed an increase in their enthusiasm during our reading lessons. They were eager to participate in discussions, work together, and spend more time reading independently. It has been wonderful watching students build confidence as they practice new reading strategies and discover books they truly enjoy.\r\n\r\nYour support has made a lasting impact on our classroom. We will continue using these resources throughout the year to strengthen reading comprehension, vocabulary, fluency, and writing. More importantly, you have helped create a classroom where students feel excited to learn and believe they can become successful readers. Thank you for believing in my students and investing in their futures. Your generosity has made a difference that will continue long after this school year.","fullyFundedDate":1756743453676,"projectUrl":"project/lighting-the-way-to-a-love-of-reading/9460020/","projectTitle":"Lighting the Way to a Love of Reading","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Robinson-Swain","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10077724_orig.jpg?crop=1005,1005,x0,y50&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1754177026234","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10077724"},{"teacherId":8224066,"projectId":9271816,"letterContent":"Last years end of the year celebration was terrific thanks to you! The students are now in fourth grade and still talk about the celebration we had. Thank you for supporting our classroom! \r\n\r\nOn our last day of school, students used removable tattoos to celebrate their learning growth over the entirety of the year. This was extremely memorable and made all their growth and struggles feel appreciated.\r\n\r\nWe watched our classes favorite movies and spent the last few days together closing out our year as a community.\r\n\r\nThank you again for helping celebrate with us!","fullyFundedDate":1749137544594,"projectUrl":"project/cheers-to-the-end-of-3rd-grade/9271816/","projectTitle":"Cheers to the End of 3rd Grade!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Nieman","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-4_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8224066"},{"teacherId":10321393,"projectId":9845056,"letterContent":"I am writing to express my sincere gratitude for your generous support of our after-school snack program. Your contributions have made a meaningful and immediate impact on the students we serve.\r\n\r\nRecently, several students shared with me that food at home has been limited. In particular, about six children expressed how grateful they were to have access to snacks like Pop-Tarts and other items provided through your generosity. For them, these snacks are more than just a small treat—they are a source of comfort and nourishment during a time of need.\r\n\r\nYour kindness is helping to ensure that our students can focus, feel supported, and know that their community cares about their well-being. It is difficult to fully capture the difference you are making, but please know that your support is deeply appreciated by both the students and staff.\r\n\r\n\r\nThank you again for your compassion and commitment to helping our children thrive.","fullyFundedDate":1765991848777,"projectUrl":"project/stem-and-snack-time/9845056/","projectTitle":"STEM and Snack Time","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Alston","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10321393_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1790194006970","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10321393"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_61368","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":406,"numTeachers":64,"percentFrplEligible":95,"percentAsian":0,"percentBlack":1,"percentWhite":1,"percentIndigenous":1,"percentLatinx":95,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","percentHawaiianImputed":0,"percentMultiracialImputed":0,"gradesServed":"Pre-K - 5","studentTeacherRatio":"6.3:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"SUBURBAN","ncesMetroType":"SUBURB_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":48.6,"schoolId":61368,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Cool Spring Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Cool Spring Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/maryland/prince-george-s-county-public-schools/coolspring-elementary-school/61368"}