Cottage Grove Middle School in Cottage Grove, Minnesota on DonorsChoose

{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"Cottage Grove Middle School","outOfStateSupporters":20.5,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":3211124,"projectId":8822994,"letterContent":"My students have greatly benefited from the sensory tools we received. These tools have provided them with effective strategies to regulate their emotions, improve focus, and remain engaged throughout the school day. I have noticed a significant positive change in their ability to calm themselves when feeling overwhelmed and to return to learning more quickly after moments of frustration or distraction. Overall, the students appear happier, more comfortable, and better equipped to manage their sensory needs, which has created a more positive and productive classroom environment.","fullyFundedDate":1730298047412,"projectUrl":"project/a-chewy-to-stay-regulated-and-paper-to-c/8822994/","projectTitle":"A Chewy to Stay Regulated and Paper to Create Masterpieces","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Horihan","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-3_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/3211124"},{"teacherId":9578667,"projectId":9302620,"letterContent":"This has been the single best investment I've made for the classroom yet... and I couldn't have done it without generous donors like you!\r\n\r\nFor students that have historically struggled with math, they've built up a complex series of defense mechanisms that takes some finesse to work around.\r\n\r\nThese interactive notebooks are the perfect resource that is just right on so many levels! Its notes included with practice and we're saving them all in a notebook to reference back to. They only thing I'm bummed about is that I didn't find this resource sooner!","fullyFundedDate":1746470452830,"projectUrl":"project/interactive-notebooks-math-curriculum/9302620/","projectTitle":"Interactive Notebooks - Math Curriculum","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Thames","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9578667_orig.png?crop=500,500,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1727474983250","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/cmgscougaracademy"},{"teacherId":9578667,"projectId":9134265,"letterContent":"The students have loved having some \"fun\" added to our math class. We have been playing the activities and games from the book which has helped break up the mental load that math class can be sometimes. \r\n\r\nThe most favorite item by far has been the pop-it style multiplication chart. Its fun to watch students grab for it just as a fidget, then when a multiplication problem comes up, they're already holding the tool! \r\n\r\nI'm going to be on the look out for more pop it style resources because the students consistently grab these.\r\n\r\nTHANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR SUPPORT!","fullyFundedDate":1742939524698,"projectUrl":"project/make-math-fun/9134265/","projectTitle":"Make Math Fun!","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Thames","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9578667_orig.png?crop=500,500,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1727474983250","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/cmgscougaracademy"},{"teacherId":8890210,"projectId":9099946,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for the incredible donation!! It truly makes such a difference in our swimming class each and every week!! \r\n\r\nBy allowing our students this ability to swim with more independence it has allowed huge growth in our students swimming skills. \r\n\r\nWe would not have been able to get this necessity without your donation. When working with severe/ profound population each specific item that allows them to increase their skills and swimming once a week is very important and water therapy can help so many of my students with their mobility as well. \r\n\r\nTHANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!","fullyFundedDate":1741106851077,"projectUrl":"project/help-my-students-increase-swimming-skill/9099946/","projectTitle":"Help My Students Increase Swimming Skills and Utilize Life Jackets!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Housley","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8890210_orig.jpg?crop=1538,1538,x0,y97&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1670356700269","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8890210"},{"teacherId":9887343,"projectId":9030435,"letterContent":"thank you so much for your donations to our classroom! We just finished our class novel study with our beautiful \"The Unteachables\" books. Each day we ended a chapter, the kids moaned and groaned about not being able to keep reading. That was a first for me in my teaching career!\r\n\r\n\"The Unteachables\" is a story about middle schoolers (8th graders specifically) who have been tossed into the special classroom away from all their peers because they were considered to be \"unteachable.\" Some kids had learning disabilities like dyslexia, a terrible home life that kept them up all night and unable to stay awake in school, troubles regulating their emotions, or had one bad school incident that landed them permanently in SCS-8. \r\n\r\nMy students found a way to relate to every character in our book through shared life experiences, school experiences, family members, etc. We laughed, we gasped, we sighed, and we loved throughout this story. The best part, was we got to do it as a classroom family. I knew this book was good and that's why I chose it, but I didn't know that it was going to have a lasting impact on me and my students the way it has. We are so grateful that your donations allowed us to connect to a piece of literature this deeply and for some of us, it's the first time we've been able to experience it, so thank you!\r\n\r\nNext, my students will be researching someone who was considered a real life \"unteachable\" due to their challenges in life/school. Students are researching people like Temple Grandin, who had autism, Steven Spielberg, who is dyslexic, Billie Eilish, who has tourette's syndrome, and Simone Biles, who has ADHD. \r\n\r\nThank you again for helping me provide an amazing experience for these kids. They are so grateful and are begging to read another book together!","fullyFundedDate":1736178856153,"projectUrl":"project/books-in-hand-engaging-6th-graders-in-o/9030435/","projectTitle":"Books in Hand: Engaging 6th Graders in Our Class Novel!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Rodriguez","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9887343_orig.jpg?crop=2048,2048,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1736174487261","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9887343"},{"teacherId":9578667,"projectId":8832100,"letterContent":"I am so thankful for the generous donations towards making this classroom the best classroom ever! The students were very excited to try out our new materials over the course of the last few months. \r\n\r\nHighlights: \r\n\r\n- Break time with shooting hoops has definitely been a favorite! \r\n\r\n- Using sand timers has been fun because some of them have never seen one before.\r\n\r\n- The fidgets are fun! ... almost too fun sometimes (!) and some fidgets (slime) have been relegated to their earned choice time.\r\n\r\nMore and more students stop by my classroom and comment and how good it feels in here. This makes me heart happy and I couldn't do it without your support.","fullyFundedDate":1728247280357,"projectUrl":"project/help-build-cougar-academy-20-middle-sc/8832100/","projectTitle":"Help Build Cougar Academy 2.0 (Middle School Alternative Learning Center)","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Thames","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9578667_orig.png?crop=500,500,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1727474983250","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/cmgscougaracademy"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_62521","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":1005,"numTeachers":71,"percentFrplEligible":31,"percentAsian":9,"percentBlack":8,"percentWhite":61,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":11,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"6 - 8","studentTeacherRatio":"14.2:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":false,"titleOne":false,"metroType":"SUBURBAN","ncesMetroType":"SUBURB_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":79.5,"schoolId":62521,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Cottage Grove Middle School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Cottage Grove Middle School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/minnesota/south-washington-county-school-district-833/cottage-grove-middle-school/62521"}

About this school

Cottage Grove Middle School is a suburban public school in Cottage Grove, Minnesota that is part of South Washington County School District 833. It serves 1,005 students in grades 6 - 8 with a student/teacher ratio of 14.2:1. Its teachers have had 23 projects funded on DonorsChoose.

Public School

Grades 6 - 8

1,005 Students

71 Teachers

9775 Indian Blvd S

Cottage Grove, MN 55016 View local requests

http://www.sowashco.k12.mn.us/cgms

Evidence-based impact

Inspire teachers to stay in the classroom and boost student achievement.¹

Give to this school

Ms. Vero, a DonorsChoose teacher for 9 years.

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

Cottage Grove Middle School Teachers on DonorsChoose

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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. Each classroom request for funding was created by a classroom teacher and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

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Cottage Grove Middle School Demographics

31%

of students receive free or reduced price lunch

Source: the National Center for Education Statistics

28%

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.

Cottage Grove Middle School Support on DonorsChoose Last updated Dec 5, 2025

DonorsChoose makes it easy for anyone to help a teacher in need, moving us closer to a nation where students in every community have the tools and experiences they need for a great education.