{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Dirksen Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":18.9,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":8638280,"projectId":10482272,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous donation of markers and air fresheners to our 3rd-grade classroom! In our class, many of our students are English Language Learners (ELLs) who rely heavily on visual aids, color-coded vocabulary cards, and hands-on anchor charts to help build their language skills. Having fresh, vibrant markers makes learning engaging, interactive, and accessible for everyone. Additionally, creating a clean, welcoming, and comfortable classroom environment is so important for helping my students feel relaxed and ready to learn each day. The air fresheners add that wonderful, cozy touch to our shared space. Your support means the world to us and directly enhances our daily learning experience. Thank you for caring about our students and believing in their success!","fullyFundedDate":1791301093088,"projectUrl":"project/welcoming-and-positive-inclusive-environ/10482272/","projectTitle":"Welcoming and Positive Inclusive Environment","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Williams","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8638280_orig.png?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1722975027960","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/anelly-williams"},{"teacherId":10180678,"projectId":10694362,"letterContent":"I am writing to share my deepest gratitude for your donation to our \"My Best Friend, My Book\" project. Your support has done far more than put books into the hands of young learners—it has transformed how my 3rd-grade students view reading, storytelling, and themselves as creators.\r\n\r\nBecause of your generosity, every student in our class received their very own special book to read, annotate, and keep. For many of my students, including our English Language Learners (ELL), having a high-quality book that feels personal to them makes all the difference in building confidence and literacy skills.\r\n\r\nHere is how your contribution made an immediate difference in our classroom:\r\n\r\nBuilding Personal Ownership: Students didn't just read these books; they bonded with them. They proudly treat their books as trusted companions, taking responsibility for their reading journey every day.\r\n\r\nFostering a Culture of Reading: Having direct access to rich, engaging stories inspired active discussions, vibrant journaling, and creative writing projects where students felt motivated to share their own thoughts and ideas.\r\n\r\nEmpowering Diverse Learners: For students learning English as a new language, having dedicated literacy materials builds essential vocabulary, comprehension, and a true love for reading without feeling overwhelmed.\r\n\r\n\"When a child connects with a book like a best friend, reading stops being a daily requirement and becomes a lifelong joy.\"\r\n\r\n\r\nThank you for believing in our classroom and for making the \"My Best Friend, My Book\" project a resounding success. We are truly grateful for your partnership in nurturing the next generation of readers and writers","fullyFundedDate":1790794177167,"projectUrl":"project/my-best-friend-my-book/10694362/","projectTitle":"My Best Friend, My Book.","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Galstyan","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-10_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10180678"},{"teacherId":380463,"projectId":9961511,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for donating to our book bins in our school library. Book bins have changed how students borrow library books especially for our younger students. Having books all clumped together in a bin allows students to see and read full seris. When books were on the shelf and not in bins students struggled finding the next books in the series and now it's so each for them. Most of our bins have been placed in our primary books sections but there is definetly some spread across regular fiction and our non fiction areas as well.","fullyFundedDate":1776618410617,"projectUrl":"project/book-bins-for-our-library/9961511/","projectTitle":"Book Bins for Our Library","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. DeChellis Library","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp380463_orig.jpg?crop=471,471,x0,y6&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1553009649300","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/dechellis"},{"teacherId":8638280,"projectId":10312687,"letterContent":"I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude for your generous donation of hands-on classroom materials and art supplies. Your support brings creativity and interactive learning into our classroom every day.\r\n\r\nThank you so much for contributing: Crayola Glitter Markers (Assorted Colors) – Vibrant, fun markers that bring excitement and sparkle to student projects and visual Anchor charts. Origami Paper – Fantastic paper supplies for fine-motor practice, art projects, and creative hands-on activities. Assorted Colors Construction Paper – Essential supplies for everyday artwork, background displays, and student creations.\r\nMath Magnetic Tiles Classroom Set – Engaging, tactile manipulatives that help students visualize geometric concepts, spatial awareness, and collaborative math problem-solving. Generous contributions like yours enrich our learning environment and make learning both fun and accessible for our students. Thank you once again for your kindness and dedication to supporting our classroom!","fullyFundedDate":1789415870517,"projectUrl":"project/building-confidence-and-creativity-for/10312687/","projectTitle":"Building Confidence and Creativity For All!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Williams","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8638280_orig.png?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1722975027960","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/anelly-williams"},{"teacherId":8638280,"projectId":10465605,"letterContent":"I want to express my sincere gratitude for your thoughtful donation of classroom and learning supplies. Your generosity helps support both our daily classroom organization and engaging hands-on activities for our students.\r\n\r\nThank you so much for contributing: Mini Activity Books for Kids – Fun, hands-on activity books that keep students engaged while building independent learning and fine-motor skills. 28-Pack Plastic Planters with Drainage Holes – Fantastic containers that will allow our students to participate in hands-on science projects and plant-care lessons. Long Flat Extension Cord – A practical addition that helps keep our learning stations powered safely and efficiently and Eulps Mouse Pad with Wrist Rest – A comfortable and supportive addition to our teacher and learning workstation.","fullyFundedDate":1788959177492,"projectUrl":"project/empowering-writing-tools-for-all/10465605/","projectTitle":"Empowering Writing Tools for All!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Williams","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8638280_orig.png?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1722975027960","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/anelly-williams"},{"teacherId":8638280,"projectId":10346545,"letterContent":"On behalf of our entire community, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for your thoughtful and generous donation. Your contribution helps create a peaceful, inspiring, and focused environment that supports our daily work and well-being.\r\n\r\nThank you so much for providing: Motivational Quote Pens – Daily reminders that inspire creative thinking and positivity as we write and plan. Zen Art Brass Feng Shui Desktop Gong – A unique and grounding piece that adds balance and mindfulness to our workspace. Gorilla Grip Waterproof Indoor Relaxation Desktop Fountain Waterfall – A soothing addition that brings calming background sounds, fostering focus and stress relief during busy days. Your support and thoughtfulness mean so much to us. Thank you once again for investing in our space and well-being!","fullyFundedDate":1790628206584,"projectUrl":"project/calm-and-positive-inclusive-environment/10346545/","projectTitle":"Calm and Positive Inclusive Environment for All!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Williams","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8638280_orig.png?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1722975027960","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/anelly-williams"},{"teacherId":8638280,"projectId":10471788,"letterContent":"Thanks to your generosity, our classroom is now equipped with:\r\n\r\nMagnetic Short Vowels Word Building Boards & Magnetic Long Vowels Word Building Boards – Essential tools for helping early readers map vowel sounds and build foundational phonemic awareness. Sight-Word Magnets, CVC Word Magnets, and Prefix & Suffix Magnets – Hands-on manipulatives that make vocabulary building, decoding, and grammar concepts engaging and accessible. 24 Bulk Mini Coloring Books for Kids – Creative resources that support fine-motor skills, focus, and reward positive learning milestones. Interactive, hands-on materials like these transform how children engage with reading. By turning phonics practice into a tactile, interactive experience, you are helping young learners build the confidence they need to succeed academically. Thank you once again for your commitment to our students and for investing in their future.\r\n\r\nWarm regards,","fullyFundedDate":1788555290432,"projectUrl":"project/active-engage-in-oral-skills-for-all/10471788/","projectTitle":"Active Engage In Oral Skills For All!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Williams","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8638280_orig.png?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1722975027960","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/anelly-williams"},{"teacherId":811959,"projectId":10385594,"letterContent":"In our classroom, 20 bright, curious Pre-K students are embarking on one of the most foundational journeys of their lives: learning English while discovering the world around them. As English Language Learners (ELLs), these children bring incredible potential, rich backgrounds, and an eagerness to learn. However, acquiring a new language requires high-quality, engaging materials designed specifically to meet their developmental needs.\r\n\r\nWhen we read and work through the \"My Big World with Clifford,\" magazine together, the classroom lights up with genuine joy and curiosity. The moment Clifford and his real-world adventures appear, the children lean in close, eagerly pointing at the colorful photographs, shouting out new words they recognize, and proudly sharing their ideas. Completing the hands-on activity pages transforms lesson time into a celebratory experience where every child feels confident and excited to participate, regardless of their starting English proficiency.\r\n\r\n For young ELL students, visual and interactive learning is critical. \"My Big World with Clifford\" brings nonfiction content to life through accessible language and engaging themes. This resource directly impacts our students by:\r\nBuilding Core Vocabulary & Literacy: Interactive stories and bright visuals expand their English vocabulary and strengthen early reading readiness. Expanding Background Knowledge: Nonfiction articles introduce science, social studies, and seasonal concepts in a fun, relatable way that sparks endless questions.\r\n By sponsoring our subscription, you are placing high-quality learning tools directly into the hands of 20 enthusiastic young children. Access to these materials nurtures essential language development, builds academic confidence, and keeps their excitement for learning growing day after day.","fullyFundedDate":1785182587364,"projectUrl":"project/learning-made-fun-one-page-at-a-time/10385594/","projectTitle":"Learning Made Fun, One Page at a Time!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Ewa","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp811959_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1757879689199","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/811959"},{"teacherId":10180678,"projectId":10429401,"letterContent":"I am writing to express my deepest gratitude for your generous contributions to our Back-to-School classroom project. Because of your support, our project is now fully funded!\r\n\r\nThanks to your kindness, our classroom is equipped with essential resources and learning tools that will directly benefit our students as we kick off the new school year. Having these supplies available from day one creates a welcoming, supportive, and engaging environment where every child feels prepared and excited to learn.\r\n\r\nYour belief in our students and investment in their education means more than words can express. Thank you for making a lasting difference in our classroom community.\r\n\r\nWith sincere appreciation,","fullyFundedDate":1789609778255,"projectUrl":"project/welcome-back/10429401/","projectTitle":"Welcome Back!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Galstyan","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-10_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10180678"},{"teacherId":8722106,"projectId":9641511,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for funding my project \"Storytelling in Pre-K!\"\r\n\r\nI have been integrating the felt boards and felt pieces into small and large group times, and my students have loved it! Having these hands-on materials in the classroom has been a game-changer for our daily routines. Having these hands-on materials in our blended classroom—which serves both English Language Learners and students with disabilities—has created true inclusion in our daily learning.\r\n\r\nStorytelling can sometimes present barriers for young learners navigating a new language or developmental delays, but the tactile, visual nature of felt boards meets every child right where they are. For my ELL students, the felt pieces provide essential visual clues that connect spoken words to concrete meaning. For my students with special needs, the sensory-rich, hands-on interaction keeps storytime accessible, engaging, and low-stress.\r\n\r\nMost wonderfully, these materials bring our whole class together. During small groups, children of all backgrounds and abilities sit side-by-side—sharing pieces, taking turns, and co-creating stories as equals. Your generosity didn't just bring supplies into our room; it built a truly inclusive environment where every child feels confident, valued, and excited to participate. We are so grateful for your support!","fullyFundedDate":1780098977114,"projectUrl":"project/storytelling-in-pre-k/9641511/","projectTitle":"Storytelling in Pre-K!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Lorenz","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8722106_orig.jpg?crop=1980,1980,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1663955348531","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8722106"},{"teacherId":2693200,"projectId":5571683,"letterContent":"The basketballs and equipment we received were amazing and has helped us continue to grow our program. \r\n\r\nWe are able to field 3 girls teams now, in addition to having 3 boys teams. From a school where soccer is the most popular sport, to see basketball grow and continue to grow is a big success. \r\n\r\nI am most proud of the growth of my girls' program to be able to continue to provide athletic opportunities for girls who come from countries where athletics is not readily available to them. \r\n\r\nThis has made a huge impact in being able to sustain my athletic programs.","fullyFundedDate":1621292542531,"projectUrl":"project/hard-work-pays-off-in-basketball/5571683/","projectTitle":"Hard Work Pays Off in Basketball","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Maloney","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-1_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/sheila-maloney"},{"teacherId":2693200,"projectId":5571322,"letterContent":"This helped my students who are refugee students being able to learn during PE class. One of the the most beautiful parts of physical education class is that sports transcends through language and culture. Teaching students from all over the world, it was difficult to teach students who didn't speak the same language.\r\n\r\nThis equipment has directly helped to facilitate learning across multiple grade levels and languages. \r\nIt has allowed us to be creative with our units and direct learning activities. \r\n\r\nMy students are so excited and happy to have this gear.","fullyFundedDate":1621559790673,"projectUrl":"project/colorful-inclusive-pe/5571322/","projectTitle":"Colorful Inclusive PE","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Maloney","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-1_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/sheila-maloney"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_5315","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":1259,"numTeachers":38,"percentFrplEligible":76,"percentAsian":20,"percentBlack":2,"percentWhite":66,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":9,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","percentHawaiianImputed":0,"percentMultiracialImputed":0,"gradesServed":"Pre-K - 8","studentTeacherRatio":"33.1:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":81.1,"schoolId":5315,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Dirksen Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Dirksen Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/illinois/chicago-public-school-district-299/dirksen-elementary-school/5315"}