{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"Dirksen Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":19.8,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":8638280,"projectId":9766944,"letterContent":"I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for the generous materials provided by our donors. As I reflect on my teaching practice, I recognize how deeply these resources impact both my instruction and my students' learning. The supplies have already begun to transform our classroom environment—making lessons more engaging, supporting hands-on exploration, and helping students feel valued and excited to learn. Your contributions do more than fill shelves; they expand possibilities, strengthen equity, and remind me that our work in education is a shared effort. Thank you for believing in our classroom community and for helping me create meaningful learning experiences for every student. My students appreciate these games and materials. These materials will motivate them and encourage them to work collaboratively, and they will also build listening skills.","fullyFundedDate":1764598839477,"projectUrl":"project/culturally-fair-environment-for-all/9766944/","projectTitle":"Culturally Fair 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":9727820,"letterContent":"I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for the generous materials provided by our donors. As I reflect on my teaching practice, I recognize how deeply these resources impact both my instruction and my students' learning. The supplies have already begun to transform our classroom environment—making lessons more engaging, supporting hands-on exploration, and helping students feel valued and excited to learn. Your contributions do more than fill shelves; they expand possibilities, strengthen equity, and remind me that our work in education is a shared effort. Thank you for believing in our classroom community and for helping me create meaningful learning experiences for every student. My students appreciate these games and materials. These games will motivate them and encourage them to work collaboratively, and they will also build listening skills.","fullyFundedDate":1764598837893,"projectUrl":"project/equity-for-all/9727820/","projectTitle":"Equity 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":10180678,"projectId":9853799,"letterContent":"Thank you sincerely for your generous donation for our \"Home Home Sweet Homework\" math project. Your contribution has made a meaningful difference in our students` learning.\r\nBecause of your funding, students have now access to structured, engaging homework materials that strengthen their understanding of key math concepts. We are already seeing improvements in their problem-solving skills, accuracy, and confidence. Many students who once struggle are now completing assignments more independently and showing greater enthusiasm for math.\r\nYour generosity is helping our students build a strong foundation that will benefit them far beyond the classroom. We are deeply grateful for your commitment to their success.","fullyFundedDate":1763606414320,"projectUrl":"project/home-home-sweet-homework/9853799/","projectTitle":"Home Home Sweet Homework","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Galstyan","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-10_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10180678"},{"teacherId":811959,"projectId":9700853,"letterContent":"Thank you for taking the time to learn about our classroom project. My little learners love our new clean, colorful alphabet carpet—a cozy gathering place where we sing songs, learn letters, and build the early literacy skills that set the foundation for lifelong learning. When we received the carpet , the students were very happy , clapping their hands and could not wait so see it on the floor. Once it was on the floor , children were eager to sit on it and read books and talk to each other. Some of the children were touching the carpet and expressing how soft it is.\r\n In our classroom, our new carpet carpet is more than just a rug. It is the heart of our daily routine—a welcoming spot where children from many different backgrounds come together, build friendships, and grow as a community of learners. It supports everything from morning meetings to hands-on literacy activities, helping students feel connected, safe, and ready to learn. It is amazing to see the happiness on our student's faces when we gather on the carpet each morning. \r\n Our new alphabet carpet transformed our space. It gave students a bright, inviting, and safe area to gather each day—supporting their early literacy development, encouraging collaboration, and enhancing their overall engagement in learning.\r\n\r\n Thank you for supporting teachers, students, and joyful classrooms.","fullyFundedDate":1758822320359,"projectUrl":"project/bringing-learning-to-life-with-an-alphab/9700853/","projectTitle":"Bringing Learning to Life With an Alphabet Carpet","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":9670676,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous support of our reading project \"Books Talk\". Books talk to us when we need a friend, books talk to us when we need to learn , books talk to us when we feel sad or lonely, books always talk. All we need is to open it and they will open the world for us. We don`t know this until someone tells us about it. Dear friends,\r\nBecause of your contribution, our students have access to engaging books and meaningful reading activities that truly make a difference in their learning.\r\n Your funding has already had a powerful impact on their reading skills. Students are reading more frequently, showing greater confidence , and demonstrating stronger comprehension as they participate in discussions and project-based activities. Many of them are now exploring new genres, improving vocabulary, and developing deeper love for reading.\r\n We are grateful for your commitment to helping our students grow. Your generosity is opening doors, inspiring curiosity , and giving them the tools they need to become successful, lifelong readers.\r\nWith heartfelt appreciation,","fullyFundedDate":1760667063182,"projectUrl":"project/books-talk/9670676/","projectTitle":"Books Talk","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Galstyan","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-10_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10180678"},{"teacherId":329559,"projectId":9536893,"letterContent":"Thanks to your generosity, our classroom has become a place where students collaborate, communicate, and build community—regardless of the languages they speak. The new resources you provided have become a central part of our daily learning.\r\n\r\nStudents use the Legos, Magna-Tiles, stackable art rocks, memory games, origami, and Spirograph sets during structured peer-collaboration time. One of my favorite moments that stood out for me was when the students were using Legos and Magna-Tiles to build towers, then tested them out with a makeshift shaking platform to see which would withstand the shakes. What stood out wasn't the final product, but how they communicated—using gestures, shared laughter, and problem-solving as a team. It was so joyous to witness!\r\n\r\nWhen the boxes first arrived, the room filled with excitement. Students hovered around the materials, picking everything up, asking questions, and planning what they wanted to build or create together. Many said things like, \"We get to use these today?\" and \"Can we start now?\" Their enthusiasm hasn't faded—these materials truly feel special to them. They absolutely love using them together with their peers!\r\n\r\nYour generous donations have made it possible for my student to continue strengthening their connections through using teamwork and creativity skills while expressing who they are and learning about one another. Thank you again for investing not just in materials, but in relationships, belonging, and joy in our classroom. Your support is making a real difference every single day","fullyFundedDate":1756997166128,"projectUrl":"project/collaborative-creative-play-with-centers/9536893/","projectTitle":"Collaborative Creative Play with Centers","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Rowland","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp329559_orig.jpg?crop=2695,2695,x506,y887&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1754750085241","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/se-rowland"},{"teacherId":10172475,"projectId":9582361,"letterContent":"Thank you from the bottom of my heart. The children enjoy taking down some dead bushes and can't wait to put out our planters with some bulbs for the spring. I hope you all know how import this project is to me. I have some children that have special things going on in their world and to watch them dig in the dirt and prepare the ground for a beautiful addition to our school. They can't wait to see how everything will turn out . We have more children in the club so we have 30 kiddos which is for two of us.","fullyFundedDate":1758222500113,"projectUrl":"project/learning-to-garden-after-school-club/9582361/","projectTitle":"Learning to Garden After School Club","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Denise","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-8_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10172475"},{"teacherId":8638280,"projectId":9751708,"letterContent":"I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to our donors for the generous materials they provided. As I reflect on my teaching practice, I recognize how deeply these resources impact both my instruction and my students' learning. The supplies have already begun to transform our classroom environment—making lessons more engaging, supporting hands-on exploration, and helping students feel valued and excited to learn. Your contributions do more than fill shelves; they expand possibilities, strengthen equity, and remind me that our work in education is a shared effort. Thank you for believing in our classroom community and for helping me create meaningful learning experiences for every student.","fullyFundedDate":1762267681025,"projectUrl":"project/culturally-responsive-classroom-for-all/9751708/","projectTitle":"Culturally Responsive Classroom 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":9767805,"letterContent":"I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to our donors for the generous materials they provided. As I reflect on my teaching practice, I recognize how deeply these resources impact both my instruction and my students' learning. The supplies have already begun to transform our classroom environment—making lessons more engaging, supporting hands-on exploration, and helping students feel valued and excited to learn. Your contributions do more than fill shelves; they expand possibilities, strengthen equity, and remind me that our work in education is a shared effort. Thank you for believing in our classroom community and for helping me create meaningful learning experiences for every student.","fullyFundedDate":1760714450472,"projectUrl":"project/restorative-conversation-in-the-classroo/9767805/","projectTitle":"Restorative Conversation In The Classroom 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":8722106,"projectId":9311910,"letterContent":"The stickers have been such a great tool to use in the classroom! The act of receiving a sticker provides immediate positive reinforcement and makes my students feel proud of themselves. This feeling of achievement, no matter how small, has been incredibly motivating for my students and I feel I have seen them grow positively within themselves and eager to learn new things. \r\nI have used the stickers not only for rewards but also in a way that will help each child's development. Such as fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination by having students peel stickers to place in specific place on a paper when doing our weekly letter scavenger hunts. Their vocabulary has increased by showing each other stickers and talking about the different pictures, colors and words on each sticker. Each morning we start our day with a large group and with motivating the students with sweet smelling stickers we are learning to sit in our very own squares.  \r\nI am very grateful to have this project fully funded by the kindness of donors and will be able to continue using the stickers throughout the year to continuously motivate my students to always do their best regardless of ones disability or language barrier.","fullyFundedDate":1757212333505,"projectUrl":"project/prek-loves-stickers/9311910/","projectTitle":"PreK Loves Stickers!","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":1263257,"projectId":9252506,"letterContent":"The donation of the Harry Potter book series—especially the beautifully illustrated editions—had an incredible impact on my students' learning. Many of my students come from low-income households and don't have access to high-quality books at home. Receiving these books through DonorsChoose made literacy fun, engaging, and tangible in a way that truly leveled the playing field.\r\n\r\nFor many of my students, this was their first time owning or even holding a hardcover illustrated novel. The vibrant visuals captured their imaginations, helped build vocabulary, and supported struggling readers by providing context clues through imagery. It transformed reading time into an eagerly anticipated part of our day.\r\n\r\nThanks to these materials, I was able to implement more immersive reading experiences, including read-alouds, literature circles, and creative writing inspired by the text. I saw a noticeable boost in reading comprehension, fluency, and—perhaps most importantly—confidence and excitement around books.\r\n\r\nI want to give a heartfelt thank you to The DonorsChoose Community. Your generosity didn't just put books in students' hands—you helped create lifelong readers. You made magic real for my classroom.","fullyFundedDate":1754415150919,"projectUrl":"project/unleashing-magic-harry-potter-books-for/9252506/","projectTitle":"Unleashing Magic: Harry Potter Books for Budding Wizards!","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Mavridis","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp1263257_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1725057521448","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mr-mavridis"},{"teacherId":8722106,"projectId":9088852,"letterContent":"Your generous donations to my \"Exploring Diversity in Pre-K,\" project has made a real and immediate impact on my students' daily experiences.\r\nMy classroom is a beautiful reflection of the world—I have 10 different languages spoken, 20 diverse students and 1 community of learners. Each day my students come together from a variety of cultural, linguistic, and family backgrounds to learn, play, and grow side by side. Because of your donation, we now have materials that truly mirror the diversity of the children in our room. It has been amazing to watch how these resources help them develop both self-love and empathy for others.\r\nYour support has helped me create a learning environment where every child can see themselves represented, celebrated, and valued. These materials have become part of our daily routines—woven into story time, dramatic play, and social-emotional lessons. They are helping our youngest learners grow into kind, confident, and culturally aware little humans.\r\nThank you for believing in the power of inclusion and representation in early childhood education. Because of your kindness, our classroom feels a little more like the world our students deserve—colorful, compassionate, and connected.","fullyFundedDate":1750884748416,"projectUrl":"project/exploring-diversity-in-prek/9088852/","projectTitle":"Exploring Diversity in PreK","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"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_5315","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":1210,"numTeachers":38,"percentFrplEligible":78,"percentAsian":21,"percentBlack":2,"percentWhite":64,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":9,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"Pre-K - 8","studentTeacherRatio":"31.8:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":80.2,"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"}