{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"Edwards Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":27.9,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":665395,"projectId":9572839,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting our classroom project. Because of your generous donation, my kindergarten students now have access to ten frames, linking cubes, and other hands-on math tools that make learning both meaningful and exciting.\r\nIn kindergarten, math comes alive through play, exploration, and conversation. With these new manipulatives, my students can visualize numbers, build number sense, and develop critical problem-solving skills. They are now able to see, touch, and experience concepts like counting, addition, subtraction, sorting, patterns, and shapes in a concrete, developmentally appropriate way.\r\n\r\nYour contribution is already making a difference. These tools are used daily during whole-group lessons and small-group centers, supporting every learner—whether they are just beginning to recognize numbers or are ready for early problem-solving challenges. They help students work collaboratively, communicate their thinking, and build a strong foundation for future math success.\r\nMost importantly, your generosity is fostering confidence, curiosity, and joy in learning. You have given my students opportunities they would not have had otherwise, and we are deeply grateful.\r\nThank you for investing in their growth and for believing in the power of early learning.","fullyFundedDate":1756757614778,"projectUrl":"project/hands-on-math-magic-for-growing-minds/9572839/","projectTitle":"Hands-On Math Magic for Growing Minds","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Tania Miranda","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp665395_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1452133958093","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ms-tmiranda"},{"teacherId":3119189,"projectId":8343613,"letterContent":"Thanks to your generous support, our new classroom headphones have made an incredible difference in how my students learn each day. Many people use headphones at home, but in a school setting they are truly an instructional lifeline. With them, students can access reading and math programs with clear audio, follow along with phonics lessons, listen to modeled reading, and engage in activities that require focus without being distracted by classroom noise. The headphones have allowed me to personalize each child's learning path—some students listen to decodable stories, others practice letter sounds, and several complete math activities that depend on step-by-step audio guidance.\r\n\r\nWhat excites students most is the independence these headphones give them. They love being able to hear their lessons clearly and \"dive into\" their own learning space—even in a busy classroom. Many of my students say the headphones help them concentrate better, and I can see it in their engagement and stamina. Suddenly, tasks that once felt overwhelming are manageable because students aren't competing with background noise. The classroom has a calmer, more focused energy because everyone can learn at their own pace.\r\n\r\nSeveral students have especially warmed to this new resource. One of my struggling readers now uses the headphones to listen to phonics videos and decodable passages with confidence; she no longer worries about others hearing her practice. Another student who becomes easily distracted has shown major improvements in staying on task—he puts on his headphones, listens to his task prompts, and gets right to work. These small but powerful changes are making a real impact, and it's all because of you. Thank you again for investing in my students and helping create a classroom where every child can learn successfully.","fullyFundedDate":1715543557207,"projectUrl":"project/independent-learners-using-headphones/8343613/","projectTitle":"Independent Learners Using Headphones","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Markham","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp3119189_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1511902130108","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ms-c-markham"},{"teacherId":2904901,"projectId":9234667,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for the generous gift cards to Teachers Pay Teachers. Your support allows me to access high-quality, teacher-created resources that are specifically tailored to the needs of my dual-language classroom. With these materials, I can better differentiate instruction, create engaging lessons, and provide meaningful activities that support my students' growth in both English and Spanish. Your kindness not only lightens the financial burden on educators but also directly enriches the learning experience for my students. I am truly grateful for your thoughtful contribution!","fullyFundedDate":1745796554102,"projectUrl":"project/need-extra-resources/9234667/","projectTitle":"Need Extra Resources!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Hernandez","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-1_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/2904901"},{"teacherId":2904901,"projectId":9234424,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your thoughtful donation of books to our dual language classroom. Your generosity is helping us build a rich, diverse library that reflects the languages and cultures of our students. Access to high-quality literature in Spanish is essential for promoting bilingualism and biliteracy, and your contribution plays a crucial role in that mission. The books you provided will be read, loved, and appreciated by many eager young learners for years to come.\r\n\r\nMore than just books, you've given our students the gift of knowledge, imagination, and representation. As they read it empowers them and strengthens their connection to language and learning. Your support has made a meaningful difference in our classroom, and we are deeply grateful for your kindness and commitment to education. Thank you for being a part of our learning journey!","fullyFundedDate":1745718732865,"projectUrl":"project/book-worms/9234424/","projectTitle":"Book Worms!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Hernandez","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-1_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/2904901"},{"teacherId":438533,"projectId":8901055,"letterContent":"My name is Mrs. Perez-Fajardo and I coordinate the Parent Program at the Edwards Preschool. As a Primary CPS teacher and mother of CPS graduates, I know and cherish the importance of learning as a family unit. I'm always looking for ways to share activities with parents so that they can learn together. In conversation with some of my moms, I learned that when they take their child to therapy, they are given games and toys to play with that create opportunities for children to practice all sort of skills; their fine motor skills, their gross motor skills, their print awareness and phonological awareness and even motivating them to \"read\" or be read to. I thought to myself, \"I can do that!\" I can provide parents with these opportunities! All I need are bags and some activities. Low and behold after surfing the web, I came across the Kaplan website. They have clear book bags with all sorts of activities that not only creates these opportunities for learning as a family, but also gives parents specific skills and activities to do.\r\n After receiving the book bags, I created a sign out binder and numbered the bookbags. I placed them on a shelf, next to my classroom library. I started talking to moms about these little book bags and interest was created! We had a Grand Opening of the \"Mochilitas,\" (Lending Library Book Bags). The name is way catchier in Spanish! We had balloons, ribbon cutting and even ate cake! That's when the Mochilitas officially opened. On day 3, there were no Mochilitas to check out! Parents sent me pictures and kept checking out more Mochilitas. It was fun to see the excitement with the moms that come into the Parent Room. They kept asking for permission to open the playdough or open the slime. These are just items we'll have to eventually replace. \r\n\r\nNext steps for the project is to add more Mochilitas. Because we are a Dual Language school, adding more Bilingual Mochilitas would be the goal. The grant was generous enough to provide 11 Mochilitas. We have a few Mochilitias where the materials are both in English and Spanish. The majority are in English. We have everything from STEM to Art to Yoga to Reading and Getting Ready for Kindergarten. We are super excited to have our families learning together! Thank you.","fullyFundedDate":1739282342650,"projectUrl":"project/combating-literacy-one-backpack-at-a-tim/8901055/","projectTitle":"Combating Literacy One Backpack at a Time!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Perez-Fajardo","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp438533_orig.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1730070912240","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/438533"},{"teacherId":7894428,"projectId":7827199,"letterContent":"I am writing to express my sincere gratitude for providing our school counseling department with a color printer. This addition has significantly enhanced the resources and support we can offer our students.\r\n\r\nOne specific area where the color printer has made a tremendous impact is with our mood meter activities. The ability to print vibrant and engaging mood charts has allowed students to better understand and express their emotions. The visual aids are more captivating and help students, especially younger ones, connect with the material on a deeper level.\r\n\r\nThe color printer has also been invaluable for:\r\n\r\nPrinting visually appealing flyers and announcements for group counseling sessions and workshops.\r\n\r\nCreating personalized, colorful resources for individual student sessions.\r\n\r\nDeveloping engaging presentations for parent meetings and staff training.\r\n\r\nThe enhanced visual quality of these materials has improved student engagement, increased participation, and made our counseling sessions more effective.\r\n\r\nThank you again for your generous support. This color printer is a valuable asset that will continue to benefit our students and the entire school community.","fullyFundedDate":1701303221375,"projectUrl":"project/stimulate-the-brain-with-color/7827199/","projectTitle":"Stimulate the Brain With Color!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Fernandez","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-5_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/7894428"},{"teacherId":9828423,"projectId":8924214,"letterContent":"My students and I sincerely thank you for your tremendous support. The materials you provided have greatly enhanced our learning environment and helped us create a comfortable, engaging space. My second graders especially loved using the cozy red chairs during independent reading time or while working together on the carpet. They looked forward to visiting our classroom library and truly enjoyed the posters that brought the space to life. Thanks to your generosity, they could easily find their favorite books, neatly organized in the bins you helped us obtain. Once again, we truly appreciate your support!","fullyFundedDate":1731613363026,"projectUrl":"project/cozy-and-enaging-second-grade-library/8924214/","projectTitle":"Cozy and Enaging Second-Grade Library","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. J Terrazas","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9828423_orig.jpg?crop=1124,1125,x0,y44&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1758342675634","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9828423"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_5486","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":1221,"numTeachers":73,"percentFrplEligible":84,"percentAsian":0,"percentBlack":1,"percentWhite":2,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":95,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"Pre-K - 8","studentTeacherRatio":"16.7:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":72.1,"schoolId":5486,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Edwards Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Edwards Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/illinois/chicago-public-school-district-299/edwards-elementary-school/5486"}