{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Elk Creek Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":20.5,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":10005684,"projectId":10420242,"letterContent":"I want to take a moment to express my sincere gratitude for supporting my classroom and, most importantly, my students. Your generosity means more than words can express. Because of your support, my students have access to resources and opportunities that help them learn, grow, and experience success in the classroom.\r\n\r\nAs a special education teacher, I get to work with some truly amazing students who learn and experience the world in their own unique ways. Having the right materials and resources can make such a difference in their everyday learning. Your donation helps me create meaningful learning experiences, encourage independence, build confidence, and celebrate all the little victories that lead to big accomplishments.\r\n\r\nEvery student deserves the opportunity to feel successful, included, and excited about learning. Your willingness to give helps make that possible. It is because of people like you that I can continue finding new ways to meet my students' needs and provide them with the tools they need to succeed.\r\n\r\nThank you for believing in our students, investing in their futures, and making a difference in our classroom. Your kindness does not go unnoticed, and we are incredibly grateful!\r\n\r\nWith heartfelt appreciation","fullyFundedDate":1786284242440,"projectUrl":"project/essentials-needed/10420242/","projectTitle":"Essentials Needed","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Fulmer","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-3_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10005684"},{"teacherId":10005725,"projectId":10706913,"letterContent":"Thank you for donating to my classroom. My students are going to be able to have a quick snack once a day in order to make the items last the rest of the year. I also already organized the backs due to the bins that were on this projects. I am hoping to have a bin each month, and if we have a fun day I can always bring out the pouches of fruit snacks or Pringles to share with the class as a fun incentive. My students appreciate your donation and so do I and we thank you again for your support.","fullyFundedDate":1792616273193,"projectUrl":"project/fueling-minds-one-snack-at-a-time/10706913/","projectTitle":"Fueling Minds, One Snack At A Time","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Juarez","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-3_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10005725"},{"teacherId":10543229,"projectId":10362291,"letterContent":"I just want to say a huge, heartfelt THANK YOU for supporting my classroom and helping make my first year as an art teacher at Elk Creek Elementary so much better! Your generosity has meant so much to me, and I honestly can't tell you how grateful I am to have these supplies in our art room. Each item has already made a difference in its own way, and it makes me so happy knowing that my students and I get to use them every day.\r\n\r\nThe colorful smiley-face rug has quickly become one of my favorite spots in the classroom! My kindergarten through fifth-grade students and I gather on it EVERY single day to start our lessons, talk about what we will be working on, review directions, and get excited about the projects ahead. It brings so much color and happiness into the room, and it gives us a special place to come together before we begin creating.\r\n\r\nAs an art teacher working with so many different grade levels, having a designated meeting spot is incredibly helpful. The rug helps students know where to go, gives our lessons a consistent starting point, and makes it easier for everyone to settle in and focus. It also provides a soft, comfortable place for students to sit while we share ideas, ask questions, and learn from one another. I love that we have a spot where we can all come together as a classroom community before spreading out to make our art. It may seem like a simple thing, but this rug has made such a big difference in the flow of our day and has helped make our classroom feel even more welcoming and organized.\r\n\r\nThe ice cube trays with lids have been such a lifesaver when it comes to preparing paint! We started using them during our second week of school, and they have already been used for so many fun projects, including our fall and leaf artwork, color wheel studies, and color-mixing experiments. My students love getting to explore colors and see what happens when they mix them together, and these trays make it so much easier for me to have everything ready for them.\r\n\r\nOne of the best things about these trays is the time they save me. Instead of preparing fresh paint palettes every day, I can organize our tempera paints, put the lids on, and save them for our next project. As you can imagine, with so many students coming through the art room, anything that saves time and keeps supplies organized is a huge help! I now have a designated spot to store them safely, which helps me keep our materials ready to go and makes managing our supplies much easier. That means less time preparing palettes and more time doing what I love most: teaching, helping students, and watching their creativity come to life.\r\n\r\nThe Chomp Wheel has been another exciting addition to our classroom! I have already started using it to cut cardboard pieces for our printmaking activities as we explore line and shape. It has been wonderful to have a tool that makes preparing these materials so much easier, and I'm excited to keep learning all the ways I can use it throughout the year.\r\n\r\nI have some fun projects planned, including animal character frames and our crayon mosaics. For the mosaics, students will be able to use cardboard backgrounds for their colorful creations, giving them another opportunity to experiment with shapes, colors, and different materials. As I become more familiar with the tool, I also hope to give students opportunities to experiment with it individually as the year progresses.\r\n\r\nWith approximately 230 students, preparing enough materials for everyone is a BIG job! Before having the Chomp Wheel, cutting all those little cardboard pieces by hand could take so much time and put a lot of strain on my hands. This tool has made that part of my job much more manageable. Instead of spending so much time cutting cardboard, I can spend more time planning lessons, preparing other materials, and helping my students create. That is such a gift, and I am truly thankful for it!\r\n\r\nOne of the reasons your generosity means so much to me is that our school district is the lowest-paid district in the area, and we face real challenges when it comes to funding, resources, and even basic classroom supplies. As an art teacher, I want my students to have the materials they need to explore, experiment, make mistakes, try new things, and feel proud of what they create. But providing those opportunities can be difficult when resources are limited.\r\n\r\nThis is also my very first year as an art teacher, so your support has been an especially wonderful blessing. There is so much to learn, prepare, and figure out when starting something new, and having these supplies has taken some of that stress away. They have helped me feel better equipped to give my students meaningful art experiences, and they have made my classroom a happier, more organized, and more creative place to learn.\r\n\r\nWhen I see my students gathering on our smiley-face rug, exploring color with their paint, or using the materials I've prepared for their next art project, I'm reminded that these donations are about so much more than supplies. They help create opportunities for kids to discover what they can do, build confidence, express themselves, and have fun learning something new. Knowing that your generosity is helping make those moments possible means the world to me.\r\n\r\nThank you for thinking of teachers and students like us. Thank you for helping provide the things that make our days run a little smoother and our art experiences a little more special. Most of all, thank you for investing in our classroom and believing that our students deserve the tools and opportunities to be creative.\r\n\r\nI am so grateful for your kindness, and I know these supplies will continue to make a difference throughout the school year. You have helped make my first year as an art teacher a little less overwhelming and a whole lot more exciting, and I truly cannot thank you enough!","fullyFundedDate":1785278977237,"projectUrl":"project/excited-art-teacher-in-need/10362291/","projectTitle":"Excited Art Teacher In Need","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Hemelt","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10543229_orig.png?crop=973,973,x76,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1793940643907","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10543229"},{"teacherId":9303575,"projectId":10398722,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for donating to my class. I am so honored that you took the time and money to donate to my students. Your donation has given my student the materials they needed to reach their goals and achieve new goals. The games are so much fun and my students do not even feel like they are learning when they play them. They are building their CVC word fluency and are using the number games to build their number fluency. \r\n\r\nI have used the markers and dry erase boards to encourage my students to participate in our classroom activities. They love being able to use a dry erase marker, to them it makes them feel like a teacher. WE will continue to use these items every day and my students will continue to grow and flourish because of your generosity. I am so grateful that you continue to support my classroom and my students. \r\n\r\nThank you again for your generosity!","fullyFundedDate":1785278977527,"projectUrl":"project/sped-classroom-resources/10398722/","projectTitle":"SPED Classroom Resources","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Orosz","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-8_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9303575"},{"teacherId":10005725,"projectId":10424193,"letterContent":"Thank you for donating to my fourth grade classroom! When I told my students we got a project funded they were very excited, little did they know I had ordered games for them!\r\nMy students are having fun with the tug a war rope, the dart board, and the other fun games. This is especially ideal for when we have inside recess due to the weather. We are also using the mechanical pencils which is a life saver because my pencil sharpener is no longer working. We will continue to use the mechanical pencils thanks to the lead refills that also were in my project that you funded. \r\nWe thank you so much for your generosity.","fullyFundedDate":1789623370327,"projectUrl":"project/games-for-4th-grade/10424193/","projectTitle":"Games for 4th Grade!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Juarez","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-3_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10005725"},{"teacherId":10005725,"projectId":10192947,"letterContent":"My students now have an area designated to small group intervention. Which is one of my goals this year, to have better small group instruction to help close learning gaps. I with this desk I can help 6-7 students at a time, due to the shape of the table and since the desk is a whiteboard, I can help students visual concepts, write examples, sentence starters, and use it how I need to make learning more fun and useful. Right away my students noticed that I had a new desk and were eager to use it.","fullyFundedDate":1778105065540,"projectUrl":"project/the-intervention-desk/10192947/","projectTitle":"The Intervention Desk","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Juarez","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-3_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10005725"},{"teacherId":9302019,"projectId":10390575,"letterContent":"My kindergarten students have been so excited to use their new 10-frame dice, pencils, and digital clock in our classroom! The 10-frame dice have made practicing counting, number recognition, and understanding quantities much more hands-on and fun. Instead of simply completing worksheets, students can roll the dice, build numbers, count objects, and talk about their thinking with classmates. They love having materials they can touch, move, and use together, and their excitement has made math lessons more engaging.\r\n\r\nOur new pencils have also made a big difference as students practice writing their names, letters, numbers, and beginning sentences. Having classroom supplies that are ready and available helps students feel prepared and confident as they work on these important kindergarten skills. The digital clock has been another wonderful addition because students are beginning to learn about time, daily routines, and sequencing events throughout our school day. They enjoy checking the clock and connecting the numbers they see to familiar classroom routines.\r\n\r\nWe are excited to continue using these materials throughout the school year in many different lessons and learning activities. The 10-frame dice will support future lessons on addition, subtraction, number sense, and making ten. The pencils will be used every day as students develop their writing and fine-motor skills, while the digital clock will help us practice telling time, understanding schedules, and talking about how we organize our day. Thank you for helping make learning more interactive, meaningful, and exciting for my kindergarten students!","fullyFundedDate":1785278977603,"projectUrl":"project/back-to-school-ready/10390575/","projectTitle":"Back to School Ready!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Perry","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9302019_orig.png?crop=853,853,x73,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1695676242906","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9302019"},{"teacherId":4726838,"projectId":10140531,"letterContent":"I am so thankful for the continued support of building out my student interest in reading by providing additional books for my classroom library. It can be challenging to find and purchase a wide enough variety of books at various reading levels to engage and bring imagination to my students. These selection of books that you helped donate for my classroom help me to get closer to that goal! \r\n\r\nStudents loved being able to choose from graphic novels, and the choose your own adventure books are a big hit. But more of all my students loved reading the novel sets from Rick Riordan of the Percy Jackson universe. Thank you for all your support!\r\n-Mr. Westby","fullyFundedDate":1775150386077,"projectUrl":"project/5th-grade-classroom-library/10140531/","projectTitle":"5th Grade Classroom Library","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Westby","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp4726838_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1784658272401","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/4726838"},{"teacherId":9628976,"projectId":9501241,"letterContent":"Our new resources have truly transformed the way my students engage! \r\n\r\nWhen my students first saw the materials, their excitement was immediate—especially the markers and snacks! They were eager to use the markers to create colorful diagrams and organize their ideas, and the snacks created a welcoming, supportive environment where students felt cared for and ready to learn. Several students even said it made them feel like \"real scientists,\" which was such a meaningful moment for me as their teacher.\r\n\r\nAs we move forward, students will continue building on this learning by creating projects that propose solutions to environmental challenges. These next steps will help deepen their understanding while empowering them to see that they can make a difference in the world around them.\r\n\r\nThank you for making these meaningful learning experiences possible for my students!","fullyFundedDate":1757309263199,"projectUrl":"project/items-to-fuel-fifth-grade/9501241/","projectTitle":"Items to Fuel Fifth Grade!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Ayala","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9628976_orig.jpg?crop=1242,1242,x0,y331&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1753478073478","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9628976"},{"teacherId":10005725,"projectId":9629023,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous support in providing mechanical pencils, sticky notes, and other essential classroom supplies. Your contribution has made a meaningful difference in our daily learning environment and has helped ensure that every student is equipped with the tools they need to succeed. These simple yet powerful resources have already had a positive impact on student engagement, organization, and overall confidence in the classroom.\r\n\r\nThe mechanical pencils have been especially helpful, as they allow students to write comfortably and consistently without worrying about sharpening or running out of supplies. This has reduced interruptions during lessons and allowed us to maximize our instructional time. Students feel more prepared and take greater pride in their work when they have reliable materials readily available. Additionally, having enough pencils for everyone ensures equity, so no student feels left out or unprepared.","fullyFundedDate":1758820996880,"projectUrl":"project/items-to-complete-classroom/9629023/","projectTitle":"Items to Complete Classroom","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Juarez","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-3_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10005725"},{"teacherId":8963522,"projectId":7193938,"letterContent":"Thank you for helping support my Girls STEM Leadership Club by donating the STEM kits that we built. We made scribble bots and wind cars. Plus we were also able to build Robot Crawlers and Mechanical Hands. These types of hand on projects are great for kids because they introduce the concepts of building like engineers and collaborating and communicating with teammates to accomplish a goal. \r\n\r\nIt is especially important to introduce girls into STEM fields since there are fewer females in STEM related fields than males. I try to give my girls a chance to learn about different careers through discovery and by providing a fun, safe space to be creative and learn. So thank you so much in believing in this cause and helping to give these girls the chance to explore STEM with your donation.","fullyFundedDate":1680462774017,"projectUrl":"project/ms-gabbys-girls-stem-leadership-club/7193938/","projectTitle":"Ms. Gabby's Girls Stem Leadership Club","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Gabby","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8963522_orig.jpg?crop=2531,2531,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1676577386056","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8963522"},{"teacherId":9628976,"projectId":9339504,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting our classroom. Because of your generosity, my students now have access to new resources that have already made a big impact on our learning. We have been using the materials during our daily lessons and small group activities to help students better understand the concepts we are studying.\r\n\r\nWhen the students first saw the new materials, they were incredibly excited and curious. Several students immediately wanted to explore them and started asking questions about how we would use them in our classroom. One memorable moment was when students used the materials during a recent classroom activity. They were able to collaborate, think critically, and participate more actively in the lesson. The resources helped make the learning experience more interactive and meaningful for them.\r\n\r\nAs we continue our unit, students will keep using these materials to practice new skills, deepen their understanding, and work together on upcoming projects. Your support is helping create opportunities for hands-on learning and stronger student engagement.\r\n\r\nThank you again for making a difference in our classroom and for investing in my students' education. Your generosity truly means so much to all of us.","fullyFundedDate":1752989221025,"projectUrl":"project/flexible-seating-for-5th-grade/9339504/","projectTitle":"Flexible Seating for 5th Grade!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Ayala","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9628976_orig.jpg?crop=1242,1242,x0,y331&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1753478073478","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9628976"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_96549","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":267,"numTeachers":13,"percentFrplEligible":76,"percentAsian":0,"percentBlack":0,"percentWhite":47,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":49,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","percentHawaiianImputed":0,"percentMultiracialImputed":2,"gradesServed":"Pre-K - 5","studentTeacherRatio":"20.5:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"UNCLASSIFIED","ncesMetroType":"RURAL_FRINGE"},"inStateSupporters":79.5,"schoolId":96549,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Elk Creek Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Elk Creek Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/colorado/garfield-school-district-re2/elk-creek-elementary-school/96549"}