{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Expo for Excellence for Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":26.7,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":3758100,"projectId":10164810,"letterContent":"Dear Donors,\r\n\r\nBecause of your generosity, our kindergarten students have been fully immersed in hands-on learning experiences that have brought science to life in the most meaningful ways. As we explored the life cycle of a butterfly and planted our own seeds to grow flowers and plants, students were engaged, curious, and excited every single day.\r\n\r\nThese experiences truly sparked the \"inner scientist\" in each child. Through observing, questioning, and caring for living things, students developed a deeper understanding of how the world works. They eagerly checked on our plants, noticed changes in growth, and made connections to the butterfly life cycle. This kind of hands-on learning is essential for young learners, as it builds not only knowledge but also curiosity, responsibility, and a love for discovery.\r\n\r\nYour support made it possible for students to learn by doing—getting their hands in the soil, watching transformation happen right before their eyes, and engaging in meaningful conversations with their peers. These moments are where true learning happens in kindergarten.\r\n\r\nAs we continue our project, our next steps are to carefully document the life cycle of a butterfly and complete our planting journals. Students will reflect on their observations, record changes over time, and share their learning in thoughtful and creative ways.\r\n\r\nThank you for helping us create these unforgettable learning experiences. Your generosity is nurturing not only plants and butterflies, but also the growing minds of our young scientists.\r\n\r\nWith gratitude,\r\nOur Kindergarten Class 💛","fullyFundedDate":1775248496253,"projectUrl":"project/growing-changing-and-taking-flight/10164810/","projectTitle":"Growing, Changing, and Taking Flight","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Uher","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp3758100_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1471310139843","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/3758100"},{"teacherId":3758100,"projectId":9820600,"letterContent":"Strong early literacy skills begin with meaningful, hands-on experiences. In kindergarten, reading centers with developmentally appropriate manipulatives give students the opportunity to actively engage with letters, sounds, and words in a way that feels like play while building essential foundational skills.\r\n\r\nWith access to hands-on materials, students can practice letter recognition, build and segment words, and strengthen their understanding of phonics concepts through interactive learning. These experiences support a variety of learning styles and help students stay engaged, focused, and excited about reading. Manipulatives also encourage collaboration, problem-solving, and independence as students work through activities at their own pace.\r\n\r\nBy providing well-equipped reading centers, we create an environment where all learners can grow in confidence and develop a love for reading. These tools are not only building academic skills but also fostering curiosity, creativity, and a strong foundation for lifelong learning.\r\n\r\nWe are incredibly grateful to our donors for making this possible. Your generosity brings these meaningful learning experiences to life and directly supports our students as they grow into confident, capable readers. Thank you for investing in our classroom and our learners!","fullyFundedDate":1764722342412,"projectUrl":"project/building-reading-buckets/9820600/","projectTitle":"Building Reading Buckets","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Uher","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp3758100_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1471310139843","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/3758100"},{"teacherId":10349896,"projectId":9894450,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for all of these books! They have been flying off the shelves since they were delivered in March. The kids were especially excited about the Investigators and Pizza and Taco series. I had (have) a waiting list for the Pizza and Taco #2-5, as we previously only had #1 and #6. \r\n\r\nThe pre-k and kindergartners have really been enjoying the hardcover \"I Can Read\" books! I am enjoying them because they actually can stand up on display, unlike the flimsy paper backs. And the covers all have exciting art! It's been really great to see the students beginning to read by themselves for the first time. \r\n\r\nPiggie and Elephant are Mo Willams CLASSICS! I am especially excited to have those in leui of the TV adaptation announcement. I know they will ALL be checked out when it comes out later this year. \r\n\r\nWe are thankful for your kind donations. Our library collection's average publication date has gone up as a result. New books are such a special occurance anytime, but they gave us a much needed moral boost in March. I am, personally, deeply grateful. Thank you so much for supporting our library!","fullyFundedDate":1769989376087,"projectUrl":"project/sow-the-seeds-for-the-joy-of-reading/9894450/","projectTitle":"Sow the Seeds for the Joy of Reading!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Emma","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10349896_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1763585465905","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10349896"},{"teacherId":3335722,"projectId":9970069,"letterContent":"I am writing to express my heartfilled thanks for the wonderful chair storage pockets! When my kindergartners first saw them being slipped onto their chairs, their eyes lit up with pure magic. One of my students hugged their chair and shouted, \"Now my chair has a pocket for my treasures!\" For five- and six-year-olds, having a \"home\" for their things is a huge deal. These pockets have instantly transformed our room from a chaotic sea of dropped crayons and lost folders into an organized space where every student feels like a \"big kid\" with their very own office.\r\nWe are currently using the pockets to manage our \"Letter of the Week\" journals and sensory tracing tools. In a recent lesson, instead of the usual scramble to the cubbies—which often leads to little collisions and lost focus—the students simply reached behind them and pulled out their supplies with such pride. It has saved us so much instructional time and helped my students practice their independence. Our next step is starting our \"Sight Word Superstars\" unit, and having their flashcards tucked safely in their chair pockets means we can jump into our daily practice the second they sit down. Thank you for making our classroom a calmer, more joyful place to grow!","fullyFundedDate":1770907292403,"projectUrl":"project/organization-is-my-super-power/9970069/","projectTitle":"Organization Is My Super Power!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Mary Ross","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp3335722_orig.jpg?crop=768,768,x0,y7&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1714399531976","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/3335722"},{"teacherId":3335722,"projectId":10096353,"letterContent":"My kindergarteners have fully embraced their inner scientists as they dive into STEM exploration with our new magnets! It has been incredible to see them move from passive observation to active discovery; a standout moment occurred this week during our \"Magnetic or Not?\" challenge. Small groups of students collaborated to test various objects around the room, and the energy was electric as they predicted whether their magnet wands would \"stick\" or \"slide.\" Seeing five-year-olds use scientific vocabulary while working together to solve these hands-on puzzles was a clear sign of the impact your generosity has made.\r\n\r\nWhen the boxes first arrived and we opened the colorful sets of magnetic wands and horseshoe magnets together, the reaction was pure excitement. There were audible gasps and a flurry of questions as they realized these high-quality STEM tools were specifically for them!\r\n\r\nMoving forward, our next steps involve a \"Magnet Engineering\" project where students will apply what they've learned about magnets to create their own original magnetic maze. We are so grateful for your support in making these kindergarten discoveries possible!","fullyFundedDate":1772490180414,"projectUrl":"project/the-great-magnet-adventure/10096353/","projectTitle":"The Great Magnet Adventure","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Mary Ross","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp3335722_orig.jpg?crop=768,768,x0,y7&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1714399531976","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/3335722"},{"teacherId":7876229,"projectId":9541911,"letterContent":"Thank you kindly for your generous donations to our project. Your donations have helped our classroom get organized and clutter free! Students are taking more responsibility at school and at home in organizing their learning materials, knowing where things are, and turning things in on time. Your donations made a big impact on the structure and routines of our learning day. \r\n\r\nA special shoutout to the personal cubbies/book bins. They are a real life-saver! The book bins provide a great deal of space for each student to store their notebooks, independent reading books, and folders. Each student has an assigned number and they know exactly where to go! The folders are also a favorite. We have a system for how we work the folders, and it very much helps with not only keeping assignments organized, but for school to home communication. \r\n\r\nThank you!","fullyFundedDate":1764731473606,"projectUrl":"project/creating-spaces-for-student-supplies-and/9541911/","projectTitle":"Creating Spaces for Student Supplies and Success!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Gorder","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7876229_orig.jpg?crop=1196,1196,x211,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1625584398318","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/7876229"},{"teacherId":3335722,"projectId":9824919,"letterContent":"My students are kindergartners, ages 4-6, and they get excited over just about anything. That being said, I have never seen such a genuine reaction to opening up our box of materials from you. They cheered! They couldn't wait to get started on using the new activities in our learning centers.\r\n\r\nWith everything going on in the world today, all of the stress and worries that families have; it was heartwarming to be able to provide the new materials to brighten the day in a small way.\r\n\r\nMy next steps are to invite parents in for a \"family day\" so they can use our cool new materials with their kids!\r\n\r\nThank you from Minnesota!\r\nMary","fullyFundedDate":1764953482310,"projectUrl":"project/brains-in-action-using-manipulatives-an/9824919/","projectTitle":"Brains in Action: Using Manipulatives and Games for Interactive Learning!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Mary Ross","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp3335722_orig.jpg?crop=768,768,x0,y7&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1714399531976","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/3335722"},{"teacherId":10170650,"projectId":9964922,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous support of our Pre-K classroom. Your donation has provided hands-on materials that make learning exciting and meaningful for my students. As the youngest learners in our elementary building, they learn best through play, and these puzzles, dramatic-play materials, and picture books have quickly become classroom favorites.\r\n\r\nBecause of you, my students are collaborating, using new language, and building early literacy and numeracy skills during our daily active learning time. Your kindness is helping create joyful learning experiences and supporting my students' growth every day. Thank you for making such a positive impact in our classroom.","fullyFundedDate":1766112383338,"projectUrl":"project/powering-up-my-amazing-4-year-old-learne/9964922/","projectTitle":"Powering Up My Amazing 4-year-old Learners!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Mingyu","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10170650_orig.jpg?crop=2400,2400,x0,y216&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1754966944890","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10170650"},{"teacherId":3758100,"projectId":9776142,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous donation of math games and activities to our kindergarten classroom. The children are already excited and fully engaged with the new materials. These hands-on resources make learning meaningful, fun, and interactive, and they are helping our students build strong foundational math skills in a joyful way.\r\n\r\nMath centers are truly one of their favorite times of day. Students are excited to see which math buckets they are assigned to and are always curious when new materials are added to the buckets. I noticed the importance of learning through exploration at this age. Math centers have turned abstract ideas into concrete, playful experiences that help concepts \"stick.\" The students see themselves as playing, but they truly are learning new concept every day through this model. \r\n\r\nYour kindness and support truly make a difference. Because of you, our young learners have even more opportunities to explore, discover, and grow each day. We are so grateful for your contribution to our classroom community.","fullyFundedDate":1763577476645,"projectUrl":"project/building-hands-on-math-buckets/9776142/","projectTitle":"Building Hands-On Math Buckets","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Uher","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp3758100_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1471310139843","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/3758100"},{"teacherId":3758100,"projectId":9514357,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous donation of social and emotional learning materials to our kindergarten classroom. Your support is truly appreciated and will have a meaningful impact on our students' growth.\r\n\r\nThese resources will help our young learners explore important skills such as understanding emotions, building friendships, communicating kindly, and solving problems in positive ways. At this age, SEL tools are especially powerful—they help children feel safe, supported, and ready to learn.\r\n\r\nMy students' absolute favorite tool was the Gel-Bead Emotion Friends. We started the school year by reading each of the Little SPOT of Emotion books, and students were able to hold the gel-bead emotion as we read the story. Fast-forward to December, and we are still using our gel-bead emotion friends when reading SEL books. The texture is calming for students and helps them practice the emotion we are focusing on.\r\n\r\nBecause of your kindness, our classroom is now even better equipped to foster empathy, confidence, and a strong sense of community. The students are already excited to use the new materials, and it is wonderful to see how they will benefit from your generosity.\r\n\r\nThank you again for investing in our children's well-being and helping create a nurturing environment where every child can thrive.","fullyFundedDate":1758820756599,"projectUrl":"project/social-emotional-learning-in-kindergarte/9514357/","projectTitle":"Social Emotional Learning in Kindergarten!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Uher","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp3758100_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1471310139843","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/3758100"},{"teacherId":3758100,"projectId":9214909,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous donation of reading materials to our kindergarten classroom. Your kindness has truly made a meaningful impact on our young learners.\r\n\r\nBecause of your contribution, our students now have access to a richer variety of books and center activities that spark curiosity, imagination, and a love for reading. The children are already excitedly exploring the new stories and illustrations, and it's wonderful to see their faces light up as they discover new characters and ideas.\r\n\r\nRecently our class had the opportunity to pair up with fourth grade reading buddies. One afternoon, students in our kindergarten class \"taught\" their fourth grade buddy how to play some of the reading and card games they have been using during center time. The one-on-one attention made our young students feel valued and supported, and strengthened their motivation to read. It was also a beautiful moment to see the older students interact with kindergarteners, which noticeably helped increase their patience, empathy, and understanding.\r\n\r\nYour support helps create a classroom environment where every child can grow, learn, and feel inspired. We are deeply grateful for your thoughtfulness and commitment to our students' education.\r\n\r\nThank you again for making a difference!","fullyFundedDate":1755805166432,"projectUrl":"project/building-reading-centers-in-kindergarten/9214909/","projectTitle":"Building Reading Centers in Kindergarten","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Uher","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp3758100_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1471310139843","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/3758100"},{"teacherId":3758100,"projectId":9474111,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous donations, which continue to help us with the basic school supplies we need. Having a class supply of materials helps me stay organized and allows for seamless transitions when creating art projects, completing hands-on activities or daily centers. I am grateful that every student has their own glue stick, EXPO marker, whiteboard eraser, etc., as this allows students the independence of gathering their own materials and a sense of responsibility to keep track of their items. \r\n\r\nAnother noticing was the amount of laminating sheets and sheet protectors used in a kindergarten classroom. It has made a world of difference for me. I've used them for letter tracing, name tracing, center activities, math activities, holiday projects, reading buddies, and kindergarten portfolio work. Having these materials before school started allowed me to take time to create materials that can be used in the future. \r\n\r\nThank you again for your generosity. Starting a new school year in a new grade was a bit stressful, but having these materials and school supplies helped me plan and set up my classroom before the year began.","fullyFundedDate":1753927799379,"projectUrl":"project/new-year-new-classroom-new-supplies/9474111/","projectTitle":"New Year, New Classroom, New Supplies","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Uher","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp3758100_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1471310139843","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/3758100"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_55462","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":393,"numTeachers":34,"percentFrplEligible":92,"percentAsian":4,"percentBlack":27,"percentWhite":47,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":10,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","percentHawaiianImputed":0,"percentMultiracialImputed":9,"gradesServed":"K - 5","studentTeacherRatio":"11.6:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":false,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":73.3,"schoolId":55462,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Expo for Excellence for Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Expo for Excellence for Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/minnesota/saint-paul-public-schools/expo-for-excellence-magnet-school/55462"}