Forrestal Elementary School in Great Lakes, Illinois on DonorsChoose

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They're thrilled to use them during independent rotations and love being able to hear every detail in their reading and math programs.\r\n\r\nSeveral students who once struggled to stay on task during computer time are now completing lessons with ease and confidence. One student told me, \"I can finally hear Lexia without all the talking!\"—a simple change that has had a significant impact on learning outcomes.\r\n\r\nThanks to your generosity, our classroom feels calmer, more productive, and better equipped for digital learning success!","fullyFundedDate":1755736944268,"projectUrl":"project/helping-every-voice-be-heard-headphones/9350539/","projectTitle":"Helping Every Voice Be Heard: Headphones for Focused Learning","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Goebel","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8890347_orig.jpg?crop=2316,2316,x195,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1670362216661","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/goebel"},{"teacherId":8890347,"projectId":9085073,"letterContent":"Our Whiteboard Table in Action!\r\n\r\nThanks to your generous support, our new whiteboard table has become one of the most loved spots in our classroom. My students use it daily during small-group reading and math rotations to brainstorm, solve word problems, and share their thoughts in real-time. It is incredible to see how quickly they jump in to collaborate, dry-erase markers in hand, discussing strategies and showing their work for everyone to see.\r\n\r\nWhen my students first saw the table, their eyes lit up. Several said, \"Wait, we can write on this?\" and immediately started testing it out. It quickly turned into a hub of creativity and problem-solving.\r\n\r\nOne of my favorite moments came during a recent math lesson on multiplication arrays. Students worked in pairs to draw and compare arrays right on the table surface, erasing and revising as they explained their reasoning. The room was buzzing with engagement and teamwork.\r\n\r\nNext, we will be using the table to plan our upcoming writing pieces. Students will map out story ideas, sketch plot diagrams, and jot character traits directly onto the surface before transferring them into their notebooks. The whiteboard table has truly transformed how we collaborate and learn together. Thank you for making this possible.","fullyFundedDate":1746785922540,"projectUrl":"project/write-it-out-a-whiteboard-table-for-act/9085073/","projectTitle":"Write It Out: A Whiteboard Table for Active Learning","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Goebel","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8890347_orig.jpg?crop=2316,2316,x195,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1670362216661","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/goebel"},{"teacherId":9544835,"projectId":9358569,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for helping us get new small group reading materials! We've already been putting them to good use, and the kids are loving them.\r\n\r\nWe've been using the books and resources during our small group reading and phonics time. Just the other day, a group of students worked together sounding out words and clapping out syllables. One of my favorite moments was hearing a student proudly read a new word all by themselves and then giggle with delight when their friends cheered them on. When the materials first arrived, the kids were so excited—they couldn't wait to explore everything! It really made reading feel special, like a little adventure they got to share.\r\n\r\nWe'll keep using these materials to strengthen phonemic skills—listening for sounds, blending them, and connecting them to words in stories—so students can build a strong foundation for reading. \r\n\r\nThank you for making this possible. You've brought a lot of joy (and some very big smiles) into our classroom!","fullyFundedDate":1748554157935,"projectUrl":"project/reading-takes-flight-in-small-groups/9358569/","projectTitle":"Reading Takes Flight in Small Groups","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Sinclaire","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9544835_orig.jpg?crop=1828,1828,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1715395446908","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ms-sinclaire"},{"teacherId":9544835,"projectId":9014296,"letterContent":"In our kindergarten classroom, reading is a joyful, interactive experience rooted in curiosity and connection. Thanks to these wonderful new books, my students are not just learning to read—they're discovering themselves as readers.\r\n\r\nEach text we explore helps introduce foundational skills like identifying story elements (characters, setting, problem, and solution), making predictions, and learning to retell events in sequence. These books also support print awareness, phonemic recognition, and vocabulary growth, often through repetition, rhyme, and rich illustrations that invite conversation and engagement.\r\n\r\nReading in our room often looks like this: a group of students curled up with books during quiet reading time, partner reading with finger tracking, or a whole-class read-aloud with lively discussion. We ask questions like, \"Why do you think the character felt that way?\" or \"What do you think will happen next?\" These texts are springboards for both academic growth and social-emotional learning.\r\n\r\nThese books are more than stories—they're tools for confidence, connection, and critical thinking. 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About this school

Forrestal Elementary School is a suburban public school in Great Lakes, Illinois that is part of North Chicago Community Unit School District 187. It serves 386 students in grades K - 3 with a student/teacher ratio of 12.9:1. Its teachers have had 58 projects funded on DonorsChoose.

Equity Focus School

Support towards this school will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

Public School

Title 1

Grades K - 3

386 Students

30 Teachers

2833 E Washington Ave

Great Lakes, IL 60088 View local requests

Direct, proactive support

Empower teachers at Forrestal Elementary School to request what their students need.

Give to this school

Ms. Vero, a DonorsChoose teacher for 9 years.

Kindergarten teacher at PS81 - Robert J. Christen School in Bronx, NY

Forrestal Elementary School Teachers on DonorsChoose

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Forrestal Elementary School Demographics

95%

of students receive free or reduced price lunch

Source: the National Center for Education Statistics

80%

of students are Black, Latino, Native American, or Asian

Schools in districts that mainly serve students of color receive substantially less state and local support than similar districts that serve primarily White students. Learn more about this gap, why it exists, and how you can help close it.

Forrestal Elementary School Support on DonorsChoose Last updated Dec 25, 2025

DonorsChoose makes it easy for anyone to help a teacher in need, moving us closer to a nation where students in every community have the tools and experiences they need for a great education.