{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Gillespie Technology Magnet Cluster School","outOfStateSupporters":38.5,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":8625569,"projectId":9531680,"letterContent":"Your generous support has made a meaningful difference in our classroom by providing sensory materials that our students use every single day. These resources have been especially impactful for students with autism, helping create a more supportive and inclusive learning environment.\r\n\r\nWhile many of our donors may be familiar with technology and tools used at home, sensory materials serve a unique and essential role in the classroom. Items like fidget tools, textured objects, and calming resources help students regulate their emotions, stay focused, and feel comfortable in their learning space. When students are better able to manage sensory input, they are more ready to learn, participate, and succeed academically.\r\n\r\nWhat excites my students most about these new materials is how they make learning feel safe and accessible. They love having options that help them stay calm and engaged, and they take pride in choosing tools that work best for them. These materials have quickly become a natural and important part of our daily routine.\r\n\r\nI have seen several students, especially those with autism, truly benefit from these resources. Students who previously struggled with focus or felt overwhelmed are now more settled and able to participate in lessons. Others who had difficulty expressing their needs are now using sensory tools to self-regulate, which has boosted their confidence and independence.\r\n\r\nBecause of your generosity, our classroom is now a place where all students—regardless of their needs—can feel supported and ready to learn. These sensory materials are more than just supplies; they are helping our students feel understood, capable, and successful every day. Thank you for making this possible!","fullyFundedDate":1760705827961,"projectUrl":"project/calm-focus-thrive-sensory-supports-fo/9531680/","projectTitle":"Calm, Focus, Thrive: Sensory Supports for Success","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Larissa Mae Gulben","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8625569_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1691423254787","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/msgulbensclass"},{"teacherId":8625569,"projectId":9531705,"letterContent":"Thanks to your generosity, our classroom has been transformed in a simple but powerful way. With the addition of new headphones, my students are now able to fully engage with digital learning every single day.\r\n\r\nMany of our donors are familiar with using technology at home, but in the classroom, these tools take on an even deeper purpose. The headphones allow students to focus on individualized lessons without distractions, whether they are listening to reading passages, practicing math skills, or watching instructional videos. This has made it possible to meet each student at their own level, giving them the chance to learn at their own pace and build confidence in their abilities.\r\n\r\nWhat excites my students most is the sense of independence these headphones provide. They love being able to plug in, take ownership of their learning, and immerse themselves in activities that feel both fun and meaningful. It has truly made learning more engaging and accessible for everyone.\r\n\r\nI have also seen particular students thrive with this new addition. Some who are easily distracted are now more focused and productive, while others who were hesitant feel more comfortable learning quietly at their own pace. Even my shyest students have begun to show more confidence as they interact with technology in a way that feels safe and personalized.\r\n\r\nYour support has made a daily difference in our classroom. These headphones are not just a tool—they are opening doors for better focus, greater independence, and more meaningful learning experiences for every student. Thank you for believing in our learners!","fullyFundedDate":1764450145658,"projectUrl":"project/learning-loud-and-clear-headphones-for/9531705/","projectTitle":"Learning Loud and Clear: Headphones for Every Student","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Larissa Mae Gulben","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8625569_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1691423254787","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/msgulbensclass"},{"teacherId":1714390,"projectId":10011909,"letterContent":"Thanks so much for your generous donation of snacks and drinks from Asia, as well as craft supplies to celebrate Lunar New Year with. Many of our students had no prior knowledge of this holiday, and limited knowledge of the cultures of Asia. Snacks and drinks may seem simple, but they really went a long way piquing our students' interest. This positive connection with Asian culture has made them even more curious to learn more about cultures and music from around the world. Thanks again for helping to feed, as well as culturally educate, the deserving children here at Gillespie.","fullyFundedDate":1770818440754,"projectUrl":"project/lunar-new-year-celebration/10011909/","projectTitle":"Lunar New Year Celebration","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Patton","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-6_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ms-cale"},{"teacherId":1714390,"projectId":10033562,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for the choir books. Choir has uplifted our students in ways we could have never imagined. The choir will be performing at the Chicago Cultural Center in May. These choir books have provided our students with plenty of music to sing. It has been very helpful to have all the music in one place. Prior to having choir books, our choir folders were a jumble of photocopies. Many of our students struggle with organizational and functional skills. Jumbles of paper was not working well for many, no matter how hard we tried to keep the folders organized. These choir repertoire books have been a real lifesaver. Thanks again for providing choir books for our students.","fullyFundedDate":1768790825724,"projectUrl":"project/essential-repertoire-for-the-choir/10033562/","projectTitle":"Essential Repertoire for the Choir","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Patton","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-6_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ms-cale"},{"teacherId":1714390,"projectId":10012296,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for the choir books. Choir has uplifted our students in ways we could have never imagined. The choir will be performing at the Chicago Cultural Center in May. These choir books have provided our students with plenty of music to sing. It has been very helpful to have all the music in one place. Prior to having choir books, our choir folders were a jumble of photocopies. Many of our students struggle with organizational and functional skills. Jumbles of paper was not working well for many, no matter how hard I tried to keep the folders organized. These choir repertoire books have been a real lifesaver. Thanks again for providing choir books for our students.","fullyFundedDate":1768778503968,"projectUrl":"project/targeted-reading-practice-powered-by-mu/10012296/","projectTitle":"Targeted Reading Practice, Powered by Music","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Patton","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-6_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ms-cale"},{"teacherId":1714390,"projectId":9972990,"letterContent":"I can't thank you enough for your generous donation of watercolor paper and paint to our classroom. These materials have facilitated many positive art activities with students of all ages. The kids really enjoyed drawing, outlining, and then painting artwork in honor of Lunar New Year. Horses are fun to draw, making the Year of the Horse an enjoyable and engaging art inspiration. The watercolor paintings have been hung in the hallway, delighting any staff, students and visitors who walk by the fine arts classroom. Thank you so much for bringing the joy of Lunar New Year and opportunities for artistic expression to our deserving students.","fullyFundedDate":1767714374105,"projectUrl":"project/a-watercolor-welcome-to-the-year-of-the/9972990/","projectTitle":"A Watercolor Welcome to the Year of the Horse","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Patton","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-6_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ms-cale"},{"teacherId":1714390,"projectId":9981587,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for the Japanese and Chinese snacks and drinks, as well as the craft supplies to celebrate Lunar New Year. The kindergarten, first, and students enjoyed making paper bag dragon puppets out of the paper bags you donated. The Japanese Ramune drinks were distributed as special rewards to our deserving after school music program participants. This was the best treat they had ever gotten at school! The fortune cookies delighted our primary and middle grade students, and there were plenty to go around. They had fun reading their fortunes for the new year. Thanks again for helping us to share Asian culture with deserving students who might not have had many positive experiences with the culture before.","fullyFundedDate":1768056103895,"projectUrl":"project/lets-explore-lunar-new-year/9981587/","projectTitle":"Let's Explore: Lunar New Year","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Patton","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-6_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ms-cale"},{"teacherId":5779085,"projectId":9355737,"letterContent":"Thanks so much for helping our students achieve success in the classroom. The corkboard and anchor chart paper has helped us greatly. Now, students can clearly see visuals of what is being learned. Learning tasks and standards can now be displayed using cork board and large chart paper. These learning aides have been of great assistance to our learners, all of whom are diagnosed with learning disorders. Visual aides and reminders have immersed the students in a positive, academically-centered learning environment. Thanks again.","fullyFundedDate":1748222229709,"projectUrl":"project/anchors-aweigh/9355737/","projectTitle":"Anchors Aweigh","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Armstrong","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-3_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/5779085"},{"teacherId":5779085,"projectId":9355630,"letterContent":"Thanks so much for helping our students achieve success in the classroom. The corkboard and anchor chart paper has helped us greatly. Now, students can clearly see visuals of what is being learned. Learning tasks and standards can now be displayed using cork board and large chart paper. These learning aides have been of great assistance to our learners, all of whom are diagnosed with learning disorders. Visual aides and reminders have immersed the students in a positive, academically-centered learning environment. Thanks again.","fullyFundedDate":1748274034663,"projectUrl":"project/future-scientists-anchoring-success/9355630/","projectTitle":"Future Scientists: Anchoring Success","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Armstrong","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-3_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/5779085"},{"teacherId":5779085,"projectId":9337593,"letterContent":"What we do without you? Our classroom didn't have a Smartboard, or a projector at the start of the school year. Thanks to your generous help, we were able to get a projector installed. This projector has been our lifeline! Now, learning materials can be projected for all to see. We can access all modern technology has to offer. Our students respond well to technology integrated lessons. Being able to see what the teacher is talking about has greatly improved student engagement and comprehension. Thanks again for bringing this Viewsonic projector to our special needs classroom.","fullyFundedDate":1750271437067,"projectUrl":"project/projecting-success/9337593/","projectTitle":"Projecting Success","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Armstrong","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-3_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/5779085"},{"teacherId":5779085,"projectId":9331461,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for providing our students with these high-quality headphones, which are built to last. The students were delighted to use the new headphones, and it helped them take their learning more seriously. Using a headset with a computer has allowed our students to progress through the Skyline science curriculum without the distraction of others in the room. These headphones have been a total gamechanger, and a huge motivator. Thank you for helping our students to learn more about science in a technology-forward way.","fullyFundedDate":1748235417413,"projectUrl":"project/making-stem-special-ii/9331461/","projectTitle":"Making STEM Special II","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Armstrong","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-3_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/5779085"},{"teacherId":5779085,"projectId":9331350,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous donation of durable wireless Sony headphones for our classroom. The girls are excited; these pink headphones are finally something special, just for them! The headphones look cool, and have motivated our special needs learners to complete work on the computer. The headphones shut out outside distractions, so they can focus on their science lessons in Skyline. These headphones have boosted the confidence of our girls. Having a special piece of equipment like this to call their own in the classroom has given them ownership over their learning. Thanks again.","fullyFundedDate":1748465683737,"projectUrl":"project/stem-for-girls/9331350/","projectTitle":"STEM for Girls","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Armstrong","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-3_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/5779085"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_5576","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":339,"numTeachers":27,"percentFrplEligible":85,"percentAsian":0,"percentBlack":95,"percentWhite":0,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":3,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"Pre-K - 8","studentTeacherRatio":"12.6:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":61.5,"schoolId":5576,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Gillespie Technology Magnet Cluster School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Gillespie Technology Magnet Cluster School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/illinois/chicago-public-school-district-299/gillespie-elementary-school/5576"}