{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"Hilton Head Island Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":37.1,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":7461377,"projectId":9840387,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for providing the black plates, Styrofoam balls, and paint that brought our moon phases lesson to life. We are using these materials to create 3D moon phase models that students can hold, rotate, and observe from different angles. One especially memorable moment was watching students compare their models under a light source and excitedly realizing why the moon appears to change shape in the sky. The hands-on nature of this project helped transform an abstract concept into something concrete and meaningful.\r\n\r\nMany students who are usually hesitant to participate jumped right in, carefully painting shadows and proudly showing their work to classmates. It was wonderful to see their curiosity spark so naturally and their confidence grow as they worked when the students first saw the materials. \r\n\r\nNext, students will use their completed moon models to explain the lunar cycle in their own words, practicing both scientific vocabulary and communication skills. We will connect their models to real moon observations, tracking the moon over several nights and matching what they see in the sky to their 3D representations. Your generosity is helping students move from creating to explaining, to truly understanding. Thank you for giving our students such a meaningful peek into real scientific learning.","fullyFundedDate":1761595077313,"projectUrl":"project/illuminating-the-lunar-cycle/9840387/","projectTitle":"Illuminating the Lunar Cycle","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. WU","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7461377_orig.jpg?crop=2320,2320,x0,y386&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1598104264018","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/7461377"},{"teacherId":3314957,"projectId":9720657,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for the generous donation of microscopes and specimen kits for our STEAM lab. Your support has already made a clear, joyful difference in our classroom.\r\n\r\nStudents are so curious! We are able to use the specimens to investigate different animal parts, plant cells, and zoom in on various rocks/crystals. The ideas and wonder are endless! \r\n\r\nYour gift has not only enriched lessons but sparked creativity, promoted critical thinking, and inspired several students to consider future STEM paths. We are deeply grateful for the lasting impact you've made on our learners.","fullyFundedDate":1758588864131,"projectUrl":"project/microscope-magic/9720657/","projectTitle":"Microscope Magic","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Malinoski","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp3314957_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1710326040102","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/emmamalinoski"},{"teacherId":306804,"projectId":8423630,"letterContent":"It's a pleasure to connect with you and share news from our classroom. Thank you for being such an important part of our learning community — your support makes a real difference.\r\n\r\nOur classroom has become much more organized, and that has helped students and me be more productive.\r\nRolling storage carts are now stocked with math and literacy materials so I can \"grab and go\" during small groups and lessons. This saves instructional time and helps lessons run smoothly.\r\nStudent shelves are clearly labeled and full of materials so learners can find what they need independently.\r\nOur classroom library is being used daily; the books are supporting stronger reading skills and encouraging students to read more often.","fullyFundedDate":1723669461507,"projectUrl":"project/spark-our-love-of-reading/8423630/","projectTitle":"Spark Our Love of Reading","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Melendez","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp306804_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1534257668306","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/jessica-melendez"},{"teacherId":306804,"projectId":7060804,"letterContent":"I am so grateful for the partnership we share in supporting student learning — your support makes our classroom a warm, joyful, and curious place every day.\r\n\r\nOur classroom environment has blossomed into an engaging hands-on learning space full of thoughtful decor and learning centers.\r\nStudents have been using hands-on materials directly connected to our science lessons. These materials include reusable activities and high-quality resources from Teachers Pay Teachers that support inquiry-based learning.\r\nStudents created planets using clay as part of our unit on the solar system. These projects are displayed in the classroom.","fullyFundedDate":1673555468602,"projectUrl":"project/to-the-moon-and-beyond/7060804/","projectTitle":"To the Moon and Beyond","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Melendez","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp306804_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1534257668306","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/jessica-melendez"},{"teacherId":306804,"projectId":6568540,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous support — my students have loved using their journals and notebooks during math and literacy to track their progress and deepen their understanding of our lessons. The cubes have given us hands-on manipulatives to apply mathematical thinking, and the dice have been perfect for many centers and parent collaboration activities. The shapes have truly been helping as geometry is a hard concept for 1st graders. All your materials have been used daily by my students and have truly helped me also.","fullyFundedDate":1659044038792,"projectUrl":"project/mindful-math/6568540/","projectTitle":"Mindful Math","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Melendez","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp306804_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1534257668306","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/jessica-melendez"},{"teacherId":306804,"projectId":8262829,"letterContent":"Thank you for your continued partnership.\r\nNew hands-on materials are available to support our Animal Inquiry Unit:\r\nAnimal track sets and matching cards to help students identify and compare footprints.\r\nA selection of jungle and ocean animal toys to encourage visual play and role‑playing during investigations.\r\nLife cycle kits (insect and plant) to connect stories and classroom literature to real, hands-on observation.\r\nNew informational books about animals for students to read, explore, and use as sources for upcoming animal reports.\r\n Small-group stations to practice observation, comparison, and vocabulary.\r\nWhole‑class read-alouds and research time where students will use informational texts to gather facts for short animal reports.\r\nHands-on life cycle observations that link literature (picture books and informational texts) to real specimens and timelines.","fullyFundedDate":1715387509833,"projectUrl":"project/animal-habitats/8262829/","projectTitle":"Animal Habitats","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Melendez","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp306804_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1534257668306","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/jessica-melendez"},{"teacherId":306804,"projectId":9495152,"letterContent":"Warm greetings! We hope this message finds you well. \r\n\r\nLEGO Community Builders — During our upcoming unit on community and helpers, students will use LEGOs to build neighborhoods and special places for community helpers. This activity supports spatial thinking, collaboration, and social studies connections.\r\n \r\nTeachers Pay Teachers Reusable Centers — We have invested in reusable center materials from Teachers Pay Teachers to enrich classroom choices and support differentiated learning. These centers will rotate weekly and include literacy, math, and exploratory science activities that students may revisit and master over time.\r\nNote: These centers mean more meaningful, hands-on learning for your child and reduce single-use materials in the classroom.\r\n\r\nLearning through hands-on inquiry and play: \r\nStudents creating imaginative planetary landscapes with playdough, explaining their planets' climates and life forms.\r\n\r\nCurious questioning and problem-solving during science exploration stations—students asked thoughtful questions and tested ideas, showing real growth in inquiry skills. We are proud of how students supported one another and showed resilience when projects needed adjustments.","fullyFundedDate":1753812997223,"projectUrl":"project/learning-through-inquiry-and-play/9495152/","projectTitle":"Learning Through Inquiry and Play","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Melendez","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp306804_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1534257668306","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/jessica-melendez"},{"teacherId":306804,"projectId":6672417,"letterContent":"I hope this message finds you well. It's a pleasure to share our classroom updates — thank you for your continued partnership and support.\r\n \r\nWe've added plastic bins to organize our literacy books and materials. This system helps students find books more easily and keeps our learning areas tidy. No action is needed from families, but please remind your learner to check that books return to their correct bin after use.\r\n\r\nWe celebrate how well students have been using the new organizational systems. Our classroom felt calm and focused, and students showed responsibility by returning materials to their places.","fullyFundedDate":1664465033136,"projectUrl":"project/finding-our-materials/6672417/","projectTitle":"Finding Our Materials","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Melendez","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp306804_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1534257668306","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/jessica-melendez"},{"teacherId":306804,"projectId":9572844,"letterContent":"I hope this message finds you well. It's a pleasure to share our classroom updates — thank you for your continued partnership and support.\r\n\r\nWe have introduced saucer chairs in our classroom. These create a calming nook where students can choose to work independently or collaborate quietly with classmates. If your child prefers a flexible seating option for focused work, please let us know so we can support their comfort and learning.\r\n \r\nWe've added plastic bins to organize our literacy books and materials. This system helps students find books more easily and keeps our learning areas tidy. No action is needed from families, but please remind your learner to check that books return to their correct bin after use.\r\n\r\nWe celebrate how well students have been using the new seating and organizational systems. Our classroom felt calm and focused, and students showed responsibility by returning materials to their places.","fullyFundedDate":1758830851897,"projectUrl":"project/calm-and-organized/9572844/","projectTitle":"Calm and Organized","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Melendez","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp306804_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1534257668306","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/jessica-melendez"},{"teacherId":3314957,"projectId":9877676,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for the Winter Wonderland décor that transformed our STEAM lab into an inspiring and immersive learning space. The festive environment truly enhanced our Winter Wonderland projects and helped bring creativity and engineering together in meaningful ways. From gingerbread house engineering to designing holiday light circuits, the décor sparked excitement and set the stage for hands-on exploration and problem-solving. It also added an extra layer of engagement as students designed parachutes and tackled the reindeer obstacle course, making each challenge feel magical and purposeful. We are incredibly grateful for your support in creating an atmosphere that encouraged imagination, collaboration, and joyful learning throughout the season.","fullyFundedDate":1762715357928,"projectUrl":"project/snowy-steam-lab/9877676/","projectTitle":"Snowy STEAM Lab","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Malinoski","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp3314957_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1710326040102","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/emmamalinoski"},{"teacherId":3314957,"projectId":9598308,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for the cardboard Chompsaws added to our STEAM lab! These tools have already made a huge difference in how students approach building and design. Being able to safely cut cardboard empowers our learners to take ownership of their ideas, practice real engineering skills, and turn their imaginations into tangible creations. The Chompsaws encourage problem-solving, precision, and perseverance while keeping safety at the forefront—especially important for young engineers. Because of your generosity, our students can prototype more independently, collaborate more effectively, and explore STEM concepts with confidence and excitement. We are incredibly grateful for your support and for helping make our STEAM lab a more engaging, hands-on space for learning.","fullyFundedDate":1757881754014,"projectUrl":"project/cardboard-chompsaw/9598308/","projectTitle":"Cardboard Chompsaw","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Malinoski","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp3314957_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1710326040102","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/emmamalinoski"},{"teacherId":10308807,"projectId":9817812,"letterContent":"When students at Hilton Head Island Elementary School found out at the beginning of this year that the science lab was going to be open for them, their excitement was palpable and their first question was the same: \"Are there microscopes?\" My resolve to offer them exactly what they envisioned as the ultimate tool of a scientist was immediate. I turned to Donors Choose as my only avenue to furnish my science lab with this desire of the students and was met with generosity to which I will always be grateful.\r\n\r\nAs the microscopes arrived and were unpacked, students eagerly asked when they would have the chance to use them. Their first exposures to the microscopes have been focused on proper procedures for use of this scientific equipment which is beyond that which they have had the opportunity to use prior. They will next be implementing this learning by using the microscopes to observe details and analyze attributes across a variety of interdisciplinary units. \r\n\r\nI am amazed at how quickly I was able to, through the generosity of a large community supporting STEM education initiatives, give the students at Hilton Head Island Elementary microscopes that make our science lab feel \"real\" to them. As they participate in more scientific inquiry activities, they are creating an identity as a scientific thinker which will follow them far past the walls of my science lab. Thank you for your contribution to making this vision become reality.","fullyFundedDate":1760636980477,"projectUrl":"project/scientists-in-training/9817812/","projectTitle":"Scientists in Training","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Saconn","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10308807_orig.jpg?crop=3024,3024,x0,y383&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1760391188764","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrs-saconn"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_6346","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":702,"numTeachers":77,"percentFrplEligible":58,"percentAsian":0,"percentBlack":8,"percentWhite":32,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":54,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"1 - 5","studentTeacherRatio":"9.1:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_SMALL"},"inStateSupporters":62.9,"schoolId":6346,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Hilton Head Island Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Hilton Head Island Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/south-carolina/beaufort-county-school-district/hilton-head-int-l-bac-school/6346"}