Independent Elementary School in Castro Valley, California on DonorsChoose

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My students also enjoyed making underwater creations with their magnet tiles. \r\nOur students have really gotten into building and creating this year, which is awesome! You can see it in how excited they are about all the block activities we do. The biggest hurdle we initially ran into was not having enough different kinds of building materials in the classroom. That seriously put a damper on how big and cool their projects could get.\r\n\r\nBringing in those new STEM Building Toys was a total game-changer. They were a massive hit right away and totally changed the vibe of the classroom. Suddenly, the kids weren't just making simple stuff; they were building all sorts of intricate, unique, and complex creations. A really cool part of this was that they could snap pictures of their first builds. This let them look back, think critically about their work, and then—here's the best part—take it apart and rebuild it even better, adding tons of new complexity. The generous donation of the STEM parts completely removed the old limits, letting their creativity run wild!\r\n\r\nThe buzz when the package was about to arrive was huge, and when it finally showed up, the excitement was off the charts! They were so ready to dive into the STEM toys. What really threw them for a loop, though, was the unexpected addition of a garden kit! For many of them, this was their first time getting to build and actually nurture a garden. Watching them work together, solve problems, and just have pure fun constructing this unique living thing was incredibly rewarding for me as their teacher. This creative fun continued as they also loved using the magnet tiles to create elaborate and imaginative underwater scenes. It just shows how much potential there is when you combine different materials to bring their inventive ideas to life.\r\nOur next project is all about learning how to write. Please check out.","fullyFundedDate":1758215893864,"projectUrl":"project/help-our-tk-explore-learn-and-grow/9618399/","projectTitle":"Help Our TK Explore, Learn, and Grow!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Seavers","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp6694225_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1569629947926","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/6694225"},{"teacherId":1951404,"projectId":9041414,"letterContent":"Thanks to your incredible generosity, our classroom has become a buzzing hub of excitement, creativity, and discovery. The Sphero BOLT robots have captivated my students, sparking their imaginations and driving their curiosity in ways I've never seen before.\r\n\r\nSince introducing the robots, my students have eagerly begun exploring all the possibilities they offer. They've taken the initiative to design obstacle courses, create bowling challenges, and set up race tracks to experiment with coding and precision. It's been amazing to see their faces light up as they test and refine their programs, cheering each other on and sharing ideas to improve their designs.\r\n\r\nSoon, they will take their learning even further by using the engineering design process to create custom projects for their Sphero BOLT robots. This process will challenge them to brainstorm, plan, build, and refine their ideas, allowing them to combine creativity with problem-solving in a truly hands-on way.\r\n\r\nThe excitement isn't limited to this year's class; these robots will continue to bring learning to life for future students as well. Each new group of learners will have the opportunity to explore coding, engineering, and collaboration in a way that is interactive, fun, and deeply engaging.\r\n\r\nYour support has made all of this possible, and I can't thank you enough for helping bring such innovative and inspiring tools into our classroom. 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About this school

Independent Elementary School is a suburban public school in Castro Valley, California that is part of Castro Valley Unified School District. It serves 661 students in grades Pre-K - 5 with a student/teacher ratio of 26.4:1. Its teachers have had 77 projects funded on DonorsChoose.

Public School

Grades Pre-K - 5

661 Students

25 Teachers

21201 Independent School Rd

Castro Valley, CA 94552 View local requests

Evidence-based impact

Inspire teachers to stay in the classroom and boost student achievement.¹

Give to this school

Ms. Vero, a DonorsChoose teacher for 9 years.

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

Independent Elementary School Teachers on DonorsChoose

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Independent Elementary School Demographics

28%

of students receive free or reduced price lunch

Source: the National Center for Education Statistics

70%

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.

Independent Elementary School Support on DonorsChoose Last updated Dec 5, 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.