{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"James Hillhouse High School","outOfStateSupporters":43.2,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":6937124,"projectId":9453767,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting our classroom project, \"Flexible Seating for Focus, Comfort, and Engagement.\" Your generosity has truly transformed our learning space!\r\nFrom the moment my students walked in and saw the new seating options, their excitement was undeniable. They immediately began exploring — rolling, bouncing, and finding the perfect spots to learn comfortably. Every single day since, students express how much they love our classroom environment. They often say, \"This is my favorite class because we get to move around and feel comfortable!\"\r\nStudents now come to class early — and on time — just to claim their favorite seats. The flexible seating has not only improved focus and engagement but also created a sense of ownership and pride in our classroom. Even students from other classes stop by, curious about the new chairs and asking how they can get something similar in their rooms!\r\nI wish I had the funds to purchase even more seating options to meet the growing demand, but I'm deeply grateful for what we have. These resources have made a meaningful difference — helping students feel at ease, energized, and eager to learn every day.\r\nThank you again for your generosity and for helping make our classroom a more engaging and joyful place to learn.","fullyFundedDate":1757555457347,"projectUrl":"project/flexible-seating-for-focus-comfort-and/9453767/","projectTitle":"Flexible Seating for Focus, Comfort, and Engagement","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. C. Breland","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-3_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/6937124"},{"teacherId":6937124,"projectId":9713559,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting our classroom project, \"Bouncing Seating: Engaged Learning in 9th & 10th Grade ELA.\" Your generosity has brought so much excitement and comfort into our learning space!\r\nWhen my students first saw the new bouncing chairs, their faces lit up with curiosity and joy. Many had never seen this type of seating before — and even my most reserved and quiet students jumped (literally!) at the chance to try them out. Although the ball chairs were a bit smaller than they appeared in the photos, students remain thrilled to have the opportunity to move and bounce as they learn.\r\nThese new seats have made a noticeable difference in both engagement and focus. Students are more alert, relaxed, and eager to participate during lessons and writing activities. The flexible, movement-friendly environment has transformed our classroom into a space where students feel welcome and comfortable to be themselves.\r\nIn a district facing a $4,000,000 deficit, classroom furniture is not always a priority — but your donation has helped give my students the kind of environment they deserve. Every day, they're reminded that someone beyond our school walls cares about their education and well-being.\r\nThank you again for making our classroom a brighter, more joyful place to learn!","fullyFundedDate":1758202573683,"projectUrl":"project/bouncing-seating-engaged-learning-in-9t/9713559/","projectTitle":"Bouncing Seating: Engaged Learning in 9th & 10th Grade ELA","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. C. Breland","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-3_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/6937124"},{"teacherId":6937124,"projectId":9713627,"letterContent":"When my students first saw the bouncing seats and whiteboards, their faces lit up. The excitement was contagious—suddenly, a review day felt like a celebration of learning. Instead of sitting passively with worksheets, they were up, writing, sharing, and moving, which transformed the energy in the room.\r\nDuring a recent Jeopardy-style review game, every single student was engaged. Teams huddled together, quickly writing their answers on the whiteboards and holding them up with pride. The bouncing seating gave students a flexible, comfortable way to stay focused, while the whiteboards made participation fast, fun, and collaborative. For the first time, students who are usually hesitant to join in were actively engaged and contributing to their teams.\r\nWithout these supplies, review would have been limited to paper packets or worksheets. Now, my students are building not only their understanding of key rhetorical terms but also their collaboration and communication skills. This project has made our classroom more active, more inclusive, and more joyful.\r\nNext, we'll be using the whiteboards in small-group discussions and peer feedback sessions to help students practice writing claims and evidence quickly before expanding them into full essays. Thanks to your generosity, they have the tools to make learning interactive and collaborative every day.","fullyFundedDate":1758202554215,"projectUrl":"project/whiteboard-clipboards-supplies-for-col/9713627/","projectTitle":"Whiteboard Clipboards & Supplies for Collaborative and Flexible Learning","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. C. Breland","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-3_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/6937124"},{"teacherId":6937124,"projectId":9706100,"letterContent":"Thank you so very much for supporting Building Confidence: Short Fiction & Graphic Novels for Hesitant Readers. Your generosity has already made a meaningful difference for my 9th and 10th grade English students at our Title I high school.\r\nBecause of years of funding cuts, my department does not have a book budget. This means that instead of putting real books in students' hands, we often rely on photocopies of short stories for in-class analysis. For many students—especially our multilingual learners and reluctant readers—this has meant limited access to engaging, high-interest literature that truly reflects their needs and interests.\r\nYour gift changes that. With your support, my students will now have access to short fiction and graphic novels they can finish in a single 85-minute block period. For hesitant readers, completing a story in one sitting is powerful: it builds confidence, creates a sense of accomplishment, and encourages them to dive deeper into discussion and analysis. Instead of struggling through disjointed excerpts, students can now experience full narratives that resonate with them.\r\nThe stories you've helped bring into our classroom—ranging from mysteries to scary tales to pieces exploring mental health—speak directly to the diverse interests and lived experiences of my students. These are texts that invite them to see themselves in literature and, just as importantly, to see reading as enjoyable.\r\nAs teachers in my district are the second lowest paid in the state, it is a constant challenge to personally purchase classroom materials for my students. Without your support, these resources would not have been possible. I am so deeply grateful to you for believing in my students and their potential.","fullyFundedDate":1758128774027,"projectUrl":"project/building-confidence-short-fiction-gra/9706100/","projectTitle":"Building Confidence: Short Fiction & Graphic Novels for Hesitant Readers","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. C. Breland","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-3_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/6937124"},{"teacherId":6937124,"projectId":9477737,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for making Building Voices: Collaboration Tools for Secondary Writers possible! The magnetic tiles and creative blocks you helped provide brought a whole new level of energy and collaboration into my classroom.\r\nStudents were given team challenges where they had to build four different structures with a limited set of tiles. After each build, they drew their structure and created a metaphor or simile to describe it before moving on. The room was filled with excitement—at one point, when I brought out the tiles, a student shouted, \"We get to play with those, yes!!\" The activity sparked joy, teamwork, and creativity in ways that traditional materials often cannot.\r\nEven more importantly, the collaboration carried over into their writing work. When students later moved into a plagiarism project, the difference was clear: those who participated in the tile-based activities demonstrated stronger teamwork, deeper thinking, and more creative approaches in their projects.\r\nYour generosity gave my students the chance to learn through play, creativity, and collaboration. The smiles on their faces and the growth in their writing are a direct result of your support. Thank you for helping me build not just structures, but also voices, confidence, and community in my classroom.","fullyFundedDate":1757547512909,"projectUrl":"project/building-voices-collaboration-tools-for/9477737/","projectTitle":"Building Voices: Collaboration Tools for Secondary Writers","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. C. Breland","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-3_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/6937124"},{"teacherId":6937124,"projectId":9453667,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous support of my project, Sticky Notes & Big Ideas: Tools for Student Voice. Your gift has truly enriched our classroom.\r\n\r\nThe sticky notes and large Post-it papers have become essential tools in our daily learning. Recently, students worked in groups to create posters about plagiarism—defining different types, explaining real-world consequences, and brainstorming ways to avoid it. The large sheets gave them the space to organize their thinking, collaborate as a team, and present their ideas visually to the class. This activity not only deepened their understanding of academic integrity but also gave them a sense of pride in producing something meaningful together.\r\n\r\nBeyond this project, the sticky notes continue to amplify student voice during discussions, reading activities, and peer feedback. Students love seeing their thoughts displayed around the room, and it has built a more engaged, collaborative learning environment.\r\n\r\nYour generosity has made a lasting difference, and we are so grateful for the tools that help turn small notes into big ideas.","fullyFundedDate":1752844968885,"projectUrl":"project/sticky-notes-big-ideas-tools-for-stud/9453667/","projectTitle":"Sticky Notes & Big Ideas: Tools for Student Voice","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. C. Breland","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-3_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/6937124"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_44027","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":1124,"numTeachers":93,"percentFrplEligible":95,"percentAsian":3,"percentBlack":48,"percentWhite":4,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":40,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"9 - 12","studentTeacherRatio":"12.1:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_MIDSIZE"},"inStateSupporters":56.8,"schoolId":44027,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about James Hillhouse High School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"James Hillhouse High School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/connecticut/new-haven-public-schools/james-hillhouse-high-school/44027"}