{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"John F Miller Special School","outOfStateSupporters":37.1,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":8128976,"projectId":10020382,"letterContent":"The Cricut materials have transformed our approach to hands-on learning. We recently started a project for our school-wide Farmers Market on Earth Day. The materials were used to make canvas bags for the market, as well as inspirational quotes for plant markers that go inside flower pots. Students helped paint the flower pots, using paint and brushes that we already had.\r\n\r\nThe initial reaction of the students was positive. They were able to create with the assistance of the staff. It was important to find access points for each of the students, with some using their hands or elbows and some using their feet. It was exciting to see their faces when they were able to participate in the Farmers Market prep. Sensory exploration is also very important for our students, so they were able to feel the paint, as well as the vinyl. \r\n\r\nThe next steps for our project is to sell their craft projects at our Farmers Market!","fullyFundedDate":1768616248366,"projectUrl":"project/designing-cutting-and-creating/10020382/","projectTitle":"Designing, Cutting, and Creating","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Agasi","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-9_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8128976"},{"teacherId":8158164,"projectId":10020776,"letterContent":"Thanks to your generosity, our classrooms have been transformed into a bustling art studio. The reaction from the students and staff was pure excitement. \r\n\r\nStudents have been hard at work experiencing different sensory techniques utilizing the materials we received. They used the new brushes to experiment with different strokes on their rocks and canvases, learning how to layer colors to create depth. Watching them compare the smooth surface of the stone to the tooth of the canvas was a fantastic hands-on science and art integration. \r\n\r\nWe have also painted flower pots that will be showcased in the main courtyard during our upcoming Farmers Market event, allowing the students to take pride in a collective installation that honors their hard work and allowing families to see the creations our students have been working on.","fullyFundedDate":1768622552246,"projectUrl":"project/making-their-mark-sensory-art-for-speci/10020776/","projectTitle":"Making Their Mark: Sensory Art for Special Learners","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Byrd","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8158164_orig.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1635367140368","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8158164"},{"teacherId":5052261,"projectId":10024232,"letterContent":"The sensory materials have had a significant and meaningful impact on my profoundly disabled students by increasing their access to learning, engagement, and overall well-being. These materials provide critical sensory input that supports regulation, allowing students to achieve a calmer and more organized state in which they are better able to participate in activities.\r\n\r\nThrough the use of tactile, visual, and auditory sensory supports, students demonstrate increased attention and sustained engagement during instructional tasks. Items such as textured objects, switch-activated toys, and sensory-based activities encourage exploration and purposeful interaction, helping students build foundational skills such as cause-and-effect understanding, motor coordination, and intentional communication.\r\nSensory materials also promote increased independence and participation. Students who may otherwise be passive or disengaged are more likely to initiate interactions, make choices, and respond to stimuli when sensory supports are incorporated. This leads to improved access to their educational programs and greater opportunities for meaningful participation.\r\n\r\nAdditionally, sensory supports contribute to reduced anxiety and challenging behaviors by meeting students' sensory needs in a structured and supportive way. When students feel regulated and comfortable, they are better able to tolerate transitions, engage with staff and peers, and remain in learning environments for longer periods of time.\r\n\r\nOverall, the integration of sensory materials is essential in supporting the unique needs of profoundly disabled students, enhancing their ability to access instruction, communicate, and interact with the world around them.","fullyFundedDate":1768691510478,"projectUrl":"project/can-you-feel-it-yes-we-can/10024232/","projectTitle":"Can You Feel It!? Yes We Can!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Hutchings","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp5052261_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1515606039252","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/garleen-hutchings"},{"teacherId":10177590,"projectId":10025728,"letterContent":"I am incredibly grateful for your generosity in helping bring meaningful STEM experiences into my classroom. Because of your support, my students with significant special needs have been able to engage in hands-on learning opportunities that go far beyond traditional instruction. These experiences are not just lessons; they are moments of discovery, confidence, and growth.\r\n\r\nThrough activities like creating a volcano eruption, building with Picasso Tiles, and exploring plant growth using a root viewer, my students are learning to make sense of the world around them in ways that are both accessible and deeply engaging. Each project has provided unique benefits that support their academic, social, and emotional development.\r\n\r\nThe volcano experiment, for example, allowed students to observe cause-and-effect in a highly visual and exciting way. As they combined ingredients and watched the eruption, they were able to connect actions to outcomes—an essential cognitive skill. For many of my students, the predictable sequence of steps and the visual payoff created a sense of anticipation and joy. It also had a calming effect, as students were focused, engaged, and regulated while waiting their turn and watching the process unfold.\r\n\r\nUsing Picasso Tiles, students explored early engineering and spatial reasoning. They practiced problem-solving, pattern recognition, and creativity while building structures. These activities encouraged collaboration and communication, as students worked together, shared ideas, and celebrated each other's creations. The repetitive, hands-on nature of building also provided a soothing, sensory experience that helped reduce anxiety and increase time on task.\r\n\r\nThe root viewer offered a completely different, yet equally powerful, learning experience. Students were able to observe plant growth over time, fostering patience and an understanding of natural processes. Watching roots develop day by day helped them grasp concepts like growth, change, and life cycles. This slow, observable transformation was especially meaningful for students who benefit from visual learning and routine, as it reinforced consistency and predictability in a calming way.\r\n\r\nAcross all of these STEM activities, I have seen remarkable increases in engagement, focus, and confidence. Students who are often hesitant to participate are now eager to explore, ask questions, and take risks in their learning. These projects stimulate their minds while also supporting emotional regulation, making the classroom a place where they feel safe, capable, and inspired.\r\n\r\nYour support has made it possible to create these moments. You are not only providing materials—you are opening doors for my students to think critically, understand processes, and experience the joy of learning in ways that truly meet their needs.\r\n\r\nThank you for believing in my students and for helping them build skills that will last a lifetime.","fullyFundedDate":1768673577055,"projectUrl":"project/stem-and-students-with-disabilities/10025728/","projectTitle":"Stem and Students with Disabilities","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Mason","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10177590_orig.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1755642309078","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10177590"},{"teacherId":8125019,"projectId":10020931,"letterContent":"Thank you for the generous donation of musical instruments for my classroom. My students were so excited to see, hear and feel the new instruments. Each instruments has its own unique sound so the students are having fun exploring them. Several students had a huge response to the sounds of these new instruments the first time we played them. One student laughs every week he comes in and hears me play the agogo bells. \r\n\r\nWe are getting ready for a unit on jazz and improvisation and I am looking forward to incorporating these instruments. They will be able to select which one they would like to play by using a special switch and then playing along with some basic chords in the background. I can't wait to see their smiles!\r\n\r\nThank you again for supporting my music classroom!","fullyFundedDate":1768673413204,"projectUrl":"project/lets-explore-the-instrument-petting-z/10020931/","projectTitle":"Let's Explore the Instrument \"Petting\" Zoo","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Gibson","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8125019_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1633982458837","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8125019"},{"teacherId":5249647,"projectId":9988755,"letterContent":"Because of your generosity, our project has been fully funded, and I cannot thank you enough for the impact you have made on my students with multiple disabilities.\r\n\r\nYour support provides more than materials or equipment — it provides access, inclusion, and opportunity. Many of my students face significant physical, cognitive, and communication challenges. The resources you helped fund will allow them to engage more fully in learning, build independence, and experience success in ways that might not otherwise be possible.\r\n\r\nFor students with complex needs, the right tools can mean the difference between observing and participating, between frustration and confidence. Thanks to you, my classroom will be better equipped to meet each child where they are and help them grow.\r\n\r\nMost importantly, your kindness sends a powerful message to our students and their families: that their education matters and that there are people who believe in their potential.\r\n\r\nOn behalf of my students and our entire classroom community, thank you for investing in their futures. Your generosity truly makes a lasting difference.\r\n\r\nWith heartfelt gratitude,","fullyFundedDate":1768171212418,"projectUrl":"project/all-minds-matter/9988755/","projectTitle":"All Minds Matter","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Sapp","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp5249647_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1521818637208","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/5249647"},{"teacherId":6619630,"projectId":9156748,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your support! Because of you, our classroom is now a more comfortable and calming place for my students. When the vibrating pillows arrived, my students smiled, reached for them right away, and clearly felt at ease. These items help them feel safe, calm, and focused throughout the day. They help my students feel secure and happy. This makes a big difference in how they learn and connect with others. Your gift is helping each student grow in their own way. Thank you again for making our classroom a better place.","fullyFundedDate":1744667000355,"projectUrl":"project/soothing-sensory-support/9156748/","projectTitle":"Soothing Sensory Support","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Maria","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp6619630_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1637296013132","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mariamanansala"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_82953","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":82,"numTeachers":22,"percentFrplEligible":79,"percentAsian":7,"percentBlack":15,"percentWhite":27,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":42,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"Not specified","studentTeacherRatio":"3.7:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_MIDSIZE"},"inStateSupporters":62.9,"schoolId":82953,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about John F Miller Special School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"John F Miller Special School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/nevada/clark-county-school-district/john-f-miller-school/82953"}