{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"Life Middle School Waxahachie","outOfStateSupporters":36.0,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":8554114,"projectId":8211008,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting our classroom with the Percy Jackson's Novel Study! Your generous contribution allowed my students to immerse themselves in the exciting world of Greek mythology while developing strong reading comprehension and literary analysis skills. Through this novel, we explored important concepts like character development, plot structure, figurative language, and point of view. Many students were especially engaged by the way the story connects ancient mythology to the modern world, which sparked thoughtful discussions and creative responses.\r\n\r\nIn our classroom, reading is an interactive and community-centered experience. Students read both independently and in small groups, using graphic organizers, anchor charts, and discussion prompts to dig deeper into the text. We use strategies like text-to-self and text-to-world connections, which helped students reflect on Percy's identity and challenges in ways that relate to their own lives. Watching students become excited about reading—and even asking to read ahead—has been one of the best parts of this unit.\r\n\r\nOne student who usually struggles to stay engaged during reading blocks surprised us all by becoming one of the most vocal participants during our novel study. He connected with Percy's journey of self-discovery and said it made him feel like \"heroes can be kids like me.\" Your donation helped create that moment. We are deeply grateful!","fullyFundedDate":1710271695533,"projectUrl":"project/percy-jacksons-novel-study/8211008/","projectTitle":"Percy Jackson's Novel Study!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Hamilton","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8554114_orig.jpg?crop=1804,1804,x231,y776&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1659153405028","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8554114"},{"teacherId":8438382,"projectId":9089327,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous contribution to our classroom! Because of your support, each of my 7th grade writing students received their own whiteboard and marker and they could not have been more thrilled. The day the materials arrived, my students lit up with excitement. They immediately began brainstorming ways they could use them, and it brought a new level of energy and creativity into our classroom. Your donation didn't just provide supplies, it sparked motivation and made writing feel fun and accessible.\r\n\r\nSince receiving the whiteboards, we've completed several engaging projects that have helped students build confidence and collaboration skills. One favorite was our \"Thesis Throwdown,\" where students wrote their thesis statements on their boards and held them up for instant peer and teacher feedback. We also did a \"Sentence Surgery\" activity, where students were given weak sentences and had to revise them in real time. Watching them work through the revision process and immediately share their work with the class made grammar and editing feel far less intimidating. Another memorable project was the \"Plot Twist Challenge,\" where students wrote short story summaries and then passed their boards around the room for classmates to add plot twists. The laughter and creativity that came from this activity reminded me just how powerful simple tools can be.\r\n\r\nLooking ahead, we're using the whiteboards for our peer review stations, where students will swap boards and give feedback on introductions, transitions, and conclusions. We're also planning a persuasive writing debate where students will use the boards to jot down and display their strongest arguments. These whiteboards have truly transformed the way we interact with writing, they've turned passive lessons into dynamic discussions. Thank you for investing in our classroom and helping my students see themselves as confident, capable writers.","fullyFundedDate":1740700072009,"projectUrl":"project/engage-inspire-interactive-learning-w/9089327/","projectTitle":"Engage & Inspire: Interactive Learning with Dry-Erase Boards","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Croswell","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8438382_orig.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1709061651273","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8438382"},{"teacherId":8438382,"projectId":8844248,"letterContent":"As an educator, I am deeply committed to providing my students with the resources they need to thrive academically. Many of my students come from low-income families and often lack the basic materials needed for success in the classroom. With your support, we can change that.\r\n\r\nThis project aims to provide essential school supplies—such as notebooks, markers, folders, and more—to ensure every student has the tools they need to succeed. These resources are not just supplies; they are building blocks for their educational journey, fostering creativity, engagement, and academic growth.\r\n\r\nBy contributing to this project, you're making a tangible difference in the lives of students who are eager to learn but may not have access to the materials they need. The supplies will help create a learning environment that encourages collaboration, enhances classroom activities, and empowers students to feel confident in their education.\r\n\r\nTogether, we can ensure that every student, regardless of their background, has the opportunity to reach their fullest potential. Thank you for helping provide the foundation for their future success.","fullyFundedDate":1738182904258,"projectUrl":"project/empowering-futures-essential-supplies-f/8844248/","projectTitle":"Empowering Futures: Essential Supplies for Low-Income Families\"","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Croswell","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8438382_orig.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1709061651273","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8438382"},{"teacherId":8438382,"projectId":8245712,"letterContent":"I'm beyond excited to share how your generous contribution to the \"Fun-tastic Classroom Adventures\" project has made a lasting impact on my students. Thanks to your support, we've been able to incorporate interactive games into our lessons, which have truly transformed our classroom environment.\r\n\r\nOne of the first projects where we used the new resources was during a vocabulary building activity. The Pressman Chess/Checkers/Backgammon set became a huge hit! The students were able to play chess and checkers, using strategic thinking while incorporating new vocabulary words. The students loved the tactile experience of using the full-size Staunton chess pieces, and it sparked friendly competition that also helped reinforce the words we were learning. It was amazing to see how they applied critical thinking skills to both games and our lessons.\r\n\r\nThe excitement when the materials arrived was palpable. They were eager to explore not only the games but also the Scrabble Letter Set. The colorful, creative letters ignited their imaginations as they formed words and competed against each other in friendly word-building challenges. It made learning spelling and vocabulary fun and engaging, and students were thrilled to use them during group activities.\r\n\r\nMoving forward, we're planning to use these resources to create learning stations where students can rotate between word games and strategy-based challenges. This will provide them with opportunities to apply their knowledge in new ways while encouraging collaboration. I'm excited to see how these materials help foster teamwork and problem-solving skills as well as enhance their academic growth.\r\n\r\nThank you once again for your generous donation. Your support is allowing my students to learn and grow in ways that are both fun and meaningful. We're excited to continue using these resources to enhance our classroom adventures!","fullyFundedDate":1719091578047,"projectUrl":"project/fun-tastic-classroom-adventures-engagi/8245712/","projectTitle":"\"Fun-tastic Classroom Adventures: Engaging Games for Learning and Laughter!\"","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Croswell","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8438382_orig.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1709061651273","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8438382"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_98859","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":595,"numTeachers":36,"percentFrplEligible":63,"percentAsian":0,"percentBlack":44,"percentWhite":14,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":37,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"7 - 8","studentTeacherRatio":"16.5:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"SUBURBAN","ncesMetroType":"SUBURB_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":64.0,"schoolId":98859,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Life Middle School Waxahachie on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Life Middle School Waxahachie","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/texas/texas-department-of-education/life-school-waxahachie-campus/98859"}