{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Loretto Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":17.3,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":8378638,"projectId":10220798,"letterContent":"My students and I were excited to use the new resources, and they brought so much joy to our classroom. When the bracelets, pens, and awards arrived, my students lit up and immediately began talking about how proud they felt of their growth this year. These small celebrations have become meaningful reminders of their accomplishments and of the strong, supportive community we've built together over the last two years. Watching them choose their awards and beam with pride was a moment I'll never forget.\r\n We are now using the display boards and red carpet to prepare for our upcoming Wax Museum project, soon to be one of our favorite end of year traditions. Each student researching a scientist, inventor, or mathematician and designing a board that showcases their learning. The red carpet welcomed the parents into the event, and the students did a great job presenting it to all the visitors.\r\n To conclude our year, the photo albums helped us preserve memories from our time together. My students have grown tremendously—academically, socially, and as confident learners who take pride in their hard work. These materials allow us to celebrate that growth in a meaningful way. As we finished our year, your generosity made our classroom feel special, supported, and full of joy.","fullyFundedDate":1777212986133,"projectUrl":"project/lets-end-the-year-with-a-bang/10220798/","projectTitle":"Let's End the Year With a Bang!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Vogt","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8378638_orig.jpg?crop=2316,2316,x0,y494&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1683067030159","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/joan-vogt"},{"teacherId":7728592,"projectId":9036704,"letterContent":"Since this project was funded, my students were motivated to read and play with their reading pet every single day! In all, my students read over 500 books and passed the quizzes for each of those books with a 70% or better! We were able to add Book Nacho to our package, and this allowed the kids to have access to numerous articles including, fluency practice, writing practice, vocabulary, and spelling practice, just to name a few. The kids were excited to read, but they were able to show their growth and realize the importance of reading and building their reading stamina. I am beyond impressed with their progress and hope to use this program again each year.","fullyFundedDate":1741779235494,"projectUrl":"project/a-reading-program-that-will-motivate-kid/9036704/","projectTitle":"A Reading Program that Will Motivate Kids to Read!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. McMillan","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-7_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/macie-mcmillan"},{"teacherId":7741268,"projectId":9413832,"letterContent":"We wanted to reach out and say thank you to all who donated to our storage project this year. It made a huge difference in organization and teaching our students how to be responsible for their own supplies. The kids loved having their own individual drawers for their stuff. It allowed them to have more workspace for them to use on the tables. Because of these we were also able to apply dry erase dots to each spot so that there was more space for learning and not supplies storage. They worked out great this year and we plan on using them again this upcoming school year with our new first graders!❤️","fullyFundedDate":1754407528164,"projectUrl":"project/smart-storage-creating-order-in-chaos/9413832/","projectTitle":"Smart Storage: Creating Order in Chaos","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Ryan","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7741268_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1651288442983","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/7741268"},{"teacherId":9933767,"projectId":10092327,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous support of our therapy classroom. Because of you, we now have a laminating machine, paper cutter, hole puncher, scissors, laminate, and Velcro—tools that have truly transformed the way I'm able to support my students.\r\n\r\nWith these materials, I have been able to create numerous interactive projects and hands-on manipulatives that make learning more engaging and meaningful. My students especially benefit from having something they can hold, move, and interact with while we work on building their academic communication skills. These tools have allowed me to design activities where students can physically sequence stories, match story elements, and actively participate in storytelling rather than just listening or responding.\r\n\r\nThe difference in their engagement has been incredible. My students now look forward to these activities and are more eager to participate, share their ideas, and stay involved throughout our sessions. This increased engagement has directly supported their progress, helping them build stronger narrative skills in a way that feels natural and enjoyable.\r\n\r\nYour generosity has made a lasting impact on our classroom, and I am so grateful for the opportunities these materials have created for my students to learn, grow, and succeed.\r\n\r\nThank you again for your support.","fullyFundedDate":1771699830530,"projectUrl":"project/built-to-last-adaptive-materials-for-ev/10092327/","projectTitle":"Built to Last: Adaptive Materials for Every Learner","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Paige","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9933767_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1767888230923","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/farinella"},{"teacherId":9933767,"projectId":9834101,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generosity and support of our classroom. Because of you, my students now have access to engaging, hands-on resources that are already making a meaningful difference in their learning and daily experiences.\r\n\r\nWe have been using the new materials in a variety of ways, and they have quickly become a favorite part of our sessions. My students especially love exploring the different sorting toys, which we use to build categorization skills in a fun and interactive way. It's been exciting to watch them grow more confident as they sort, group, and describe items with increasing independence. One particularly joyful moment was when we used the kinetic sand to create a pretend ice cream party. The students were fully engaged, using their imaginations while also practicing communication and descriptive language in a natural, playful setting.\r\n\r\nWhen the students first saw the new materials, their excitement was immediate and contagious. There were smiles, curiosity, and lots of eager hands ready to explore. Even now, they light up when I bring out something new they haven't seen before, which keeps motivation high and learning meaningful.\r\n\r\nLooking ahead, we are excited to continue incorporating these resources into new activities. Our next step is to use the texture squares for a sensory-based activity where students will be blindfolded and encouraged to rely on their other senses to explore and describe different textures. This will support their descriptive language, sensory awareness, and critical thinking skills in a fun and memorable way.\r\n\r\nYour support has truly enriched our classroom and created opportunities for growth, creativity, and connection. Thank you for being a part of our journey and for investing in my students.","fullyFundedDate":1770478745955,"projectUrl":"project/sort-it-out/9834101/","projectTitle":"Sort It Out!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Paige","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9933767_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1767888230923","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/farinella"},{"teacherId":9121994,"projectId":9970018,"letterContent":"Your generosity has made a meaningful difference in our classroom, and I'm excited to share the impact of your support. Thanks to your donation, our students now have access to resources that bring learning to life in ways that simply weren't possible before. Students are more motivated, more curious, and more confident in their abilities. I've already seen quieter students open up, collaborate more with their peers, and take greater ownership of their learning.\r\n\r\nBeyond academics, your support has helped create an environment where students feel valued and inspired every day they walk into the classroom. They know that someone they may never meet believes in their potential, and that sense of encouragement is powerful. Your contribution is not just a gift of materials—it's a gift of opportunity, confidence, and possibility. Thank you for investing in our students and for being an essential part of their journey.","fullyFundedDate":1766626596420,"projectUrl":"project/helping-our-classroom-start-the-second-s/9970018/","projectTitle":"Helping Our Classroom Start the Second Semester Strong","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Brandenburg","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9121994_orig.png?crop=505,505,x84,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1690557432837","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9121994"},{"teacherId":9892708,"projectId":10049864,"letterContent":"Raising chicks in the classroom gave kindergarten students daily, hands-on practice with responsibility, as they took turns gently checking the incubator, refilling water, measuring feed, and keeping the brooder clean. Watching the process from egg to hatchling to fluffy, growing chick made the life cycle concrete, turning abstract science ideas into real observations they could describe and sequence. Caring for fragile animals also nurtured empathy: children learned to move slowly, use quiet voices, and notice the chicks' needs, connecting their actions to the animals' comfort and safety. Together, these routines built accountability, curiosity, and compassion, while reinforcing science vocabulary and collaborative habits that carried over into the rest of the school day.","fullyFundedDate":1769435145781,"projectUrl":"project/can-i-get-a-couple-of-bawks/10049864/","projectTitle":"Can I Get a Couple of Bawks?","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Lavello","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-5_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9892708"},{"teacherId":5196512,"projectId":10096261,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous support of my DonorsChoose project, Spray It Forward. Because of your funding, I was able to purchase bug spray to include in blessing bags for individuals experiencing homelessness in our community.\r\nThis simple but essential item makes a meaningful difference. For those living outdoors or in unstable housing, protection from insects is not just a comfort; it's a matter of health, dignity, and safety. Your support helped provide relief, care, and a reminder that our community sees and values them. The smiles on their faces when they saw the bug spray amongst the other items was invaluable. \r\nThank you for making Spray It Forward possible and for the important work you do to support communities everywhere.","fullyFundedDate":1771944781879,"projectUrl":"project/spray-it-forward/10096261/","projectTitle":"Spray It Forward","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Niebauer","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp5196512_orig.jpg?crop=1920,1920,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1699452190547","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/niebauer"},{"teacherId":5196512,"projectId":9698562,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting Creepy Crawly Creators: Biomimicry in Action! My 1st–3rd grade gifted students are full of wonder, imagination, and a deep love of learning. Their curiosity is endless, especially when it comes to science, and what amazes me most is how naturally they see connections between nature, technology, and the world around them, even in the tiniest creatures.\r\nBecause of your generosity, my students had the opportunity to explore biomimicry in a meaningful, hands‑on way. They studied insects up close, observed their structures and behaviors, and used those observations as inspiration for designing their own bug‑inspired inventions. With simple craft materials like pipe cleaners, cardboard, felt, and recycled items, they participated in a full biomimicry design challenge that blends creativity, engineering, and scientific thinking.\r\nReal Bugs in Resin, Extra-Large 2.5x Bug Viewers, and Telescopic Butterfly Fishing Net for Kids opened their eyes to details they've never noticed before, sparking new ideas and deepening their appreciation for biological design.\r\nWe'll also explored how different cultures around the world incorporate insects into their diets, giving students a global perspective on sustainability, nutrition, and cultural traditions.\r\nYour support gave my students the chance to think like scientists, engineers, designers, and innovators. You made it possible for them to explore the wonders of nature, embrace creative problem‑solving, and imagine futures they may not have considered before. Thank you for investing in their curiosity and for helping bring such meaningful learning to life in our classroom.","fullyFundedDate":1760384985041,"projectUrl":"project/creepy-crawly-creators-biomimicry-in-ac/9698562/","projectTitle":"Creepy Crawly Creators: Biomimicry in Action","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Niebauer","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp5196512_orig.jpg?crop=1920,1920,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1699452190547","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/niebauer"},{"teacherId":6481425,"projectId":9872317,"letterContent":"Bringing live chicks into our third-grade classroom transformed abstract lessons into unforgettable, hands-on learning. Over the 8 week hatching and care cycle, 22 curious students observed life science in real time—learning embryology, animal behavior, and the needs of living things while practicing rigorous observation and data collection. These supplies kept our chicks healthy and our classroom clean so students could safely take on meaningful scientist-caregiver roles: recording temperature and growth charts, noting behavior changes, and testing hypotheses about habitat and care.\r\n\r\nThe project bolstered core academic skills through cross-curricular work: students wrote daily scientific journals, created measurement graphs in math, researched chick development in reading groups, and presented findings to families and the school community. Caring for living animals also built empathy, responsibility, teamwork, and classroom leadership as students rotated through duties and reflected on ethical stewardship.\r\n\r\nWe measured impact with student-created data logs, before-and-after science content assessments, samples of journal entries, and students regularly shared learning and outcomes with their families. These tangible artifacts demonstrated growth in observational skills, scientific vocabulary, data interpretation, and social-emotional development.\r\n\r\nWith your support for consumable supplies, our classroom sustained a safe, educational hatching experience that ignited a lasting love of science, built real-world skills, and connected students to the cycle of life in a meaningful, measurable way.\r\n\r\nThank you again for supporting this amazing learning opportunity for our classroom!","fullyFundedDate":1763598807343,"projectUrl":"project/hatching-science-returns-caring-for-our/9872317/","projectTitle":"Hatching Science Returns: Caring for Our Classroom Chicks","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Riley","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-3_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/6481425"},{"teacherId":5196512,"projectId":9789796,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting my Feathered Friends & STEM project! Your contribution has made a meaningful impact on my gifted students by giving them the chance to explore science in a hands‑on, authentic way. They are naturally curious learners, and your generosity helps bring their questions to life as they observe, investigate, and engage with real-world STEM experiences.\r\nBecause of you, my students have been able to observe native bird species right here on our school grounds. Using the materials funded by this project, they've begun identifying local birds, noticing patterns in behavior, and discussing how environmental changes affect wildlife. These moments of discovery have sparked excitement, thoughtful questions, and a deeper appreciation for the natural world around them. Along with studying bird behavior, they are also exploring engineering and scientific concepts that encourage problem‑solving, collaboration, and creativity.\r\nThank you again for choosing to invest in our classroom. Your support sends a powerful message to my students that their curiosity matters, their ideas matter, and their learning is worth believing in. We are truly grateful for your generosity and excited to share the discoveries ahead!","fullyFundedDate":1763566272841,"projectUrl":"project/feathered-friends-stem/9789796/","projectTitle":"Feathered Friends & STEM","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Niebauer","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp5196512_orig.jpg?crop=1920,1920,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1699452190547","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/niebauer"},{"teacherId":5196512,"projectId":9792822,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous support of our project, The Germ Detectives: A Hands-On Epidemiology Adventure! Because of you, my gifted students had the opportunity to explore how germs spread, conduct real experiments with Glo Germ powder and agar plates, and analyze data like true epidemiologists.\r\nYour contribution helped us turn curiosity into discovery and empowered my students to understand the science behind public health in a fun, interactive way. These experiences sparked critical thinking and inspired future scientists and problem-solvers.\r\nWe are so grateful for your kindness and belief in our mission to make learning engaging and meaningful. I can't wait to share updates and photos of our Germ Detectives in action!","fullyFundedDate":1760013648825,"projectUrl":"project/the-germ-detectives-a-hands-on-epidemio/9792822/","projectTitle":"The Germ Detectives: A Hands-On Epidemiology Adventure","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Niebauer","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp5196512_orig.jpg?crop=1920,1920,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1699452190547","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/niebauer"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_46132","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":956,"numTeachers":68,"percentFrplEligible":84,"percentAsian":11,"percentBlack":7,"percentWhite":58,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":15,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","percentHawaiianImputed":0,"percentMultiracialImputed":5,"gradesServed":"Pre-K - 5","studentTeacherRatio":"14.1:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":false,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":82.7,"schoolId":46132,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Loretto Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Loretto Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/florida/duval-county-public-schools/loretto-elementary-school/46132"}