{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Mary Lou Hartman Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":35.2,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":9974647,"projectId":10136280,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting \"Empowering Young Readers With Scholastic News in Our Classroom\"! This project has given my third graders access to engaging print and digital nonfiction magazines that make reading meaningful, exciting, and relevant. Through these texts, my students are able to practice important literacy skills such as identifying the main idea and supporting details, making inferences, determining the meaning of unfamiliar words, summarizing, and using text evidence to support their thinking. These are essential skills that help students become confident and successful readers.\r\nIn our classroom, reading is an active experience. Students read independently, with partners, and together as a class while discussing what they learned and sharing their thinking. The print and digital formats allow students to engage with nonfiction in different ways and explore topics that spark their curiosity. I have especially loved seeing students who may not always choose nonfiction become excited to read when they find an article about a topic they love. Your support has helped create more opportunities for my students to discover that reading is not only something we do in school, but also a way to learn about the world around us. We are incredibly grateful for your investment in our readers!","fullyFundedDate":1778262111019,"projectUrl":"project/empowering-young-readers-with-scholastic/10136280/","projectTitle":"Empowering Young Readers With Scholastic News in Our Classroom","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Romero","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9974647_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1744072321571","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mscmromero"},{"teacherId":9974647,"projectId":10426444,"letterContent":"Thank you for supporting our \"Hooked on Books from Day One!\" project! Because of your generosity, my students will begin the school year with a collection of engaging books that will help build a love of reading from the very first day.\r\nThese books will be used during read-alouds, literacy lessons, and independent reading to teach important skills such as making predictions, understanding character traits, identifying themes, building vocabulary, and improving comprehension. Stories like Charlotte's Web, Because of Winn-Dixie, and The Lemonade War will also help us discuss kindness, friendship, perseverance, and empathy.\r\nReading in our classroom will be interactive and joyful. Students will listen to stories, share ideas with classmates, make connections to their own lives, and explore books that spark their curiosity. Your donation has provided resources that will help create a strong reading community and inspire young readers all year long.\r\nThank you for helping my students become excited, confident readers from day one!","fullyFundedDate":1785684861242,"projectUrl":"project/hooked-on-books-from-day-one/10426444/","projectTitle":"Hooked on Books from Day One!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Romero","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9974647_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1744072321571","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mscmromero"},{"teacherId":9974647,"projectId":10240934,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for helping bring \"Level Up Literacy: Building Confident Third Grade Readers\" to life! These new books have made reading even more exciting and meaningful in our classroom. Students are practicing important skills such as identifying theme, making inferences, finding text evidence, understanding character traits, summarizing, and responding to texts while reading books they are genuinely excited about.\r\nIn our classroom, reading looks like students getting comfortable on our classroom rug, choosing books that spark their interests, reading independently, reading with partners, and sharing their thinking with one another. The new high interest books have been especially exciting for students who sometimes struggle to see themselves as \"readers.\" Graphic novels and series like The Baby-Sitters Club, Sweet Valley Twins, and I Survived have encouraged reluctant readers to pick up a book, stick with it, and feel proud of themselves as readers.\r\nSeeing students recommend books to their classmates, get excited about finishing a chapter, and ask when they can read again has been incredibly rewarding. Your generosity is helping my third graders build confidence, strengthen their literacy skills, and discover that reading can be something they truly love. We are so grateful for your support!","fullyFundedDate":1785436255522,"projectUrl":"project/level-up-literacy-building-confident-th/10240934/","projectTitle":"Level Up Literacy: Building Confident Third Grade Readers","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Romero","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9974647_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1744072321571","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mscmromero"},{"teacherId":9974647,"projectId":10404003,"letterContent":"When my students first saw our new classroom rug in our reading library, their faces lit up! They were so excited to have a beautiful, comfortable space where they could gather with a good book, listen to read alouds, and share their thinking with classmates. The rug has quickly become a favorite spot in our classroom and has transformed our reading library into a warm and inviting place where students feel comfortable learning and growing.\r\nWe use our rug every day during read alouds, partner reading, small group lessons, and independent reading. It has created a special gathering place where we can celebrate books, discuss characters and themes, practice important reading skills, and simply enjoy the magic of getting lost in a story. My students love being able to choose a cozy spot on the rug and settle in with a book, and I have loved watching their excitement and confidence grow as readers.\r\nThank you for helping us create a classroom where students feel welcomed, valued, and inspired to learn. Your generosity gave us so much more than a rug. It gave my students a place to belong, connect, and grow as readers and leaders. We are so grateful for the beautiful space you helped create in our classroom!","fullyFundedDate":1785090002421,"projectUrl":"project/growing-readers-and-leaders-a-place-to/10404003/","projectTitle":"Growing Readers and Leaders: a Place to Learn and Belong","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Romero","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9974647_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1744072321571","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mscmromero"},{"teacherId":9974647,"projectId":10136287,"letterContent":"From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for making this unforgettable science experience possible! Because of your kindness, my third graders were able to witness the incredible life cycles of ladybugs and butterflies right in our classroom. The moment the materials arrived, my students were filled with excitement and anticipation. Every day they eagerly gathered around our habitats to observe the tiny changes, ask questions, make predictions, and celebrate each new stage of development. Watching the caterpillars grow, transform into pupas, and eventually emerge as beautiful butterflies, alongside seeing the ladybug larvae develop into adult ladybugs, brought our life cycle unit to life in a way that no textbook ever could.\r\nThese hands-on experiences allowed my students to become real scientists. They carefully observed, recorded their findings in science journals, compared the stages of each life cycle, and used scientific vocabulary during discussions. One of our favorite moments was releasing the butterflies after caring for them throughout their journey. My students were amazed as they watched them take flight, knowing they had witnessed an incredible transformation from beginning to end. Their excitement, curiosity, and sense of wonder grew with each passing day.\r\nThanks to your generosity, my students developed a deeper understanding of life cycles while building observation, critical thinking, and inquiry skills. They are already asking what living things we can study next! Thank you for believing in my students and providing an authentic learning experience that sparked curiosity and created memories they will never forget. Your kindness has made a lasting impact on our classroom, and we are truly grateful.","fullyFundedDate":1778262107395,"projectUrl":"project/future-scientists-in-motion-hands-on-li/10136287/","projectTitle":"Future Scientists in Motion: Hands-On Life Cycles for Success","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Romero","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9974647_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1744072321571","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mscmromero"},{"teacherId":9974647,"projectId":10135887,"letterContent":"Thank you for your incredible generosity and for supporting our classroom through the \"Fighting Hunger, Powering Learning\" project. Because of your kindness, my students have had access to snacks that help keep them fueled, focused, and ready to learn throughout the school day. For many of my third graders, these snacks have made a meaningful difference, especially during long afternoons and before or after tutoring sessions.\r\nWhen the snacks arrived, my students were so excited and incredibly grateful. It was heartwarming to see their smiles and hear them say, \"Thank you!\" Knowing they had something to eat helped them feel cared for and allowed them to focus on reading, writing, math, and classroom activities instead of being distracted by hunger. Something as simple as a snack has created a more positive learning environment where students can do their very best.\r\nYour generosity has done so much more than provide food. It has shown my students that there are people who believe in them and care about their success. Thank you for helping remove a barrier to learning and for making a lasting impact on our classroom. We are truly grateful for your support and the difference you have made in the lives of my students.","fullyFundedDate":1778262106259,"projectUrl":"project/fighting-hunger-powering-learning/10135887/","projectTitle":"Fighting Hunger, Powering Learning","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Romero","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9974647_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1744072321571","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mscmromero"},{"teacherId":9974647,"projectId":10180413,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your incredible generosity and for supporting our project, Press Play on Kindness: SEL Games That Build Life Skills. Because of your kindness, my third grade students now have engaging games that make learning important social emotional skills fun and meaningful. When the games arrived, my students were filled with excitement. They could not wait to explore them, and their smiles and enthusiasm reminded me just how much hands on learning matters.\r\n\r\nThese games have already become a valuable part of our classroom community. Students are practicing teamwork, communication, problem solving, and self control while learning how to encourage one another, resolve conflicts respectfully, and celebrate each other's successes. I have loved watching students who are usually quiet become more confident as they work together, laugh, and build positive relationships through play. The games have created meaningful opportunities for students to practice kindness, empathy, and cooperation in a safe and engaging environment.\r\n\r\nYour generosity has given my students so much more than new games. You have given them opportunities to develop important life skills that will benefit them far beyond third grade. This year, we will continue using these resources during our social emotional learning lessons, morning meetings, and small group activities to strengthen our classroom community and help every student feel valued, included, and successful. Thank you for believing in my students and investing in both their academic and personal growth. We are truly grateful for your support!","fullyFundedDate":1778262100857,"projectUrl":"project/press-play-on-kindness-sel-games-that-b/10180413/","projectTitle":"Press Play on Kindness: SEL Games That Build Life Skills","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Romero","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9974647_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1744072321571","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mscmromero"},{"teacherId":10358427,"projectId":9911803,"letterContent":"You helped make my students excited for Science. They were so excited to read the magazines and learn more about STEM. They learned about missing birds around the world and how they were found. It even had exactly what we've been studying, the solar system and the moon exploration! Each student built a solar system model and this tied into it perfectly. Everyone enjoyed reading how someone becomes a NASA astronaut and was able to read about what's the job like.\r\n\r\nThe STEM items you helped provide allow my students to explore, experiment, and think like real scientists and engineers. They are developing critical skills such as problem-solving, collaboration, and curiosity as they design, test, and learn through active discovery. Many of my students had never used these types of materials before, and their excitement and confidence have grown tremendously.\r\n\r\nYour donation also impacted my students with their math facts. Being able to use their math fact cards during groups made them feel more confident in learning their math facts. I truly believe it helped them with their tests this year and made them enjoy learning.","fullyFundedDate":1769178073444,"projectUrl":"project/superpower-stem/9911803/","projectTitle":"Superpower STEM","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Pena","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10358427_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1770146540343","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10358427"},{"teacherId":10425480,"projectId":10075345,"letterContent":"My students come to school each day full of curiosity, creativity, and a genuine desire to learn. They thrive in an environment where they feel supported, encouraged, and celebrated for their efforts. When students believe in themselves and feel recognized for their growth, they are more willing to take academic risks, stay engaged, and push themselves to achieve their goals. Creating that kind of positive and motivating classroom environment is at the heart of my teaching.\r\nThis project, Mission: Motivation with Incentives, is designed to strengthen both academic engagement and student confidence. The resources I use in my classroom are intentionally chosen to make learning feel manageable, interactive, and meaningful. By breaking learning into attainable steps and celebrating progress along the way, students can experience success more frequently, which helps build their confidence and reinforces a growth mindset.\r\nA key part of this project is our weekly treasure box incentive system. These small, tangible rewards serve as powerful motivators for students, encouraging them to stay focused, complete their work, and demonstrate positive behavior throughout the week. While the rewards themselves are simple, their impact is significant. They provide students with something to work toward and help them connect their effort with positive outcomes.\r\nBeyond just motivation, these incentives help foster important life skills. Students learn responsibility, self-control, and perseverance as they work toward earning their reward. They begin to understand that their choices matter and that consistent effort leads to success. For many of my students, this system also boosts their self-esteem, as they feel proud of their accomplishments and recognized for their hard work.\r\nIn addition, this project helps create a classroom culture where effort is celebrated as much as achievement. Every student, regardless of their starting point, has the opportunity to succeed and be recognized. This inclusive approach ensures that all learners feel valued and motivated to participate fully in their education.\r\nUltimately, the impact of this project extends far beyond small rewards. It helps shape a positive learning environment where students feel excited to come to school, confident in their abilities, and motivated to keep growing. By making learning both fun and meaningful, this project will encourage students to develop a lifelong love of learning while building the skills and mindset they need to succeed both inside and outside the classroom.","fullyFundedDate":1770994143591,"projectUrl":"project/mission-motivation-with-incentives/10075345/","projectTitle":"Mission: Motivation with Incentives","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Rojas","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10425480_orig.jpg?crop=1976,1976,x0,y92&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1770353661747","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10425480"},{"teacherId":9974647,"projectId":10136245,"letterContent":"Your support has helped transform reading into something my students genuinely look forward to each day. The high-interest books in our classroom, like Eerie Elementary, The Last Kids on Earth, and Whatever After, are building essential literacy skills while keeping students fully engaged. As they read, they practice comprehension strategies such as making predictions, identifying character traits, understanding plot structure, and making connections to their own lives. These stories also strengthen vocabulary and encourage thoughtful discussions.\r\nReading in our classroom is active, joyful, and student-centered. Students eagerly choose books that interest them and dive into independent reading with excitement. You can see them laughing at funny moments, reacting to plot twists, and even going back to reread favorite parts. Through partner reading and group conversations, students share ideas, recommend books, and grow more confident in expressing their thinking.\r\nSome of the most meaningful growth has come from students who were once hesitant readers. These engaging and imaginative books have helped them build stamina and confidence. Students are asking to read more, rushing to continue a series, and proudly talking about characters they connect with. Books by authors like Kate DiCamillo are also helping students develop empathy as they relate to characters' emotions and experiences.\r\nYour generosity has created a classroom where reading feels exciting, meaningful, and accessible to every student. Thank you for helping my third graders grow as readers, thinkers, and storytellers.","fullyFundedDate":1773842043303,"projectUrl":"project/growing-lifelong-readers-one-book-at-a/10136245/","projectTitle":"Growing Lifelong Readers, One Book at a Time","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Romero","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9974647_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1744072321571","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mscmromero"},{"teacherId":9974647,"projectId":9974449,"letterContent":"Because of your generosity, my students now have access to books that truly excite them, and it has transformed the way they see reading. These new titles, like the Wings of Fire graphic novels and the Captain Underpants series, have helped introduce and strengthen important literacy skills in a way that feels fun and accessible. Students are practicing comprehension, making predictions, identifying story elements like character and plot, and building vocabulary, all while being fully engaged in stories they actually want to read.\r\nReading in our classroom has become something students look forward to each day. During independent reading time, you can see students spread out across the room, completely immersed in their books, laughing at funny moments, or eagerly turning pages to find out what happens next. We also incorporate partner reading and small group discussions, where students share their thinking, recommend books to one another, and build confidence as readers.\r\nSome of my students who were once hesitant or reluctant readers are now among the most excited. I have students who rush to grab the next book in a series, who ask if they can keep reading during free time, and who proudly talk about their favorite characters and moments. The graphic novel format, in particular, has been a powerful bridge for students who needed more visual support, helping them build stamina and confidence as readers.\r\nThese books have not only strengthened literacy skills but have also helped create a joyful, student-centered reading culture in our classroom. Thank you for helping my students discover a love of reading that will stay with them far beyond third grade.","fullyFundedDate":1771785423293,"projectUrl":"project/building-readers-one-laugh-at-a-time/9974449/","projectTitle":"Building Readers, One Laugh at a Time!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Romero","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9974647_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1744072321571","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mscmromero"},{"teacherId":9974647,"projectId":10058905,"letterContent":"Thanks to your generosity, our STEM Stories for All project has had an incredible impact on both our students and our community. Students helped distribute literacy books to members of our school and neighborhood, giving more children and families access to high-interest texts that explore science concepts such as animals, environments, and recycling.\r\nThese books have encouraged students to practice reading skills like comprehension, making connections, and explaining what they have learned. In our classroom, reading has become an interactive, collaborative experience. Students discuss ideas from the books, share new facts, and ask thoughtful questions about the world around them.\r\nSeveral of our students have been especially excited to share their favorite books with friends and neighbors, seeing how much joy and learning they can spread. Your support has not only strengthened our students' literacy and STEM knowledge but has also fostered a sense of pride and leadership as they make a difference in our community.","fullyFundedDate":1769787479550,"projectUrl":"project/stem-stories-for-all-building-literacy/10058905/","projectTitle":"STEM Stories for All: Building Literacy Across Our Community","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Romero","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9974647_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1744072321571","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mscmromero"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_8319","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":601,"numTeachers":51,"percentFrplEligible":95,"percentAsian":1,"percentBlack":14,"percentWhite":5,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":76,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","percentHawaiianImputed":0,"percentMultiracialImputed":1,"gradesServed":"Pre-K - 5","studentTeacherRatio":"11.8:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":64.8,"schoolId":8319,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Mary Lou Hartman Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Mary Lou Hartman Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/texas/judson-independent-school-district/mary-hartman-elementary/8319"}