McKinley Academy in Manitowoc, Wisconsin on DonorsChoose

{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"McKinley Academy","outOfStateSupporters":0.0,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":8890400,"projectId":9103921,"letterContent":"I can't thank you enough for your generous donation of books. I work hard to find engaging, relatable, high quality books for my students, which usually means that my district doesn't already have them, so I need to find a way to buy them. \r\n Your gift allowed me to purchase a class set of \"We Were Here\" by Matt de la Pena. This novel has an unconventional style and allows us a unique glimpse into the lives of our main characters. One of the repeated complaints of our mai character is that you cant get to know people by what you read about them on paper. This is an essential message for my students who come to care for the characters in this story even though we know from the beginning that they have made mistakes adn done illegal things. Getting to know them allows us to glimpse the real people, not just what a rap sheet or counselor report might tell us. After readin the story, my students made their own tree posters based on a discussion about hidden strength in the roots of trees. \r\n You also provided us with a class set of \"Unwind\" by Neal Shusterman. This is one of my favorite stories to teach, but it is also one of the most difficult. Students who dive into this story often do so with the knowledge that they would be in the persecuted group if the events in the novel were to happen today. We have many discussions about morality and consciousness, as well as diving into a deeper understanding of propaganda and how we, as a society, might come to embrace ideas that seem so objectionable from our current viewpoint. \r\n Thank you for allowing my students to enjoy these important stories for years to come. We appreciate your gift more than we can say.","fullyFundedDate":1739455229903,"projectUrl":"project/award-winning-books-for-alternative-educ/9103921/","projectTitle":"Award-Winning Books for Alternative Education","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Penland","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8890400_orig.jpg?crop=519,519,x781,y192&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1691205715504","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8890400"},{"teacherId":8890400,"projectId":8943082,"letterContent":"I can't thank you enough for your generous donation of books. I work hard to find engaging, relatable books for my students, which usually means that my district doesn't already have them, so I need to find a way to buy them. \r\n Your gift allowed me to purchase a class set of \"The Haunting of Hill House\" by Shirley Jackson. As a short book, it is usually well-received, but it is also a tremendous example of the Gothic tradition. My students don't necessarily care about that, but it is a super creepy story with memorable characters that we can watch question their sanity and descend into madness. The fact that Netflix has produced an equally creepy adaptation makes it even more enjoyable for those who like a good scare. Plus, we can talk about the psychology of fear, which often brings conversations to a whole other level. \r\n You also provided us with a class set of \"On the Come Up\" by Angi Thomas. Bri, the main character of the story, is struggling with poverty, gang activity, a mother who was a drug addict, and a desire to succeed and provide for her family. Her goal to become a rapper is within reach, but Bri must decide who she is and who she wants to be. To be succcessful as a rapper, she is pressured to live up to stereotypes she does not embody, but her real life isn't glamorous enough for the music world. We watch her struggle to understand her situation and her worth. \r\n Thank you for allowing my students to enjoy these important stories for years to come. We appreciate your gift more than we can say.","fullyFundedDate":1739374255515,"projectUrl":"project/help-stock-our-bookshelves/8943082/","projectTitle":"Help Stock Our Bookshelves!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Penland","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8890400_orig.jpg?crop=519,519,x781,y192&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1691205715504","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8890400"},{"teacherId":9928070,"projectId":9122988,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generosity. The make the library great again is under way now thanks to you. My students came into the library and were super excited about the new chairs and filing cabinet. They ran over to sit in them. I have had many students sit in the chairs already as a comfortable place to read or get their work done. It helps make the library not so boring and stale but bring light and joy to the area. The filing cabinet also helped keep the supplies for some of our makerspace items easier to find and keep organized. My hope for the library is to keep getting things that make students excited and love coming to the library for a safe place to work.","fullyFundedDate":1740233139355,"projectUrl":"project/help-make-the-library-great/9122988/","projectTitle":"Help Make the Library Great","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Bohman","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-6_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9928070"},{"teacherId":9299931,"projectId":9103952,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generosity. Already it's made an impact by helping students have alternative comfortable places to sit. Activities to help keep their mind off what is giving them anxiety, or causing them stress. \r\nThe last couple of years I have strived to be a safe, calm, comfortable space for students that need moments, or periods of time to relax and refocus. So many of our students carry the weight of their worlds on their backs, so it is nice to be able to offer them a safe place to be themselves. \r\nI again thank you with all my heart.","fullyFundedDate":1739374263524,"projectUrl":"project/a-space-to-be-calm/9103952/","projectTitle":"A Space to Be Calm","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. L","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-6_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9299931"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_95363","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":164,"numTeachers":6,"percentFrplEligible":71,"percentAsian":1,"percentBlack":5,"percentWhite":65,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":19,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"K - 12","studentTeacherRatio":"27.3:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"TOWN","ncesMetroType":"TOWN_DISTANT"},"inStateSupporters":100.0,"schoolId":95363,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about McKinley Academy on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"McKinley Academy","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/wisconsin/manitowoc-public-school-district/mckinley-academy/95363"}

About this school

McKinley Academy is a town public school in Manitowoc, Wisconsin that is part of Manitowoc Public School District. It serves 164 students in grades K - 12 with a student/teacher ratio of 27.3:1. Its teachers have had 8 projects funded on DonorsChoose.

Equity Focus School

Support towards this school will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

Public School

Title 1

Grades K - 12

164 Students

6 Teachers

1002 E Cedar Ave

Manitowoc, WI 54220 View local requests

http://www.manitowocpublicschools.com

Direct, proactive support

Empower teachers at McKinley Academy to request what their students need.

Give to this school

Ms. Vero, a DonorsChoose teacher for 9 years.

Kindergarten teacher at PS81 - Robert J. Christen School in Bronx, NY

McKinley Academy Teachers on DonorsChoose

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McKinley Academy Demographics

71%

of students receive free or reduced price lunch

Source: the National Center for Education Statistics

25%

of students are Black, Latino, Native American, or Asian

Schools in districts that mainly serve students of color receive substantially less state and local support than similar districts that serve primarily White students. Learn more about this gap, why it exists, and how you can help close it.

McKinley Academy Support on DonorsChoose Last updated Dec 21, 2025

DonorsChoose makes it easy for anyone to help a teacher in need, moving us closer to a nation where students in every community have the tools and experiences they need for a great education.