{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"Paynesville Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":17.8,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":5829462,"projectId":9536911,"letterContent":"My students are loving the books that I received. I did a book talk sharing the back cover on each series. Student were excited to be able to read a new series. \r\n\r\nOur school has a positive behavior program, were we recognize students who are being mindful, connected, and respectful. They can get classroom prizes where I am not able to offer many selection from my prize box. I am now able to offer a reward to students who win our fire safety poster contest. \r\n\r\nI am excited to use the Christmas ornament project for our parents gifts. \r\n\r\nI am really appreciating the chance to offer these gifts to my students.","fullyFundedDate":1755611347091,"projectUrl":"project/starting-strong/9536911/","projectTitle":"Starting Strong!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Schultz","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp5829462_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1537542480769","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/5829462"},{"teacherId":9557918,"projectId":8564501,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for the wonderful donations. I have been able to create a calming corner with all the visuals and tools necessary to support my special learners. They use this space daily and have been enjoying it when needed. \r\n\r\nMy students were all so excited to try all our new sensory tools to support them while learning. The smiles were large knowing that all these new tools were just for them.\r\n\r\nNext steps I hope to continue to build on our sensory tools and continue to create a positive environment for them to learn. Thank you again for all your support.","fullyFundedDate":1733164667966,"projectUrl":"project/calm-zen-and-chill-is-how-we-want-to-f/8564501/","projectTitle":"Calm, Zen, and Chill Is How We Want to Feel!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Ruegemer","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-10_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9557918"},{"teacherId":9903628,"projectId":9073035,"letterContent":"I am writing to express my deepest gratitude for your generous donation of emotional regulation tools for my students. As an elementary school social worker, I see firsthand how critical emotional well-being is to a child's overall success—both academically and personally. Your thoughtful contribution is making a direct and meaningful impact on the lives of the children I serve, providing them with invaluable resources to navigate their emotions in healthy and productive ways.\r\n\r\nEmotional regulation is a fundamental skill that many children struggle with, particularly those who may be facing challenges such as trauma, anxiety, or difficulty expressing their feelings. With the tools you have provided, I can now offer my students hands-on strategies to help them identify, understand, and manage their emotions more effectively. Items like fidget tools, breathing boards, calming jars, emotion cards, and sensory items are more than just materials—they are stepping stones to helping children develop lifelong coping mechanisms that will support them both in and out of the classroom.\r\n\r\nMany of my students come from backgrounds where emotional regulation was never modeled for them, making it difficult for them to express their feelings in appropriate ways. Some struggle with frustration and anger, leading to outbursts that interfere with learning. Others experience anxiety that makes it hard for them to focus or engage with their peers. By incorporating these tools into our social-emotional learning curriculum, I am able to teach students self-soothing techniques that help them build resilience and confidence in managing their emotions.\r\n\r\nOne of the most rewarding aspects of my work is witnessing the transformation in students who gain access to the right support. I have already seen incredible changes in students who have used these tools. For example, a young student who previously had frequent meltdowns when feeling overwhelmed is now using a breathing tool to calm himself before reacting. Another child who struggled with anxiety has found comfort in sensory objects that help ground her during stressful moments. These small but significant victories would not be possible without the generosity of people like you.\r\n\r\nBeyond the immediate impact on my students, your donation also supports teachers and staff in fostering a more emotionally supportive environment in our school. Teachers often struggle to manage classroom disruptions caused by emotional dysregulation, but with these tools, they can now guide students toward self-regulation strategies, reducing stress for everyone involved. Your kindness extends beyond individual students—it contributes to a healthier, more compassionate learning community.\r\n\r\nOn behalf of my students, their families, and our entire school, I want to extend my sincerest thanks. Your generosity reminds us all of the power of kindness and community. Your support ensures that children who need extra help in managing their emotions receive the guidance and tools necessary to thrive.\r\n\r\nThank you again for your thoughtfulness and generosity.","fullyFundedDate":1740669989816,"projectUrl":"project/emotional-regulation-tools/9073035/","projectTitle":"Emotional Regulation Tools","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Shay","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-5_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9903628"},{"teacherId":5284117,"projectId":8950881,"letterContent":"Thank you for the Teacher Pay Teachers (TPT) gift cards. I have used these gift cards to purchase winter activities like winter add and color, subtract and color and small group work. I have also purchased activities for Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day and Easter as well as day to day phonics work.\r\n\r\nAll of these purchases would not be possible without your support. The nice thing about these gift cards is they can be used whenever I need something, they do not expire.\r\n\r\nThanks again for your support and kindness!","fullyFundedDate":1733164667781,"projectUrl":"project/tpt-resources-for-first-graders/8950881/","projectTitle":"TPT Resources for First Graders","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Hecht","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-9_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/5284117"},{"teacherId":6358303,"projectId":8518784,"letterContent":"You generous donation allowed our first grade students to have journals with handwriting lines. This may seem like a small thing, but it's not. These specific journals were too expensive to ask our families to purchase as a part of our school supply list and they were too much for our small classroom budget to cover.\r\n\r\nHaving clearly marked handwriting lines help students to improve their letter formation and use appropriate spacing between letters and words. This builds handwriting fluency which frees up working memory so students can concentrate on what they are writing, not how. Our first grade students are writing more and spelling words more accurately.\r\n\r\nStudents see the value of writing when they have a special journal for their work. They are proud to share their writing with their peers and with their parents.\r\n\r\nWe have technology in our classroom and it has transformed learning in many ways, but research shows that the act of physically writing by hand engages more brain regions, leading to better information retention, improved memory recall, and deeper conceptual understanding. Thank you for supporting teaching and learning with your donation. It is greatly appreciated.","fullyFundedDate":1730425408143,"projectUrl":"project/write-right-from-the-start/8518784/","projectTitle":"Write Right From the Start","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Nelson","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-2_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/paes-1st"},{"teacherId":9557918,"projectId":8564039,"letterContent":"Thank you again for the wonderful donations. My students have been enjoying the activities in the SEL books. We love completing the sticky situation cards, as well as doing group activities and learning to be better and helpful friends. \r\nAlso the weighted vest has helped my students with their sensory needs along with keeping the calm in social situations. They require sensory input and this has helped them get just what they need. I truly appreciate all the support for my classroom. My students are special learners and deserve the best!","fullyFundedDate":1726247070045,"projectUrl":"project/our-social-emotional-toolbox/8564039/","projectTitle":"Our Social Emotional Toolbox","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Ruegemer","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-10_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9557918"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_76282","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":429,"numTeachers":31,"percentFrplEligible":29,"percentAsian":0,"percentBlack":0,"percentWhite":90,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":4,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"K - 5","studentTeacherRatio":"13.8:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":false,"titleOne":false,"metroType":"RURAL","ncesMetroType":"RURAL_DISTANT"},"inStateSupporters":82.2,"schoolId":76282,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Paynesville Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Paynesville Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/minnesota/paynesville-independent-school-district-741/paynesville-elementary-school/76282"}