Peaks Island Elementary School in Peaks Island, Maine on DonorsChoose

{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"Peaks Island Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":21.1,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":2483148,"projectId":9645579,"letterContent":"Our library space is so cozy and inclusive now! Our new lights and posters have brought color and diversity to our space and students are weekly updating our LED signs with great quotes and are highlighting special monthly celebrations. \r\n\r\nOur \"sliding surprise\" table has been very popular and helps students have some quiet collaboration time together, whether they are working on a puzzle, using legos, or other special supplies they find inside! \r\n\r\nThe biggest shock is how much the students have loved sorting books into our additional, genre bins and sharpening pencils with our auto-sharpener. They are definitely developing into library stewards taking care of our materials and the space! Thank you for helping make all these positive changes possible in our library!","fullyFundedDate":1756219924166,"projectUrl":"project/pies-library-polishing/9645579/","projectTitle":"PIES Library Polishing","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Joyce","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp2483148_orig.jpg?crop=480,480,x50,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1722003012060","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/2483148"},{"teacherId":5903350,"projectId":9603382,"letterContent":"Since the completion of this magnificent project, my students have been getting the best sleep at rest time! Last year I noticed that our resting mats were not the most cozy. That was the motivation to me creating this project. \r\nThe soft sheets create a comfortable place to sleep. This environment is much more conducive to quality sleep and rest.\r\nBetter sleep makes for a better afternoon. Students are happy and ready to conquer the remainder of the school day. I have been able to do activities that are highly engaging and challenging and because they just rested, they have the band with to navigate these situations.\r\nThank you for all your generous donations that bought this project to life!!","fullyFundedDate":1756058124222,"projectUrl":"project/calm-and-cozy/9603382/","projectTitle":"Calm and Cozy","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Mezz","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp5903350_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1714919400216","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrs-mezzapelle"},{"teacherId":5903350,"projectId":9367007,"letterContent":"Bright, vibrant and alive!! these are words I would use to describe all the creations we have made with these end of the year art supplies! We used the tempra pens to decorate our pinwheels. We used our cray-pas to enhance our end of the year self portraits; the vivid colors really brought these portraits to life! We compared them to our beginning of the year portraits to see our growth. Students were shocked to see their results because there were so many details!\r\nThank you for helping this project come to life!","fullyFundedDate":1748013972256,"projectUrl":"project/the-countdown-begins/9367007/","projectTitle":"The Countdown Begins","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Mezz","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp5903350_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1714919400216","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrs-mezzapelle"},{"teacherId":5903350,"projectId":9142225,"letterContent":"There is something really special about nurturing anything and watching it grow and thrive!! Thanks to your generous donation, our students get to be the growers. We can't wait to don our garden gloves with the silly faces. We get to use our quality, metal shovels to prepare our planters. We get to watch and water our plants. The cutest part will be the observation journals! Students will draw their plant periodically over time to reflect on growth! Lastly, we will use our technology to document progress digitally. \r\n\r\nThank you! Thank you! Thank you!","fullyFundedDate":1741716357668,"projectUrl":"project/watch-us-grow/9142225/","projectTitle":"Watch Us Grow","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Mezz","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp5903350_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1714919400216","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrs-mezzapelle"},{"teacherId":5903350,"projectId":9084730,"letterContent":"It is fundamental to support gross motor development in preK. This is a challenge in the cold snowy months. With your support I am able to provide my students with fun and engaging ways to strengthen their gross motor muscles. They are hopping around the classroom on the river stones. We are balancing across the carpet on the balance beam! We are crawling through tunnels and hopping in hoops! \r\nOutdoor play is necessary, but we do not need to lose the opportunity to develop these muscles just because we are Inside, Again!","fullyFundedDate":1738952773810,"projectUrl":"project/indoor-recess-again/9084730/","projectTitle":"Indoor Recess, Again!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Mezz","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp5903350_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1714919400216","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrs-mezzapelle"},{"teacherId":5903350,"projectId":9031084,"letterContent":"We have had the most authentic dramatic play with these engaging items!! Our future doctors, dentists, and chef's are learning cooperative play through the items you helped purchase. \r\nStudents in the \"provider\" role are showing empathy, kindness, and compassion. They are practicing being a nurturer in a fun, safe setting. The \"consumer\" or \"patient\" are also practicing kindness, and they are pretending to be vulnerable, again, in a fun, safe setting. \r\nThese are values we want to instill in our future leaders. Thank you for making that possible.","fullyFundedDate":1736561102236,"projectUrl":"project/learning-through-play/9031084/","projectTitle":"Learning Through Play","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Mezz","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp5903350_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1714919400216","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrs-mezzapelle"},{"teacherId":5903350,"projectId":9069657,"letterContent":"Today's Imaginative play is tomorrow's career!! With the doctor, dentist and vet sets these pre-Kindergarteners are setting the stage for our future. They were all so very excited to see the whimsical and quality items in each set. \r\nImmediately children negotiated what roles they would play: doctor or patient! The care and compassion that \"the doctor\" would give to the patient was beautiful to see. This kind of caring play can be carried over into all aspect of the preK day! The trust that \"the patient\" has to give to the doctor is a safe way to practice being vulnerable.\r\nThis kind of play is fundamental to the preK experience! Thank you for providing us an engaging way to play!!","fullyFundedDate":1737440318723,"projectUrl":"project/imagine-the-future/9069657/","projectTitle":"Imagine the Future","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Mezz","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp5903350_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1714919400216","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrs-mezzapelle"},{"teacherId":2483148,"projectId":8883267,"letterContent":"This Windows and Mirrors Books have been truly transformative for our library collection. Students were so eager to begin reading that many books went out on good faith with them before I could even officially enter them into our card catalog! The themes and events in the stories have spurred many thoughtful discussions and have given students the opportunity to reflect on how the realities of our world and how they want to help shape the future.\r\n\r\nWe are so lucky to have fervid readers at PIES, but it wouldn't be possible for me to meet their needs without help. Many of you already know that this was a tight budget year for Portland Public Schools, but the cuts we experienced did not impact our readers because of your generosity and effort. Thank your for taking their dreams and enthusiasm to heart and always helping us find a way to continue to support their love of learning and engagement with the world through literature.","fullyFundedDate":1730114167089,"projectUrl":"project/window-and-mirror-books-for-pies-library/8883267/","projectTitle":"Window and Mirror Books for PIES Library Collection","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Joyce","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp2483148_orig.jpg?crop=480,480,x50,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1722003012060","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/2483148"},{"teacherId":5903350,"projectId":9029668,"letterContent":"We have been creating and learning with these supplies!! We are using the markers in our pre-writing sessions. Students draw and narrate an experience as the teachers write the dictation. We use highlighters to help us with letter formation. Students use pencil to trace on top of the highlighted writing. \r\n\r\nEvery classroom needs an endless supply of cleaning wipes. We have plenty now because of your very generous donations. This is great for keeping our space tidy and neat! Thank you so much for thinking of our class!!","fullyFundedDate":1736105876655,"projectUrl":"project/classroom-essentials-shipment-2025-01-0/9029668/","projectTitle":"Classroom Essentials Shipment: 2025-01-05","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Mezz","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp5903350_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1714919400216","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrs-mezzapelle"},{"teacherId":2777145,"projectId":5034675,"letterContent":"These supplies helped my students safely and effectively continue to learn and build social skills in one-on-one and small group settings. We were able to work with kids both in-person and remote and even have hybrid lunch groups with the help of all the supplies. \r\n \r\n Your help allowed my students to continue to thrive during one of the hardest mental health times in recent years. we are so thankful for your generous support\r\n\r\nI know I had some kids who were able to really play with others for the first time in months at a hybrid lunch bunch using jumbo cards to play \"Go Fish\" and their contagious laughs for the first time in a long time was such a gift.","fullyFundedDate":1596494387322,"projectUrl":"project/social-distancing-cant-stop-our-social/5034675/","projectTitle":"Social Distancing Can't Stop our Social Skills Lunch Bunches","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Nick","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-3_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/2777145"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_65278","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":46,"numTeachers":4,"percentFrplEligible":65,"percentAsian":0,"percentBlack":4,"percentWhite":86,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":6,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"Pre-K - 5","studentTeacherRatio":"11.5:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":false,"metroType":"RURAL","ncesMetroType":"RURAL_FRINGE"},"inStateSupporters":78.9,"schoolId":65278,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Peaks Island Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Peaks Island Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/maine/portland-public-schools/peaks-island-elementary-school/65278"}

About this school

Peaks Island Elementary School is a rural public school in Peaks Island, Maine that is part of Portland Public Schools. It serves 46 students in grades Pre-K - 5 with a student/teacher ratio of 11.5:1. Its teachers have had 25 projects funded on DonorsChoose.

Equity Focus School

Support towards this school will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

Public School

Grades Pre-K - 5

46 Students

4 Teachers

4 Church Ave

Peaks Island, ME 04108 View local requests

Evidence-based impact

Inspire teachers to stay in the classroom and boost student achievement.¹

Give to this school

Ms. Vero, a DonorsChoose teacher for 9 years.

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

Peaks Island Elementary School Teachers on DonorsChoose

Ms. Joyce

Ms. Mezz

Mr. Nick

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Peaks Island Elementary School Demographics

65%

of students receive free or reduced price lunch

Source: the National Center for Education Statistics

10%

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.

Peaks Island Elementary School Support on DonorsChoose Last updated Dec 7, 2025

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