Pleasant Valley Middle School in Placerville, California on DonorsChoose

{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"Pleasant Valley Middle School","outOfStateSupporters":13.2,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":9612232,"projectId":9197399,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous support in funding our 3D printer! My students are absolutely fascinated by this new technology, and it's already transforming the way they experience learning in our classroom.\r\n\r\nWhile many of my students have seen 3D printers online, few have ever seen one in action, let alone had one in their own classroom. Now, as they watch layers of filament build into real objects, history suddenly feels alive. When we studied ancient Mesopotamia, for example, we printed a model of a ziggurat so students could actually see and touch the architecture they had only viewed in pictures. They were amazed to realize how advanced those civilizations really were!\r\n\r\nEven though we're currently printing pre-designed objects, the experience has sparked endless curiosity and conversation. Students are asking thoughtful questions about how objects are created, how technology has evolved, and how innovations like this connect to the past. The excitement is contagious! It's amazing how one tool can make learning both hands-on and meaningful.\r\n\r\nYour generosity has given my students access to technology that inspires creativity and helps them better understand the world around them. Thank you for investing in their learning and for helping bring history to life in such an exciting way!","fullyFundedDate":1749834018798,"projectUrl":"project/bringing-learning-to-life-with-3d-printi/9197399/","projectTitle":"Bringing Learning to Life with 3D Printing","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Mahoney","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9612232_orig.jpg?crop=371,371,x0,y77&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1724271049324","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrslisamahoney"},{"teacherId":9630234,"projectId":9478192,"letterContent":"Thanks to your generosity, my students are already putting our new garden resources to use in both the classroom and outdoors. One of our first projects was starting seed trays inside. Students researched which plants would thrive best in our garden beds and then carefully planted seeds in small starter pots. Later, they'll transplant them outside, giving them the full experience of seeing their work grow from seed to harvest.\r\n\r\nWhen the materials first arrived, the excitement was contagious. Students crowded around the boxes, eager to open them, and many immediately started imagining what we could grow. One student said, \"I've always wanted to plant something that I could actually eat later!\" That spark of curiosity has spread through the class, making science and sustainability feel real and relevant to them.\r\n\r\nThe next step in our project is building a rotation where students choose whether to work inside or out. Some groups will continue charting plant growth and keeping journals indoors, while others tend to the garden beds outside—watering, weeding, and caring for sprouts. Eventually, we'll bring the two groups together to share what they've learned, showing that both types of work are essential to the health of our garden.\r\n\r\nYour support has given my students not only tools but also a deeper sense of ownership and connection to learning. Thank you for helping us grow—both literally and figuratively!","fullyFundedDate":1753218192997,"projectUrl":"project/our-school-garden-and-garden-elective-pr/9478192/","projectTitle":"Our School Garden and Garden Elective Program","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Trumble","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9630234_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1752854603848","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9630234"},{"teacherId":9612232,"projectId":9032555,"letterContent":"I am writing to express my deepest gratitude for your generous support of our project, Reviving History Through Art: A Hands-On Exploration. Thanks to your contribution, my 6th-grade students have experienced history in a way that textbooks alone could never provide.\r\n\r\nIn our rural, low-income community, access to enriching, hands-on learning experiences can be limited. But with your support, my students were able to bring history to life through art-based projects that deepened their understanding and engagement.\r\n\r\nOne particularly powerful lesson focused on the ancient Chinese concept of Yin and Yang, the balance of opposites in the world. Using the art supplies funded by your generosity, students created a \"Yin Yang of Me\" project. They designed personal Yin-Yang symbols that reflected the balance in their own lives—light and dark, strengths and struggles, calm and energy. As they wrote about their own personal Yins and Yangs, we had deep discussions about how balance plays a role in history, culture, and their personal experiences.\r\n\r\nBecause of you, my students now see history not as something distant and dull but as something they can touch, create, and connect with in meaningful ways. Thank you for being a part of their journey. Your kindness and investment in their education truly make a difference.","fullyFundedDate":1737051908787,"projectUrl":"project/reviving-history-through-art-a-hands-on/9032555/","projectTitle":"Reviving History Through Art: A Hands-On Exploration","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Mahoney","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9612232_orig.jpg?crop=371,371,x0,y77&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1724271049324","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrslisamahoney"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_55763","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":147,"numTeachers":8,"percentFrplEligible":41,"percentAsian":0,"percentBlack":0,"percentWhite":68,"percentIndigenous":1,"percentLatinx":19,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"6 - 8","studentTeacherRatio":"18.4:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"RURAL","ncesMetroType":"RURAL_DISTANT"},"inStateSupporters":86.8,"schoolId":55763,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Pleasant Valley Middle School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Pleasant Valley Middle School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/california/gold-oak-union-school-district/pleasant-valley-middle-school/55763"}

About this school

Pleasant Valley Middle School is a rural public school in Placerville, California that is part of Gold Oak Union School District. It serves 147 students in grades 6 - 8 with a student/teacher ratio of 18.4:1. Its teachers have had 6 projects funded on DonorsChoose.

Equity Focus School

Support towards this school will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

Public School

Title 1

Grades 6 - 8

147 Students

8 Teachers

4120 Pleasant Valley Rd

Placerville, CA 95667 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

Pleasant Valley Middle School Teachers on DonorsChoose

Mrs. Mahoney

Mrs. Trumble

DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. Each classroom request for funding was created by a classroom teacher and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

See how DonorsChoose works

Pleasant Valley Middle School Demographics

41%

of students receive free or reduced price lunch

Source: the National Center for Education Statistics

20%

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.

Pleasant Valley Middle School Support on DonorsChoose Last updated Dec 5, 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.