{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Polk Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":36.5,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":7684928,"projectId":9932209,"letterContent":"Thanks to this project, my kindergarten students now have access to engaging books, art materials, and hands-on literacy resources that bring learning to life in meaningful ways. We use these materials daily during reading, writing, and social-emotional learning activities. Students are now able to connect stories to their own experiences, practice retelling events, and explore important themes like kindness, perseverance, and friendship through both discussion and creative expression. The art supplies, in particular, have become a powerful tool for helping students communicate ideas when words alone are still developing.\r\n\r\nWhen the materials first arrived, the excitement in the classroom was immediate. Students were eager to explore the new books, flip through the colorful pages, and begin creating with the new art supplies. I watched as students who are typically more hesitant became fully engaged—choosing books independently, asking thoughtful questions, and proudly sharing their drawings with peers. These resources have helped create a sense of ownership and pride in our classroom community.\r\n\r\nMoving forward, students will continue using these materials to deepen their literacy skills and strengthen their social-emotional understanding. We are currently working on storytelling and retelling activities, where students will illustrate beginning, middle, and end events from stories we read together. They will also collaborate on simple projects that encourage communication, problem-solving, and empathy. These next steps will help students build both academic skills and the confidence to express themselves in creative and meaningful ways.","fullyFundedDate":1764690028161,"projectUrl":"project/growing-hearts-minds/9932209/","projectTitle":"Growing Hearts & Minds","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Kumar","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-5_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/7684928"},{"teacherId":7684928,"projectId":9618084,"letterContent":"Thanks to this project, my kindergarten classroom is now equipped with the essential tools my students need to learn, create, and grow with confidence from the very beginning of the year. Having markers, crayons, and watercolors readily available allows students to express their ideas in meaningful, hands-on ways while also strengthening fine motor skills and early writing development. These materials make it possible for learning to be active and engaging every day, rather than limited by missing supplies or wait times.\r\n\r\nThe addition of headphones has also made a significant impact on our learning environment. Many of our early literacy and math activities are supported through digital programs, and headphones allow students to work at their own pace while staying focused and independent. It has been exciting to see students take ownership of their learning during these activities—especially those who benefit from repeated practice and quieter spaces to concentrate. Students who may have been hesitant at first are now more willing to engage because they can listen carefully, repeat instructions, and build confidence without distractions.\r\n\r\nMost importantly, these supplies help create a classroom where every child feels prepared and included from day one. When students don't have to worry about lacking basic materials, they are free to focus on exploring, creating, and learning together. I've especially seen some of my more reserved or easily overwhelmed learners thrive when given access to consistent tools and structured support. These small but essential resources truly help set the tone for a joyful, productive, and equitable learning experience.","fullyFundedDate":1755695683128,"projectUrl":"project/bright-beginnings-essential-supplies-fo/9618084/","projectTitle":"Bright Beginnings: Essential Supplies for My Kindergarteners","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Kumar","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-5_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/7684928"},{"teacherId":7684928,"projectId":9248412,"letterContent":"Thanks to this project, my students now have access to rich, visually engaging books that make the world feel closer and more accessible to them. Many of these texts introduce them to natural history specimens, global art and cultural artifacts, and scientific and historical collections they might not otherwise have the chance to experience firsthand. As we read together, students are practicing key literacy skills such as building vocabulary, asking and answering questions, making inferences from images and text, and using new information to form and revise their thinking. These museum-inspired books naturally invite discussion, which strengthens their speaking and listening skills as well.\r\n\r\nReading in our classroom is now more interactive and exploratory. Students often gather in small groups or on the carpet to closely examine photographs, ask \"I wonder...\" questions, and share personal connections to what they see. I've noticed students who are typically more reserved becoming especially engaged when they encounter striking visuals of animals, ancient artifacts, or artwork from around the world. These texts are helping all learners—especially those still developing confidence in reading—access complex ideas through imagery and shared discussion, which builds both comprehension and enthusiasm.\r\n\r\nMost importantly, these books are helping cultivate curiosity and a sense of wonder about the world. Students are beginning to see reading not just as a skill to practice, but as a way to explore, discover, and understand things beyond their everyday experiences.","fullyFundedDate":1744210418648,"projectUrl":"project/exploring-our-world-through-beautiful-bo/9248412/","projectTitle":"Exploring Our World Through Beautiful Books","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Kumar","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-5_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/7684928"},{"teacherId":7684928,"projectId":8984095,"letterContent":"Thank you for supporting our classroom and helping provide art supplies, STEM toys, and books for my kindergarten students. When the materials arrived, the excitement in the room was incredible! Students eagerly explored the new books, couldn't wait to create with the markers and colored pencils, and were immediately drawn to the STEM building materials. These resources have transformed our classroom into a place where students can learn through creativity, exploration, and hands-on discovery.\r\n\r\nWe have been using the books during read-alouds, small-group instruction, and independent reading time to build literacy skills and foster a love of reading. The art supplies have allowed students to illustrate stories, create projects connected to classroom themes, and express their ideas in meaningful ways. During STEM activities, students have worked collaboratively to design and build structures, solve problems, and test their ideas. One memorable moment was watching students work together to build a bridge using construction materials, discussing different solutions and celebrating their success when their design worked.\r\n\r\nThese materials will continue to support our learning throughout the year. Our next steps include integrating books, art, and STEM challenges into thematic units that encourage students to read, create, investigate, and share their thinking. Because of your generosity, my students have access to engaging learning experiences that strengthen academic skills while nurturing creativity, curiosity, and confidence. Thank you for making such a meaningful difference in our classroom.","fullyFundedDate":1733261440398,"projectUrl":"project/supplies-for-expression-and-exploration/8984095/","projectTitle":"Supplies for Expression and Exploration!","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Kumar","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-5_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/7684928"},{"teacherId":7684928,"projectId":8842114,"letterContent":"Here's a donor-focused version that answers those reflection questions:\r\n\r\nMany people love reading books, but teaching children how to read is a complex and exciting process. The decodable and early reader books from this project help students practice important foundational skills such as recognizing letter-sound relationships, blending sounds together, reading high-frequency words, and developing reading fluency. As students become more confident readers, they also begin working on comprehension skills like making predictions, retelling stories, identifying characters and settings, and making connections to their own lives. These books provide the structured practice students need while still giving them enjoyable stories to read.\r\n\r\nReading in my classroom is active and engaging. Students participate in whole-group read-alouds, partner reading, small-group instruction, and independent reading time. Throughout the day, children practice using the phonics skills they are learning to decode words and read increasingly complex texts. One of the most rewarding moments as a teacher is seeing a student successfully read a book independently for the first time. The pride and excitement on their faces is unforgettable.\r\n\r\nThe impact of these books is especially meaningful for students who may have struggled with reading confidence at the beginning of the year. When students are given books that match their developing skills, they experience success, and that success motivates them to keep reading. Some students who were once hesitant to pick up a book now eagerly volunteer to read aloud, share stories with classmates, and take books home to read with their families. Your support is helping create confident readers who see themselves as capable, successful learners. Thank you for investing in their literacy journey and helping open the door to a lifetime of learning.","fullyFundedDate":1727957117236,"projectUrl":"project/one-book-two-books/8842114/","projectTitle":"One Book, Two Books...","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Kumar","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-5_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/7684928"},{"teacherId":6921799,"projectId":10149660,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your kind donation of \"The Summer of the Mariposas\" novel. We have been reading the novel in class as a novel study, and the majority of the students have really enjoyed reading it. Many of them were excited to learn that they would be keeping the book, rather than having to return it the school once it was finished - as is the norm. \r\nWe have a used a variety of reading techniques in the classroom: partner reading, choral reading, echo reading, using an audio book while following along, and silent reading. Typical techniques we would use in class to exploit the story are: annotating and summaring the text, using graphic organizers, predictive reading, jigsaw reading, AVID techniques such as Carousel and World Cafe, and lastly journaling. It has been a great experience for the students and through these techniques and having their own book they have really got so much more out of the book than they would have normally.\r\nThank you so much again for your generosity!","fullyFundedDate":1773841227265,"projectUrl":"project/novel-studies-with-the-summer-of-the-mar/10149660/","projectTitle":"Novel Studies with The Summer of the Mariposas","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Edwards","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp6921799_orig.png?crop=320,320,x244,y378&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1715045062112","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/6921799"},{"teacherId":1021865,"projectId":9957612,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for donating to this project. I really appreciate your generosity. The boxes made a huge difference in the way my students were able to organize their materials, coats, backpacks, etc. in their cubbies. Before, their papers and books were getting lost because they would fall out of their cubbies on to the floor. \r\n\r\nI've also enjoyed using the magnetic, dry erase sentence strips on my whiteboards.\r\nThey help me organize vocabulary words based on the content area. So that my students know which words apply to which subject.\r\n\r\nThanks again,\r\nMrs. Shirts","fullyFundedDate":1767630842141,"projectUrl":"project/managing-our-mess/9957612/","projectTitle":"Managing Our Mess","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Shirts","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp1021865_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1714862232455","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/1021865"},{"teacherId":8672730,"projectId":9616710,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting my project, Math in Play: Organizing and Creating Engaging Math Games. Your generosity is making a real difference in my classroom, and I am truly grateful.\r\n\r\nBecause of your support, my students will have access to hands-on, interactive math games that make learning both fun and meaningful. These resources will help strengthen their problem-solving skills, build confidence, and encourage collaboration with their peers. By turning math into an engaging experience, you are helping students see that learning can be exciting and rewarding.\r\n\r\nYour kindness goes beyond providing materials—you are helping create an environment where students feel motivated to explore, take risks, and grow. The impact of your donation will be felt every day as students actively engage with math in new and creative ways.\r\n\r\nThank you again for believing in my students and for helping bring this project to life.","fullyFundedDate":1755699921504,"projectUrl":"project/math-in-play-organizing-and-creating-en/9616710/","projectTitle":"Math in Play: Organizing and Creating Engaging Math Games!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Hroch","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-6_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8672730"},{"teacherId":8512241,"projectId":10022983,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting our project, \"The Gift of Non-Permanence.\" Your generosity has truly made a difference in our classroom. Because of you, students have materials that help them feel more comfortable taking risks and learning from mistakes. The grid paper has been a game-changer in math. Students are organizing their work more clearly, lining up numbers correctly, and building confidence as they solve problems. The lined paper has also supported their writing, helping them slow down, structure their thoughts, and take more pride in what they create.\r\n\r\nThe sticky notes have brought a whole new energy to our Socratic seminars. Students use them to capture their thinking, jot down questions, and respond to each other during discussions. It's been amazing to see more students—especially those who are usually quieter—jump into conversations with confidence because they've had time to prepare their ideas. These small tools have made a big impact in helping students feel heard, prepared, and connected. \r\n\r\nWe are so grateful for your support and for believing in our students. Your donation didn't just provide supplies. It helped create a classroom where students feel safe to try, reflect, and grow. Thank you for being part of our learning community and for making such a meaningful difference in our students' daily experiences.","fullyFundedDate":1769021799456,"projectUrl":"project/the-gift-of-non-permanence/10022983/","projectTitle":"The Gift of Non Permanence","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. H","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8512241_orig.jpg?crop=1680,1680,x328,y80&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1710898311951","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8512241"},{"teacherId":7133572,"projectId":9935461,"letterContent":"Thank you for helping restock my classroom for the end of the year! Students were so excited to get fresh prizes in the prize box! I was thrilled to restock printer ink and materials for anchor charts to continue creating useful resources for student learning.\r\n\r\nWith the Teachers-Pay-Teachers gift card, I was able to purchase a focus wall bundle for our new Language Arts curriculum, giving students colorful and engaging visuals that align with each unit. They love looking at them throughout the day and referencing them throughout the unit to remember key concepts from each lesson. The printer ink sure came in handy when making all those color copies!\r\n\r\nWe cannot thank you enough!","fullyFundedDate":1764689801617,"projectUrl":"project/classroom-restock/9935461/","projectTitle":"Classroom Restock!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Dye","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7133572_orig.jpg?crop=2400,2400,x0,y8&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1692571601908","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/7133572"},{"teacherId":9114143,"projectId":9856162,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your donation towards my small group seating project. Being able to get different chairs for my small group has made my small groups run much smoother because the student's have a more comfortable chair for quick, easy access. I am able to host more students at my small group with a smaller size of chair, and helps their focus while at small group.\r\nIt has also allowed me to offer some flexible seating to students in class that might just need a different chair to get some wiggles out or able to sit better, which then helps them focus better.","fullyFundedDate":1764608630318,"projectUrl":"project/small-group-seating/9856162/","projectTitle":"Small Group Seating","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Ballantyne","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-2_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9114143"},{"teacherId":8672730,"projectId":9628827,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous contribution to our classroom. Your support makes a meaningful difference in the learning experiences we are able to provide for our students each day.\r\n\r\nBecause of your kindness, our classroom is better equipped with the resources and materials that help students stay engaged, curious, and excited about learning. Your donation directly supports a positive environment where every child has the opportunity to grow, explore, and succeed.\r\n\r\nOn behalf of my students and our entire classroom community, thank you for investing in education and believing in our learners. Your generosity truly makes an impact.","fullyFundedDate":1756157886199,"projectUrl":"project/write-erase-repeat-helping-students-s/9628827/","projectTitle":"Write. Erase. Repeat! Helping Students Stay Organized and Engaged","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Hroch","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-6_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8672730"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_33406","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":522,"numTeachers":null,"percentFrplEligible":57,"percentAsian":0,"percentBlack":1,"percentWhite":60,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":31,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","percentHawaiianImputed":1,"percentMultiracialImputed":5,"gradesServed":"K - 6","studentTeacherRatio":null,"demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_SMALL"},"inStateSupporters":63.5,"schoolId":33406,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Polk Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Polk Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/utah/ogden-school-district/polk-elementary-school/33406"}