{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"PS 256 Benjamin Banneker","outOfStateSupporters":36.6,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":10184576,"projectId":10421512,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous donations to my classroom for the 2026-2027 school year! My students are thrilled with the new puzzles, and love playing with them as an incentive to finish their classwork on time and with their best effort. Students are especially enamored with the math puzzles, which give them an opportunity to practice the one-to-one counting strategies we are learning in math, as well as giving them crucial exposure to numbers 11-20. The large foam dice have also been a welcome addition to our math lessons--a very engaging way to promote subitizing (recognizing a quantity on sight, without having to count), as well as beginning addition concepts. We also use the foam dice in various math tasks and math games. The number line allows students to see the progression of numbers from small to big, and familiarize themselves with what numbers look like into the hundreds and beyond! \r\n\r\nThe fresh set of toys and puzzles has also added depth to our EL Literacy toy unit. When my students saw the new toys, their eyes lit up! There are more plastic food items and baby dolls (our two most popular centers) for students to share, which gives them more opportunities to develop vocabulary, use their imaginations, and connect with one another. Thank you again for everything! We are so happy and thankful!","fullyFundedDate":1787551351477,"projectUrl":"project/kindergarten-architects-and-engineers-ne/10421512/","projectTitle":"Kindergarten Architects and Engineers Need Tools for the Trade!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Hauptman","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10184576_orig.jpg?crop=4281,4281,x0,y199&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1787328718952","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ms-hauptman"},{"teacherId":10270274,"projectId":9901669,"letterContent":"This project provided so many opportunities for our students to create while having the chance to build friendships. They would sit in small circles while student leaders modeled crocheting techniques. We talked about our lives and families and the challenges and joys of our lives.\r\n\r\nThis project was also interesting because it was challenging! It was hard to learn how to crochet, and that challenge provided both an opportunity for leadership and an exercise in managing our frustration as we learned crocheting together.","fullyFundedDate":1767233697646,"projectUrl":"project/hook-yarn-and-harmony-building-skills/9901669/","projectTitle":"Hook, Yarn, and Harmony: Building Skills and Friendships Through Crochet","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Musso","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10270274_orig.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1792764532521","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10270274"},{"teacherId":9333285,"projectId":9642428,"letterContent":"With gratitude, I am writing this letter to describe the impact that these materials have had on my young students very quickly.\r\n\r\nFrom the moment they saw the light panels, they had so many questions about what they were for and what they do. After I plugged them in and modeled how to build with the magnetizes and how we can put letters and numbers together on the panels, the children were absolutely enthralled. They used the community helpers to drive the construction trucks to move building materials between the light panels. They are making connections between what they see in their home of Brooklyn to their play.\r\n\r\nThey have been so engaged building and experimenting with how the magnets can fit together in what happens when 2 magnets repel each other and how to work around it. They have been engaged in conversations and lengthy dramatic play scenarios all while being able to negotiate the shared use of these amazing materials. Developing vocabulary around construction and architecture, these materials have supported students in their growth in a short period of time.\r\n\r\nThank you so much for supporting public schools, especially those that receive Title 1 funding. Your generosity has helped possibly develop the next generation of New York City architects and engineers.","fullyFundedDate":1756253483362,"projectUrl":"project/let-there-be-light/9642428/","projectTitle":"Let There Be Light!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Ciarcia-Haase","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9333285_orig.jpg?crop=1468,1468,x892,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1755890028860","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9333285"},{"teacherId":10270274,"projectId":9731828,"letterContent":"Thank you again for supporting our classroom and helping us build a library filled with engaging, high-interest books. Since your donation, reading has become one of the most exciting parts of our day. Students now have access to books that reflect their interests, identities, and curiosities, and this has transformed the energy around independent reading time. We are now seeing students eagerly exchange recommendations, reread favorite passages, and even ask for more time with books—something every teacher dreams of witnessing.\r\n\r\nThese new books allow students to practice meaningful literacy skills such as fluency, comprehension strategies, and building vocabulary through authentic engagement rather than worksheets or rote tasks. We use these texts to teach students how to identify theme, infer character motivation, and build deeper connections across texts. Reading in our classroom now includes cozy reading corners, book talks, and moments of shared discovery. One student who previously struggled to engage with reading has now finished her first graphic novel series and proudly announced she is \"officially a reader.\" Others are branching into new genres, challenging themselves with longer texts, or exploring nonfiction topics they didn't even know they loved.\r\n\r\nThis project has had a significant impact on student learning and our overall classroom community. With the support of the Steven and Alexandra Cohen Foundation and individual donors like you, we were able to build a library that supports strong literacy habits, student choice, and true engagement. The materials provided have allowed me to teach reading in a way that is joyful, responsive, and highly effective—not just assigning books, but cultivating lifelong readers. Thank you for believing in our students' potential and for helping build a space where every child can find a book that makes them feel seen, curious, and excited to learn.","fullyFundedDate":1758899168185,"projectUrl":"project/reading-matters-lets-make-it-fun/9731828/","projectTitle":"Reading Matters: Let's Make It Fun!","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Musso","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10270274_orig.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1792764532521","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10270274"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_530","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":181,"numTeachers":18,"percentFrplEligible":95,"percentAsian":3,"percentBlack":57,"percentWhite":3,"percentIndigenous":1,"percentLatinx":33,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","percentHawaiianImputed":0,"percentMultiracialImputed":0,"gradesServed":"K - 6","studentTeacherRatio":"10.1:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":63.4,"schoolId":530,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about PS 256 Benjamin Banneker on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"PS 256 Benjamin Banneker","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/new-york/new-york-city-dept-of-ed/ps-256-benjamin-banneker/530"}