{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Ruffner Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":40.0,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":6704755,"projectId":10154307,"letterContent":"This project has brought so much excitement and energy to library classes for our younger students. The playful, familiar style of these texts makes it easier for our youngest learners to understand how stories work while keeping them engaged and eager to participate. Students are building foundational literacy skills like making predictions and identifying characters and their feelings. These books have helped create a welcoming space where all students, from Pre-K through 2nd grade, feel confident, included, and excited about reading. Thank you for giving!","fullyFundedDate":1773848084289,"projectUrl":"project/reading-is-fun-with-pigeon-knuffle-bunn/10154307/","projectTitle":"Reading Is Fun with Pigeon, Knuffle Bunny, and Leonardo!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Berry","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp6704755_orig.png?crop=864,864,x0,y20&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1732885930470","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/6704755"},{"teacherId":8563880,"projectId":9507464,"letterContent":"Your support has made a meaningful and lasting impact on my first grade classroom by helping create a positive, engaging environment where students feel excited to learn and motivated to make good choices each day.\r\nWhile many people love reading books, teaching young readers involves building a wide range of foundational skills. With the addition of new texts like Pete the Cat: Snow Daze, my students are practicing important literacy skills such as recognizing high frequency words, building fluency, and improving comprehension. We focus on retelling stories, identifying main ideas, and making connections, all while fostering a genuine love for reading. These books also support social emotional learning, as students relate to characters, discuss feelings, and practice empathy.\r\nReading in our classroom is active and engaging. Students participate in read alouds, partner reading, and small group instruction using decodable texts and interactive strategies. You might see students whisper reading to themselves, using hand motions for phonemic awareness, or highlighting key parts of a story. We also incorporate writing by having students respond to what they read through drawing and simple sentences, helping strengthen both literacy and communication skills.\r\nThese seasonal incentives have also strengthened our classroom community in powerful ways. Students are working hard to demonstrate kindness, responsibility, and teamwork because they know their positive choices are recognized and celebrated. I have seen students encouraging one another, helping their peers, and taking pride in earning rewards together.\r\nSeveral students who have struggled with engagement are especially excited about these new experiences. For example, some of my more hesitant readers are eager to participate during read alouds and are more willing to take risks in their learning. Others light up during our hands on crafts and group activities, showing increased confidence and collaboration with their classmates.\r\nOverall, this project has helped create a classroom where students feel valued, motivated, and connected. Your generosity has allowed learning to go beyond academics by building strong relationships, positive behaviors, and a true love for reading.","fullyFundedDate":1755712396693,"projectUrl":"project/reading-creating-and-celebrating-holi/9507464/","projectTitle":"Reading, Creating, and Celebrating: Holiday Rewards with Purpose","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Groves","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8563880_orig.jpg?crop=1725,1725,x317,y657&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1745579573409","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8563880"},{"teacherId":5653007,"projectId":9904354,"letterContent":"Thank you for your support of our crochet club! \r\nStudents have learned foundational crochet skills, including how to make a slip knot, create a chain stitch, move to a new row using single crochet, and how to read a simple crochet pattern. \r\nThe students were excited to see all of the different color yarn and the materials they got to crochet with.\r\nOur next lesson will focus on applying these new skills to create a crocheted coaster.\r\nThank you for investing in our students' creativity and growth!","fullyFundedDate":1769300912712,"projectUrl":"project/yarn-stitchers/9904354/","projectTitle":"Yarn Stitchers","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Meador","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-4_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/5653007"},{"teacherId":6704755,"projectId":9958169,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting my project, Organizing Our Library: Book Bins for Independent Readers! Your generosity has helped me organize our library books into sturdy, student‑friendly book bins, making it easier for students to find books that interest them and return them independently.\r\nWith clear labeling and organized bins sorted by genre, topic, reading level, and series, our library has become more organized and accessible to all readers. Students can now brows with confidence, discover books they love, and spend more time reading and exploring independently. Thank you!","fullyFundedDate":1773983660763,"projectUrl":"project/organizing-our-library-book-bins-for-in/9958169/","projectTitle":"Organizing Our Library: Book Bins for Independent Readers","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Berry","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp6704755_orig.png?crop=864,864,x0,y20&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1732885930470","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/6704755"},{"teacherId":6704755,"projectId":10154286,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting my project, Reading Is Groovy with Pete the Cat! Your generosity has brought a collection of highly engaging, student-favorite books into our classroom, and the impact has been immediate.\r\nYoung students are naturally drawn to Pete the Cat stories, and having access to these books has made reading even more exciting and accessible. Their rhythmic, repetitive text and familiar characters help build confidence in early readers while strengthening foundational literacy skills. When students are excited about what they're reading, they are more eager to participate, practice, and grow as readers. \r\nI'm so grateful for your generosity and the joy these books have brought to our youngest readers.","fullyFundedDate":1773836074557,"projectUrl":"project/reading-is-groovy-with-pete-the-cat/10154286/","projectTitle":"Reading Is Groovy with Pete the Cat!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Berry","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp6704755_orig.png?crop=864,864,x0,y20&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1732885930470","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/6704755"},{"teacherId":6704755,"projectId":10149547,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting my project, The Crayons Quit, But Our Reading Won't! Your generosity has added engaging, high-interest books to our library collection.\r\nWith these new books—especially favorites like The Day the Crayons Quit—students are more excited than ever to read, discuss, and think deeply about stories. These titles spark creativity, inspire laughter, and help students see reading as something joyful rather than a task. They also create opportunities for meaningful conversations, build confidence, and foster a strong sense of community through shared reading experiences. For many students, access to quality books in the classroom is a powerful step toward becoming lifelong readers.\r\nThank you for believing in my students and investing in their growth. Your kindness is making a lasting difference, and we are so grateful for your support.","fullyFundedDate":1773836074270,"projectUrl":"project/the-crayons-quit-but-our-reading-wont/10149547/","projectTitle":"The Crayons Quit… But Our Reading Won’t!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Berry","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp6704755_orig.png?crop=864,864,x0,y20&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1732885930470","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/6704755"},{"teacherId":6704755,"projectId":9978562,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting my project. Because of your generosity, my students now have access to engaging books that are helping us explore digital citizenship and build essential technology skills in meaningful, age-appropriate ways.\r\nThese books open the door to important conversations about how to be safe, responsible, and kind in a digital world. We are learning about topics like online behavior, protecting personal information, and making positive choices when using technology. The stories provide relatable examples that help students better understand what it means to be a good digital citizen, both in and out of the classroom.\r\nIn addition, the Teachers Pay Teachers gift card helped me purchase high-quality, targeted resources that extend these lessons even further. These materials will give students hands-on opportunities to practice what they are learning through interactive activities, discussions, and real-world scenarios. This combination of literature and engaging resources is helping students understand technology and use it thoughtfully and responsibly.\r\nThese materials will be used for many years, making a lasting impact by equipping my students with the skills they need to navigate today's digital world with confidence. Thank you for investing in their growth and future!","fullyFundedDate":1773333664110,"projectUrl":"project/building-literacy-and-technology-skills/9978562/","projectTitle":"Building Literacy and Technology Skills Through Picture Books","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Berry","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp6704755_orig.png?crop=864,864,x0,y20&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1732885930470","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/6704755"},{"teacherId":6704755,"projectId":9931360,"letterContent":"These leveled books have been a great addition to our library! Kindergarten and first-grade students are just as eager as our older students to meet their reading goals. Having a selection of books that are easy for them to read and comprehend keeps them motivated and interested in reading!\r\nStudents are excited to check out the new Mr. Putter and Tabby books this year. I know they'll enjoy reading them at school or taking them home to read with their families.\r\nThank you for helping me to make reading accessible for our youngest readers!","fullyFundedDate":1767215892731,"projectUrl":"project/leveled-books-for-little-bookworms/9931360/","projectTitle":"Leveled Books for Little Bookworms","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Berry","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp6704755_orig.png?crop=864,864,x0,y20&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1732885930470","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/6704755"},{"teacherId":9646992,"projectId":9317442,"letterContent":"Testing is a very stressful time for many students. Unfortunately, our district did not have the ability to supply all students with working headphones or keyboards. Through this donors choose I was able to have both items in working condition at the beginning of the year. The keyboards allow students to type their writing response, while the headphones allow them to concentrate better. \r\n\r\nThese are small improvements that can make all the difference to the students in my room. They were very grateful for the items that we received.","fullyFundedDate":1746786163741,"projectUrl":"project/testing-technology-upgrade/9317442/","projectTitle":"Testing Technology Upgrade","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Bickoff","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9646992_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1724599162437","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrs-bickoff"},{"teacherId":9646992,"projectId":9246913,"letterContent":"Small group reading instruction allows teachers to work with fewer students at a time and concentrate on what they may need improvements on. Having different genres in our book selection is crucial to teaching students about reading and writing. We have found that informational text can be hard for students to fully understand and work through. \r\n\r\nOne of the books in this set was an \"I Survived\" books that helps us teach about a historical event while still entertaining the students. We work hard on informational texts to help our students not fall behind in this content area.","fullyFundedDate":1746107721966,"projectUrl":"project/expanding-our-understanding-through-read/9246913/","projectTitle":"Expanding Our Understanding Through Reading","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Bickoff","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9646992_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1724599162437","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrs-bickoff"},{"teacherId":9646992,"projectId":9318583,"letterContent":"Small group math time is essential, especially for struggling students. Math is not usually a subject that comes easy to most, however with the tools that your donation helped make possible, they are able to learn in different ways. \r\n\r\nWhen it comes to math, many students need to see it done several ways. Having flash cards, games, and manipulatives makes that possible. We also use our flash cards to play multiplication games to make practicing fun. \r\n\r\nHaving such support for our classroom is a blessing that we are forever grateful for.","fullyFundedDate":1746785751091,"projectUrl":"project/math-centers-for-enthusiastic-learners/9318583/","projectTitle":"Math Centers for Enthusiastic Learners","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Bickoff","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9646992_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1724599162437","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrs-bickoff"},{"teacherId":9646992,"projectId":9317507,"letterContent":"It's amazing the support that comes to our little classroom. My students have been thoroughly enjoying our new reading book. Thanks to your generosity, I was able to create a quiet comfortable space that students can relax and enjoy their favorite book in. \r\n\r\nOut of the way of the normal hub bub of a school day, students enjoy getting cozy and having quiet reading time in our space. We are also able to keep the space clean with our amazing vacuum cleaner that students take turns using. Once again, your contribution helps my students feel at home and comfortable.","fullyFundedDate":1746786269850,"projectUrl":"project/cozy-reading-nook/9317507/","projectTitle":"Cozy Reading Nook","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Bickoff","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9646992_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1724599162437","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrs-bickoff"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_38974","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":270,"numTeachers":20,"percentFrplEligible":95,"percentAsian":1,"percentBlack":12,"percentWhite":72,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":0,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"Pre-K - 5","studentTeacherRatio":"13.5:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"RURAL","ncesMetroType":"RURAL_FRINGE"},"inStateSupporters":60.0,"schoolId":38974,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Ruffner Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Ruffner Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/west-virginia/kanawha-county-school-district/ruffner-elementary-school/38974"}