{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"S Christa McAuliffe Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":39.5,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":9921316,"projectId":10458671,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generosity in helping bring wonderful resources into our Pre-K classroom! Your support has given my students more opportunities to learn, explore, create, and discover through hands-on play.\r\n\r\nOur students were so excited to see all of the new materials! The play dough quickly became a favorite as students rolled, squished, and formed letters, shapes, and their own creations. Our students are highly engaged during math groups using our counting caterpillar, fruit, and person counters, while the building manipulatives have strengthened our fine motor skills and creativity. Even our wooden cleaning set has created meaningful opportunities for imaginative play, practicing independence, and learning how we can take care of our classroom and one another.\r\n\r\nOne of my favorite experiences so far has been using the laminating sheets to create a retelling activity for Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? Our library area doesn't always get as much attention during choice time, so I laminated pictures of the story's animals and placed them on our magnetic felt board. It quickly became a hit! One child took on the role of storyteller, holding the book and \"reading\" aloud, while two others placed the matching animal pictures on the felt board as the story progressed. They loved it so much that they repeated the activity again and again, taking turns! It was wonderful watching them practice storytelling, sequencing, and cooperation through play. I look forward to creating additional durable storytelling cards to match our books.\r\n\r\nI've also used the laminating sheets to create individualized visuals for students with special learning needs, pretend-play visuals, and durable vocabulary cards connected to our classroom themes.\r\n\r\nThank you for investing in our little learners!","fullyFundedDate":1786741864917,"projectUrl":"project/little-learners-big-ideas-hands-on-pre/10458671/","projectTitle":"Little Learners, Big Ideas: Hands-On Pre-K Materials","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Sandra","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9921316_orig.jpg?crop=2320,2320,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1785019383895","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9921316"},{"teacherId":8953219,"projectId":10315421,"letterContent":"Every day I have the joy of watching my students sit down to read with excitement in their eyes! That is a feeling I haven't experienced in quite some time. This is a special group of learners and your donation made their book selection even more exciting.\r\n\r\nThe waterfall display allows them to see the covers, which has lured them into reading books on dinosaurs and medieval times- both of which align with our reading unit. These books previously sat in a bin, rarely touched. Now they are displayed on their level, right at their fingertips.\r\n\r\nI owe that to you and I am grateful for your kind heart and generous spirit. You have helped make reading the center of my classroom and I know that the excitement will live on their hearts!","fullyFundedDate":1781805910067,"projectUrl":"project/inspiring-readers/10315421/","projectTitle":"Inspiring Readers","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Morse","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8953219_orig.jpg?crop=745,745,x1219,y1280&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1766179268156","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrs-morse-203"},{"teacherId":9970600,"projectId":10156822,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for funding my project and providing my students with multisensory heart word flashcards! At our school, we use the term heart words instead of sight words to remind students that these are words they are learning to remember by heart. These materials have already made a big difference in my classroom, especially for my multilingual learners (MLLs) who are learning English. The visuals help students connect words to their meanings rather than just seeing letters put together. I have used the cards during one-on-one instruction and in small groups, and my students have been highly engaged with the pictures and activities. The additional suggestions included with the materials have also been very helpful, giving me new ways to incorporate the cards into our lessons and turn learning into a game. I select heart words that students are still learning and lay out the corresponding cards. After plenty of practice, I call out a word and have students find the matching card to practice word recognition and build automaticity. Students also put heart words together to create sentences, giving them opportunities to practice using these words in meaningful ways.\r\n\r\nAnother benefit is being able to display the heart word cards in our classroom as visual supports that students can refer to when writing. Rather than relying only on their memory, they have a resource to help them spell words and use them in sentences. I also have students create their own heart word cards using the multisensory cards as examples. They draw pictures to represent the words and then use the words to create their own sentences. This gives students more opportunities to recognize, practice, and use heart words independently while building connections between pictures, spoken language, and writing. Your generosity has given my students meaningful opportunities to practice English, express their ideas, and become more confident and independent learners. Thank you for investing in my students and helping make our classroom a more engaging and supportive place to learn","fullyFundedDate":1779721859008,"projectUrl":"project/empowering-mll-students-through-sight-wo/10156822/","projectTitle":"Empowering MLL Students Through Sight Words & Visual Learning","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Lim","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-1_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9970600"},{"teacherId":2261039,"projectId":10253800,"letterContent":"The generous donations to our classroom have made a meaningful difference in the daily learning experiences of my first grade students. The plastic folder covers have been especially helpful for our take-home folders. First graders carry their folders back and forth between home and school every day, and without protection, they can quickly become torn, bent, or worn out. The durable plastic covers help keep our folders in good condition throughout the entire school year, allowing students to safely bring home important work, classroom information, and reading materials. This simple resource has helped our students take greater responsibility and pride in caring for their belongings.\r\n\r\nThe letter sound boards have also become an important part of our phonics instruction. During phonics lessons, students use the magnetic letters and sound combinations to physically build and manipulate words. Being able to move the letters around as they practice sounds helps make abstract phonics concepts more concrete and engaging, especially for young learners who are just beginning to understand how sounds work together to form words. These boards give my students hands-on practice with word building and allow them to see, hear, and manipulate sounds as they develop their early reading and spelling skills.\r\n\r\nThank you for investing in our classroom and helping provide materials that my students can use every single day. Your generosity is helping create a classroom where students have the tools they need to become confident, independent readers and learners.","fullyFundedDate":1777990126735,"projectUrl":"project/stronger-readers-and-sturdy-folders/10253800/","projectTitle":"Stronger Readers and Sturdy Folders!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Guilbeault","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp2261039_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1522852504316","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/2261039"},{"teacherId":1051057,"projectId":10076134,"letterContent":"This project has been such an amazing learning experience for my students. We have learned just about all 50 States & Capitals and have so much fun while doing so. \r\nWe have played games, practiced with flash cards, read books, done word puzzles and posted our growth for all to see. \r\n The students have loved quizzing each other to see how they are coming along and asking other adults when they see them in the hallway. \r\nWhat a fun year we have had learning our states and capitals. \r\nThis is all thanks to amazing donors who put kids first. We appreciate you more than you know. Donors Choose is such an amazing program! We are feeling lucky in Lowell, MA.","fullyFundedDate":1772227169009,"projectUrl":"project/states-capitals/10076134/","projectTitle":"States & Capitals","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Bedard","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp1051057_orig.png?crop=456,456,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1588768484947","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/1051057"},{"teacherId":2542160,"projectId":10154642,"letterContent":"Thanks to your generosity, my students have had access to engaging Scholastic Magazines and the incredible online archive of articles, videos, and interactive resources. These materials have made reading feel exciting, meaningful, and connected to the real world.\r\n\r\nOne of the biggest impacts has been on student engagement and motivation to read. The magazines introduce students to nonfiction texts in a way that feels fun and accessible while also teaching important literacy skills such as identifying main ideas, finding text evidence, comparing information across sources, and conducting research. Students are learning how to read closely, ask questions, and think critically about what they read.\r\n\r\nReading in our classroom looks active and collaborative. Students read articles together, discuss ideas with partners, watch accompanying videos, and use the online resources to dive deeper into topics they are curious about. The combination of print and digital materials helps reach all types of learners and keeps students highly engaged.\r\n\r\nMy students especially loved the Scholastic videos, particularly the feature about \"Who Would Win?\" author Jerry Pallotta. We are currently writing our own \"Who Would Win?\" books in class, so this was incredibly meaningful for them. Students were fascinated to learn how Jerry Pallotta researches animals, gathers facts, and organizes information before writing his books. The Scholastic resources helped students understand that authors are researchers and learners, too. They used the articles, videos, and archives to research their own animals and gather facts to support their writing.\r\n\r\nSeveral students who are usually hesitant readers have become some of the most excited participants during magazine lessons. Students who love animals and science have especially connected with the nonfiction content and eagerly share new facts they discover. Seeing students excited to read, research, and write with confidence has been one of the most rewarding parts of this project.\r\n\r\nThank you for helping create a classroom filled with curiosity, discussion, and joyful learning.","fullyFundedDate":1773849749754,"projectUrl":"project/bringing-scholastic-news-to-curious-3rd/10154642/","projectTitle":"Bringing Scholastic News to Curious 3rd Graders!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Chandler","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp2542160_orig.jpg?crop=554,554,x268,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1556832185379","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/hking"},{"teacherId":1354363,"projectId":10165457,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for helping fund my project. I have already been incorporating some of the felt board pieces into our lessons and library center. When we were learning about different types of weather I had the Dress the Bear for the Weather at the flannelboard in our library. My students could look out our classroom window and dress the bear to go along with the day's weather. I introduced the song 5 Green Specked Frogs using the flannelboard at whole group time and the children retold the song musing the flannelboard during center time. The children are enjoying playing with the insects flannelboard set and learning and naming the different insects. The children are working on turn taking skills when playing at the flannelboard with their peers.\r\n The space set will be integrated into our space unit. The ocean set will be used during our ocean theme. The children will be able to work on their retelling stories skills when usig the Brown Bear,, Polar Bear, Pete the Cat , The Mitten, Goldilocks and the 3 bears , the Little Red Hen and the The Three Little Pigs stories Sets.","fullyFundedDate":1774963711853,"projectUrl":"project/retelling-with-the-help-of-felt-board-st/10165457/","projectTitle":"Retelling With the Help Of Felt Board Stories","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Gordon","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp1354363_orig.jpg?crop=480,481,x0,y169&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1785432127716","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/jagordon"},{"teacherId":2542160,"projectId":10153178,"letterContent":"Thanks to your incredible generosity, our classroom library has been transformed in the most exciting way! We've received 25 Who Would Win books (a huge student favorite!), along with beloved series like The Babysitters Club, The Bad Guys, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and Dog Man.\r\n\r\nThe moment we unboxed the books, the room filled with excitement—students were cheering, grabbing titles, and immediately diving into reading. It was one of those joyful classroom moments that reminds me just how powerful access to engaging books can be.\r\n\r\nAlready, I'm seeing students who were previously hesitant about reading eagerly picking up books and getting lost in stories. Half the battle is helping children want to read, and your donation is making that happen. These high-interest series are building confidence, stamina, and a genuine love of reading.\r\n\r\nThank you for helping turn our classroom into a place where students are excited to read every day. Your support is truly making a lasting impact!","fullyFundedDate":1773868823640,"projectUrl":"project/series-ously-good-books/10153178/","projectTitle":"Series-ously Good Books!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Chandler","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp2542160_orig.jpg?crop=554,554,x268,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1556832185379","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/hking"},{"teacherId":1354363,"projectId":9865476,"letterContent":"Thanks you so much for helping fund my project! These materials have been a welcome addition to our classroom! They have become a favorite of my students!\r\n The magnetic blocks have enhanced my students creativity and problem solving skills. The letters and numbers have been used on our light boards. The children have sorted the letters and numbers. Have started putting the numbers in sequential order. They enjoy finding the letters in their name. They continue to develop problem solving skils when building with the stacking stones. The blue sand and penguins and ice blocks was put in our sensory table during our polar animals theme. The kids had so much fun! We will be adding the kinetic sand next month during our construction theme.","fullyFundedDate":1764700445761,"projectUrl":"project/preschoolers-discovering-stem/9865476/","projectTitle":"Preschoolers Discovering STEM!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Gordon","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp1354363_orig.jpg?crop=480,481,x0,y169&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1785432127716","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/jagordon"},{"teacherId":824958,"projectId":9835748,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting our classroom! Since receiving the tracing light tables, my kindergarten students have been absolutely thrilled to use them. They are highly engaged and excited during learning time, carefully tracing shapes, pictures, and patterns. The light tables have helped students strengthen their fine motor skills as they fill in pictures, create designs, and match images, all while staying focused and motivated.\r\n\r\nThese hands-on tools have also encouraged creativity and collaboration. Students work together to create patterns, tell stories about their pictures, and explore new ideas in a calm, sensory-rich way. I've seen increased concentration, improved pencil control, and growing confidence — especially in students who benefit from visual and tactile learning experiences.\r\n\r\nYour generosity has truly made a difference in our classroom. The tracing light tables have created joyful learning moments and meaningful skill-building opportunities that will support my students as they grow as writers, thinkers, and learners. Thank you for helping bring curiosity, creativity, and excitement into our classroom every day!","fullyFundedDate":1760881424268,"projectUrl":"project/lighting-up-learning-with-a-sensory-ligh/9835748/","projectTitle":"Lighting Up Learning With a Sensory Light Box!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Burgess","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp824958_orig.jpg?crop=976,976,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1689855653893","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/824958"},{"teacherId":3157237,"projectId":9687900,"letterContent":"Thank you for helping us bring \"Coloring Our World: Bringing Science to Life With Every Shade\" to life. Because of you, science in our classroom is no longer just something we read about—it's something we see, touch, experiment with, and wonder about.\r\n\r\nFrom the moment the materials arrived, my students were buzzing with excitement. Their eyes lit up as we unpacked the resources, and before I could even finish setting things out, they were already asking questions, making predictions, and sharing ideas. One student exclaimed, \"It looks like science is turning into art!\"—which perfectly captures the spirit of this project.\r\n\r\nWe are using these materials across hands-on investigations that explore how color plays a role in the natural world. One of our favorite moments so far was during a lesson on light and color, when students experimented with different shades and immediately began connecting what they observed to real-world science—from photosynthesis to animal camouflage. Watching them collaborate, test ideas, and revise their thinking has been incredibly powerful. These resources have helped turn abstract concepts into meaningful, memorable learning experiences.\r\n\r\nBecause of your generosity, my students feel like real scientists. They are more confident asking questions, more willing to take risks with their thinking, and more excited to explore why the world looks the way it does.\r\n\r\nNext, we'll be building on this curiosity by applying what we've learned to new investigations—connecting color to plant growth, environmental adaptations, and creative STEM challenges. Your support has laid the foundation for deeper inquiry, and the learning will continue to grow long after this project.\r\n\r\nThank you for giving my students the gift of curiosity, creativity, and hands-on discovery. You didn't just fund materials—you helped color our classroom with wonder.","fullyFundedDate":1762265352796,"projectUrl":"project/coloring-our-world-bringing-science-to/9687900/","projectTitle":"Coloring Our World: Bringing Science to Life With Every Shade","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Markey's STEM Lab","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp3157237_orig.jpg?crop=2448,2448,x0,y310&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1784748332105","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrs-markey"},{"teacherId":2542160,"projectId":9454984,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting our DonorsChoose project, A Corner for Calm. Your generosity has helped create a safe, welcoming space in our third-grade classroom where students can learn important self-regulation and social-emotional skills.\r\n\r\nWe are already using the new resources daily. Students visit our Calm Corner to reset when they are feeling overwhelmed, distracted, or in need of a quiet moment. They use the noise-canceling headphones, weighted blanket, breathing boards, breathing pal, fidgets, and weighted whiteboards to practice calming strategies and refocus. One special moment was watching a student independently use a breathing technique from one of the posters outside at recess! This child was having a disagreement with a peer. She took some space, independently completed the 5 Finger Breathing strategy to regulate her emotions, then returned to her friends and calmly resolved her issue. Watching her apply what we practiced in class with our new tools in the real world was truly special to witness.\r\n\r\nWhen the materials first arrived, my students were beyond excited. They gathered around as we opened the boxes and eagerly explored each item. Many students immediately shared how the tools could help them feel calm, focused, or ready to learn. They were especially excited to try the twist seat cushions and learn the breathing techniques from the Calm Corner posters.\r\n\r\nThanks to your support, our next steps include continuing to teach and practice social-emotional learning skills such as recognizing emotions, managing stress, and using coping strategies independently. Students are learning how to identify what their bodies need and choose the tools that best support them so they can return to learning successfully.\r\n\r\nThank you for giving our students the gift of calm, confidence, and emotional support. Your kindness is making a lasting impact on our classroom, and we are incredibly grateful.\r\n\r\nWith heartfelt appreciation,\r\nHaley Chandler\r\n3rd Grade Teacher","fullyFundedDate":1755734316559,"projectUrl":"project/a-corner-for-calm/9454984/","projectTitle":"A Corner for Calm","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Chandler","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp2542160_orig.jpg?crop=554,554,x268,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1556832185379","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/hking"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_61651","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":501,"numTeachers":36,"percentFrplEligible":95,"percentAsian":8,"percentBlack":10,"percentWhite":22,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":54,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","percentHawaiianImputed":0,"percentMultiracialImputed":3,"gradesServed":"Pre-K - 4","studentTeacherRatio":"13.9:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"SUBURBAN","ncesMetroType":"SUBURB_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":60.5,"schoolId":61651,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about S Christa McAuliffe Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"S Christa McAuliffe Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/massachusetts/lowell-public-schools/s-christa-mcauliffe-elementary-school/61651"}