{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"Spring Valley Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":24.0,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":8560238,"projectId":9287687,"letterContent":"Our students are absolutely loving our new, colorful story time rug! It has already transformed our read-aloud space into a warm, inviting, and welcoming corner of the library. As soon as students walk in, their faces light up—they rush to find their favorite spot, settle in with their friends, and get ready for whatever adventure we're about to explore together. The bright colors and soft texture help create a cozy environment that makes every story feel special. Even teachers have commented on how cheerful and engaging the rug makes the entire space feel.\r\n\r\nWe're using the rug daily for lessons, read-alouds, and collaborative activities. During our current author study and research lessons, students sit together on the rug to explore PebbleGo articles, share what they've learned, and discuss books from our collection. This space has become a true community hub where students feel safe, comfortable, and excited to learn. As we continue our Battle of the Books preparation and library skills lessons this year, the rug will remain a foundational space where students gather, connect, and grow. Your generosity has made our library feel even more like home—thank you for helping create a vibrant, joyful space where our students can thrive.","fullyFundedDate":1746786102357,"projectUrl":"project/building-a-warm-and-welcoming-library-sp/9287687/","projectTitle":"Building a Warm and Welcoming Library Space","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Smith","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8560238_orig.jpg?crop=758,758,x0,y17&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1743540656751","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/msjamiesmith"},{"teacherId":211266,"projectId":9188657,"letterContent":"It is a pleasure to finally have our gardening beds organized by grade level again, with the ability to use the tools that had to be kept in the custodian's workroom on the other side of campus. Now, thanks to the funding for the shed, we can... get a fresh start to growing flowers, vegetables, and some fruits that our students actively plant and grow at school.\r\n\r\nHaving a space where students K-5 can take a simple pack of seeds and watch them grow is a fantastic experience to have at school. It's not just about the plants, it's about the potential for great careers ahead.","fullyFundedDate":1744032844708,"projectUrl":"project/a-garden-with-a-protective-shed-grows-cr/9188657/","projectTitle":"A Garden With A Protective Shed Grows Crops! Please Help!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Blue","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp211266_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1753114043264","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/211266"},{"teacherId":9563973,"projectId":9439653,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous donation to *Team Building Through Social Emotional Connections*. \r\n\r\nThe students were thrilled to use the new resources, which are already helping them regulate their emotions and take meaningful breaks when needed. It's truly wonderful that they now have a dedicated space where they feel supported, calm, and better equipped to manage their emotions. Creating this kind of environment makes a lasting impact on both their learning and overall well-being.\r\n\r\nThe students use the cube and mirror daily. Sometimes they sit in the cube and read a book or simply look in the mirror and think about ways to manage their emotions. The safe place cube has made a positive impact on our classroom as well as our students. Once again, we are very grateful.","fullyFundedDate":1751836128433,"projectUrl":"project/team-building-through-social-emotional-c/9439653/","projectTitle":"Team Building Through Social-Emotional Connections","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Harris","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-7_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9563973"},{"teacherId":873390,"projectId":9150551,"letterContent":"I would like to sincerely thank you for your generous donation of a projector to our ESL classroom. This resource has truly transformed the way I am able to engage my students and support their language learning.\r\n\r\nWith the projector, I can bring lessons to life through visuals, interactive activities, and real-time demonstrations that make English more accessible and meaningful. My students are especially excited by the opportunity to watch videos, participate in group activities, and see their work projected for the whole class to celebrate. The use of images, stories, and multimedia resources has not only improved comprehension but also boosted their confidence and enthusiasm for learning.\r\n\r\nBecause of your support, I have been able to create a more dynamic and interactive classroom where every student feels included. My students' listening and speaking skills have grown tremendously as they practice with authentic materials, and their motivation to participate has increased. With the projector, I've been able to incorporate collaborative lessons and digital tools that simply weren't possible before.\r\n\r\nI would like to give special thanks to Ripple for their support. Your contribution has made a powerful impact on both my teaching and my students' growth. Thanks to you, I am able to bring new opportunities for creativity, collaboration, and confidence into the classroom.","fullyFundedDate":1746586762959,"projectUrl":"project/bringing-learning-to-life-donate-a-proj/9150551/","projectTitle":"Bringing Learning to Life: Donate a Projector for Our Classroom","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Rivera","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp873390_orig.jpg?crop=3456,3456,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1710322696133","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/873390"},{"teacherId":9916096,"projectId":9254243,"letterContent":"Thanks to your generosity, my students now have meaningful opportunities to express themselves in new and creative ways. The resources provided through this project have been incorporated into our daily lessons and social-emotional learning activities, helping students build stronger connections with both their peers and their own emotions. One of the first projects we completed was a \"feelings collage,\" where students used art supplies to create a visual representation of how they were feeling that day. This activity opened the door to rich conversations and gave students who sometimes struggle with verbal expression a safe and joyful outlet to share their thoughts.\r\n\r\nThe excitement when the materials first arrived was contagious. Students eagerly explored the paints, markers, journals, and other creative tools, with many asking, \"Can we start today?\" For some, this was their very first time having access to high-quality materials dedicated to self-expression. The pride on their faces when they shared their finished work was unforgettable. One student who is usually very quiet surprised the group by confidently standing up to explain the meaning behind his art piece. That moment showed us just how powerful creative expression can be for building both communication skills and confidence.\r\n\r\nLooking ahead, our next steps involve using the materials to launch a \"storytelling through art\" project where students will combine drawing, writing, and sharing to tell short personal stories. This will allow them to continue practicing communication and emotional awareness while also fostering collaboration with peers. Thanks to your support, my students are not only developing academic skills but also learning how to express themselves authentically and build connections that will last far beyond our classroom.","fullyFundedDate":1746666897246,"projectUrl":"project/heart-to-heart-building-connections-wit/9254243/","projectTitle":"Heart-to-Heart: Building Connections With Creative Expression","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Dawkins","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9916096_orig.jpg?crop=1080,1080,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1738701998378","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrs-morgandawkins"},{"teacherId":9916096,"projectId":9097970,"letterContent":"I want to extend my deepest gratitude to you for supporting our project Building Bridges to Literacy: Phonics Support for Students With Disabilities. Your generosity has made a real and lasting impact in my classroom, and I want to take the time to share how your gift is helping transform the lives of my students.\r\n\r\nSince the arrival of our new phonics resources, literacy instruction has taken on a whole new level of excitement and engagement. Students who once hesitated to participate in phonics lessons are now eager to take part, because the materials are hands-on, interactive, and designed to meet their unique learning needs. Every day, I see students using the new letter tiles, decodable readers, and word-building tools to connect sounds to print in a way that is meaningful and fun. One specific moment that stands out to me happened during a small group reading lesson. A student who typically struggles with confidence was able to independently build the word \"ship\" using the letter tiles, sound it out, and then read it aloud to the group. His smile was so wide, and his classmates immediately clapped and cheered for him. That moment of pride is exactly why these resources are so powerful; they allow children to experience success and to feel that reading is within their reach.\r\n\r\nWhen the resources were first introduced, my students' reactions were priceless. Many of them couldn't stop touching the materials, asking, \"Can we use these today?\" and \"Do we get to keep using these every day?\" Their excitement reminded me how much students value having tools that make learning feel accessible. For students with disabilities, literacy can often feel like a challenge that is too big to overcome. But the right tools make all the difference. The new materials not only capture their attention but also break down abstract concepts into concrete, manageable steps that they can understand. The joy and motivation that came from simply seeing and handling the resources set the tone for all the learning that has followed.\r\n\r\nYour generosity has done more than just provide supplies; it has opened up opportunities for growth and confidence that ripple across every part of my students' learning. Because they are strengthening their decoding skills, they are also becoming stronger writers and spellers. I've seen students begin to attempt more challenging words in their writing, no longer afraid to \"give it a try\" because they know they have strategies to sound out words. During one writing session, a student who usually avoids independent work proudly wrote a complete sentence using two words she had built during phonics time earlier that week. These moments show me that the impact of your gift is not limited to a single lesson; it's helping my students build lasting skills that carry over into other areas of learning.\r\n\r\nLooking ahead, we are excited to continue using these materials as the foundation of our phonics and literacy program. Our next steps involve expanding beyond simple word-building to sentence creation, fluency practice, and comprehension activities. By giving students a strong base in phonics, we are preparing them to unlock more complex texts and build a lifelong love for reading. I plan to integrate these resources into group projects where students can collaborate to build words, create short stories, and even perform simple read-alouds. This will not only strengthen their literacy skills but also encourage teamwork, communication, and confidence.\r\n\r\nYour donation has given my students more than phonics tools; it has given them hope, joy, and the confidence to believe in themselves as readers. Every day I see the bridges being built, step by step, sound by sound, word by word. Thank you for being part of their journey. Because of you, students who once felt discouraged by reading are now celebrating their progress and looking forward to what's next.","fullyFundedDate":1744207835765,"projectUrl":"project/building-bridges-to-literacy-phonics-su/9097970/","projectTitle":"Building Bridges to Literacy: Phonics Support for Students With Disabilities","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Dawkins","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9916096_orig.jpg?crop=1080,1080,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1738701998378","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrs-morgandawkins"},{"teacherId":4792265,"projectId":8489168,"letterContent":"Thank you for your generous donation towards our literacy books and resources. Your contribution's supported age-appropriate books, games, and hands on educational reading resources into the hands of underserved elementary students this past school year.\r\n\r\n\r\nBecause of supporters like you, I was able to deliver small group reading circles that were engaging, fun, and creative. The students were so excited to receive the resources that your donations provided. Thank you for being a world changer!","fullyFundedDate":1724848922652,"projectUrl":"project/learning-to-read-is-a-world-chan/8489168/","projectTitle":"Learning to Read Is a World Changer Reading","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Wilder","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp4792265_orig.png?crop=125,125,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1753992503626","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/4792265"},{"teacherId":873390,"projectId":8755464,"letterContent":"I am writing to express my heartfelt gratitude for your generous donation, which allowed me to purchase resources from Teachers Pay Teachers. Your support has had a significant and positive impact on my students, especially in the areas of vocabulary and comprehension.\r\n\r\nThe resources I was able to purchase have provided me with engaging and effective materials that have greatly enhanced my students' understanding of new vocabulary. Through interactive activities, flashcards, and word walls, my students have been able to expand their word banks and use new words more confidently in both written and spoken language.\r\n\r\nThank you once again for your kindness and generosity. Your contribution has made a real difference in my student's educational experience, and I'm so grateful for your continued support in bridging the gap!","fullyFundedDate":1735664653504,"projectUrl":"project/lets-bridge-the-gap/8755464/","projectTitle":"Let's Bridge the Gap","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Rivera","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp873390_orig.jpg?crop=3456,3456,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1710322696133","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/873390"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_96588","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":516,"numTeachers":42,"percentFrplEligible":58,"percentAsian":4,"percentBlack":45,"percentWhite":13,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":29,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"K - 5","studentTeacherRatio":"12.3:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":76.0,"schoolId":96588,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Spring Valley Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Spring Valley Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/north-carolina/durham-public-schools/spring-valley-elementary-school/96588"}