{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"Sunset Vista School","outOfStateSupporters":42.1,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":10064112,"projectId":9433939,"letterContent":"When the new resources arrived, my students' eyes lit up. They couldn't wait to explore everything, and we turned it into a little \"unboxing\" moment in class.\r\n\r\nThe wobble cushions have been a huge hit—students love using them during lessons, and they help keep their energy focused in a positive way. We've also been putting the Clorox wipes to good use, keeping our classroom clean and healthy together.\r\n\r\nThese simple additions have made such a big difference in our day. Students are more comfortable, more focused, and proud to help take care of our space.\r\n\r\nThank you for making this possible, your generosity has created a happier and healthier classroom for all of us.","fullyFundedDate":1751706465954,"projectUrl":"project/learning-to-be-kind/9433939/","projectTitle":"Learning to Be Kind!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Hoang","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-7_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10064112"},{"teacherId":10011334,"projectId":9340346,"letterContent":"When the new classroom resources arrived, both my students and I were filled with excitement and anticipation. The materials, from the Lakeshore Language Instant Learning Centers to the delightful variety of guided reading books and seasonal stories, transformed our learning environment into an engaging, literacy-rich space that has energized our lessons and inspired student participation in new and meaningful ways. These resources have supported differentiated instruction, literacy development, and classroom community building.\r\n\r\nOne specific project that highlights our use of these new materials will be the use of \"Catch the Gingerbread Boy!\", a week-long literacy and comprehension unit. Using the Gingerbread Boy Big Book, Gingerbread Baby, and several titles from the How to Catch Books for Kids Set, we embarked on a multi-text reading experience centered around the mischievous gingerbread character theme. Students will rotate through reading groups organized by their individual guided reading levels using the First Little Readers series (Levels A through H), allowing each student to build fluency and comprehension at an appropriate pace. After reading and comparing different versions of gingerbread stories, students completed a creative writing and art activity where they imagined and wrote about their own version of how to catch a gingerbread cookie. The Lakeshore Language Centers supported this with hands-on sentence building and sequencing cards, which were particularly helpful for our emerging readers.\r\n\r\nThe reaction from the students when the materials were first introduced was priceless. The bright colors, interactive elements, and themed books instantly caught their attention. Many students were particularly drawn to the Godery Calendar and Weather Pocket Chart. During our morning meeting, students now eagerly volunteer to update the date, weather, and day of the week. This has turned our morning routine into an interactive learning moment that helps students build time-awareness and language skills. Another popular addition was the set of Happy Birthday Crowns and the Confetti Birthday Chart. Celebrating each student's birthday now feels even more special, and it fosters a sense of belonging and recognition in our classroom community.\r\n\r\nStudents also showed immediate interest in the Fidget Simple Fidget Pack. These fidgets have been thoughtfully incorporated into our classroom as calming tools during independent work or reading time. They are particularly useful for students who benefit from sensory support to help maintain focus and regulate energy levels.\r\n\r\nLooking ahead, the next step for my students is a classroom-wide collaborative writing project titled \"Our Classroom is a Family,\" inspired by the book of the same name and A Letter From Your Teacher: On the First Day of School. We are using these texts to discuss kindness, empathy, and the importance of classroom community. Students will draft short \"letters\" to future classmates, offering advice and encouragement, which we plan to compile into a class book. This project ties directly into our social-emotional learning goals and reinforces writing for a purpose.\r\n\r\nAdditionally, we'll be using seasonal books like Sneezy the Snowman, A Plump and Perky Turkey, The Biggest Valentine Ever, and Groundhog Day to continue integrating literacy with calendar events. These texts not only promote reading enjoyment but also provide excellent opportunities for cross-curricular connections in art, writing, and even science (discussing weather patterns, for instance, through Sneezy the Snowman).\r\n\r\nThanks to these resources, our classroom is now more inclusive, engaging, and responsive to student needs and interests. The generosity of donors has not only provided us with books and tools but has sparked meaningful learning experiences that will continue to grow and evolve throughout the school year.","fullyFundedDate":1747511307739,"projectUrl":"project/help-wanted-books-more-for-a-first-ye/9340346/","projectTitle":"Help Wanted: Books & More for a First-Year Teacher","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Blaz","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10011334_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1746162126116","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10011334"},{"teacherId":10011334,"projectId":9309127,"letterContent":"The arrival of our new classroom materials brought an immediate burst of excitement and curiosity from my students. From magnetic building blocks to fine-tipped dry-erase markers, these resources have enriched our classroom in meaningful, hands-on ways. They have supported both structured academic instruction and play-based learning, helping students engage more deeply with foundational skills in literacy, math, and organization. These tools have not only made learning more engaging but have also allowed me to differentiate instruction and support a wide range of learning styles.\r\n\r\nOne memorable project I plan to implement is the \"Build and Spell\" literacy center. At this center, students will use the Coogam Magnetic Letters in conjunction with the Lakeshore Reusable Write & Wipe Pockets and EXPO Fine Tip Markers to build, trace, and write CVC and sight words. Students selected words from a laminated word list that I created using the Phomemo D30 Label Maker, which I used to label word categories (e.g., \"short a,\" \"color words,\" \"school words\"). After building the words with magnets on a whiteboard surface, students will use the dry-erase pockets to practice writing the words in their best handwriting. The visual, tactile, and kinesthetic elements of this center made it an inclusive activity for learners at different levels.\r\n\r\nWhen the students first saw the materials, the classroom was filled with excitement and questions: \"Are those for us?\" \"Can we play with those today?\" The Hasbro Play-Doh was an instant hit, especially when used to form letters and numbers, adding a sensory element to literacy and numeracy practice. We used the Lakeshore Alphabet Cones to create a movement-based learning game where students would run to the correct cone after hearing a sound or word, promoting letter recognition through active play. The Time Timer helped keep this activity structured, and students appreciated the visual countdown, which supported transitions and time awareness.\r\n\r\nAnother favorite activity was our \"Math Station Rotation\", made possible with the help of the Torlam Magnetic Ten-Frame Set, Godery Place Value Chart, and Lakeshore Numbers to 100 Match-Ups. We used these tools to introduce place value, number recognition, and counting strategies. The ten frames helped reinforce addition and subtraction concepts, and the hundreds chart pocket tool made abstract concepts more tangible. Students used the colored dice to roll numbers and then built the corresponding value with magnetic counters or pattern blocks from the LovesTown Wooden Pattern Block Set. The use of hands-on materials made math feel more like a game and less like a challenge, especially for my students who are hesitant with paper-and-pencil tasks.\r\n\r\nLooking ahead, our next project will be focused on pattern recognition and early geometry, building on the success of our math centers. Students will use the LovesTown Pattern Blocks and tangram cards to create, replicate, and extend patterns. I plan to incorporate a journaling component where students document their creations using the Lakeshore Write & Wipe Pockets to draw their designs and label the shapes they used. We'll also start integrating simple story problems using the Torlam Magnetic Counters, and students will illustrate and explain their thinking—again using laminated templates and the dry-erase markers for easy reuse.\r\n\r\nThese materials have sparked student engagement, promoted collaboration, and created a more dynamic learning environment. The generosity of our donors has allowed us to transform everyday lessons into exciting, hands-on experiences. These tools continue to empower my students to take ownership of their learning, and I'm incredibly grateful for the opportunity to watch them thrive.","fullyFundedDate":1746785992991,"projectUrl":"project/help-wanted-new-teacher-supplies-for-ki/9309127/","projectTitle":"Help Wanted: New Teacher Supplies for Kindergarten Classroom","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Blaz","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10011334_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1746162126116","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10011334"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_30947","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":707,"numTeachers":42,"percentFrplEligible":66,"percentAsian":4,"percentBlack":10,"percentWhite":12,"percentIndigenous":2,"percentLatinx":66,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"K - 8","studentTeacherRatio":"16.8:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"SUBURBAN","ncesMetroType":"SUBURB_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":57.9,"schoolId":30947,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Sunset Vista School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Sunset Vista School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/arizona/glendale-elementary-school-district-40/sunset-vista-elementary-schooloool/30947"}