{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"Thurston Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":25.4,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":621256,"projectId":9306498,"letterContent":"Thank you for bringing this project to life! The addition of these mini digital keyboards has lit a new spark into the last few weeks of our school year. The students have had multiple opportunities to explore the keyboards in a variety of ways, and they are always asking for more! So far, we have used them for exploratory instrument centers, where they have had a chance to hook up headphones and experiment with the different sounds, beats and timbres of the keyboards. We have also used them for instrument rotations where they are tasked with playing a certain melodic ostinato or bass line accompaniment. While we have done rotations like this in previous lessons, using xylophones and boomwhackers, the keyboards have added a new level of excitement, as all of the students are eager to have their chance to rotate through to the keyboard center. Many of my students who have experience with piano outside of school have been proud to connect something they do with music at home, with how we make music at school. And my students who do not have access to a piano outside of school, have been excited to begin to learn the basics in class. \r\n\r\nThank you again for your continued support of arts in our schools. As an elementary music teacher for the past 17 years, I have seen firsthand the profound impact that music can have on my students and I am grateful that others recognize this as well!","fullyFundedDate":1746560254994,"projectUrl":"project/keyboards-for-kids/9306498/","projectTitle":"Keyboards for Kids!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Krohn","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp621256_orig.png?crop=842,842,x10,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1734100219616","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ms-ritter"},{"teacherId":621256,"projectId":9229326,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for our new books! When they first arrived, I lined them all up on our whiteboard ledge and every class that came in \"oohed\" and \"ahhhed\" over them :) It was so fun to see their excitement over new books and we spent each class period that day just choosing ones to read and sing through. My littlest students adore these books, and even my older students have fallen in love with these song stories. \r\n\r\nAfter the initial arrival of the books, we've settled into choosing one of them to read at the end of our music classes. Some of their favorites are \"The Hole in the Log\" and all of the \"There Was an Old...\" books (they love the pirate, giant and coyote ones!) I personally love singing \"I Love The Mountains\" and \"Over in the Garden\" with them as well. Thank you for helping to bring these new books in to my classroom. Each song story has engaged my students in numerous ways, whether they are simply being sung to, or actively singing along with short patterns in the text. We are so grateful for your support of literacy and music in our schools. Thank you again!","fullyFundedDate":1744209282304,"projectUrl":"project/lets-sing-a-story/9229326/","projectTitle":"Let's Sing a Story!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Krohn","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp621256_orig.png?crop=842,842,x10,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1734100219616","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ms-ritter"},{"teacherId":621256,"projectId":9004792,"letterContent":"These past few weeks we have been busy having fun and making music, and our new instruments have made all the difference! The mini djembe set has been so fun for the students and given many more students the opportunity to play. We have been using them in rotation, allowing 8 students to play at a time and then passing them around our circle. They have a great sound and are super sturdy, which are two important qualities in an elementary music classroom. They have been especially great for our self-contained classes. Thank you!\r\n\r\nWe have also really enjoyed the egg shakers, scarf fans, and the other floor and hand drums. The are great additions to our classroom instrument library, and students have enjoyed getting a chance to play and move with them. We also ended up exchanging an item that did not work out for 3 cajon drums, which the students absolutely LOVE. For these drums, they get to sit on them and tap the drum beneath them, and they have been having so much fun doing call and response rhythms and rhythmic ostinatos to accompany our songs.\r\n\r\nThank you for your generosity and donation to our classroom. This has had a direct, positive affect on my current students and I know will impact my future students for years to come. Thank you for your support of music and the arts!!!","fullyFundedDate":1742930253473,"projectUrl":"project/movin-and-groovin-in-music-class/9004792/","projectTitle":"Movin' and Groovin' in Music Class","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Krohn","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp621256_orig.png?crop=842,842,x10,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1734100219616","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ms-ritter"},{"teacherId":4424891,"projectId":7533513,"letterContent":"We are so thankful to you for generously providing our first grade class with a wonderful collection of diverse picture books. Your contribution has made a meaningful impact in our classroom, opening the door to thoughtful, inclusive conversations about identity, culture, and community. Through these stories, my students have been able to see both themselves and others reflected in the pages—an experience that has sparked curiosity, empathy, and understanding in ways that are truly powerful.\r\n\r\nThe books have quickly become a treasured part of our daily routine. We've enjoyed rich shared reading experiences, where students eagerly discuss characters, ask insightful questions, and connect the stories to their own lives. What's been especially heartwarming is watching the children return to these books during independent reading time—often rereading their favorites with joy and pride. Your support has helped us build not only a more inclusive classroom library, but also a more inclusive classroom community. Thank you for helping us grow through the power of story.","fullyFundedDate":1694970581911,"projectUrl":"project/diverse-read-aloud-books-to-celebrate-di/7533513/","projectTitle":"Diverse Read Aloud Books to Celebrate Diverse Learners","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Karr","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-6_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrs-karr1"},{"teacherId":4424891,"projectId":8666952,"letterContent":"On behalf of our first-grade class, I want to extend a heartfelt thank you for your generous donation of headphones. Your support has made such a positive impact on our classroom. With a full set of headphones, every student can use their district-provided Chromebook at the same time without distractions, creating a focused and inclusive learning environment. Whether they are exploring informational articles on PebbleGo, honing their foundational reading skills on Lexia Core 5, or exploring math games on Dreambox, each learner can fully engage with their learning at their own pace.\r\n\r\nThis contribution has not only enhanced the students' ability to access digital resources, but it has also made our classroom more equitable—everyone has the same opportunity to participate with our technology and thrive. Thank you for making such a meaningful difference in our daily learning experience. Your generosity and commitment to education are truly appreciated by both my students and myself.","fullyFundedDate":1731528730897,"projectUrl":"project/headphones-to-help-us-hear/8666952/","projectTitle":"Headphones to Help Us Hear","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Karr","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-6_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrs-karr1"},{"teacherId":9614092,"projectId":8528995,"letterContent":"Wow! You all funded my first-ever DonorsChoose project, and I cannot tell you how much your kindness and generosity have impacted me as an educator. The idea that people that I do not even know would donate their hard-earned money to help me and my students is profound. \r\nI created this project with the desire to help my students feel comfortable and in control. Flexible seating can work wonders for little bodies in classrooms. The floor table and chairs give some of my students who prefer to sit on the ground an opportunity to learn in positions that help them learn best. When they first saw the assembled table they were squealing with excitement. We discussed as a class how we can best use the table and chairs in our space, and they decided that they should all get to take turns. So that is what we do! My students love when they get the chance to sit at the floor table and I notice a difference in how engaged and excited they are to learn from the floor. I cannot wait to incorporate even more flexible seating options into our classroom. Thank you so much for your kindness and support. My first graders and I deeply appreciate you.","fullyFundedDate":1732237901714,"projectUrl":"project/flexible-seating-for-ms-whites-first-g/8528995/","projectTitle":"Flexible Seating for Ms. White's First Grade Class","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. White","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9614092_orig.jpg?crop=2316,2316,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1753555226806","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9614092"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_72902","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":506,"numTeachers":35,"percentFrplEligible":21,"percentAsian":28,"percentBlack":8,"percentWhite":46,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":6,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"K - 5","studentTeacherRatio":"14.5:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":false,"titleOne":false,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_MIDSIZE"},"inStateSupporters":74.6,"schoolId":72902,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Thurston Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Thurston Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/michigan/ann-arbor-public-school-district/thurston-elementary-school/72902"}