{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"Tonkawa Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":32.6,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":4504558,"projectId":9306761,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous contribution to our classroom's new Calm Down Corner. Because of your kindness, we received a breathing ball, calming lights, and \"How I Feel\" gel squishies—items that may look simple, but have already made a profound impact on our Pre-K students. I am truly grateful for your support, and I want to share how these tools have transformed our classroom environment and the way our youngest learners understand and manage their emotions.\r\n\r\nIn Pre-K, emotions can feel very big, very sudden, and sometimes very overwhelming. Many of my students are still developing the language, awareness, and self-control they need to express how they feel in healthy ways. Before we had this space, students often struggled in moments of frustration, sadness, or excitement. They wanted to do the right thing, but they lacked the strategies to calm their bodies and regain control. Thanks to your donation, we now have a dedicated area that teaches exactly those skills—calmly, gently, and developmentally appropriately.\r\n\r\nThe breathing ball has become one of our most powerful tools. Pre-K students love watching it expand and contract, and it has helped them learn what deep breathing looks and feels like. We use it during whole-group lessons, and students now independently walk to the Calm Down Corner to use it when they need help taking slow breaths. I have watched children who once cried for long periods begin to settle themselves by holding the ball and breathing along with its movements. They feel proud of themselves afterward, which has built confidence and self-awareness.\r\n\r\nThe calming lights have created an inviting, peaceful atmosphere that gently signals to students that this is a safe space. When the soft lights are on, children know the area is open for anyone who needs a moment to reset. The lights help reduce sensory overload and provide a visual cue that encourages quiet, intentional reflection. Several students who are sensitive to loud noise or high energy choose the space proactively, preventing emotional escalations before they begin.\r\n\r\nThe \"How I Feel\" gel squishies have been especially helpful in teaching emotional vocabulary. Young children often feel emotions deeply but struggle to explain them. These squishies give them a hands-on way to identify and communicate their feelings. I have seen students walk into the Calm Down Corner, pick up the \"frustrated\" or \"worried\" squishy, and show it to me without needing any words at all. This simple act has helped them feel understood, supported, and respected.\r\n\r\nBecause of your generosity, our Calm Down Corner has become more than just a quiet space—it has become a vital part of our classroom community. My students are learning lifelong skills: how to breathe through big emotions, how to recognize what they feel, and how to calm their bodies in healthy, independent ways. These are lessons that will benefit them far beyond this school year.\r\n\r\nThank you for making this possible. Your support is felt every single day, in every peaceful breath and every proud little smile that comes from learning to self-regulate. We are truly grateful.","fullyFundedDate":1755977646856,"projectUrl":"project/calm-down-pre-k-is-okay/9306761/","projectTitle":"Calm Down Pre K Is Okay!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Gilbert","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp4504558_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1497984060319","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/4504558"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_53784","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":414,"numTeachers":24,"percentFrplEligible":75,"percentAsian":0,"percentBlack":0,"percentWhite":51,"percentIndigenous":22,"percentLatinx":8,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"Pre-K - 5","studentTeacherRatio":"17.2:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"RURAL","ncesMetroType":"RURAL_DISTANT"},"inStateSupporters":67.4,"schoolId":53784,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Tonkawa Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Tonkawa Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/oklahoma/tonkawa-public-school-district/tonkawa-elementary-school/53784"}

Tonkawa Elementary School

Join the 132 supporters who believe in this school.

About this school

Tonkawa Elementary School is a rural public school in Tonkawa, Oklahoma that is part of Tonkawa Public School District. It serves 414 students in grades Pre-K - 5 with a student/teacher ratio of 17.2:1. Its teachers have had 63 projects funded on DonorsChoose.

Equity Focus School

Support towards this school will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

Public School

Title 1

Grades Pre-K - 5

414 Students

24 Teachers

501 N Public St

Tonkawa, OK 74653 View local requests

http://www.tonkawa.k12.ok.us

Evidence-based impact

Inspire teachers to stay in the classroom and boost student achievement.¹

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Ms. Vero, a DonorsChoose teacher for 9 years.

Kindergarten teacher at PS81 - Robert J. Christen School in Bronx, NY

Tonkawa Elementary School Teachers on DonorsChoose

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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. Each classroom request for funding was created by a classroom teacher and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

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Tonkawa Elementary School Demographics

75%

of students receive free or reduced price lunch

Source: the National Center for Education Statistics

30%

of students are Black, Latino, Native American, or Asian

Schools in districts that mainly serve students of color receive substantially less state and local support than similar districts that serve primarily White students. Learn more about this gap, why it exists, and how you can help close it.

Tonkawa Elementary School Support on DonorsChoose Last updated Dec 5, 2025

DonorsChoose makes it easy for anyone to help a teacher in need, moving us closer to a nation where students in every community have the tools and experiences they need for a great education.

Tonkawa Elementary School

$38,718

raised using DonorsChoose

projects funded

teachers funded

132

donors

projects for basic supplies

projects for technology

projects for books

Tonkawa Elementary School has received support from 89 individuals from Oklahoma and 43 individuals out-of-state.

Help teachers & students in your hometown this season! Use code HOME at checkout and your donation will be matched up to $100.

Tonkawa Elementary School

About this school

Equity Focus School

Tonkawa Elementary School Teachers on DonorsChoose

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Tonkawa Elementary School Demographics

Tonkawa Elementary School Support on DonorsChoose Last updated Dec 5, 2025

Tonkawa Elementary School

Help teachers & students in your hometown this season!
Use code HOME at checkout and your donation will be matched up to $100.