{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Torringford Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":20.5,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":5686806,"projectId":10053847,"letterContent":"Hey! I just wanted to write to let you know, you have eighteen fans! The kids experienced their first STEM project with magnets, meter sticks, matchbox cars and a city map carpet and loved every bit of it. Thank you for supporting my classroom and purchasing the City Map Carpets.\r\n We have been studying Forces and Motion with some dabbling in forces, electricity and magnetism. The students work through reading ,writing and comprehension questions in order to take on the task of a hands-on exploration activity. Their challenge was to move a small matchbox car through the roads of a city without touching the car. How to do it? Magnets. By taping a bar magnet to the car, and having a wand magnet taped to the end of the meter stick, students were able to use the magnetic field to either push or pull the car down the road. The challenging part was and still is, once the magnets touch, you have to start back at the beginning. \r\n As we near the end of the year, the majority of our work has become individualized. Seeing them work in teams again was a beautiful site. Students were helping each other and giving them pointers as to how to make a more productive attempt. The discussions alone were priceless.\r\n Thank you again and again for making this opportunity available to us. The kids don't want to quit. So, as our school year winds down, we may have some pockets of time to keep trying!\r\n Thank you for helping us make learning fun!","fullyFundedDate":1776455709005,"projectUrl":"project/zooming-magnets/10053847/","projectTitle":"Zooming Magnets","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Shaggy","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp5686806_orig.jpg?crop=2970,2970,x766,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1786803834681","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/5686806"},{"teacherId":10469516,"projectId":10167812,"letterContent":"Every student in my classroom has benefited from Montessori busy boards, and we are already seeing meaningful growth.\r\n\r\nAll students have made progress in their fine motor skills, including increased ability to turn, fasten, slide, and manipulate small components with greater independence and persistence. These hands-on materials have helped students stay engaged longer and build confidence in their abilities.\r\n\r\nI have also observed improvements in sharing and peer interaction. In a setting where sharing can often be challenging, students are beginning to take turns, wait for peers, and engage more positively while using the same materials.\r\n\r\nThese busy boards have supported both individual skill development and our classroom community. Thank you for making this learning possible for my students.","fullyFundedDate":1775919103634,"projectUrl":"project/hands-on-learning-hearts-full-of-voice/10167812/","projectTitle":"Hands-On Learning, Hearts Full of Voice","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Archer","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-9_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10469516"},{"teacherId":10483683,"projectId":10209243,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting our preschool classroom with the Grarain Busy Boards! Our nonverbal students with autism have been highly engaged using the boards during independent work, small groups, and sensory breaks.\r\n\r\nThe students were excited to explore the different textures, buckles, buttons, and clock pieces. These hands-on materials are helping build fine motor skills, focus, communication, and independence in a fun and calming way.\r\n\r\nYour generosity is making a meaningful difference in our classroom each day. Thank you for supporting our students and helping create an engaging learning environment!","fullyFundedDate":1777978358099,"projectUrl":"project/every-press-sparks-learning-montessori/10209243/","projectTitle":"Every Press Sparks Learning: Montessori Switch Toys: Special Education Preschoolers","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Kathy","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-2_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10483683"},{"teacherId":7314424,"projectId":9871176,"letterContent":"Thanks to your generosity, my students were so excited when our new art supplies arrived! Their smiles and excitement said it all as they explored the materials and began creating.\r\n\r\nWe use these supplies every day. Students earn time to create after completing their work, and it has become a strong motivator. They are more engaged, focused, and proud of what they accomplish.\r\n\r\nArt has given my students a meaningful way to express themselves. Through creating, they are building fine motor skills, following routines, and showing their individuality in ways that work best for them.\r\n\r\nWe will continue using these materials to support learning, creativity, and confidence in our classroom.\r\n\r\nThank you for making this possible for my students!","fullyFundedDate":1771790164853,"projectUrl":"project/paper-paint-and-possibilities/9871176/","projectTitle":"Paper, Paint, and Possibilities!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Liu","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-3_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/7314424"},{"teacherId":8522431,"projectId":9731779,"letterContent":"Every single day my students enjoy using the dot markers you provided for us. They are strengthening their fine motor muscles and visual skills by following dots on a page, or using the markers to create their own imaginative pictures. They gather at the back table, socialize, share, problem solve and plan while using these dot markers. The students think they are just playing, but I see them learning and growing! Your generosity has made a big impact on the lives on my students. Thank you so much.","fullyFundedDate":1758823231585,"projectUrl":"project/dot-markers/9731779/","projectTitle":"Dot Markers","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Prichard","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8522431_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1751059897485","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8522431"},{"teacherId":8522431,"projectId":9437242,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for contributing to our classroom's hand's on materials. My students do not normally have access to items like these and it has impacted their hand and fine motor muscle strength as a result.\r\n\r\nEach day, we carve out an integrated play block for our students to learn in a fun manner. The hand's on materials you provided are used during this time. The students are strengthening their fine motor muscles while playing, and as a result their handwriting, creative writing and spelling have also improved. \r\n\r\nMy first graders are also building their social skills as they use these materials and are learning to share, problem solve and plan ahead. I giggle watching them \"play\" because all I see is learning and growth!","fullyFundedDate":1757620611774,"projectUrl":"project/hands-on-imagination/9437242/","projectTitle":"Hands-On Imagination","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Prichard","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8522431_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1751059897485","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8522431"},{"teacherId":5686806,"projectId":9878430,"letterContent":"How do I even begin to tell you the impact your support has had on my class? We just began our unit of Then and Now. As I have said, my class has a high population of students working on an intervention level or well below grade level in all academic areas. (Six EL students, five students who recieve special services, and two 504 students who recieve special accommodations.) I am not pointing this group of learners out for any other reason, but to say, you have made a huge difference in their learning.\r\n The peculiar purchase of Fisher Price Little People playsets has benefited my non readers and non writers as intended. Engage them! \r\n The students were first invited to play with their choice, vintage Fisher Price Little People playsets or \"today's\" play sets. Students randomly chose a set and partnered up with a classmate or two. Between your purchases and mine we had plenty of play sets to go around. (I was greatly relieved and grateful.) Students were given some time to interact before they were instructed to switch playsets and use a playset opposite of the one they had played with already (Then vs. Now). \r\n After the initial introduction, students were introduced to a deck of slides. Work slides. On the slides, we were able to read and translate to them what was expected of them. They were to again, interact with the playsets, but this time they needed to be a little more analytical. What material's were the objects made out of? Colors? Representation ie what kind of 'family' life or jobs could be characterized by the playsets. Is it a safe time for the age recommended? And of course some mathematical questions where they have to measure and weigh people from the different sets to compare.\r\n With hands-on research, the students collected their own data from their own thoughts and began to formulate their own ideas. After group discussions, they were able to understand the difference in time periods just based on simple toys. From their notes, they have begun to use a writing frame to help them write a compare and contrast essay. Once their essay is completed, edited, revised and peer edited, they then can publish and move on to the final task; design your own little people 'person'. \r\n And a topper to having a class 100% engaged in their own learning, is a comment a student said to me at dismissal, \"Mrs. Shaggy, I had a great day today. I did good. Do you want to know why? It's because my hands were busy and my head. When its not, I do bad things. ...I had a good day today.\"\r\n There are no words to express my gratitude for your support and helping all of my learners navigate their own learning and engagement. \r\n Thank you, for enabling me to engage every learner. I'm so very grateful.","fullyFundedDate":1764603615842,"projectUrl":"project/then-vs-now-toys/9878430/","projectTitle":"Then vs. Now Toys","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Shaggy","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp5686806_orig.jpg?crop=2970,2970,x766,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1786803834681","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/5686806"},{"teacherId":5686806,"projectId":9855550,"letterContent":"I just wanted to thank you for your support. Not only monetary support, but your belief in what I'm trying to put in place for my learners' accomplishments. My current group has solid hearts of gold. They are loving and compassionate for their peers, sometimes putting their peers before themselves. They do struggle though. The majority of the class struggle with grade level work, some even first grade work. But let me assure you, each and every one of them is well worth your investment.\r\n As I got to know this beloved group of mine, I became determined to let them know that they are the ones in charge of their destiny. They can choose paths that will lead them to success, but they don't understand the paths set before them. \r\n Once our Parent-Child conferences convened, we focused on where we needed to strengthen during our school day. I drafted up a schedule of our day and left a blank for them to fill in a goal for that subject or activity time. After their goals were written, we talked about ranking ourselves on each goal, \"How did I do?\" with the goals they wrote. We did our writing steps to publish and sent them to the teacher for printing. \r\n So far, each child has been rating themselves, in 'mostly' an honest way. They seem eager to check off their amount of stars they feel they've earned and reflect as they do so. Only once I had to remind a few during class time of their goals and are they 'doing' what they can to strive. I believe this is having a positive effect on how they feel about themselves and their efforts. Students who didn't participate in whole group discussions are chiming in and shining when they do.\r\n Thank you. sincerely, With every new bunch of students it seems that they have been grouped together for different reasons. This year's group definitely requires self reflection and the encouragement that 'they can do it' more than another other group I've met. Thank you for helping me, help them.","fullyFundedDate":1761950172829,"projectUrl":"project/personal-learning-goals-in-plain-view/9855550/","projectTitle":"Personal Learning Goals in Plain View!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Shaggy","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp5686806_orig.jpg?crop=2970,2970,x766,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1786803834681","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/5686806"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_43868","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":420,"numTeachers":42,"percentFrplEligible":91,"percentAsian":3,"percentBlack":5,"percentWhite":47,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":39,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","percentHawaiianImputed":0,"percentMultiracialImputed":2,"gradesServed":"K - 3","studentTeacherRatio":"10.0:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":false,"metroType":"TOWN","ncesMetroType":"TOWN_FRINGE"},"inStateSupporters":79.5,"schoolId":43868,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Torringford Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Torringford Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/connecticut/torrington-city-school-district/torringford-elementary-school/43868"}