{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"Urban Middle School","outOfStateSupporters":60.9,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":10258858,"projectId":9711027,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous support of our Books for Change project through DonorsChoose. Your donation has made a meaningful and lasting impact on our classroom, and I am truly grateful for your belief in our students and their potential. Because of you, our students now have access to powerful, inspiring books that are changing the way the see themselves and the world around them.\r\n\r\nThe addition of 'No Summit Out of Sight' and 'Bad Boy' to our classroom library has been especially impactful. These books are more than just reading material, they are mirrors and windows for our students. They reflect real people, real struggles, and real triumphs, while also encouraging empathy, understanding, and growth. \r\n\r\nWe are currently reading these stories in class and they have sparked meaningful conversations around Social Emotional Learning. These discussions have allowed students to reflect on their own choices and personal growth. \r\n\r\nThank you for investing in our students. Your support truly makes a difference and we are incredibly thankful for your generosity and commitment to education .","fullyFundedDate":1760200081989,"projectUrl":"project/books-for-change/9711027/","projectTitle":"Books for Change","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Bennett","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10258858_orig.jpg?crop=1774,1774,x0,y23&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1757702820504","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10258858"},{"teacherId":10023313,"projectId":9530059,"letterContent":"Pure excitement and joy filled my classroom the day I passed out the composition notebooks you so generously provided. My students' faces lit up instantly, and the very first question they asked was, \"Is this ours to keep?\" That moment alone showed me just how meaningful your gift truly was.\r\n\r\nAs an 8th-grade teacher, it isn't always possible to supply every student with materials they will use consistently and value deeply. Thanks to you, every student now has a composition notebook that they use each and every day. These notebooks have become an essential part of our American History classroom.\r\n\r\nStudents use their notebooks to learn and master American History vocabulary carefully selected by our PLC team. For each word, they complete a Frayer Model in their notebook—defining the term, connecting it to examples, and truly making meaning of the content. These notebooks are not just for writing; they are tools for studying, peer discussions, and daily engagement. Best of all, they serve as a reliable resource for the entire school year.\r\n\r\nMy favorite part is knowing that these vocabulary notebooks will continue to support my students beyond my classroom. They are able to take them with them into high school and use them in future history courses, extending the impact of your generosity far beyond this year.\r\n\r\nThank you for investing in my students and in their learning. Your support has sparked excitement, ownership, and confidence in the classroom, and it has made a lasting difference in their educational journey. We are incredibly grateful for your kindness and belief in our students.","fullyFundedDate":1761962366193,"projectUrl":"project/fuel-their-word-power/9530059/","projectTitle":"Fuel Their Word Power","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Wenninger","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-7_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10023313"},{"teacherId":8041965,"projectId":9657501,"letterContent":"We cannot thank you enough for your contribution to this project. The students and myself alike, are absolutely loving the new volleyballs. Combining these with what we previously had provides an abundance of volleyballs to teach large class sizes the necessary skills of the game. Anytime the students see anything new on the rack, that is immediately what they flock toward. They love the brand new condition of the balls. We are just beginning our volleyball unit, but the students have been using the balls already during open gym time to bump back and forth between classmates or in large circles. \r\nNow the students will have fun specifically learning the skills of bumping, setting, and serving with this brand new equipment. The balls are definitely much softer and nice on the arms compared to some of the old rocks we have to use. Then the students will have fun playing some games with the new balls, and we will even have a day dedicated to a fun school wide volleyball tournament.\r\nNone of this could have happened without your kindness and generosity. It is so uplifting for teachers to have projects funded on Donorschoose. As we get more use out of the equipment, we will be thanking you for years to come.","fullyFundedDate":1764777730229,"projectUrl":"project/good-serves-bumps-sets-and-maybe-some/9657501/","projectTitle":"Good Serves, Bumps, Sets, and Maybe Some Spikes!","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Fortuna","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8041965_orig.jpg?crop=2544,2544,x0,y424&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1725633451884","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8041965"},{"teacherId":10023313,"projectId":9413881,"letterContent":"Thanks to your generosity, our classroom has been filled with excitement and curiosity around our new books! These texts have opened up wonderful opportunities for students to grow as readers, thinkers, and collaborators.\r\n\r\nThrough our new reading selections, students are learning essential skills such as analyzing characters' motivations, identifying themes, and connecting stories to their own lives and communities. We're also practicing strategies for close reading — looking carefully at an author's word choice, tone, and structure — and building confidence in sharing our interpretations during group discussions.\r\n\r\nReading in our classroom is now a lively, shared experience. Students read aloud, discuss in small groups, and write thoughtful reflections about what they discover. The new books have created space for deeper conversations and sparked genuine enthusiasm for reading.\r\n\r\nOne student who used to shy away from reading has become one of our most eager participants — she now volunteers to read passages aloud and often recommends books to her classmates. Another student who struggled with comprehension is proud to share insights during discussions because the stories truly resonate with him.\r\n\r\nYour donation has made a lasting impact. You've given my students not only books, but also joy, confidence, and a stronger love for reading. Thank you for believing in their potential and helping our classroom come alive with learning.","fullyFundedDate":1751982446273,"projectUrl":"project/we-can-read-together/9413881/","projectTitle":"We Can Read Together!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Wenninger","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-7_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10023313"},{"teacherId":9467697,"projectId":9390994,"letterContent":"The excitement has been through the roof as our new books have arrived to our classroom! To see students looking at the new books with great anticipation warms my teacher heart. These books are especially exciting to us because they were chosen by the students that were in our class last year. Having books selected by peers and students they look up to is more incentive for them to read the books.\r\n\r\nTo help capture the attention of the current seventh graders, I am in the process of making some signage to help students know what books have been newly added. I cannot wait to see the books in the hands of students and to see the love of reading grow!","fullyFundedDate":1758826054295,"projectUrl":"project/the-solution-to-i-dont-know-what-to-re/9390994/","projectTitle":"The Solution to \"I Don't Know What to Read\"","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Horzen","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9467697_orig.jpg?crop=750,750,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1707837944493","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9467697"},{"teacherId":10111167,"projectId":9532698,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your donation to this project! With your generosity, a classroom set of Snark tuners were purchased and delivered. My student musicians were excited to see what these do and learn how to use them! \r\n\r\nMy students were all fully engaged when I demonstrated not only how the tuners work, but also how to tune their instruments using their fine tuners. Now, they come into class everyday and grab a tuner to get themselves tuned up. This has saved so much time so that we can do what we are all gathered to do — make music!\r\n\r\nThis has only been made possible thanks to you! My student musicians and I are so grateful in your support of our program and for the arts.","fullyFundedDate":1760693792285,"projectUrl":"project/keeping-a-steady-tune-with-better-intona/9532698/","projectTitle":"Keeping a Steady Tune with Better Intonation!","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Chang","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-4_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10111167"},{"teacherId":9486200,"projectId":9498090,"letterContent":"A tremendous thank you for making a positive impact with my students. They were so excited to use the new fidgets. When they saw the jellyfish lamp, they immediately went to look at it. They asked, \"Are they real?\" It was great to see their engagement.\r\n\r\nThose other items such as the star hanging lights, and sign were noticed as well. Students like picking out what color the hanging lights should be and they chose orange for Halloween. Also, it was a nice treat for them to receive a mint while they worked on a test.\r\n\r\nAgain, thank you for your generosity!","fullyFundedDate":1760107037629,"projectUrl":"project/inspiring-the-future/9498090/","projectTitle":"Inspiring the Future!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Buechel","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9486200_orig.png?crop=196,196,x0,y7&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1742302133401","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9486200"},{"teacherId":8923760,"projectId":9320750,"letterContent":"My students use the bins for easy access to materials in our activity closet. It's made it so much easier for them to find what they need quickly and stay organized during projects and daily activities. The labeled bins help promote independence and responsibility, allowing students to take ownership of keeping our space tidy and efficient.\r\n\r\nThey were so excited and appreciative! Many commented on how clean and organized everything looked. They loved how everything had a clear place and immediately started using the bins during group projects. It's been a small change that made a big difference in our routine.","fullyFundedDate":1746699709253,"projectUrl":"project/bin-there-need-that/9320750/","projectTitle":"Bin There, Need That!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. West","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8923760_orig.jpg?crop=1236,1236,x566,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1714614088758","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8923760"},{"teacherId":9467697,"projectId":9112612,"letterContent":"This new organization cart has been a game changer for our incentive organization! Not only do we have plenty of drawers, but we also are able to label to make finding what they'd like quick and easy. Students always have the option of candy, squishy animals, stickers, pencils, and some seasonal items. Having them all organized helps us reward them and keep class moving!\r\n\r\nWhen we added the \"Let's root for each other\" frame and a few plants we already had in our classroom, it fit right into our classroom like it was always there. Thank you so much for all the support of our classroom. It would not be the cozy, welcoming space it is without all the help from our DonorsChoose community!","fullyFundedDate":1749822431165,"projectUrl":"project/wheely-looking-for-some-organization/9112612/","projectTitle":"\"Wheely\" Looking for Some Organization","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Horzen","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9467697_orig.jpg?crop=750,750,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1707837944493","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9467697"},{"teacherId":9928669,"projectId":9124567,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous support of our classroom project. Your donation has made a real difference, especially for my English language learners.\r\n\r\nThe game buzzers have created a fun and supportive way for these students to practice speaking in English. Instead of feeling nervous or shy, they are now excited to press the buzzer, share their answers, and use new vocabulary with confidence. What was once intimidating has become a game they can't wait to play.\r\n\r\nYour generosity has not only helped them improve their science knowledge but also given them valuable opportunities to build language skills, teamwork, and self-confidence. These are gifts that will last far beyond the classroom.\r\n\r\nOn behalf of my students and myself, thank you for believing in them and helping their voices be heard.","fullyFundedDate":1744033005640,"projectUrl":"project/buzzing-for-science-engaging-students-w/9124567/","projectTitle":"Buzzing for Science: Engaging Students With Interactive Learning!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Keaton","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9928669_orig.png?crop=510,510,x0,y98&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1740147572448","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9928669"},{"teacherId":9418513,"projectId":9138409,"letterContent":"The puzzles and sticker-by-number activities had a truly meaningful impact on my students, especially during the high-stress weeks of state testing. These tools offered a calming, focused outlet that helped students manage their anxiety and reset between assessments. Many of my students used them to self-regulate, recharge, and return to testing with a clearer mind. Even students who typically struggle with focus or overwhelm found comfort in the structure and simplicity of these activities.\r\n\r\nI can't thank our donors enough for making this possible. Your generosity brought calm, joy, and confidence to my classroom when it was needed most. You helped create an environment where students felt supported—not just academically, but emotionally. Thank you for believing in the power of small tools to make a big difference.","fullyFundedDate":1742941023021,"projectUrl":"project/brain-busters-fun-foundry/9138409/","projectTitle":"Brain Busters & Fun Foundry","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Langnes","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9418513_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1703264047442","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9418513"},{"teacherId":9418513,"projectId":8734127,"letterContent":"Donations for this project directly enhance the classroom environment by providing flexible sensory options that support every student's unique needs. With contributions, students gain access to tools and spaces—like noise-canceling headphones, fidget toys, adjustable lighting, and cozy corners—that help them regulate emotions, stay focused, and engage more fully in learning. These resources create a more inclusive and supportive classroom where students feel understood and empowered. Every donation makes it possible to celebrate individual differences, boost academic performance, and give students the tools they need to thrive each day.","fullyFundedDate":1725403948198,"projectUrl":"project/flexible-means-to-learning/8734127/","projectTitle":"Flexible Means to Learning","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Langnes","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9418513_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1703264047442","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9418513"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_38356","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":558,"numTeachers":43,"percentFrplEligible":74,"percentAsian":22,"percentBlack":5,"percentWhite":43,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":19,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"6 - 8","studentTeacherRatio":"13.0:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":false,"metroType":"UNCLASSIFIED","ncesMetroType":"CITY_SMALL"},"inStateSupporters":39.1,"schoolId":38356,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Urban Middle School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Urban Middle School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/wisconsin/sheboygan-area-school-district/urban-middle-school/38356"}