{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Valley Mills Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":35.3,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":2591910,"projectId":10252681,"letterContent":"Thank you so much to our generous donors for providing our 6th graders with access to IXL for Math and ELA! Your support is giving our students an incredible opportunity to practice important skills, build confidence, and take ownership of their learning.\r\n\r\nMany of our students are already familiar with using technology, but IXL gives them a meaningful way to use technology as a learning tool. Students can practice skills at their own level, receive immediate feedback, and continue working on concepts until they feel confident. This allows them to get the extra practice they need while also giving teachers valuable information about what students understand and where they need additional support.\r\n\r\nOur students are especially excited about the interactive nature of IXL and being able to see their progress as they work. They enjoy earning points, completing skills, and challenging themselves to improve their scores. For many students, the instant feedback makes practice feel more like a challenge than traditional schoolwork!\r\n\r\nIXL is also especially helpful for students who may need additional practice or who sometimes lack confidence in Math or ELA. Students can work at their own pace without feeling embarrassed about making mistakes. Seeing their progress can be incredibly motivating and helps them realize that they can be successful when they keep trying.\r\n\r\nYour donation is doing more than providing us with a technology program—it is giving our students another opportunity to grow, practice, and believe in themselves. We are so grateful for your investment in our 6th graders and their education. Thank you for helping make learning more engaging, personalized, and accessible for our students!","fullyFundedDate":1778028828860,"projectUrl":"project/closing-learning-gaps-with-ixl-math-el/10252681/","projectTitle":"Closing Learning Gaps with IXL Math & ELA","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Heath","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp2591910_orig.jpg?crop=420,420,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1554819029810","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/amanda-heath"},{"teacherId":5971514,"projectId":10080952,"letterContent":"Because of your generosity, our project \"Captivating Minds Through Books\" has come to life in ways that are already making a meaningful difference in our classroom. I am so grateful for your support and belief in my students.\r\n\r\nWith the addition of these new books, my students now have access to engaging, high-interest texts that spark curiosity, deepen understanding, and inspire a true love of reading. Research and classroom experience both show that when students have access to books they genuinely enjoy, they become more confident readers and stronger critical thinkers. \r\n\r\nEvery day, I see students reaching for these books with excitement. They are eager to explore new genres, connect with characters, and share what they are learning with their peers. These moments are helping to build not only literacy skills, but also empathy, creativity, and a sense of possibility for their futures.\r\n\r\nFor many of my students, access to books outside of school is limited. Because of you, they now have the opportunity to experience stories that reflect their lives and introduce them to new perspectives—something that is essential in helping students grow both academically and personally. \r\n\r\nYour generosity has created an environment where reading is celebrated, where students feel empowered, and where learning extends far beyond the classroom walls. You have helped turn our classroom into a space filled with curiosity, imagination, and opportunity.\r\n\r\nThank you for making this possible and for investing in the lives of my students. Your impact will be felt every time a student picks up a book and discovers something new about the world—and about themselves.","fullyFundedDate":1770202926505,"projectUrl":"project/captivating-minds-through-books/10080952/","projectTitle":"Captivating Minds Through Books","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Banks","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp5971514_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1541796574651","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/helpinguslearnwithflexibleseating"},{"teacherId":10064572,"projectId":9659958,"letterContent":"I am writing to express my deepest gratitude for your support of our project. Because of your generosity, my space has been transformed into a place where every student feels seen, supported, and emotionally safe. You haven't just provided \"supplies\"—you've provided a landing spot where my students feel safe enough to be vulnerable.\r\nWhile items like the Giant Pillow and Breathing Pals are essential for self-regulation, the true heart of this project is the representation we've added. By including the Lil' Libros Afro-Latinx Picture Books, Zuri and Dre dolls, and Lee & Low Mental Health bundles, our space now mirrors the beautiful diversity of our community. These materials, especially bilingual titles like Wepa and No Boy, have given my students the language to navigate big emotions in both English and Spanish.\r\nAdditionally, the standing desk has been a total game-changer for me. Instead of being tied to a fixed station, I am now mobile. I can work from any corner of the school—even the cafeteria—allowing me to be physically present and available to my students exactly when and where they need me most.\r\nThe impact of this mobility became clear recently when I was able to work from the hallway near a student who was having a difficult morning due to testing. Because I was right there with them, I could hand them the calming ball. We sat together and talked through the suggested solutions. Another time, a student was browsing my new Spanish library additions; seeing them recognize their own language in my library was incredible. It was a moment of belonging that happened because I was able to meet them exactly where they were.\r\nYour investment has allowed me to create an inclusive environment where \"It's Okay To Not Be Okay.\" You are building a bridge between my students' homes and their school. Thank you for helping my students feel represented and for giving me the tools to be a more responsive and present","fullyFundedDate":1766156436377,"projectUrl":"project/inside-out/9659958/","projectTitle":"Inside Out","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Robinson","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10064572_orig.jpg?crop=2075,2075,x0,y353&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1756940639957","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10064572"},{"teacherId":5971514,"projectId":9660484,"letterContent":"Being able to give students the opportunity to find a new favorite book is an amazing feeling! I would say that most of my students are reading a full book in one or two days at this point in the year. Many of them have been able to use their time reading to identify the type of genre, which author, and what types of books they prefer. This type of exploration with reading has lead to so many more opportunities for my students to enjoy what they are reading.\r\n\r\nAlong with being able to identify their own personal reading preferences, most students are now able to hold meaningful conversations with their peers about what they are reading. Thank you for helping to inspire minds.","fullyFundedDate":1758248963609,"projectUrl":"project/giving-the-gift-of-reading/9660484/","projectTitle":"Giving the Gift of Reading","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Banks","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp5971514_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1541796574651","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/helpinguslearnwithflexibleseating"},{"teacherId":5971514,"projectId":9576152,"letterContent":"In the fourth grade, prizes are everything! Being able to reward my students with small tokens of my appreciation for the hard work they put into their everyday learning means the world to them. From small pieces of candy to a quarter to use in the machine, my students do their best work in hopes to be rewarded for it. \r\n\r\nWhen students earn a ticket for their good choices with their behavior, they enjoy getting to add their ticket to the ticket drum. It adds more appeal to earning the ticket when they get to spin the drum. Students are also able to be more organized with their daily work with their desk clipboards. I have noticed that there are less students with missing work when we use the clipboards.\r\n\r\nThank you for donating to our classroom and for helping us all grow!","fullyFundedDate":1756320194009,"projectUrl":"project/eye-on-the-prize/9576152/","projectTitle":"Eye On The Prize","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Banks","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp5971514_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1541796574651","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/helpinguslearnwithflexibleseating"},{"teacherId":2591910,"projectId":9615198,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous support of my DonorsChoose project! Because of you, my 6th graders now have the snacks they actually want — the kind that make them smile and keep our classroom energy positive.\r\n\r\nYour donations made it possible for me to fill our snack bin with favorites that help students get through the day with full bellies and happy attitudes. Something as simple as a bag of chips or a granola bar can truly turn a day around, and my students are so grateful for that.\r\n\r\nThank you for caring about our classroom and for giving my students a reason to feel seen, supported, and appreciated. Your kindness means more than you know!","fullyFundedDate":1755800896313,"projectUrl":"project/6th-graders-love-snacks/9615198/","projectTitle":"6th Graders Love Snacks","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Heath","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp2591910_orig.jpg?crop=420,420,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1554819029810","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/amanda-heath"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_19457","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":556,"numTeachers":31,"percentFrplEligible":95,"percentAsian":1,"percentBlack":24,"percentWhite":52,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":13,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","percentHawaiianImputed":0,"percentMultiracialImputed":7,"gradesServed":"K - 6","studentTeacherRatio":"17.9:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":64.7,"schoolId":19457,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Valley Mills Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Valley Mills Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/indiana/msd-of-decatur-twp/valley-mills-elementary-school/19457"}
Join the 300 supporters who believe in this school.
About this school
Valley Mills Elementary School is
an urban public school
in Indianapolis, Indiana that is part of Msd Of Decatur Twp.
It serves 556 students
in grades K - 6 with a student/teacher ratio of 17.9:1.
Its teachers have had 98 projects funded on DonorsChoose.
Supporting this school will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.
Public School
Title 1
Data about Title 1 status comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education.
Grades K - 6
556 Students
31 Teachers
5101 S High School RdContact info is sourced from our partners at MDR Education, and DonorsChoose updates our site ahead of each school year.
Share and help support Valley Mills Elementary School
Boost support for this school! Share this page with friends, family, alumni, and fellow supporters. Every connection helps teachers get the supplies they need and shows how much your community cares about its students.
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Every donation funds real needs — pencils, books, lab equipment, art supplies, and more — helping students learn and thrive. We ship supplies directly to the school, and you'll see exactly where each dollar goes.
of students receive free or reduced price lunch
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
Source: the National Center for Education Statistics
38%
of students are Black, Latino, Native
American, or Asian
Data about school demographics comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. The numbers in this chart may not add up to 100% because of limitations in the available data.
Valley Mills Elementary School Support on DonorsChoose
Last updated Aug 31, 2026
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.
Valley Mills Elementary School
$69,418
raised using DonorsChoose
98
projects
funded
30
teachers
funded
300
donors
12
projects
for
basic supplies
15
projects for
technology
20
projects for
books
Valley Mills Elementary School has received support from
194 individuals from Indiana and
106 individuals out-of-state.
