{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"Thomas J Waters Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":24.2,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":9917175,"projectId":9100557,"letterContent":"I want to thank you for supporting dramatic play our kindergarten classroom. Nowadays, learning through play typically happens in the preschool setting and it is typical for 5 year olds to learn through play. With your generous donation, you have helped a group of wonderful 5 year olds learn and interact with one another using conversation, prete3nd play and taking turns. All of these skills are necessary for children to thrive in life and grow up to be responsible and caring adults. Thank you for making a difference in these children's lives.","fullyFundedDate":1747168017070,"projectUrl":"project/creative-and-fun-learning-space-with-a-p/9100557/","projectTitle":"Creative and Fun Learning Space with a Play Kitchen!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Astudillo","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-8_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9917175"},{"teacherId":5047678,"projectId":8290685,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for these resources! The students are loving using them to help as a reference for telling time and deciphering coins and bill values. \r\nThey were so excited to see Magnetic Money and see that they had their very own clocks to store in their Math folders for the year. It comes in \"handy\" when they are trying to tell the minute hand from the hour hand. \r\nIt has helped us get a head-start on the curriculum, since we have not talked about time or money yet, so we feel like we are ahead of the game! \r\n\r\nThank you for all your support!","fullyFundedDate":1712939652707,"projectUrl":"project/time-is-money/8290685/","projectTitle":"Time is Money!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Rafalowitz","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp5047678_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1513555635573","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/miss-rajska"},{"teacherId":9130125,"projectId":8491894,"letterContent":"Thank you for your tremendous support of \"Indigenous Weaving, Peace Circles & Storytelling from Around the World.\" Your donations have created nearly one thousand unique artworks from students in grades K-8 at Waters Fine Art School. Students utilized Indigenous texts, textiles and storytelling tools and materials to make original artworks to uplift student voice and diversify the traditional art making canon in our school-wide exhibit December 2024. We greatly appreciate your support and could not have experienced such a rich fabric of learning without you. \r\n\r\nWe explored numerous forms of weaving including macrame, bamboo basketry, sweet grass vessel making and needlepoint in this experience. We practiced sewing and braiding as traditional art forms in addition to painting, sketching and back-strap weaving to tell our stories. Students enjoyed exploring non-traditional media and soft sculpture to enhance our drawing and painting in a literacy-based art making studio.\r\n\r\nStudents explored making their own choices during Genius Hour passion projects (jewelry making, cardboard sculpture, glass mosaic and puppet theatre etc.) as they experimented with a variety of materials made possible through your support. Students read diverse stories as context for our learning and looked at Thanksgiving and gratitude as pre-colonial and Mesoamerican traditions as we honored those in our lives we are grateful for. \r\n\r\nAs we learned about the first Americans and honest history we were constantly reminded of those generous spirits who act alone to change the world and the power of gathering like-minded friends in community to make a difference for all of us. Your donation to our project is evidence of the importance of standing strong alone---and in community--- to make the change we wish to see. Thanks so much for making such a tremendous difference to our K-8 grade students. We are eternally grateful.","fullyFundedDate":1728312661158,"projectUrl":"project/indigenous-weaving-peace-circles-stor/8491894/","projectTitle":"Indigenous Weaving, Peace Circles & Storytelling from Around the World!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Vecchioni","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9130125_orig.png?crop=380,380,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1720705231957","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/vecchioni"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_5500","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":655,"numTeachers":33,"percentFrplEligible":21,"percentAsian":4,"percentBlack":1,"percentWhite":61,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":22,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"Pre-K - 8","studentTeacherRatio":"19.8:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":false,"titleOne":false,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":75.8,"schoolId":5500,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Thomas J Waters Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Thomas J Waters Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/illinois/chicago-public-school-district-299/waters-fine-arts-elementary-school/5500"}
Join the 636 supporters who believe in this school.
About this school
Thomas J Waters Elementary School is
an urban public school
in Chicago, Illinois that is part of Chicago Public School District 299.
It serves 655 students
in grades Pre-K - 8 with a student/teacher ratio of 19.8:1.
Its teachers have had 107 projects funded on DonorsChoose.
Public School
Grades Pre-K - 8
655 Students
33 Teachers
4540 N Campbell AveContact info is sourced from our partners at MDR Education, and DonorsChoose updates our site ahead of each school year.
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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.
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
27%
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.
Thomas J Waters Elementary School Support on DonorsChoose
Last updated Dec 4, 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.
Thomas J Waters Elementary School
$74,309
raised using DonorsChoose
107
projects
funded
33
teachers
funded
636
donors
5
projects
for
basic supplies
5
projects for
technology
10
projects for
books
2
projects
for
art supplies
Thomas J Waters Elementary School has received support from
482 individuals from Illinois and
154 individuals out-of-state.