{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Cottonwood Community School","outOfStateSupporters":31.4,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":8496927,"projectId":8957737,"letterContent":"The STEM materials in my kindergarten classroom have had a powerful impact on student engagement, creativity, and problem-solving skills. These hands-on resources have transformed learning into an active, exploratory experience where students are encouraged to think critically, test ideas, and work collaboratively. In early childhood education, STEM learning is essential because it builds the foundation for science, technology, engineering, and math skills through play and discovery.\r\n\r\nOne of the most noticeable impacts of the STEM materials is increased student engagement. My kindergarten students are naturally curious, and these materials allow them to explore that curiosity in meaningful ways. Whether they are building structures, experimenting with balance, sorting materials, or completing simple challenges, students are fully engaged in the learning process. They are excited to participate and often ask to revisit STEM activities during choice time.\r\n\r\nThese materials have also strengthened problem-solving and critical thinking skills. Students are frequently presented with open-ended tasks such as building the tallest tower, creating a bridge, or designing a structure that can hold weight. Through trial and error, they learn how to adjust their thinking, make improvements, and persist when something does not work the first time. This builds resilience and teaches them that mistakes are part of learning.\r\n\r\nCollaboration is another major impact of the STEM materials. Students often work in pairs or small groups, which encourages communication, teamwork, and shared decision-making. I regularly observe students discussing ideas, dividing tasks, and helping each other troubleshoot problems. These interactions build important social skills and prepare students for future collaborative learning experiences.\r\n\r\nThe STEM materials have also supported fine motor development and early math and science skills. As students manipulate objects, build structures, and sort materials, they are strengthening hand-eye coordination and developing spatial awareness. At the same time, they are engaging in foundational math concepts such as counting, measuring, comparing, and classifying. Science concepts such as cause and effect and experimentation are naturally embedded in their play.\r\n\r\nIn addition, these materials have encouraged creativity and imagination. Students are not limited to one correct answer—they are free to design, build, and explore in their own way. This fosters confidence and allows students to express themselves while learning academic concepts.\r\n\r\nOverall, the STEM materials have had a lasting impact on my kindergarten classroom. They have increased engagement, strengthened problem-solving skills, supported collaboration, and integrated academic learning into meaningful hands-on experiences. Most importantly, they have helped my students see themselves as capable thinkers, builders, and problem-solvers at a young age.","fullyFundedDate":1735442309478,"projectUrl":"project/stem-1st-grade-project/8957737/","projectTitle":"Stem 1st Grade Project","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Aston","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8496927_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1741827049628","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8496927"},{"teacherId":8496927,"projectId":9158439,"letterContent":"The classroom carpet has had a significant impact on creating a structured, welcoming, and collaborative learning environment in my kindergarten classroom. It has become the central meeting space where students gather for whole-group instruction, morning meetings, read-alouds, and community-building activities. In early childhood education, having a defined shared space is essential, and this carpet has helped establish consistency and routine for my students.\r\n\r\nOne of the most important impacts of the carpet is how it supports classroom management and routines. My kindergarten students thrive on structure, and having a designated gathering area helps them understand expectations for group learning time. When I say, \"Meet me on the carpet,\" students know exactly where to go and what is expected of them. This reduces transition time and helps maximize instructional minutes, which is especially important in a busy kindergarten classroom.\r\n\r\nThe carpet has also strengthened student engagement during lessons. During read-alouds and interactive lessons, students are seated closely together, which helps them stay focused and connected to the learning. I have noticed that students are more attentive and participatory when they are gathered on the carpet compared to sitting at individual desks. They are able to see visuals clearly, respond to questions, and engage in discussions more easily.\r\n\r\nAnother major impact is the way the carpet supports social-emotional learning and classroom community. It is where we greet each other in the morning, share stories, and practice important social skills like listening, taking turns, and respecting personal space. Students learn how to sit next to peers, collaborate during partner discussions, and feel part of a classroom family. These routines build trust and help create a positive classroom culture.\r\n\r\nThe carpet has also been especially helpful during collaborative learning activities. Students often turn and talk with partners, participate in group discussions, and engage in movement-based learning while staying within a defined shared space. This helps them develop communication skills and learn how to work together respectfully.\r\n\r\nIn addition, the carpet provides comfort and accessibility for young learners. Many kindergarten students learn best when they are physically comfortable and able to move slightly while learning. The carpet allows for flexible seating, which supports different learning needs and styles.\r\n\r\nOverall, the classroom carpet has become an essential part of our daily instruction. It has improved classroom organization, increased student engagement, strengthened routines, and built a strong sense of community. It is more than just a space in the room—it is the heart of our learning environment where students come together to grow academically and socially every day.","fullyFundedDate":1746785684618,"projectUrl":"project/give-1st-graders-a-carpet-for-comfort-a/9158439/","projectTitle":"\"Give 1st Graders a Carpet for Comfort and Learning!\"","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Aston","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8496927_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1741827049628","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8496927"},{"teacherId":8496927,"projectId":6882825,"letterContent":"The word wall has had a powerful impact on my classroom by strengthening student literacy, independence, and confidence in reading and writing. From the moment it was introduced, it quickly became one of the most used and valued resources in our classroom. My students are still developing foundational reading and writing skills, and having a consistent, visible reference for high-frequency words has made a meaningful difference in their daily learning.\r\n\r\nOne of the biggest impacts of the word wall is the way it supports student independence. Instead of relying solely on teacher assistance, students now have a tool they can turn to when they are writing sentences, labeling pictures, or attempting to read unfamiliar words. I often see students walking up to the word wall during writing time, carefully scanning for the word they need, and then returning to their work with confidence. This small action builds ownership of learning and helps them see themselves as capable writers.\r\n\r\nThe word wall has also significantly improved student writing. In writing can be challenging because students are learning how to match sounds to letters and remember common sight words. With the word wall in place, students are able to include more complete sentences in their writing. They are no longer discouraged when they cannot spell a word—they know they have a resource to help them. This has led to longer writing pieces, stronger sentence structure, and more willingness to take risks in writing.\r\n\r\nAnother important impact is vocabulary development and reading support. During shared reading and guided instruction, students often recognize words from the word wall in books and classroom texts. This connection between the wall and real reading experiences helps build fluency and comprehension. Students become more engaged because they are recognizing familiar words in meaningful contexts.\r\n\r\nThe word wall has also supported classroom routines and collaboration. Students often help each other locate words, which builds peer interaction and communication skills. I have observed students saying things like, \"Go check the word wall,\" or walking a classmate over to help them find a word. This fosters a supportive learning environment where students learn from one another.\r\n\r\nOverall, the word wall has become an essential part of our daily instruction. It is not just a display on the wall—it is an active learning tool that students use every day. It has increased independence, strengthened writing skills, supported reading development, and encouraged collaboration. Most importantly, it has helped my class students feel successful as emerging readers and writers, which builds confidence and a love for learning that will carry into future grades.","fullyFundedDate":1664914319037,"projectUrl":"project/my-students-need-the-resources/6882825/","projectTitle":"My Students Need the Resources","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Aston","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8496927_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1741827049628","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8496927"},{"teacherId":8651364,"projectId":9647677,"letterContent":"Thank you for supplying my room with the regalia for the letters. It's great to see the little learners associate letters and sounds they make with real items. The activities I associate with the containers have improved their recall during their work and assessments.\r\n\r\nThe first day the box was opened, all of my groups (K5) were grateful and surprised to see the items. The biggest question was, \"Mrs. Carabin, what are all these things? What are we going to do with them?\" The first week, all of them were helping to get the kit set up. The youngers were happy to help open packages and begin to sort. The middles were eager to say the name of the item and then sort them. The older learners put all of the stickers on and put the containers in order on the counter. \r\n\r\nEvery week, we get them out for the letter we are learning about. The kindergarteners are fascinated by the items and learning about the sounds they begin with. The olders are writing the words associated with the items and then sentences. It has been a joy to watch their growth through the use of real items.","fullyFundedDate":1757910270377,"projectUrl":"project/littles-and-letters/9647677/","projectTitle":"Littles and Letters","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Carabin","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8651364_orig.jpg?crop=359,359,x0,y113&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1756047023460","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8651364"},{"teacherId":8641128,"projectId":9583197,"letterContent":"Thank you again for your generosity. We have been enjoying the creative caddies. It has been very nice having the caddies for all of our fun projects. The organization they provide help keep us on track so we have more time and more fun. The students really love the easy clean up. I love the Way the kids light up when I ask them to help me set up. They get excited and they actually volunteer more when it comes to helping me clean up. The community I serve is low income. The excitement of something so simple as new crayons and caddies is infectious. Thank you for helping us and bringing smiles to all of us.","fullyFundedDate":1758218179606,"projectUrl":"project/creative-caddies/9583197/","projectTitle":"Creative Caddies","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Wright","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8641128_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1663087189259","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8641128"},{"teacherId":10036884,"projectId":9359833,"letterContent":"I can't thank you enough for the incredible gift you've given to our classroom. Because of your generosity, we now have class sets of clipboards and whiteboards, storage containers, a beautiful new bookshelf, and a wonderful collection of picture books — and every single item has brought new energy and excitement to our learning space.\r\n\r\nThe clipboards and whiteboards have been such a hit! My students light up when it's time to use them. Whether they're solving math problems, writing quick responses, or sharing ideas during lessons, they love having their own tools in hand. The clipboards have even turned into \"portable desks\", so we can now take our learning outside or around the room, which makes lessons so much more fun and flexible.\r\n\r\nThe storage containers and bookshelf have truly changed the feel of our classroom. Everything now has a home, and the room feels calm, organized, and inviting. Students take pride in keeping things tidy, and our new bookshelf has become a cozy corner where they love to gather and explore new stories.\r\n\r\nAnd those picture books, wow! They've already become favorites. We've laughed, wondered, and sometimes even gotten a little teary while reading them together. It's been so special to see my students connect with new characters and stories, and it's all thanks to you.\r\n\r\nYour support has done more than just provide supplies, it has created joy, curiosity, and a stronger sense of community in our classroom. My students know that people out there believe in them, and that means the world.\r\n\r\nFrom all of us, thank you for making our classroom a place where learning feels exciting and full of possibilities every single day.","fullyFundedDate":1751706461882,"projectUrl":"project/miss-youngs-first-classroom/9359833/","projectTitle":"Miss Young's First Classroom","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Young","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10036884_orig.jpg?crop=2496,2496,x0,y1023&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1747324077445","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10036884"},{"teacherId":7832021,"projectId":7204973,"letterContent":"Your donation has had a great impact on our classroom. Many students are not able to buy their own things. Knowing they have everything they need for class at school is one less thing they have to worry about. They have all the supplies they need for optimal learning in class. We use the binders everyday in class to keep supplies together, notes, assignments, and goals. Whether we are using pencils and paper, headphones or dry erase markers to practice out work, they are ready to learn. Again we are so grateful!","fullyFundedDate":1680128289961,"projectUrl":"project/hands-on-math/7204973/","projectTitle":"Hands-On Math","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Engle","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7832021_orig.jpg?crop=1381,1381,x405,y37&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1723347841594","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/7832021"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_44347","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":421,"numTeachers":22,"percentFrplEligible":62,"percentAsian":0,"percentBlack":0,"percentWhite":34,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":61,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","percentHawaiianImputed":0,"percentMultiracialImputed":2,"gradesServed":"K - 8","studentTeacherRatio":"19.1:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"TOWN","ncesMetroType":"TOWN_DISTANT"},"inStateSupporters":68.6,"schoolId":44347,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Cottonwood Community School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Cottonwood Community School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/arizona/cottonwood-oak-creek-school-district/cottonwood-middle-school/44347"}