{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"Ocotillo Learning Center","outOfStateSupporters":32.9,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":8644436,"projectId":9119970,"letterContent":"Thank you for your generous donation! My students now have a variety of learning materials including a beautiful pretend play farmers market stand stocked with a variety of items, which has quickly become a favorite spot in the room! It's amazing to see their imagination as they sell fruits and vegetables, shop for groceries, and engage in conversations that build both creativity and friendship.\r\n\r\nYour donation toward our materials has helped us create a classroom that feels more like a community. These new materials have helped my students feel inspired and connected. Every day, we witness the growth and laughter that your donation has made possible.","fullyFundedDate":1746786444778,"projectUrl":"project/exploring-the-world-through-pretend-play/9119970/","projectTitle":"Exploring the World Through Pretend Play","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Shelby","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-9_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8644436"},{"teacherId":8397317,"projectId":9588477,"letterContent":"These additional sensory tools have helped create a more calm classroom environment. Students have enjoyed watching the sensory sticks settle after shaking them up. They have been especially helpful in regulating students when they are upset. One of the favorite sensory tools, at the moment, has liquid that flows down and spins wheels inside of the tool. Many students enjoy collecting the same kinds of tools (liquid timers or sensory sticks) and comparing how they move and settle with each other.\r\n\r\nAll of the students were enthralled from the moment the packages were opened! Another benefit of the liquid timers has been learning about color mixing. When the colors are overlapped they appear one way but once they seperate the two individual colors are visible. This mini art lesson was an unexpected bonus!\r\n\r\nThe timers and other visual sensory tools have been a great tool to use at lunch as well. All students have the opportunity to sit and share a meal and these timers provide something to do and watch while students wait for their peers to finish their meals.","fullyFundedDate":1755744281330,"projectUrl":"project/soothing-sensory-supports/9588477/","projectTitle":"Soothing Sensory Supports","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Ducker","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8397317_orig.jpg?crop=272,272,x22,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1661378000940","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8397317"},{"teacherId":8385352,"projectId":9114233,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous donation. The resources and materials we received have truly made a difference in my student's learning. The materials have supported our students in hands-on learning, which made them eager to engage in different activities. I got to see my students even more excited to learn and more students were willing to participate in the activities we made with the materials for longer periods of time. \r\n\r\nMy students went on treasure hunts to find letters of the alphabet and put them on the maps. We had ice cream stands for them to practice counting and making tasty treats for their friends. Students were able to learn self-regulation strategies by using sensory bottles, timers, sensory shapes, and sensory bean bags to help them regulate their emotions. One lesson we did that students loved was making sensory bins with the kinetic sand where they were able to use tongs and tweezers to find letter manipulatives; there was so much engagement when they were looking for letters in the sensory sand bins. \r\n\r\nThe materials we received garnered such enthusiasm and excitement to learn. I'm so glad I have been able to bring sensory learning into the classroom as it has made a big difference in my student's learning. Thank you so much for your generous donation as it has made an impact in our classroom.","fullyFundedDate":1739987441471,"projectUrl":"project/see-it-feel-it-learn-it-sensory-learni/9114233/","projectTitle":"See It, Feel It, Learn It Sensory Learning","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Makenzie","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8385352_orig.jpg?crop=200,200,x0,y27&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1755120038775","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8385352"},{"teacherId":7641956,"projectId":9222016,"letterContent":"On behalf of my students and our classroom community, I want to extend our heartfelt thanks for your generous support in providing pencil grips and raised-line paper. Your thoughtful donation has made a meaningful difference in our learning environment.\r\n\r\nThese tools are more than just classroom supplies—they are keys to confidence and independence for many of my students. The pencil grips are already helping those with physical impairments hold and control their writing tools more effectively. The raised-line paper gives students both visual and tactile guidance, making it easier for them to place letters correctly and stay within the lines.\r\n\r\nThanks to your kindness, my students are writing with greater stability, focus, and pride. It's incredible to see their faces light up as they realize, \"I can do this!\" Your support is helping them build not only fine motor skills but also a belief in themselves.\r\n\r\nThank you again for helping us write a stronger future—one pencil stroke at a time.","fullyFundedDate":1743735001861,"projectUrl":"project/strong-writing-support-with-pencil-gri/9222016/","projectTitle":"\"Strong Writing: Support with Pencil Grips & Raised-Line Paper!\"","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Bradshaw","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7641956_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1753314548853","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/7641956"},{"teacherId":8654579,"projectId":9105911,"letterContent":"I feel so fortunate as a speech language pathologist (SLP) at the Ocotillo Learning Center to have been chosen for a Donors Choice Award. I've already used the materials that you donated, in a variety of settings, with many children that require speech therapy. When preschool children come to speech therapy, I try to make it fun and engaging so that they are motivated to practice their communication skills. It can be difficult and challenging for them to practice their sounds at such a young age, so the games, materials, and crafts make it fun for them. Also we use a literacy-language based approach which supports their pre-literacy and reading skills.\r\n\r\nYou generously donated a sensory bin toy with sand and construction toys. It's been a popular item with the preschool children in the classroom. As they play with the toys and feel the sand, I'm able to model correct speech and language targets for them. Through modeling of language, the children learn to express their wants and needs, understand basic concepts (e.g., put in, take out), and follow directions. Another item that you donated was Magna-Tiles with dinosaur characters. It's also been a bit hit with the children at the preschool. I've paired a dinosaur book with the magna-tiles to build language and literacy skills. A third item that you donated is a toy garage with a set of keys. I use this toy in the Autism self-contained classroom to work on their ability to use functional communication to meet their wants/needs (e.g., \"help me\", \"I want..\"). \r\n\r\nThank you for providing toys and materials to the preschool children that I serve at the Ocotillo Learning Center. The children get so excited every time they see we walk into the classroom with a new toy and immediately want to come and work with me. I provide speech therapy to many kids in several programs (e.g., PEEPs, exceptional education classroom, Autism classroom, Drop Ins) who are benefiting from these materials. I will continue to use these useful materials next year and for as long as I serve the students here at the preschool. The early intervention that we are providing is invaluable for their future success in school and life. Thank you for your kind and generous donation.","fullyFundedDate":1739373205688,"projectUrl":"project/learning-toys-for-preschoolers-with-deve/9105911/","projectTitle":"Learning Toys for Preschoolers with Developmental Disabilities","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Davis","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-10_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8654579"},{"teacherId":7641956,"projectId":9117839,"letterContent":"On behalf of Ocotillo Learning Center, I would like to extend our sincere thanks for awarding us the DonorsChoose grant. We are incredibly grateful for your generous support and your investment in our mission to explore the world and foster lifelong learners. The students were so excited to open the packages and explore the new sensory and reading tools.\r\nThis funding made a meaningful difference by improving student engagement and helping our young learners build a strong foundation in reading literacy. Thanks to your contribution, we are now better equipped to support their growth and inspire a love of learning.\r\n\r\nWe truly appreciate your commitment to supporting this important work. \r\n\r\nThank you once again for your generosity and support","fullyFundedDate":1739828082480,"projectUrl":"project/hands-on-learning-sensory-fidget-tools/9117839/","projectTitle":"Hands-On Learning: Sensory Fidget Tools for Focused Minds","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Bradshaw","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7641956_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1753314548853","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/7641956"},{"teacherId":9926550,"projectId":9119327,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous donation to my class room. Your support means the world to me and my students. You'r support helps create a more engaging and enriching learning environment for my students.Because of your gift, we're about to mention a special benefit, thank you so much for all the donations. I really appreciate it. Thank you so much.! my kids really loved it. They enjoyed it. I learned that it helps my kids with their language environment, and I am so proud of them. They learned so much with the new donations you guys gave us.! Thank you donorschoose!!","fullyFundedDate":1739913297802,"projectUrl":"project/learning-through-play/9119327/","projectTitle":"Learning Through Play","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Grijalva","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-6_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9926550"},{"teacherId":8644436,"projectId":9103058,"letterContent":"Thanks again for your generous donation! \r\nYour contribution has made a significant impact on my students learning experiences. The excitement on their faces when they received the materials was priceless. Since receiving the materials, I have noticed a significant increase in engagement, participation, and creativity among my students. They are more eager to learn and explore, and their imaginations are flourishing. \r\nYour support has truly enriched our classroom environment, and I am incredibly thankful for your commitment to helping my students learn and grow.","fullyFundedDate":1739373205325,"projectUrl":"project/creativity-and-critical-thinking-through/9103058/","projectTitle":"Creativity and Critical Thinking Through STEM","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Shelby","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-9_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8644436"},{"teacherId":1426285,"projectId":9121238,"letterContent":"Thank you for supporting me and my students with special needs. They absolutely adored the giant connect four game and it motivated them to move through progressively harder obstacle courses before putting the pieces into the game. Over time, they learned to walk up and down steps, crawl through the tunnel, slide down the slide, climb up the ladder, and walk across the bridge to get to the game. Wow! That is a lot of gross motor practice.\r\nThey are also strengthening their hand muscles with the scissors, pencils, and grips that you provided.\r\nLastly, It encourages me to have people that care about my students. This is a difficult job. And your generosity makes it easier.","fullyFundedDate":1740026184423,"projectUrl":"project/we-can-adapt/9121238/","projectTitle":"We Can Adapt!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Michelle","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-3_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/1426285"},{"teacherId":9922082,"projectId":9110972,"letterContent":"Our young learners were thrilled when the new materials arrived! Their faces lit up with excitement as they explored everything from pretend food to categorizing activities. These resources have sparked curiosity and have made an excellent pairing with classroom lessons on the life cycle of a butterfly, learning about insects, and animal categorization.\r\n\r\nThe materials have provided so many meaningful and rich opportunities for language and social development. During bug-themed lessons, students sorted insects and animals into groups and practiced turn-taking. The pretend kitchen set has been especially powerful by helping our preschoolers learn new vocabulary and using visual supports to make requests and follow directions. The fishing set provided our students opportunities to increase joint attention with peers and collaborate with them in meaningful ways.\r\n\r\nNext, we're moving into a unit on cooking ending with a pizza party, and we plan to use the materials to support hands-on practice building sorting, describing, and classifying during our activities. Thank you for helping us build a classroom full of exploration, connection, and joyful learning. Your support has truly made a difference!","fullyFundedDate":1739673312714,"projectUrl":"project/cognitive-language-and-social-emotiona/9110972/","projectTitle":"Cognitive, Language, and Social Emotional Development for Students With Disabilities","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Greenberg","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-2_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9922082"},{"teacherId":8397317,"projectId":9121217,"letterContent":"The students have been able to explore almost all of the new materials! They have better access to cutting and art projects with the adapted scissors. Daily they read and feel the sensory books, improving their letter, number, and color knowledge along with endless literacy and pre-reading skills. The sensory sorters have also been well-received and well-loved. \r\n\r\nEvery single student who entered my classroom once the rocking chair arrived, was immediately drawn to it. Sure, the draw started because it was novel, but day after day it continues to be the first stop for several students. Many students were happy to try the new, smaller, adapted scissors and are cutting away!\r\n\r\nThe end of the school year feels both close and far away, but we have so much more learning to start before summer! One of the bigger projects we have coming up is making a pinata. We will combine a lot of sensory, science, art, and motor exploration to create and enjoy the project!","fullyFundedDate":1740023599864,"projectUrl":"project/super-sensory-exploration/9121217/","projectTitle":"Super Sensory Exploration!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Ducker","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8397317_orig.jpg?crop=272,272,x22,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1661378000940","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8397317"},{"teacherId":7641956,"projectId":8613031,"letterContent":"Our students at Ocotillo have thoroughly enjoyed creating their new books. Through engaging activities, such as \"ice skating\" in shaving cream, they have had the opportunity to adapt their experiences into personalized books. This process helps them actively participate and sequence events and strengthens their storytelling abilities—an essential foundation for writing skills. They take great pride in their creations and eagerly share their books with anyone willing to listen, fostering confidence and a love for reading.\r\nThrough this experience, students have also been introduced to the book-making process, sparking a greater interest in exploring and engaging with books. The generous donation of equipment has enabled us to create new books for all 13 classrooms in our preschool, enriching the learning environment for every student. As we move forward, we remain committed to expanding our adapted book library, ensuring continued opportunities for literacy development and storytelling.","fullyFundedDate":1733278880299,"projectUrl":"project/adapted-books-access-to-whole-new-world/8613031/","projectTitle":"Adapted Books Access To Whole New World","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Bradshaw","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7641956_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1753314548853","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/7641956"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_59867","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":301,"numTeachers":32,"percentFrplEligible":68,"percentAsian":0,"percentBlack":3,"percentWhite":4,"percentIndigenous":1,"percentLatinx":87,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"Pre-K - K","studentTeacherRatio":"9.4:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":67.1,"schoolId":59867,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Ocotillo Learning Center on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Ocotillo Learning Center","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/arizona/sunnyside-unified-school-district-12/ocotillo-pre-school-special-ed/59867"}