{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Laura N Banks Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":31.3,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":8398558,"projectId":10213332,"letterContent":"Your generosity has completely transformed our 4th-grade classroom into a thriving, professional \"miniature society\" where my students take genuine pride in their work. The new shiplap and black \"Better Than Paper\" bulletin board backdrops have elevated our room into a polished, professional workplace displaying job charts and student accomplishments, while the organizational tools, cleaning supplies, and air fresheners keep our space clean, healthy, and functional. Having a tidy, beautiful environment where they serve as valued \"employees\" has given my students a deep sense of ownership and agency over their learning environment.\r\n\r\nThe new store inventory—ranging from Frito-Lay snacks, Goldfish, and Slim Jims to popular fidget spinners, squishy stress cubes, and Wacky Tracks—has taken our classroom economy to an incredible new level. Engagement is at an all-time high as students actively track their income, balance their wants with their needs, and practice real-world decision-making. Watching them weigh whether to spend their salary right away on a quick snack or save up across multiple paychecks for a high-value fidget toy has been a fantastic, hands-on lesson in practical financial literacy and goal setting.\r\n\r\nBeyond the storefront, the addition of our classroom laminator has quickly become one of the most exciting services in our economy. Students take enormous pride in paying out of their hard-earned earnings to have their special artwork, writing pieces, and projects preserved, reinforcing the value of investing in their own hard work. Thank you for giving my 4th graders the tools to practice responsibility, work ethic, and money management in such a meaningful, memorable way!","fullyFundedDate":1786366934357,"projectUrl":"project/real-world-rewards-fueling-our-classroo/10213332/","projectTitle":"Real World Rewards: Fueling Our Classroom Economy","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Boyd","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8398558_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1669088933558","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrsboyds4thgrade"},{"teacherId":8398558,"projectId":9142399,"letterContent":"Thanks to your incredible support, our classroom economy is officially up and running! When the packages filled with sensory fidgets, puzzle snake cubes, animal erasers, and colorful gel pens arrived, the excitement in our room was electric. These aren't just fun trinkets—they are tangible tokens of achievement that have transformed our daily learning environment. My students now enter the classroom each morning motivated and ready to work hard, eager to take on responsibilities, demonstrate positive behavior, and participate actively in our daily routines.\r\n\r\nBy using these donated rewards to stock our class store, you have helped bring real-world financial literacy to life for my 4th graders. Students are actively earning classroom dollars and making intentional choices about whether to spend their hard-earned income right away on smaller prizes like pencil toppers or save up for bigger rewards like the stress balls, neon sunglasses, and motivational wristbands. This hands-on experience is teaching them invaluable, lifelong lessons in budgeting, delayed gratification, and financial planning in a way that feels empowering and fun.\r\n\r\nMost importantly, your generosity has given my hardworking students a profound sense of pride and ownership in their successes. Every reward chosen from our store serves as a constant reminder that their perseverance and kindness do not go unnoticed. Thank you for investing in our classroom, keeping our economy thriving, and showing my students that their dedication and hard work are truly worth celebrating!","fullyFundedDate":1742946551224,"projectUrl":"project/inspiring-success-through-our-classroom/9142399/","projectTitle":"Inspiring Success Through Our Classroom Economy!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Boyd","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8398558_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1669088933558","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrsboyds4thgrade"},{"teacherId":8398558,"projectId":9104371,"letterContent":"When our project was fully funded, you didn't just donate materials—you handed my 4th graders a completely new way to experience learning. Over half of the students in my classroom enter each day reading below grade level, which can often lead to frustration and low self-confidence. The addition of the Lakeshore Touch & Read Phonics sets, Splash! Reading Games, and the Learning Resources sight word games has transformed our daily routine. Instead of feeling overwhelmed by reading, my students now eagerly look forward to practicing their skills through movement, hands-on play, and friendly competition.\r\n\r\nThese interactive materials allow me to bridge critical learning gaps without ever making my students feel singled out or self-conscious. Through repeated exposure to high-frequency words and foundational phonics, my students are building rapid word recognition skills and boosting their reading fluency. Because the games feel like play rather than work, learning happens naturally. Students who used to hesitate when opening a book are now tackling new words with excitement, directly improving their reading comprehension and overall literacy.\r\n\r\nMost importantly, your generosity has given my students their confidence back. By catering to different learning styles through multi-sensory and collaborative play, these games have created a supportive environment where making mistakes is just part of the game and succeeding feels like a victory. Thank you for investing in my classroom and for giving these young readers the tools—and the self-esteem—they need to thrive!","fullyFundedDate":1739108954218,"projectUrl":"project/sight-word-games/9104371/","projectTitle":"Sight Word Games","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Boyd","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8398558_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1669088933558","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrsboyds4thgrade"},{"teacherId":10110363,"projectId":10306551,"letterContent":"Having a complete class set of brand-new notebooks provides my students with an essential foundation for daily learning and organization. Equity in the classroom starts with simple, reliable tools, and giving every child their own matching notebook creates an immediate sense of readiness and pride. Having a dedicated space for their work allows students to practice responsibility, keep their thoughts organized across subject areas, and take true ownership of their educational progress throughout the school year.\r\nThese notebooks will serve as dynamic interactive learning journals across our curriculum. In language arts, students will use them for daily writing prompts, vocabulary tracking, and draft reflections. In science and math, they will become interactive notebooks where students can draw diagrams, record experiment data, map out problem-solving strategies, and write brief reflections on new concepts. Having everything bound in one place encourages students to look back on past entries, track their own growth, and build strong study habits.\r\nBeyond basic note-taking, these journals act as a safe space for personal expression, reflection, and creative confidence. Writing daily helps students find their voice, refine their communication skills, and build writing stamina in a stress-free format. Whether they are brainstorming ideas for a creative project or journaling about a challenging concept, these notebooks transform passive listening into active, reflective learning that deepens comprehension across all subjects.","fullyFundedDate":1779979282336,"projectUrl":"project/notebooks-and-writing/10306551/","projectTitle":"Notebooks and Writing","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Vironet","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-2_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10110363"},{"teacherId":10110363,"projectId":10306329,"letterContent":"Receiving a full box set of The Chronicles of Narnia brings a timeless, immersive literary experience to our classroom. Having access to one of C.S. Lewis's iconic seven-book series allows my students to dive deep into a expansive fantasy world, shifting from single stories to sustained, long-term reading. Experiencing a multi-volume series ignites genuine curiosity, as students eagerly move from one book to the next, building stamina and a deep-seated love for independent reading that lasts far beyond the school year.\r\nThis set is an incredible asset for teaching complex reading and language arts concepts. As we follow the adventures of the Pevensie siblings and Aslan, students will practice analyzing rich literary elements such as allegory, symbolism, character development, and theme. Engaging with Lewis's descriptive world-building also expands vocabulary, improves reading comprehension, and provides exceptional mentor texts to inspire our own creative writing projects.\r\nBeyond reading standards, The Chronicles of Narnia serves as a powerful catalyst for essential life discussions. The stories present profound themes of courage, loyalty, redemption, leadership, and the power of standing up for what is right—even when it is difficult. Reading and discussing these books together encourages my students to build empathy and reflect on their own character, turning our reading time into an inspiring, community-building journey.","fullyFundedDate":1781188517622,"projectUrl":"project/chronicles-of-narnia/10306329/","projectTitle":"Chronicles of Narnia","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Vironet","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-2_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10110363"},{"teacherId":10110363,"projectId":10305536,"letterContent":"The donation of a class set of The Wild Robot brings an invaluable shared literacy experience to our classroom. Having individual copies for every student allows us to read the novel together as a whole class, teaching essential reading strategies such as analyzing character development, tracking plot progression, and making deeper text connections. For many students, diving into a full-length novel with their peers builds confidence and instills a genuine love for reading that standalone worksheets simply cannot match.\r\nThis story also integrates seamlessly into our fourth-grade science curriculum, creating a powerful cross-curricular learning journey. As we follow the journey of Roz the robot surviving on a remote island, students can directly connect character experiences to real-world scientific concepts. We will explore key topics such as animal adaptations, ecosystems, environmental changes, and the balance between technology and nature, making abstract science lessons tangible, engaging, and memorable.\r\nUltimately, this project transforms our daily learning environment by turning reading into an interactive, multi-disciplinary adventure. Beyond reading comprehension and scientific understanding, The Wild Robot sparks thoughtful discussions about empathy, community, and resilience. Having these books directly in our hands opens up new pathways for curiosity, and we are deeply grateful for this transformative addition to our classroom.","fullyFundedDate":1779708716770,"projectUrl":"project/novel-study/10305536/","projectTitle":"Novel Study","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Vironet","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-2_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10110363"},{"teacherId":9037505,"projectId":10311989,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting our classroom and helping provide chair pockets for my first graders! Your generosity is helping us create a more organized and student-friendly learning environment.\r\n\r\nThese chair pockets give each student their own special space to keep their daily supplies organized and easily accessible. While they may seem like a simple resource, for first graders, having a designated space for their belongings is a wonderful opportunity to practice independence, responsibility, and organization.\r\n\r\nBecause of your support, my students spend less time searching for misplaced materials and more time focused on learning, participating, and growing. They are also learning the importance of taking care of their belongings and respecting their own space as well as the shared classroom environment.\r\n\r\nThank you for investing in my students and helping them develop important skills that they can carry with them throughout their education. We are so grateful for your kindness, generosity, and support of our classroom!\r\n\r\nWith gratitude,\r\nMs. Yeom","fullyFundedDate":1787270172802,"projectUrl":"project/building-organizing-skills-with-chair-po/10311989/","projectTitle":"Building Organizing Skills With Chair Pockets","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Annie","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-3_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9037505"},{"teacherId":9037505,"projectId":10479134,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting our classroom and helping provide snacks for my students! Your generosity means more than you know.\r\n\r\nMy first graders come to school ready to explore, participate, and do their best each day. Having access to snacks helps them stay energized, focused, and ready to learn, especially when they need a little extra fuel throughout the school day.\r\n\r\nThank you for investing in my students and helping create a classroom where they feel supported, cared for, and ready to learn. Your kindness is making a meaningful difference in our classroom!","fullyFundedDate":1787175534540,"projectUrl":"project/snacks-to-fuel-little-learners/10479134/","projectTitle":"Snacks to Fuel Little Learners","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Annie","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-3_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9037505"},{"teacherId":9037505,"projectId":10312257,"letterContent":"Our new read-aloud books have brought so much excitement to our first grade classroom! My students love gathering together to listen to stories, share their ideas, and make connections with the characters. These books are helping build their vocabulary, comprehension, and love of reading while giving them opportunities to learn together. Seeing their excitement when they discover a new story has been especially rewarding. We are excited to continue using these books to explore new topics, ask thoughtful questions, and grow as confident readers!","fullyFundedDate":1784308604607,"projectUrl":"project/growing-readers-a-first-grade-read-alou/10312257/","projectTitle":"Growing Readers: A First Grade Read-Aloud Book Collection","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Annie","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-3_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9037505"},{"teacherId":9037505,"projectId":10312073,"letterContent":"These colorful markers have already made a wonderful impact in our classroom! My students were so excited to see all the bright colors and couldn't wait to use them.\r\n\r\nWe used the markers to create our classroom agreement together on the first day of school, giving students a chance to share their ideas while making our classroom expectations colorful and meaningful. We also created an anchor chart for building sentences, which we will continue to use as a visual support during our writing lessons.\r\n\r\nThese resources have helped make our classroom more engaging and brought our learning to life. We are excited to continue creating colorful anchor charts that our students can use throughout the school year!","fullyFundedDate":1781293995508,"projectUrl":"project/colorful-charts-for-bright-first-grade-m/10312073/","projectTitle":"Colorful Charts for Bright First Grade Minds","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Annie","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-3_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9037505"},{"teacherId":6531375,"projectId":9928448,"letterContent":"We want to thank you so much for your contribution to our school's after school Power Snack Pack program! Your donations helped us power up for after school snack bags for a whole quarter- for over 80 children. We believe that a full belly is fuel for the brain and unfortunately, some of our students go home feelings hungry. We cannot expect them to do homework and come back to school ready to learn if they are not nourished properly. We are truly grateful to our donors who make this project possible!","fullyFundedDate":1766067669393,"projectUrl":"project/brain-food-grab-go-snack-pantry/9928448/","projectTitle":"Brain Food- Grab & Go Snack Pantry","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Hult","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-8_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/6531375"},{"teacherId":10110363,"projectId":9668188,"letterContent":"In our classroom, technology is a vital tool that bridges the gap between curriculum and individual student needs. While many use technology for entertainment at home, here it functions as a personalized tutor, a research assistant, and a gateway to the world. We use computers daily for research projects, which teaches students critical digital literacy skills—how to find, evaluate, and synthesize information. Furthermore, our learning apps are adaptive, allowing students who need extra support to receive targeted practice while challenging our advanced learners to dive deeper, ensuring every student is engaged at their \"just right\" level.\r\n\r\nThe new headphones, in particular, have been the most exciting addition for the students. For them, putting on a new, high-quality headset signals that it's \"technology time,\" a period of deep focus. The ability to clearly hear their learning apps without classroom distractions is a game-changer. I've seen some of my students who are easily distracted or struggle with auditory processing light up; the headphones allow them to create their own quiet \"learning bubble\" and truly immerse themselves in their work. We also have students who rely on text-to-speech features, and these crystal-clear headphones ensure they can understand every word, boosting both their confidence and their comprehension.","fullyFundedDate":1758369408394,"projectUrl":"project/online-learning/9668188/","projectTitle":"Online Learning","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Vironet","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-2_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10110363"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_72866","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":340,"numTeachers":16,"percentFrplEligible":95,"percentAsian":0,"percentBlack":0,"percentWhite":15,"percentIndigenous":1,"percentLatinx":80,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","percentHawaiianImputed":0,"percentMultiracialImputed":1,"gradesServed":"Pre-K - 6","studentTeacherRatio":"21.2:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"RURAL","ncesMetroType":"RURAL_FRINGE"},"inStateSupporters":68.8,"schoolId":72866,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Laura N Banks Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Laura N Banks Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/arizona/tucson-unified-school-district/laura-n-banks-elementary-school/72866"}