{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Eliot Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":31.7,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":1640376,"projectId":10117059,"letterContent":"Because of your incredible generosity, our transitional kindergarten classroom is now filled with music, laughter, and active learning. Your recent donation of musical instruments—including shaker eggs and wrist bells—is making a profound, daily impact on my students. These are not just toys to my students; they are vital tools that unlock new pathways to learning, growth, and joy.\r\n\r\nFor transitional kindergarteners, music is a universal language that bridges the gap between play and foundational development. Since introducing your donated instruments into our daily routines, I have witnessed remarkable breakthroughs in several key areas:\r\n\r\nFine and Gross Motor Skills: Fastening the wrist bells and grasping the shaker eggs helps our students strengthen their smaller hand muscles and improve hand-eye coordination. Shaking, tapping, and moving to the rhythm helps them develop bilateral coordination and gross motor control.\r\n\r\nLanguage and Literacy Development: Rhythm is deeply connected to literacy. I use the instruments to help students break down words into syllables—shaking an egg for each beat. This builds phonological awareness, which is a critical building block for learning how to read.\r\n\r\nSocial Emotional Growth: Music brings our classrooms together. When the children wear their wrist bells during circle time, they learn how to share space, listen to one another, and cooperate to make music as a team. For shy or non-verbal students, these instruments have provided a beautiful new way to express feelings and build confidence without needing words.\r\n\r\nFocus and Transition Management: Transitioning from playtime to structured learning can be challenging for four- and five-year-olds. The bright, clear sound of the wrist bells and the soft rattle of the shaker eggs have become wonderful auditory cues, helping me guide students smoothly and happily into the next activity.\r\n\r\nSeeing the pure delight on a child's face when they successfully match a beat or create a rhythm is a reminder of how powerful a thoughtful gift can be. Your donation has brought hands-on, sensory-rich education to life in my classroom, creating a vibrant environment where my students truly love to learn.Thank you for investing in my students' education and for tuning their hearts and minds to the joy of music. You have set a beautiful tone for their entire academic journey.","fullyFundedDate":1778016888728,"projectUrl":"project/early-learning-through-play/10117059/","projectTitle":"Early Learning Through Play","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Ibarra","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp1640376_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1785171749437","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/1640376"},{"teacherId":241936,"projectId":9493871,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous donation of our new light table and the accompanying manipulative. Your kindness has truly brightened our TK classroom; both literally and figuratively!\r\n\r\nSince the light table arrived, it has quickly become a favorite learning space for my students. We've been using it during our Table Time and Free Choice Playtime for hands-on exploration with translucent shapes, colored tiles, and letters. One especially memorable moment was when students worked together to blocks with different translucent colors to build on the light table. As they layered colors and noticed how the light changed their designs, they were very excited to discover putting two colors together creates a different color. It was wonderful to see such curiosity happening naturally.\r\n\r\nIt was so amazing to watch the children the day that the new light table was put in our classroom. They were so excited to explore using the light table and all of the manipulative that came along with the table. \r\n\r\nLooking ahead, our next steps include using the light table to support an ongoing unit on exploring different types of light, rainbows, transparency and shadows. Thanks to your support, the light table is helping make abstract ideas concrete and accessible for our youngest learners.\r\n\r\nYour generosity has made a lasting impact on my students' learning experiences. Thank you for investing in their curiosity, creativity, and joy of learning. We are so grateful for your support!","fullyFundedDate":1758821822824,"projectUrl":"project/illuminating-young-minds-with-a-light-ta/9493871/","projectTitle":"Illuminating Young Minds with a Light Table","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Osborne","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp241936_orig.jpg?crop=1976,1976,x308,y864&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1753556331336","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/241936"},{"teacherId":241936,"projectId":9494202,"letterContent":"I wanted to take a moment to express my deep gratitude for the generous donation you made to help my class get a new easel. The difference this easel is making in my ability to teach was immediate. Since receiving the easel, I have been able to do so much more for the students and with the students than I could without it. \r\n\r\nOne of the ways instruction has changed for my students is that I have been able to implement a question of the day every single morning. The easel came with a white board on one side and a place to hang a pocket chart on the other side. Each morning, when my students come into the classroom, part of their morning routine is to find their name on a small chart and go to the easel and answer the question of the day which is related to our unit of study. Right now, we are learning all about architecture and buildings. Today's question was, \"Which individuals would need to use a ramp to get into the building?\" There were 5 choices including some people with disabilities, people with a stroller and able bodied people. The discussion and vocabulary needed during the process of all of the students trying to think about an answer to the question was priceless. In one short activity, my 4 year olds learned about the word ramp, what it is for, why some people may need one and what might happen if there was not one available. Without the chart on the easel, this discussion would not have been possible. Before having the easel, the question of the day was not as easy to implement so I was not able to do it as often. \r\n\r\nAnother way my students have been able to benefit from have an easel in the classroom is by being able to see more easily when I am writing a morning message, modeling how to do an activity or sharing somebody's work. Each week we have a morning message that includes a new vocabulary word for the students to learn. I put a large paper onto the easel with magnets or in a large tablet of paper and write a message that includes that word in it. Last week, my students learned about the word sturdy when I wrote the message, \"The building was sturdy so it did not fall down during the earthquake. I was able to help them understand the word sturdy with a picture on the easel and draw materials that could be used to build sturdy buildings. By using the easel, all of my students are easily able to access what I am doing. Before having the easel, I had to lean or attach the paper on the whiteboard which is up higher and sometimes has less visibility due to other furniture. \r\n\r\nSo, thanks to your support and generosity, my students are enjoying more language rich activities and have much better access to the lessons that are being taught. You can also be sure that not only will this benefit my students this year, but for many years to come. That means your generosity will continue to improve the education of many little minds for a long time.","fullyFundedDate":1755465363500,"projectUrl":"project/transforming-creativity-empowering-you/9494202/","projectTitle":"\"Transforming Creativity: Empowering Young Minds With a Classroom Easel\"","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Osborne","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp241936_orig.jpg?crop=1976,1976,x308,y864&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1753556331336","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/241936"},{"teacherId":1640376,"projectId":9369885,"letterContent":"I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude for your donation towards our new classroom rug. Your contribution has made a significant and immediate impact on our learning environment.\r\n\r\nFor young learners, a classroom rug is far more than just a piece of decor; it is a vital tool for creating a safe, comfortable, and defined space. Your generosity allows us to provide this essential foundation for our students' growth and development. \r\n\r\nThis new rug will benefit my students in many important ways:\r\n\r\nA defined, safe learning space: The rug creates a clear, designated area for our whole class to gather, which helps young children understand boundaries and transitions between different activities. This structure provides predictability that is especially crucial for early learners.\r\n\r\nSupport for group activities: The rug will be the anchor for many of our most important activities, including circle time, group discussions, reading, and block play. It creates an inclusive, focused environment where every child has a spot and feels equally included. \r\n\r\nA comfortable gathering area: The soft, plush surface provides a comfortable and inviting space for children to sit and engage with their peers and teachers. This physical comfort reduces fidgeting and helps students feel more at ease.\r\n\r\nI am are so grateful for your belief in my mission to provide the best possible learning experience for my students. Your gift is an investment not just in a classroom item, but in the social and academic development of every child who gathers on this new rug.\r\nThank you once again for your remarkable support.","fullyFundedDate":1755464753774,"projectUrl":"project/a-new-rug-for-tk/9369885/","projectTitle":"A New Rug for TK!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Ibarra","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp1640376_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1785171749437","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/1640376"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_4803","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":478,"numTeachers":19,"percentFrplEligible":64,"percentAsian":1,"percentBlack":0,"percentWhite":2,"percentIndigenous":2,"percentLatinx":84,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","percentHawaiianImputed":0,"percentMultiracialImputed":8,"gradesServed":"Pre-K - 5","studentTeacherRatio":"25.2:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"SUBURBAN","ncesMetroType":"SUBURB_MIDSIZE"},"inStateSupporters":68.3,"schoolId":4803,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Eliot Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Eliot Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/california/gilroy-unified-school-district/eliot-elementary-school/4803"}