{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Balboa Magnet Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":8.1,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":10289179,"projectId":9765249,"letterContent":"I am writing to express my sincere gratitude for your generous donation of a rug to my classroom. From the moment it arrived and was placed in our learning space, the rug became the heart of our classroom community. The excitement on my students' faces was immediate and infectious—they could hardly wait to gather on it and begin their work. What struck me most was how naturally they embraced this new addition, instantly recognizing it as a special place where learning, collaboration, and connection happen. Your gift has created a warm, inviting gathering space that has become essential to how we learn together every single day.\r\n\r\nThe rug serves as so much more than a decorative element; it is a vital hub for our classroom life. Students use it independently to focus on their individual work, finding comfort and concentration in its cozy embrace. It becomes a collaborative space where peers work together on group projects, sharing ideas and supporting one another's learning. Most importantly, it is where we gather as a whole community—to read together, discuss important ideas, celebrate successes, and build relationships. Their favorite time to be on the rug is when I read our current read aloud book to them. Students cannot wait to find a spot, get cozy, and absorb the stories being read. The rug has transformed our classroom into a space that feels intentional, welcoming, and purposeful. It provides the physical and emotional foundation that allows students to feel safe, valued, and ready to engage in meaningful learning.\r\n\r\nI am deeply grateful for your investment in our classroom and our students. Your generosity has created a space where every child feels they belong and where learning feels like a joyful, communal experience. I hope this rug will remain in our classroom for many years to come, continuing to support countless hours of learning, laughter, and growth. Thank you for caring about our students and for believing that a thoughtful, inviting classroom environment matters. Your kindness has made a lasting impact on our school community.","fullyFundedDate":1769289969236,"projectUrl":"project/a-comfy-rug-for-learning-and-growing/9765249/","projectTitle":"A Comfy Rug for Learning and Growing!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Lazzaretto","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10289179_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1758935287092","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10289179"},{"teacherId":10289179,"projectId":9767162,"letterContent":"I am writing to express my heartfelt gratitude for your generous donation of flexible seating options to my classroom. Your contribution—including the bean bag chair, wobble stool, clipboards, clipboard holder, and sensory and pillow seat cushions—has transformed our learning environment in ways I could not have imagined. When these items arrived, the excitement was palpable; students lined up eagerly, hoping to be among the first to experience them. What began as enthusiasm has blossomed into an integral part of how we learn and grow together every single day.\r\n\r\nThese flexible seating options have proven to be far more than just comfortable additions to our classroom. Students now move freely throughout the room, collaborating in groups and engaging with material in ways that work best for their individual needs. For students who require sensory regulation, these items have been transformative—they provide the movement and proprioceptive input necessary for them to feel calm, focused, and ready to learn. I've watched shy students gain confidence, fidgety learners find their focus, and struggling readers suddenly feel comfortable enough to engage with challenging texts. Your investment directly supports the emotional and academic well-being of every child in this room.\r\n\r\nAs I look toward the future, I am excited about the possibilities your generosity has opened. These foundational pieces have shown me the profound impact that thoughtful classroom design can have on student success. I am committed to continuing to build upon this collection, knowing that each addition will create more opportunities for our students to thrive. Your support has demonstrated to my students that adults in their community believe in their success and are willing to invest in their growth. Thank you for believing in our classroom and our students. Your kindness will continue to make a difference for years to come.","fullyFundedDate":1769177666029,"projectUrl":"project/flexible-seating-options-to-inspire-coll/9767162/","projectTitle":"Flexible Seating Options to Inspire Collaboration and Student Choice!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Lazzaretto","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10289179_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1758935287092","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10289179"},{"teacherId":8472865,"projectId":9792424,"letterContent":"When students first received the trackers, they were full of excitement and curiosity. Many of them had never used this technology before, so simply learning how to read their heart rate felt empowering. It created a sense of ownership over their health and learning that is hard to replicate with traditional tools.\r\n\r\nThe impact has been powerful. Students are not only more engaged in physical activity, but they are also strengthening their math skills by analyzing data they collected themselves. They are practicing graphing, comparing numbers, calculating averages, and discussing trends in a way that feels authentic and relevant.\r\n\r\nLooking ahead, our next steps include expanding this into a longer-term project where students track their fitness data over several weeks. They will set personal fitness goals, monitor changes in heart rate and endurance, and use math to evaluate their growth. We also plan to incorporate writing by having students reflect on their progress and explain the connection between physical activity and overall health.\r\n\r\nThanks to this generous donation, students are building lifelong skills in both health and data literacy—while having fun and staying active.","fullyFundedDate":1768444597439,"projectUrl":"project/every-step-counts-supporting-student-we/9792424/","projectTitle":"Every Step Counts: Supporting Student Wellness","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Suarez","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8472865_orig.jpg?crop=1977,1977,x0,y243&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1680369503591","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8472865"},{"teacherId":5737656,"projectId":9916664,"letterContent":"Your donation has helped our classroom become a more unique and flexible space. Every week, I allow 4 students to sit at the Floor Table and Cafe Table. They are very popular to sit at! We even need a sign up sheet. Your donation has helped our classroom and your kindness is greatly appreciated.\r\n\r\nAs an educator, I'm always trying to find new ways to mix things up and your donation helped with that. By allowing unique seating options, my students are able to feel more comfortable and safe. A safe and comfortable room can help with the academic side of things. I greatly appreciate your donation and lines.","fullyFundedDate":1764739090552,"projectUrl":"project/flexible-seating-in-room-13/9916664/","projectTitle":"Flexible Seating in Room 13","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Hallett","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp5737656_orig.jpg?crop=4284,4284,x0,y1056&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1758428345750","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/5737656"},{"teacherId":10274864,"projectId":9769907,"letterContent":"Thank you for your generous contributions to our project, which funded a hardcover class set of the novel Charlotte's Web and wobble cushions for students in need.\r\nCharlotte's Web is not just a beloved classic; it opens the door to advanced reading skills and fosters a lifelong love of literature. Through this novel, our students are developing vital literacy skills such as summarizing, vocabulary enhancement, making inferences with text evidence, and exploring themes like friendship, loyalty, and sacrifice.\r\n\r\nMany of our students with attention challenges are especially enthusiastic about the books, cherishing the novelty of pristine hardcover books. Having a complete set of durable hardcover books enables students to take pride in their learning through reading and writing responses. The wobble cushions have also been beneficial, helping our energetic students concentrate and enjoy sustained reading time more easily.\r\n\r\nThank you once again for your support.","fullyFundedDate":1766240808445,"projectUrl":"project/get-comfy-with-core-literature/9769907/","projectTitle":"Get Comfy with Core Literature","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Hua","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10274864_orig.jpg?crop=408,408,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1758661162502","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10274864"},{"teacherId":45041,"projectId":9806012,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your contribution to her classroom project. We were so excited to receive these beautiful frames. It was just the motivation that we needed to create a beautiful art display in our classroom. The students are so proud to display their art pieces in this manner because it looks so professional. We appreciate your interest in our classroom community.\r\nNot only are these art frames used to display student work, they also serve as art storage. Inside each frame, each child will hold the art pieces they created throughout the year. This will allow me to create a portfolio with their masterpieces for them to treasure for many years.","fullyFundedDate":1769177689598,"projectUrl":"project/protect-our-masterpieces/9806012/","projectTitle":"Protect our Masterpieces","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Banuelos","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp45041_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1532144617892","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/45041"},{"teacherId":1212329,"projectId":9808534,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous donation to our classroom! It is so amazing when our communities contribute to the learning and success of our students.\r\n\r\nI truly believe in the arts in the classroom! Our class does a lot of art and they really enjoy having the opportunity to be creative! The frames hanging up on the bulletin board have been such an inspiration to my students. They really enjoy admiring their master pieces in a formal display on the classroom walls rather just pinned on the wall. The frames also allow their artwork to \"pop\" and shine on the walls.\r\n\r\nAs I said, I love the arts in the classroom. The speaker you donated has made such an impact in our class! Our class performs in four different plays throughout the year! The speaker system works so well and the sound is great! It allows us to have 2 wireless microphones too! We just performed our third play, The Little Red Hen, and it was amazing! The students get an amazing experience performing and building confidence. The speaker system adds a professional touch to our plays!","fullyFundedDate":1764687291111,"projectUrl":"project/lights-learning-playing-and-laughter/9808534/","projectTitle":"Lights, Learning, Playing, and Laughter!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Dana Bass","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp1212329_orig.png?crop=964,964,x0,y22&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1777232773161","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/1212329"},{"teacherId":45041,"projectId":9806333,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your contribution to Ready for the Show! The students were so excited to learn than we got new resources for our upcoming play.\r\n In a couple of weeks we will be performing a Little Red Hen musical and in a couple months we will be performing a space play, Patterns in the Sky. The resources in this project will help me create costumes, extend our audio resources, and have extra seating. \r\nIt is important to me to provide engaging experiences to keep my students interested and motivated in learning. Therefore, I love incorporating plays and musicals that keeps students engaged and also developed music and theater skills. Thank you for your interest and efforts in helping with these resources.","fullyFundedDate":1767131482678,"projectUrl":"project/ready-for-the-show/9806333/","projectTitle":"Ready for the Show","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Banuelos","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp45041_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1532144617892","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/45041"},{"teacherId":6864535,"projectId":9669100,"letterContent":"We are actively using the new resources during daily instruction and small-group learning. One of our favorite moments so far was watching students independently apply the materials during a hands-on lesson while having flexible seating to be outside and enjoy the fresh air while learning. Students who are usually hesitant to participate were excited to jump in, collaborate with peers, and explain their thinking having access to the outside space. The resources have helped turn lessons into more engaging, interactive learning experiences and have allowed students to practice skills in meaningful ways. \r\n\r\nThe students were thrilled when the materials arrived. There were lots of smiles, excitement, and curious questions as they explored everything. Many students immediately asked when they could start using them and how the materials would be used in upcoming lessons. It was clear that they felt proud and special knowing that people cared enough to support their learning.\r\n\r\nThe next steps for our students involve continuing to build skills and deepen their understanding through ongoing projects and lessons using these resources. Students will be applying what they've learned through independent work, group collaboration, and reflection activities. As they grow more confident, they'll be challenged to take ownership of their learning and demonstrate their progress in creative and meaningful ways—all made possible by your generous support.","fullyFundedDate":1756787100064,"projectUrl":"project/from-labels-to-picnic-table-tools-for-s/9669100/","projectTitle":"From Labels to Picnic Table: Tools For Success","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Sherry","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-8_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/6864535"},{"teacherId":10238195,"projectId":9675819,"letterContent":"With the art supplies purchased by your generosity, my third graders were able to study and understand the different parts and functions of the human eye. They created a model of the human eye after reading and answering comprehension questions across the health and language arts curriculum. The donated fidget toys were an exciting addition to our treasure box! The kids were very excited by the variety of puzzles and color-changing putty.\r\n\r\nWhen I unpacked the boxes for our art and STEAM project, my students were so happy and couldn't believe that they were going to participate in such a fun afternoon of hands-on learning! They created their own pupil, iris, and cornea using markers and large googly eyes that were taken apart. Next, they used strips of the white foam board and toilet paper rolls to create the optic nerves.\r\n\r\nNow that they've learned about the internal parts of the human eye, the next steps for my students are to learn about how light and sound travel. They are going to be using prisms and mirrors to identify the color spectrum and understand the difference between reflection and refraction. Thank you for bringing their learning to life!","fullyFundedDate":1758956588856,"projectUrl":"project/stem-project-and-classroom-supplies/9675819/","projectTitle":"STEM Project and Classroom Supplies","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Eldridge","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-8_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10238195"},{"teacherId":10309167,"projectId":9818947,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous gift of flexible seating for our classroom. Your support has truly made a meaningful difference for our students. My students eagerly oo'ed and aw'ed at each package we opened, and excited to see what new option was available to them.\r\n\r\nOur learners love being able to rock gently on the wobble stools, bounce and sway on the stability balls, and relax with supportive reclining floor chairs. They love being the first group to choose flexible seating for the day and the wobble stool and balls are usually the first to be selected. The wobble feet also are very popular and it's so nice to be able to offer more of them. They especially love the reclining floor chairs for the whole group lessons like our literature circles and they work perfectly for whe I pull small groups in math \r\n\r\nThese seating options give students the freedom to move in ways that help their bodies while still staying fully engaged in lessons. We've already seen how this flexibility increases focus, comfort, and participation throughout the day.\r\n\r\nYour generosity has created a more inclusive and responsive learning environment where students feel supported and successful. We are incredibly grateful for your kindness and investment in our classroom.","fullyFundedDate":1760565242906,"projectUrl":"project/flexible-seating-for-max-learning/9818947/","projectTitle":"Flexible Seating For Max Learning","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. De Silva","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10309167_orig.png?crop=287,287,x99,y72&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1760282100993","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10309167"},{"teacherId":45041,"projectId":9818522,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generosity in providing resources for my classroom. I chose items to help my students focus. With the items on my wish list, I was able to create a calm box. I explained to students that if at any point during the day, they felt sad, anxious, or uncomfortable, they could go over to the calm box and get an item to help them. I notice students have been using them every day. I also added the calming stickers to their pencil boxes in case they needed a calming tool closer to them.\r\nI have quite a few students who have a difficult time sitting still in their chair. With the chair adjustments and wiggle stool, I have been able to provide these students with alternate seating to help them focus. \r\nThese little adjustments have helped my students take control of their ability to focus and empowered them. I thank you for supporting these efforts.","fullyFundedDate":1761080775568,"projectUrl":"project/help-me-focus/9818522/","projectTitle":"Help Me Focus","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Banuelos","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp45041_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1532144617892","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/45041"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_6957","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":682,"numTeachers":26,"percentFrplEligible":76,"percentAsian":4,"percentBlack":6,"percentWhite":8,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":67,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"1 - 5","studentTeacherRatio":"26.2:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR District Record","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":false,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":null},"inStateSupporters":91.9,"schoolId":6957,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Balboa Magnet Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Balboa Magnet Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/california/los-angeles-unified-school-district/balboa-magnet-elementary-school/6957"}