{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"Cambridge Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":20.1,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":9561353,"projectId":9421365,"letterContent":"Seriously, those two benches we got thanks to our generous donors have been an absolute game-changer. They didn't just give us extra seating; they gave us a super cozy, crucial spot right in our classroom for all things emotional and calm. This little reading area is now, hands down, the most popular pieces of furniture in the room.\r\nThe minute those benches arrived, the students were instantly obsessed. They genuinely love to go sit at the benches because of their comfort. I mean, we're talking about furniture that actually invites students to settle in and relax, which is a huge shift from our standard classroom chairs. That physical comfort is key, because it sets the stage for everything else. When they're physically comfortable, their brains can switch gears and focus on regulating their feelings.\r\nWe've loaded this spot up with important SEL materials, turning it into our unofficial \"chill zone.\" A huge help is the calming presence of our fish tank. Often students are able to sit and watch the classroom fish when they are frustrated or just need a break. It's amazing just five minutes of watching the fish tank can do. They fish, the frogs and the snails are moving all around which gives them a peaceful distraction and helps them hit the reset button.\r\nAnd the tools we use are fantastic! Students use many of the calming tools like the worry jars and gratitude jars constantly. The worry jar is like a little secret dumping ground for stress, and the gratitude jar reminds them there's still good stuff happening, even on a tough day.\r\nThe sharing element is really special here. When we wrap up our SEL time, some kids prefer to pass me their notes privately, but it's wonderful that many just like to share theirs out loud to the group. It's all about choice, and knowing they have a safe, comfortable spot to share their feelings, whether it's all together in a small group, in private or even if they just dump it into the jar anonymously. These jars are huge for building trust and community.\r\nFinally, this area has become the designated spot for the real, messy work of friendship. Many hard conversations where had in this area where students worked out conflicts with talking about how they feel. When they sit side-by-side on those comfy benches, the whole vibe changes. It's less confrontational, and they use the feeling words they've learned to hash out disagreements. It teaches them that our classroom is a place where it's okay to feel upset, and more importantly, it's a place where we can actually talk it out and figure things out.\r\nThese two benches have truly made my job as a teacher easier and more fulfilling. They've provided the physical foundation for the crucial emotional growth that happens every day! Thank you for everything.","fullyFundedDate":1754583476381,"projectUrl":"project/helping-young-minds-heal-through-classro/9421365/","projectTitle":"Helping Young Minds Heal Through Classroom Calm","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Washington","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-7_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9561353"},{"teacherId":9561353,"projectId":9364781,"letterContent":"The benches created our designated Reading/ SEL spot that all the student use at some point during the week. This comfortable space is essential for reading, too. It has become the most desired spot for independent reading time, encouraging students to spend longer periods absorbed in their books because they are physically comfortable.\r\n\r\nThe benches serve as a neutral zone where hard conversations, both fictional and real. Many of the students have had opportunities to discuss how they feel both with gentle prompts but also independently. This project created our first emotional regulation space. Students now have a designated, safe space where they can sit on the comfortable benches and manage big feelings. The benches' appeal means students love to go sit at them because of their comfort, encouraging self-initiated breaks that prevent emotional meltdowns. Observing the classroom fish or using SEL tools like the worry and gratitude jars allows them to reset their emotional state before frustration spirals, meaning less time lost to behavioral issues and more time is spent learning.","fullyFundedDate":1754411313682,"projectUrl":"project/two-seats-big-change-flexible-options/9364781/","projectTitle":"Two Seats, Big Change: Flexible Options for Focus and Calm","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Washington","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-7_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9561353"},{"teacherId":2794335,"projectId":9503564,"letterContent":"We (students and I) are truly grateful for our new whiteboards, markers, and erasers. When we first received them, we were astonished and excited to use them immediately. But to ensure students used them properly and take good care, we reviewed a few rules. Later, I labeled each whiteboard and marker(each student chose their color of preference) with each student's name to teach them responsibility. The first time we used them was in a math lesson, we practiced writing numbers 0-20. As we practiced the numbers, I saw each student carefully using the tools with a big smile. Then, they showed and exclaimed, \" Look teacher, I can write my numbers!\" I replied, \"Yes, great job, you are doing amazing with writing numbers!\" Since the whiteboards have two sides, one side has lines and the other side is blank, the side with lines definitely helped students with writing numbers from top to bottom and on the line. After the instruction of writing numbers and showing quantities, I gave students five minutes to express their creativity by drawing anything on the blank side of the whiteboard. Then, I asked students to share their drawings with their classmates and I walked around to ensure students' participation. It was very interesting to see their drawings and hear their conversations; all students were overly excited using the new whiteboards. \r\n\r\nThe next day, we used the whiteboards to practice blending and writing CVC words. Again, before using the whiteboards, we reviewed the rules to ensure proper usage and safety. As we practiced writing CVC words, I noticed students demonstrating a sense of confidence with blending, which made them and me very proud of their progress. Once more, the lines on the whiteboards helped students write lowercase letters correctly, from top to bottom. Then, on the blank side, I instructed students in an art activity, \"Draw your friend without looking at the whiteboard,\" which was full of fun and laughter!\r\n\r\nI repeatedly say, THANK YOU for giving students another writing surface to practice and keep on building their writing skills and creativity. Thank you for helping and supporting our \"FUTURE BILINGUAL WRITERS!\" My ultimate goal is for all students to be authors and illustrators of their own stories and share those stories to the world.","fullyFundedDate":1755699295944,"projectUrl":"project/writers-to-success-escritores-al-xito/9503564/","projectTitle":"Writers to Success-Escritores Al Éxito","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Leno","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-8_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/2794335"},{"teacherId":9561353,"projectId":9409305,"letterContent":"The wallpaper from this project completely transformed our classroom environment. My students walked in and immediately noticed the change. Their faces lit up and they kept saying how much they liked it. \r\n\r\nBecause of the materials provided, I was able to create a learning space that reduces distractions and supports students who often struggle with attention and regulation. Having a classroom that feels more clean and beautiful has allowed us to move through lessons with more ease, and my students have expressed that it feels like a space where they want to learn.\r\n\r\nHappy Planner's support made this possible. Their contribution reminded my students that their learning environments matters and that they are worthy of a classroom designed with care. With changing classrooms and losing some of the items we had last school year that made the classroom feel more welcoming. We are grateful to have donors that know the importance of creating this type of environment for students. \r\n\r\nThank you again to Happy Planner. Our next step for us is to continue building on this foundation by integrating more flexible seating and are waiting our new posters. Now that we have an environment that supports both creativity and focus.","fullyFundedDate":1750256235615,"projectUrl":"project/calming-empowering-space-for-our-bloomi/9409305/","projectTitle":"Calming, Empowering Space for Our Blooming Learners","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Washington","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-7_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9561353"},{"teacherId":7880890,"projectId":8302667,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous support of our classroom project! Because of your kindness, we now have an exciting set of kinesthetic learning tools—including magnetic letters, Pop-Its, and other hands-on materials—that are already making a big difference for my young readers.\r\n\r\nThese resources have been a game changer for students who benefit from tactile and movement-based learning. Whether it's building words with magnetic letters, segmenting sounds using Pop-Its, or practicing sight words through interactive games, my students are now more engaged and confident during reading instruction. It's been incredible to see their eyes light up when they get to use these tools—they're not just learning, they're having fun while doing it!\r\n\r\nMany of my students are developing foundational reading skills, and having these multi-sensory tools allows them to connect letters and sounds in meaningful ways that suit their learning needs. Your generosity has directly impacted their growth and enthusiasm for reading, and I am so deeply grateful.\r\n\r\nThank you again for investing in my students and supporting a love of literacy in our classroom!","fullyFundedDate":1715006434532,"projectUrl":"project/students-who-learn-to-read-are-empowered/8302667/","projectTitle":"Students Who Learn to Read are Empowered to Lead","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Drake","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7880890_orig.png?crop=844,844,x0,y101&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1646530152140","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/7880890"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_4128","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":451,"numTeachers":26,"percentFrplEligible":95,"percentAsian":5,"percentBlack":1,"percentWhite":4,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":83,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"K - 5","studentTeacherRatio":"17.3:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"SUBURBAN","ncesMetroType":"SUBURB_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":79.9,"schoolId":4128,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Cambridge Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Cambridge Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/california/mount-diablo-unified-school-district/cambridge-elementary-school/4128"}