Robert Sanders Elementary School in San Jose, California on DonorsChoose

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It also encourages curiosity about language, helping students become more active learners rather than relying solely on the teacher for answers.\r\n\r\nDictionaries also play an important role in strengthening academic skills that extend beyond language arts. Regular use of dictionaries promotes critical thinking and problem-solving as students learn to alphabetize, use guide words, and select the correct definition for a word's context. These skills foster greater independence and prepare students for more complex research tasks in later grades. Additionally, having a shared class set ensures equal access for all learners, supporting equity in the classroom and allowing every student to build essential literacy skills at their own pace.","fullyFundedDate":1750729609967,"projectUrl":"project/help-us-spell-out-success/9429245/","projectTitle":"Help Us Spell Out Success!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Rocha","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9554279_orig.jpg?crop=1528,1528,x694,y1042&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1716396410791","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9554279"},{"teacherId":5844002,"projectId":8856856,"letterContent":"I wanted to personally thank you for your generous donation toward the purchase of The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo. Your support is making a significant difference in my classroom, and my students are already diving into this incredible book with enthusiasm and excitement.\r\n\r\nThe Tale of Despereaux is introducing my students to important life lessons such as bravery, forgiveness, and the value of perseverance, even in the face of adversity. It's also helping them develop critical reading skills, like identifying themes, analyzing character development, and understanding the structure of a well-crafted story. As they engage with the text, they're learning how to make predictions, track narrative elements, and discuss complex ideas, all while growing their vocabulary and improving their comprehension.\r\n\r\nReading in my classroom is a dynamic and interactive experience. This is only made possible by my students having access to texts that are at their level and they find interesting. Read-alouds are used to engage students in novels that they would not have had the confidence to pick up themselves, and spark an excitement for reading. \r\n\r\nThere are definitely a few students who have really taken to *The Tale of Despereaux*. One student, in particular, has been captivated by the idea of Despereaux's bravery and how he never gives up, even when others doubt him. This student has been making connections between Despereaux's actions and their own experiences, and it's been wonderful to see their confidence grow as they see the value of courage in their own lives. Another student, who is usually a reluctant reader, has become more engaged with reading since we started this book. They are now excited to discuss the characters and eagerly share their thoughts during group discussions, which has been a significant boost in their literacy development.\r\n\r\nYour generous contribution has helped foster these wonderful moments in our classroom. On behalf of my students and myself, I thank you again for making The Tale of Despereaux a part of our learning journey. Your donation is helping inspire a love for reading that will last a lifetime.","fullyFundedDate":1733255962177,"projectUrl":"project/fairytales-fourth/8856856/","projectTitle":"Fairytales Fourth","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Kieffer","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp5844002_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1536363990875","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/5844002"},{"teacherId":5844002,"projectId":7860272,"letterContent":"Students were able to engage in comprehension practice with an exciting and engaging text. We come in from lunch and jump into mindfulness and a read aloud as a way to re-engage our brains into learning. Students used to just listen, but now that they have the books in their hands, they are able to take accountability for reading along with me. 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About this school

Robert Sanders Elementary School is an urban public school in San Jose, California that is part of Mount Pleasant Elementary School District. It serves 330 students in grades Pre-K - 5 with a student/teacher ratio of 16.5:1. Its teachers have had 89 projects funded on DonorsChoose.

Equity Focus School

Support towards this school will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

Public School

Title 1

Grades Pre-K - 5

330 Students

20 Teachers

3411 Rocky Mountain Dr

San Jose, CA 95127 View local requests

Evidence-based impact

Inspire teachers to stay in the classroom and boost student achievement.¹

Give to this school

Ms. Vero, a DonorsChoose teacher for 9 years.

Kindergarten teacher at PS81 - Robert J. Christen School in Bronx, NY

Robert Sanders Elementary School Teachers on DonorsChoose

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Robert Sanders Elementary School Demographics

78%

of students receive free or reduced price lunch

Source: the National Center for Education Statistics

90%

of students are Black, Latino, Native American, or Asian

Schools in districts that mainly serve students of color receive substantially less state and local support than similar districts that serve primarily White students. Learn more about this gap, why it exists, and how you can help close it.

Robert Sanders Elementary School Support on DonorsChoose Last updated Dec 5, 2025

DonorsChoose makes it easy for anyone to help a teacher in need, moving us closer to a nation where students in every community have the tools and experiences they need for a great education.