{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Mariano Castro Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":18.9,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":10237500,"projectId":10508511,"letterContent":"Thank you for helping make the counseling office a warm, hands-on space for students! The supplies we received have already made such a positive impact.\r\n\r\nStudents were so excited to see the new hands-on tools! They immediately wanted to explore the different fidgets, try the breathing tool, and hold Stevie the weighted Sloth. The new basket organizers have also helped us keep these resources easily accessible and organized, making it simple for students to choose a tool that works for them. These materials give students something they can touch, practice with, and use in the moment while learning important social-emotional skills. \r\n\r\nYour generosity is helping us create a counseling space where students feel safe, supported, and excited to learn new ways to care for themselves.","fullyFundedDate":1787758447721,"projectUrl":"project/hands-on-counseling-office/10508511/","projectTitle":"Hands on Counseling Office","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Kiera","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10237500_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1787002775105","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10237500"},{"teacherId":9336230,"projectId":10195369,"letterContent":"My students were so excited to meet all of our new classroom animals! The stuffed animals quickly became part of our play and learning, with students using them to act out stories, create their own adventures, and connect characters and animals to books we have read together.\r\n\r\nOne of my favorite things to see has been students retelling familiar stories with the animals and then adding their own ideas. This playful storytelling builds comprehension, vocabulary, sequencing, and oral language while also encouraging students to work together and use their imaginations.\r\n\r\nThis year, we will continue using the animals alongside our readalouds and in dramatic play as students practice retelling stories and eventually creating stories of their own. Thank you for giving our students such a fun, hands-on way to bring books and storytelling to life!","fullyFundedDate":1778773556876,"projectUrl":"project/bringing-stories-to-life-stuffed-animal/10195369/","projectTitle":"Bringing Stories to Life: Stuffed Animals & Storytelling Tools","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Bowie","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9336230_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1699749382741","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9336230"},{"teacherId":9336230,"projectId":10212383,"letterContent":"My students were so excited to use their new notebooks, colorful markers, and especially the fun pom-pom pens! These materials have helped make writing something students choose to do during play and free-choice time.\r\n\r\nOne of my favorite things to see has been students writing notes to each other and making cards for their friends and teachers. They are practicing writing their names, forming letters, drawing pictures, and beginning to communicate their own ideas through writing—all while doing something that feels meaningful and fun to them.\r\n\r\nThank you for your generous donations!","fullyFundedDate":1777487810197,"projectUrl":"project/journals-and-pens-for-writing/10212383/","projectTitle":"Journals and Pens for Writing","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Bowie","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9336230_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1699749382741","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9336230"},{"teacherId":9336230,"projectId":10195094,"letterContent":"My students were so excited when they saw all of our new materials! They especially loved seeing the bright paints, watering cans, balls, and all of the pieces we could use for water play. Almost immediately, they wanted to know what everything was for and when they would get a chance to try it.\r\n\r\nWe have already started putting these materials to work in our outdoor learning space. One of our favorite projects has been experimenting with water movement using the clear tubing, connectors, balls, basters, eyedroppers, and watering cans. Students can pour and squeeze water, send balls and other objects through the tubes, and work together to figure out how to change the setup when something doesn't work the way they expected. What looks like simple water play quickly turns into problem-solving, early engineering, science, fine motor practice, and lots of conversation with friends.\r\n\r\nThe new smocks and washable paints have also allowed us to bring more art outside, where students have room to paint, experiment, and create on a larger scale. Our wagon and crates make it much easier to bring materials outdoors and let students help with setting up and cleaning up our learning spaces.\r\n\r\nOur next step is to keep expanding the ways students can design and build with the tubing system rather than having one permanent setup. I want them to experiment with changing the height and direction of the tubes, predicting where the water or balls will travel, and then testing their ideas. We will also continue caring for our outdoor space using the watering cans and adding art, books, and other materials as they connect to what we are learning in class.\r\n\r\nThese resources have helped make our outdoor space a true extension of our classroom. Thank you for giving my students more opportunities to explore, create, move, collaborate, and learn through play!","fullyFundedDate":1778611548811,"projectUrl":"project/more-outdoor-play-in-tk/10195094/","projectTitle":"More Outdoor Play in TK","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Bowie","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9336230_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1699749382741","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9336230"},{"teacherId":10425864,"projectId":10346706,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting our classroom and helping us add high-interest books to our classroom library. Your generosity has made a meaningful impact on my fifth-grade students by giving them more opportunities to find books that connect with their interests and make them excited about reading.\r\n\r\nMany of my students watched the World Cup and were especially excited to see soccer books in our classroom library. Their enthusiasm for soccer has carried over into their reading. Students are eager to pick up these books because they feature a sport, players, and topics they already enjoy.\r\n\r\nStudents who are interested in history have especially enjoyed the What Was...? series. These books give students the opportunity to learn more about important historical events and topics in an engaging and accessible format.\r\n\r\nBook series have also been a wonderful way to get students hooked on reading. Series such as Ghost Patrol, I Survived, The Baby-Sitters Club, and Wings of Fire encourage students to keep reading because when they finish one book, they are excited to pick up the next one. Finding a series they love can turn one successful reading experience into many.\r\n\r\nMy students have nightly reading log assignments, so having a wide variety of high-interest books is especially important. Instead of viewing their nightly reading as simply another homework assignment, students can choose books they genuinely want to read. These books help students fulfill their homework requirement while also building positive reading habits and discovering the enjoyment that comes from reading by choice.\r\n\r\nThe greatest impact of this project is seeing students choose to read and look forward to reading. When students have access to books about subjects and characters they care about, they are more motivated to read, talk about books with classmates, finish books, and search for what they want to read next.\r\n\r\nThank you for helping us create a classroom library filled with books that students are excited to pick up. Your support is helping my students become more enthusiastic, confident readers while developing reading habits that can last far beyond our classroom.","fullyFundedDate":1782399966820,"projectUrl":"project/moving-up-to-5th-fresh-books-for-title/10346706/","projectTitle":"Moving Up to 5th: Fresh Books for Title I Scholars","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Smith","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10425864_orig.png?crop=720,720,x0,y120&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1781991772348","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10425864"},{"teacherId":9483529,"projectId":10079915,"letterContent":"Thank you for your generous support in funding this project, including the decodable books and wonderful instructional models that will be implemented next year. Your investment has already made a meaningful difference in our classrooms by providing students with accessible, skill-aligned texts during ELA time. These decodable books allow students to directly apply their phonics knowledge while reading, leading to increased accuracy, improved stamina, and more sustained engagement during independent and guided reading.\r\n\r\nBeyond academic growth, we've also seen a noticeable boost in confidence among our students! Students are able to successfully decode and comprehend the texts in front of them, which means that they are more willing to participate, take risks, and view themselves as capable readers. The positive shift in mindset has created a more supportive and enthusiastic reading environment, where students are motivated to practice and celebrate their progress.\r\n\r\nWe are especially excited to continue building on this success with the instructional models that will be introduced next year. The Elkonin boxes will be paired with our new ELA curriculum to help bridge the gap between letters and words, supporting students as they develop stronger phonemic awareness and decoding skills. Together, these resources will allow us to further strengthen our literacy instruction and provide consistent, targeted support for all learners. Thank you so much again for investing in our students and helping to lay a strong foundation for their long-term reading success!","fullyFundedDate":1770139596424,"projectUrl":"project/enriching-young-readers/10079915/","projectTitle":"Enriching Young Readers","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Villanueva","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-5_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9483529"},{"teacherId":9336230,"projectId":10076364,"letterContent":"This project has helped us fully bring our outdoor classroom to life by adding the final pieces needed to keep it running smoothly. What started as a plain cement area is now a space our TK students use regularly, and these additions have made it safer, more organized, and easier to maintain.\r\n\r\nThe locks have helped us securely store materials, the hose has made watering plants and water play simple, and the smocks have been a game changer in the mud kitchen—students can jump into messy, hands-on play without worry. These small but important items have made a big difference in how we use the space day to day.\r\n\r\nOverall, this phase has helped make our outdoor classroom a more functional and sustainable place where students can explore, play, and learn together in a safe and engaging environment.","fullyFundedDate":1771642240840,"projectUrl":"project/outdoor-play-in-tk-part-2/10076364/","projectTitle":"Outdoor Play in TK: Part 2","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Bowie","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9336230_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1699749382741","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9336230"},{"teacherId":9336230,"projectId":9811084,"letterContent":"This project has made a big impact by turning a plain cement area behind our classroom into a space our TK students actually want to be in. With the turf, seating, and play materials, it now feels like an extension of our classroom instead of just an empty patch. Students are excited to go outside and are spending more time moving, exploring, and learning in a hands-on way. They literally beg to go play outside.\r\n\r\nThe planters have given students a chance to explore nature and take care of something together. We tried to grow some vegetables but they didn't make it through the heat wave we had. We are trying again and hope to be able to try some before the end of the year! The picnic table has become a go-to spot for art, projects, and small group work. Having storage for outdoor materials has also helped keep everything organized and easy for students to access.\r\n\r\nOverall, this space has given students more opportunities to learn, play, and work together outside. It's been especially meaningful to see them so engaged and active in an environment that supports both their learning and well-being.","fullyFundedDate":1769932699226,"projectUrl":"project/outdoor-play-in-tk/9811084/","projectTitle":"Outdoor Play in TK!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Bowie","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9336230_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1699749382741","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9336230"},{"teacherId":9336230,"projectId":9980091,"letterContent":"This project has made a big impact in our Transitional Kindergarten classroom by giving students more hands-on ways to learn and be part of the space. The magnets have been especially fun—we're using them to hang student projects from the ceiling, which has turned our room into a rotating display of their work. Students love seeing their creations up high, and it really builds their sense of pride.\r\n\r\nThe visual instruction signs have helped students become more independent, making it easier for them to follow routines during centers. The cardboard construction screw set has encouraged a lot of creativity and teamwork as students build and problem-solve together. Overall, these materials have helped create a more engaging and student-centered classroom where kids feel excited to explore and learn.","fullyFundedDate":1769367076343,"projectUrl":"project/tools-for-thinking-building-and-belong/9980091/","projectTitle":"Tools for Thinking, Building, and Belonging","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Bowie","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9336230_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1699749382741","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9336230"},{"teacherId":6625855,"projectId":10074826,"letterContent":"I am writing to express my deepest gratitude for your support of our classroom project. In a kindergarten classroom, the shift from recognizing a letter to hearing a sound and blending it into a word is nothing short of miraculous. Because of your generosity, that \"magic\" is now happening every single day with the help of our new structured literacy resources.\r\n\r\nWith these new phonics materials, my students are no longer guessing at words. They are building them, touching them, and truly understanding the mechanics of language.\r\nThese resources allow me to provide targeted support to students who were facing early challenges, ensuring they don't fall behind before their journey has even truly begun.\r\n\r\nThank you for being a champion for my kindergarteners and for investing in the future of our classroom.","fullyFundedDate":1770128806055,"projectUrl":"project/empowering-our-youngest-readers/10074826/","projectTitle":"Empowering Our Youngest Readers!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Dux","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp6625855_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1565537786580","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrs-dux"},{"teacherId":6782917,"projectId":10074807,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous donation to our classroom!\r\nThanks to your support, my students now have access to valuable phonics centers that already have a meaningful and positive impact on their learning.\r\n\r\nThese phonics centers are helping my students build and improve their reading and writing skills while having fun with hands-on activities.\r\n\r\nThe decodable material is helping them gain confidence as they practice sounding out words: They are becoming independent readers and are very excited about it!\r\n\r\nThank you for providing incredible resources that will help them succeed in their reading journey!\r\n\r\nI am truly grateful for your generosity. Thank you for making a difference!","fullyFundedDate":1769999174098,"projectUrl":"project/support-my-kindergarteners-literacy-suc/10074807/","projectTitle":"Support My Kindergarteners’ Literacy Success!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Ragas","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-9_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/6782917"},{"teacherId":9419365,"projectId":9670563,"letterContent":"The day my students noticed the cushions and chairs in the classroom, they immediately asked if they could use them, to which I replied, \"Of course!\" Since then, these alternative seat options have been used on a daily basis, multiple times a day and for different subjects throughout the day. During math lessons, students like to bring their work to the rug in front of the screen I use to teach with a chair or cushion in tow. They choose the best location in order to focus and they get to work. While normally, students would sit at the kidney table to receive additional help, now, even I bring a cushion to the rug and hold writing conferences with students. \r\n Although the chairs and cushions are used for every subject, the subject for which most students use them is for reading. During my reading intervention class, four times a week, we sit in a circle to read and discuss our current novel. Students can tilt the back of the chairs to the desired angle and settle in to read their book. If they choose a cushion they can decide to either sit on it or lie over it on their stomachs. To see them engaged in reading their book makes me very happy and it may be my imagination, but to me it seems like even their reading stamina has increased too!\r\n I love that this idea has turned into a reality, a reality that you helped to make, and the reality is better than my imagination.","fullyFundedDate":1766521874111,"projectUrl":"project/flexible-seating-focused-and-engaged-l/9670563/","projectTitle":"Flexible Seating = Focused and Engaged Learners!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Aragon","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9419365_orig.jpg?crop=2741,2741,x171,y423&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1776291532992","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9419365"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_4858","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":245,"numTeachers":12,"percentFrplEligible":83,"percentAsian":4,"percentBlack":0,"percentWhite":3,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":91,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","percentHawaiianImputed":0,"percentMultiracialImputed":0,"gradesServed":"Pre-K - 5","studentTeacherRatio":"20.4:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_SMALL"},"inStateSupporters":81.1,"schoolId":4858,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Mariano Castro Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Mariano Castro Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/california/mountain-view-whisman-school-district/mariano-castro-elementary-school/4858"}