{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"Life Academy","outOfStateSupporters":31.0,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":11668,"projectId":9341878,"letterContent":"I wish you could see student reactions in the moment when they see new materials appear. So much joy - thank you! We use the rope baskets to organize our books and snacks. They make our space feel more cozy and less closet. Students in the Bob Books decodables have really enjoyed having little Ziplock bags of Bob Books they can take home. They like being able to exchange them for \"new ones\" when they feel they've practiced them a lot. The Moondogs Decodable book series has been great to have on hand and they provide a lot of great illustrations and more complex stories for students than the Bob Books, so they encourage students with what reading can offer. We've been using the decodable phonics passages to do fluency practice and they are an awesome resource. And finally, thanks a ton for the markers, gel pens, stickers, index cards, painters tape, dry erase markers, and tacks. It's so nice having all of these things accessible whenever we need them.","fullyFundedDate":1757375883297,"projectUrl":"project/lets-keep-the-progress-going/9341878/","projectTitle":"Let's Keep The Progress Going!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Klein","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp11668_orig.jpg?crop=768,768,x92,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1725920110670","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/11668"},{"teacherId":11668,"projectId":9385714,"letterContent":"It has been great to have so many new books in the classroom. Since we spend a lot of time reading decodable books, which students need and appreciate and worry look \"easy\" to others, the push to include what they perceive as \"real chapter books\" has been fun to observe. Having them has kicked off more independent reading because the books are high-interest, accessible reading levels, and look like the books students' peers are reading. I've got students discovering that they actually like reading more than they thought and that's been really exciting to see. For some of the young people, we've been working for a year or more to consistently get a quality \"just right\" book in their backpacks for independent reading for sustained silent reading (SSR) in classrooms and at home. Thanks for helping us make a big push forward by providing us with some tried-and-true great books!","fullyFundedDate":1753761325904,"projectUrl":"project/independent-reading-books-for-older-emer/9385714/","projectTitle":"Independent Reading Books for Older Emerging Readers","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Klein","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp11668_orig.jpg?crop=768,768,x92,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1725920110670","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/11668"},{"teacherId":1040027,"projectId":9296399,"letterContent":"Thanks so much for giving to this project! When kids see the books they requested arrive in the library, they are so excited! Projects like this one help create a library collection that is user centered, responsive to student needs, and (most importantly) that's fun for kids to use! \r\n\r\nThe headline is this: When kids have positive experiences in the library, it keeps them coming back. Not just to our library, but to the public library as well!\r\n\r\nA special thanks to Ripple for giving to this project! We are so grateful for your support!","fullyFundedDate":1746587880096,"projectUrl":"project/books-by-request-april/9296399/","projectTitle":"Books by Request - April","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Solomon","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp1040027_orig.jpg?crop=720,720,x180,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1552668311822","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/calvinsimmonslibrary"},{"teacherId":1040027,"projectId":9184260,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for helping bring Arabic books to our library for the very first time! Arabic speakers represent a small number of students in my Library community, which makes it feel extra important that they are represented in our collection. \r\n\r\nOrdering high interest books in Arabic shows our Arabic students that we value their culture and experience in the library, and it allows them to engage with favorite books of other students, their age!\r\n\r\nThank you so much for making sure our Arabic speaking students know they have a place in our Library community!","fullyFundedDate":1743000518628,"projectUrl":"project/arabic-books-for-newcomers/9184260/","projectTitle":"Arabic Books for Newcomers","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Solomon","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp1040027_orig.jpg?crop=720,720,x180,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1552668311822","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/calvinsimmonslibrary"},{"teacherId":1040027,"projectId":9128865,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for giving to this project!\r\n\r\nWhen kids see the books they requested here in the library. They are so visibly excited and joyful I love the moment when they open the box and see the title they asked for! Beyond just making their day, the more subtle aspect of these projects is building a lifelong habit of reading. The more students see themselves as readers and contributors to Library culture, the more likely they are to continue reading and engaging as they get older.\r\n\r\nThank you so much for making this happen!","fullyFundedDate":1741587054024,"projectUrl":"project/books-by-request-february-2025/9128865/","projectTitle":"Books by Request - February 2025","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Solomon","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp1040027_orig.jpg?crop=720,720,x180,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1552668311822","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/calvinsimmonslibrary"},{"teacherId":8379904,"projectId":9100268,"letterContent":"I want to extend my deepest gratitude for your generous support of my classroom through DonorsChoose. Because of you, a group of amazing young people had the opportunity of a lifetime.\r\n\r\nYour donations funded essential biking gear—specifically padded biking shorts and gloves—that allowed my students to fully participate in a two-week biking class. For many of them, this was their first time experiencing cycling beyond their own neighborhoods. With the right gear, they were able to ride confidently, comfortably, and safely.\r\n\r\nThe highlight of our class was a five-day, four-night bikepacking journey along the California coast, from Oakland to Santa Cruz. This trip was transformative. My students, all girls and gender-expansive youth from low-income backgrounds, rode over 100 miles, camped under the stars, and supported one another through physical and emotional challenges. They pushed past self-doubt, discovered inner strength, ate so many hot Cheetos, drank so much Gatorade, and found joy in nature and movement.","fullyFundedDate":1743292601383,"projectUrl":"project/life-academy-bikes-the-coast/9100268/","projectTitle":"Life Academy Bikes the Coast","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Green","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8379904_orig.jpg?crop=2316,2316,x0,y54&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1676407131869","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8379904"},{"teacherId":1040027,"projectId":9080266,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for giving to this project! It is so important for students to see the books they want to read and have asked for in the library! I cannot tell you how excited students are when they open the boxes and see \"their book\" arrive. It's a really special moment, and it also builds their connection to the library, as well as themselves as readers. Your role in creating this moment is so important and powerful. Thank you for all you have done to create it! \r\n\r\nThank you for your role in keeping our library relevant to students!","fullyFundedDate":1738203712181,"projectUrl":"project/books-by-request-semester-1/9080266/","projectTitle":"Books by Request: Semester 1","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Solomon","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp1040027_orig.jpg?crop=720,720,x180,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1552668311822","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/calvinsimmonslibrary"},{"teacherId":1040027,"projectId":9056709,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for contributing to this project! You brought beloved series (like Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Dork Diaries) up to date, and that means that kids are once again excited to engage with them! \r\n\r\nWhen we keep our series up today, and stock enough copies of the most popular new books, it makes it that much easier for students to find what they need, read it, and stay engaged with their reading lives. It has been so fun to unbox these books and get them out and circulating to kids!\r\n\r\nAs one student so aptly put it, \"I've been waiting forever for this!\"","fullyFundedDate":1737551791153,"projectUrl":"project/the-next-book/9056709/","projectTitle":"The Next Book...","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Solomon","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp1040027_orig.jpg?crop=720,720,x180,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1552668311822","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/calvinsimmonslibrary"},{"teacherId":8379904,"projectId":8901034,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for the generous donations to our project. Because of your donation, my students are growing their skills as visual artists and advertisers. \r\n\r\nLast week, we hosted the first annual Pathway Jeopardy Competition. The auditorium was packed with over 60 students, competing for points towards the title (the Golden Stethoscope.) They competed in categories such as, \"Public Health,\" \"Healthcare,\" and \"Biotech.\" They laughed, they screamed, and they learned some hard lessons about the cruel mistress, Final Jeopardy.\r\n\r\nEvents like these are the lifeblood of the high school experience. They support student leadership, camaraderie, and build student identity in relationship to a chosen interest. The time and patience that goes into promoting these projects can't be overstated. While my students still have some room to grow in their visual sensibilities, I can confidently say that our posters look much better with the supplies you helped us procure.","fullyFundedDate":1730003125077,"projectUrl":"project/advertising-health-and-bioscience-events/8901034/","projectTitle":"Advertising Health and Bioscience Events","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Green","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8379904_orig.jpg?crop=2316,2316,x0,y54&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1676407131869","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8379904"},{"teacherId":11668,"projectId":8890164,"letterContent":"Thank you for your generous donations of decodable books for older readers. The middle and high school students I teach are amazing young people. They are hard-working and eager to learn to improve their reading skills. In some cases, students are learning to blend letter sounds into words and in other cases, students are building their fluency from word-by-word reading to reading phrases and sentences at a time. In reading class, we focus on teaching systematic phonics, so students learn to decode with explicit instruction. Having books to practice the letter sounds they are learning in daily lessons is a game changer and is so important to accelerating student learning. Thanks for helping us have more books to choose from and more extension activities for books students read.\r\n\r\nStudents read the decodable books independently or with me when we have a few minutes after our daily lessons and for the whole period on minimum day Wednesdays. (I'm starting to dream about getting some to send home in a lending library). They love the colorful pictures in these new books and are engaged by the storylines. The high schoolers I work with have now finished multiple sets of 12 books and have done extension activities with some of them. This has been gratifying for them since library books have been hard for them to move through with this same confidence. Each time a student finishes reading a set of 12 books, they take a certificate home to share with their family and I email their advisor, administrators, and other connected adults on campus to shout them out. Before we got this project funded, we ran out of decodable \"just right\" leveled decodable books a lot. I can't emphasize enough how helpful your donations are since now we can keep the rate of practicing high. Once students finish three sets of 12 books, there are a few more sets for them to read. This is so encouraging for all of us since many chapter books with interesting age-appropriate content are still a bit too hard. Thank you for making a difference for students developing their reading skills. This is a huge gift and so appreciated.","fullyFundedDate":1732653887785,"projectUrl":"project/decodable-book-sets-for-older-early-read/8890164/","projectTitle":"Decodable Book Sets for Older Early Readers","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Klein","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp11668_orig.jpg?crop=768,768,x92,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1725920110670","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/11668"},{"teacherId":11668,"projectId":8754534,"letterContent":"Your generous donations of decodable reading materials, snacks, and prizes have made a big impact. Students dug in and engaged first semester and of the eleven students I work with, eight of them saw growth in reading as measured by the iReady, which is a district-wide assessment taken on the computer that measures reading proficiency. A few students had big growth, jumping up a grade level or finishing a specific type of skill, like \"high frequency words\" or \"phonics.\" There's no doubt that these donations contributed to that success. And for the two students who had flat scores, I can tell you that I know they are making progress and I'm certain both that we'll see it soon and that having snacks, prizes, and books to read are helping! \r\n\r\nWe've been reading the decodable books for the entire minimum day period each Wednesday to support reading fluency and comprehension -- and just to ensure that kids are spending enough time reading -- in addition to whenever we have a few minutes to spare after lessons finish. Students love having books at their level and feeling the success that comes with being able to read a book aloud without lots of errors and be able to talk about it. The books specifically for older readers are also exciting because they have more developed stories and great illustrations, so they have become really popular and captivating. \r\n\r\nAs winter break approached in December, I brought in a \"prize box,\" which was essentially a big plastic tub with lots of fun things I've been collecting in it. Students got one point for each piece of \"extra credit work\" they did - things like a word search or a worksheet practicing a specific sound we're working on above and beyond the regular assignments. Students were thrilled to be able to earn these prizes, so thank you for helping ensure I had neat things to give. One of the students who had enough extra credit points for a water bottle was so excited to get it, he could hardly stand it. When I saw him after break without it, I asked if he was still using it. He told me he is sharing it with her mom because it's such a good one and she doesn't have anything like that. So we're working on getting him another one for his use. I appreciate his generosity too!\r\n\r\nFinally, a word about the snacks. They make a huge difference for hungry kids. Beef jerkey was an immediate favorite and the granola bars went shortly after that. I am frequently asked if I have anything for students to eat and am grateful for the support to have something to offer. \r\n\r\nThanks for your caring and support.","fullyFundedDate":1726685185746,"projectUrl":"project/get-us-reading-more-with-decodables-sna/8754534/","projectTitle":"Get Us Reading More With Decodables, Snacks, and Prizes","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Klein","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp11668_orig.jpg?crop=768,768,x92,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1725920110670","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/11668"},{"teacherId":1040027,"projectId":8836392,"letterContent":"Thanks so much for giving to our books by request project with a library budget of zero dollars. It is so hard to keep up with students changing wants and interests, not to mention the new books that come out in favorite series! With your help, we can continue to make the Calvin Simmons library a place where it is easy for students to find books that they love, and to see their lives and their interests reflected in the collection!\r\n\r\nThank you so much for your support of this project and our students!","fullyFundedDate":1729268408082,"projectUrl":"project/books-by-request-september-2024/8836392/","projectTitle":"Books by Request September 2024","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Solomon","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp1040027_orig.jpg?crop=720,720,x180,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1552668311822","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/calvinsimmonslibrary"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_3900","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":441,"numTeachers":26,"percentFrplEligible":95,"percentAsian":2,"percentBlack":3,"percentWhite":0,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":91,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"6 - 12","studentTeacherRatio":"17.0:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":69.0,"schoolId":3900,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Life Academy on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Life Academy","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/california/oakland-unified-school-district/life-academy-health-bioscience/3900"}