{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"Cabrillo Middle School","outOfStateSupporters":21.2,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":10256529,"projectId":9708349,"letterContent":"My students and I have been having so much fun using our new literacy resources! We've been using the Play-Doh to form letters while saying the letter name and sound out loud. This hands-on practice has been especially powerful for my learners who need extra sensory input to stay engaged. We pair the Play-Doh letters with our sound cards, so students build the letter, trace it with their finger, and then match it to a picture that begins with that sound. It has truly brought our phonics lessons to life.\r\n\r\nWhen my students first saw the materials, they were quite excited. The Play-Doh was an instant hit, although it did take a few attempts to get the focus to be on letter building and not making snakes! \r\n\r\nThe new workbook materials help to reinfore the learning with practice. \r\nNext, we will be using these materials to build blends. Students will use Play-Doh to create each letter in a word, say each sound, and then blend the sounds together to read the word and spell words. We will also extend our learning into writing by using the Playdoh letters with individusl whiteboards so they can drill the common words quickly. \r\n\r\nThe magnetic tape has been used to mke a mostly entirely new set of letter cards for the main whiteboard. The other letters kept sliding down as the magnetic tape ha lost its magnetism, I had found it in a closet and it was old.\r\n\r\nThis multi-sensory approach is strengthening both their reading and writing skills.\r\nThank you for giving my students tools that make learning interactive, engaging, and meaningful. Your support is helping build strong literacy foundations and confident readers!","fullyFundedDate":1765230378110,"projectUrl":"project/support-literacy-in-special-education/9708349/","projectTitle":"Support Literacy in Special Education","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. B","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-5_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10256529"},{"teacherId":9753263,"projectId":9641553,"letterContent":"I am writing to express my deepest gratitude for your generous contributions to our \"Celebrating Day of the Dead\" project. Your support has been instrumental in bringing a vibrant and essential piece of cultural education into our classroom, providing my students with an experience that transcends the standard curriculum.\r\n\r\nThe impact of celebrating Día de los Muertos in our classroom has been profound. For many of my students, this was their first deep dive into the rich traditions of Latino culture. By moving beyond a surface-level mention of the holiday, your donation enabled them to understand the true heart of the celebration: a joyful remembrance of loved ones and a unique perspective on the cycle of life. This cultural immersion is vital in our Cabrillo classroom, as students are at a pivotal age where they are forming their worldview and developing empathy for perspectives different from their own.\r\n\r\nThe highlight of this project was the creative process involving the materials you provided. Our classroom was buzzing with excitement as students worked with clay, sharpie markers, and various other artistic tools to bring their visions to life. Watching them meticulously sculpt clay decorations was a joy; they poured their personalities into every skull and flower they created. Once the clay was set, the students used the vibrant sharpie markers to add intricate, traditional patterns, learning about the symbolism behind the colors and shapes used in Mexican folk art. These finished masterpieces are now proudly displayed within our classroom, serving as a constant, colorful reminder of their hard work and your kindness.\r\n\r\nIn today's world, creating an inclusive environment where every student feels represented and every culture is honored is one of my highest priorities as an educator. Because of your help, we were able to build a space where students didn't just read about a holiday—they lived it. This hands-on approach ensured that the lessons of inclusivity and global citizenship were not just abstract concepts, but felt experiences.\r\n\r\nYour generosity has done more than just provide supplies; it has fostered a sense of belonging and curiosity in my students. You have helped me show them that the world is a vast, beautiful place filled with diverse traditions worth celebrating. Thank you for supporting my class and for believing in the power of cultural education. My students and I are truly honored to have had your support in making this project a reality.","fullyFundedDate":1760899255755,"projectUrl":"project/part-2-celebrating-day-of-the-dead/9641553/","projectTitle":"Part 2: Celebrating Day of the Dead","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Whitaker","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9753263_orig.jpg?crop=432,432,x0,y164&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1726538403629","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/profe-whitaker"},{"teacherId":10206174,"projectId":9634562,"letterContent":"Thank you for donating to my school and my Physical Education Classes. There are 40 to 45 students in one PE class and we have 15 PE class that will use this equipment throughout the course of the school year. In order to make all students as active as possible we need lots of equipment. Your donations help make that possible. \r\n\r\nThe equipment will be used in several ways. The portable nets allow us to extend our current space so more students can play with a net, whether it be badminton, pickleball or tennis. The badminton racquets and the basketballs ensure that all students can have a chance to enhance their skills in badminton or to practice their basketball shooting skills . \r\n\r\nThis equipment will ensure that no student is left waiting for a turn to participate at an an activity. Thank you again. It is very much appreciated.","fullyFundedDate":1762266785591,"projectUrl":"project/physical-education-participation/9634562/","projectTitle":"Physical Education Participation","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Bowles","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-8_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10206174"},{"teacherId":10208406,"projectId":9787485,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generosity in getting our students some brand new basketballs. I don't know what it is, but it seems like basketballs last a couple months and you're tossing them out due to holes or them becoming oddly shaped. Basketball is one of our most popular units, with all grade levels participating in the unit throughout the school year. \r\n\r\nOur students were excited to see the new basketballs help pump them up, and of course, play with them! The basketballs are various colors which helps with grouping and setting up for activities which supports an efficient and engaging class for all types of learners. \r\n\r\nThank you for supporting our teaching and our students, allowing us to create lessons that engage students with hopes that they find a passion for staying active and healthy.","fullyFundedDate":1760056360965,"projectUrl":"project/basketballs-go-bad-quickly-help-us-re/9787485/","projectTitle":"Basketballs go bad quickly... help us restock ours!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Gutierrez","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10208406_orig.jpg?crop=3212,3212,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1759437007122","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10208406"},{"teacherId":10208406,"projectId":9861754,"letterContent":"We are officially back from winter break and have hit the ground running. We have moved straight into a soccer/futsal unit (dependent on weather) and the poly spots have been a tremendous help. I personally appreciate having the poly spots because it allows me to organize my classroom set up in a way that is clear for students to follow which makes my lessons, overall, more efficient. \r\n\r\nStudents were excited to see the new products and thought it made our class set up \"more colorful\", which was awesome! For our EL students, the poly spots include various colors and are all numbered, ranging from 1-24. This makes overall understanding of activities and drills easier for our EL students because numbers and colors are easily translated and are some of the earlier items that our students learn. \r\n\r\nWe will continue to use the poly spots throughout the unit and in future units. The ability to set up groups, partners and various activities is making my lessons more efficient and engaging for my amazing students. Thank you!","fullyFundedDate":1766100855507,"projectUrl":"project/visuals-in-physical-education/9861754/","projectTitle":"Visuals in Physical Education!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Gutierrez","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10208406_orig.jpg?crop=3212,3212,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1759437007122","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10208406"},{"teacherId":10208406,"projectId":9635302,"letterContent":"The students are SO excited to try Kan Jam. Even though we have not done the Kan Jam unit yet, students were pumped to see the new equipment we received and it led to a great classroom conversation on why it is important to try \"non-traditional\" games that they can play far beyond their youth years. \r\n\r\nThe badminton rackets are extremely useful as, unfortunately, they do not last very long with over 150 kids using them per day. As responsible as our students are, the basic wear and tear gets to the rackets fairly quickly, so having the replacements allows me to continue to replenish so that all students can be equally involved in all activities. \r\n\r\nThank you so much for your kindness and for supporting the movement of our amazing students in Physical Education class.","fullyFundedDate":1759162287666,"projectUrl":"project/enhance-pe-for-our-6th-graders/9635302/","projectTitle":"Enhance PE for our 6th graders!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Gutierrez","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10208406_orig.jpg?crop=3212,3212,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1759437007122","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10208406"},{"teacherId":9753263,"projectId":9770687,"letterContent":"It's hard to put into words how grateful I am for your donation to my project. Your contribution made a positive impact on my students. Instead of students having a passive role in their learning process, they were actively participating in it. Through the movie Coco students learned about Day of the Dead and its importance. In addition, students learned about culture and shared some tasty treats while making memories. Having refreshments and snacks gave the event a real \"movie night\" feel, making it cozy and fun for everyone.\r\n\r\nThanks for your support.","fullyFundedDate":1759526063739,"projectUrl":"project/watching-the-movie-coco-in-class/9770687/","projectTitle":"Watching the Movie Coco in Class","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Whitaker","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9753263_orig.jpg?crop=432,432,x0,y164&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1726538403629","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/profe-whitaker"},{"teacherId":10208406,"projectId":9787397,"letterContent":"I want to be clear that your donation has completely changed students eagerness to read in my EL Intermediate class. I went from practically begging students to read a book for enjoyment to now having to set boundaries around how much we read our class book! \r\n\r\nThe students are not only wanting to read the book, but they are volunteering to read out loud, are completely engaged in class discussions about the book, and are working on individual book reports as soon as we return from break. \r\n\r\nThe other books we received reflect so many of the identities in our class, which I've been told is \"cool\" for my students. None of this would be possible without your support to help grow the love of reading for my amazing diverse students.","fullyFundedDate":1759667338285,"projectUrl":"project/help-us-build-a-diverse-classroom-librar/9787397/","projectTitle":"Help us build a diverse classroom library!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Gutierrez","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10208406_orig.jpg?crop=3212,3212,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1759437007122","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10208406"},{"teacherId":9184527,"projectId":9751409,"letterContent":"The moment my students saw the new sticks and mallets, their faces absolutely lit up. They crowded around the percussion table like it was Christmas morning, picking up each mallet with so much excitement you'd think they were holding magic wands. Several students immediately started testing soft rolls, accent patterns, and different timbres—just exploring, creating, and smiling the whole time.\r\n\r\nThese new tools have already transformed the way we rehearse. Instead of sharing worn-out sticks or trying to make one pair work for multiple instruments, my students now have the right gear for the right sound. Our bass drum finally sings with a warm, full tone, and the snare section suddenly has a consistency we've never been able to achieve before. It's been incredible hearing the group grow tighter and more confident in just a few rehearsals.\r\n\r\nOne of my favorite moments so far came during a run-through of our concert piece. A student who usually plays quietly finally stepped out of his comfort zone, using the new mallets to deliver a bold, resonant bass drum entrance that made the whole ensemble react with \"Whoa!\" That kind of musical confidence is priceless—and it's happening because of your generosity.\r\n\r\nNext, we're preparing for our winter concert, and these new tools are helping students take their musicianship to the next level. They're learning how different mallets shape tone and how percussion choices can change the entire mood of a piece. Watching them make these artistic decisions with pride and ownership has been inspiring.\r\n\r\nThank you for giving my students the chance to sound like the musicians they strive to be. Your support isn't just heard—it's felt every day in our classroom.","fullyFundedDate":1760693761195,"projectUrl":"project/beating-the-odds-with-better-sticks-and/9751409/","projectTitle":"Beating the Odds With Better Sticks and Mallets","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Okamura","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9184527_orig.jpg?crop=3000,3000,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1703051615049","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/cabrillomusic"},{"teacherId":9184527,"projectId":9784925,"letterContent":"When our new violin and bass bows arrived, the students were absolutely thrilled. Many of them gathered around the boxes with wide eyes, and a few even gasped when they realized these bows were truly theirs to use. Several students immediately picked up their instruments to try them out, and the room filled with excited chatter as they felt the difference in sound and responsiveness.\r\n\r\nWe are now using the bows to rehearse for our student-led community service performances. Students are preparing music for our outreach concerts at nearby elementary schools, where they will welcome incoming 6th graders with live performances and conversations about joining music. They are also planning a kindness-themed concert for our school community.\r\n\r\nOne particularly special moment was watching a small group of students take leadership during rehearsal. They organized sectionals, discussed musical phrasing, and encouraged one another to prepare for our upcoming community events. Having reliable bows has given them confidence—they can focus on expression and leadership instead of worrying about equipment that doesn't work properly.\r\n\r\nOur next step is finalizing the program for our performances and helping students develop short speaking parts to introduce each piece and explain the purpose of our community service project. Thanks to your support, these students are not only growing as musicians—they are learning how to use their talents to uplift and connect with others.\r\n\r\nThank you for making this possible. Your generosity is already reaching far beyond our classroom.","fullyFundedDate":1761575056228,"projectUrl":"project/better-bows-for-brighter-music/9784925/","projectTitle":"Better Bows for Brighter Music!","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Okamura","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9184527_orig.jpg?crop=3000,3000,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1703051615049","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/cabrillomusic"},{"teacherId":4562647,"projectId":9624998,"letterContent":"Thank you for the support you give my classrooms. Students have been able to sit down and do guided reading with me with the leveled books that were obtained. We are able to use the expo markers as a fun way to review their biweekly vocabulary list. We do go through many expo markers as they use them in their centers as well. \r\n\r\nWe have not yet used the graphic organizers but we are excited to use them during next semester. I can see the improvement my class has made with the materials and the ability to have the resources needed to supplement their learning.","fullyFundedDate":1755737468066,"projectUrl":"project/eld-level-up-to-succeed-in-middle-school/9624998/","projectTitle":"ELD Level Up to Succeed in Middle School","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Gutierrez","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp4562647_272x272.png?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1500621568722","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ms-gutierrez-rodriguez"},{"teacherId":10097476,"projectId":9508102,"letterContent":"Thank you for supporting this effort to bring new and exciting materials to my 7th grade Basic Math Classroom. My students have learning disabilities and they have benefited from this project in many ways. I truly appreciate your caring and support. \r\nThe Newmark Learning Math Books have been helpful when we worked on ratios. The books have excellent pictures of items that can be compared, like cats of different colors. I used my document camera and projected pages. Students discussed what they saw, and counted items in the pictures. Then, they learned to write ratios to compare quantities in the pictures. \r\nThe Newmark Learning Mathematics Intervention Activities have breathed new life into my students' math practice. While other students can \"do math in their heads,\" I encourage and see the benefit of practice with pencil and paper. I copied activities for \"Order of Operations\" and we worked through these as a class. I appreciated the scaffolded nature of the skill progression and the extra-large work space! Many students struggle with fine motor control these pages provided the space to show their work without needing to get scratch paper. \r\nFinally, we thoroughly enjoy the Scholastic Math Magazine. We do math stations 2-3 times per week and the magazine is part of the \"off-line\" station for 1 week of the month. The first day, students look through it casually. The next day, they read and pick an article that interests them. I take that information and build a cloze notes worksheet and word problems. This helps students to read for important information and solve math problems that are high interest. We do this as a group on the last day of the week.","fullyFundedDate":1753985978409,"projectUrl":"project/math-makover/9508102/","projectTitle":"Math Makover","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Yoshida","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-9_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10097476"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_4966","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":804,"numTeachers":37,"percentFrplEligible":29,"percentAsian":33,"percentBlack":2,"percentWhite":16,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":39,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"6 - 8","studentTeacherRatio":"21.7:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":false,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_MIDSIZE"},"inStateSupporters":78.8,"schoolId":4966,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Cabrillo Middle School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Cabrillo Middle School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/california/santa-clara-unified-school-district/cabrillo-middle-school/4966"}
Join the 340 supporters who believe in this school.
About this school
Cabrillo Middle School is
an urban public school
in Santa Clara, California that is part of Santa Clara Unified School District.
It serves 804 students
in grades 6 - 8 with a student/teacher ratio of 21.7:1.
Its teachers have had 146 projects funded on DonorsChoose.
Boost support for this school! Share this page with friends, family, alumni, and fellow supporters. Every connection helps teachers get the supplies they need and shows how much your community cares about its students.
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of students receive free or reduced price lunch
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
Source: the National Center for Education Statistics
74%
of students are Black, Latino, Native
American, or Asian
Data about school demographics comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. The numbers in this chart may not add up to 100% because of limitations in the available data.
Cabrillo Middle School Support on DonorsChoose
Last updated Feb 15, 2026
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.
Cabrillo Middle School
$107,890
raised using DonorsChoose
146
projects
funded
31
teachers
funded
340
donors
9
projects
for
basic supplies
43
projects for
technology
10
projects for
books
9
projects
for
art supplies
Cabrillo Middle School has received support from
268 individuals from California and
72 individuals out-of-state.