{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"Lovonya DeJean Middle School","outOfStateSupporters":31.4,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":8813681,"projectId":9536047,"letterContent":"When the economy is in flux, districts are strict with their funds and donors are hard to find. I cannot express how deeply I appreciate your help!\r\n\r\nThey packed my classes to the limit . . . and even added a few beyond. I have needed the Dum Dums for small class prizes. With 170 students at the beginning of the year, I have almost drained my supply of 2,000 Dum Dums. Next to those, I run through pencils just as fast. I WOULD NOT have been able to start my routines without them.\r\n\r\nThe curtains also enabled me to completely control the lighting in my classroom for movies and seasonal decorations. I am officially the coolest classroom on campus!\r\n\r\nI couldn't have done it without your support!","fullyFundedDate":1756765513977,"projectUrl":"project/whats-behind-curtain-4/9536047/","projectTitle":"What's Behind Curtain #4?","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. H.B. Murray","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8813681_orig.jpg?crop=356,356,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1735582487985","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8813681"},{"teacherId":2566503,"projectId":9119072,"letterContent":"Thank you for making this project a reality! Every item from this project has helped to set a positive and welcoming tone in the library. For example, the banner decorations are the most visible items from this project, brightening up the library so it looks more festive. The book stands help me display more books in a front-facing way to capture students' interest.\r\nOther items have helped me build relationships with our readers and encourage return visits on their own time. The specific books from this project were all student requests and have almost all been checked out already. The bookmarks sit on the counter so students can choose their own. So far this school year I have been giving students a sticker when they check out books as a little appreciation for them. Also, I now have some choices when students ask for snacks because sometimes they just need a little energizer. The scratch rainbow bookmarks are a fun activity for the Book Club students, and the magnetic bookmarks served as a thank you for students who participated in the Battle of the Books at the end of the school year. They chose what they liked during our hot chocolate and snacks party. Each time students have a choice- be it a snack, bookmark, or book- they have a little spark of joy. So I pass on their appreciation and thanks to you who made it possible! Thank you!!","fullyFundedDate":1743442439708,"projectUrl":"project/a-library-is-more-than-books-its-an-ex/9119072/","projectTitle":"A Library is More than Books- It's an Experience","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Marymor","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-2_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/2566503"},{"teacherId":8813681,"projectId":9014175,"letterContent":"This is a project I have always wanted to do! I have always wanted to celebrate a RED decor Lunar New Year!\r\n\r\nMy students love to hear about my time in Korea, and I have always wanted to share with them a slice of that culture. Too often, February is full of so many other holidays and cultural commemorations that this, one of the most important of holidays amongst the East Asian cultures, is often overlooked and forsaken.\r\n\r\nYour support enabled me to commemorate Asian American, more specifically Asian-California-American culture, alongside that of Black History Month, Valentines Day, and President's Day.\r\n\r\nI confess it took us awhile to have our class party. None of the classes won my contest by the time Ramadan started and we wanted to make sure everyone had a chance to partake of the food before Lent! Thankfully, my 5th period won and we had a blast.\r\n\r\nThanks for making my classroom one of the best on the campus!","fullyFundedDate":1736216674406,"projectUrl":"project/this-lunar-new-year-i-see-red/9014175/","projectTitle":"This Lunar New Year I See Red!","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. H.B. Murray","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8813681_orig.jpg?crop=356,356,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1735582487985","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8813681"},{"teacherId":8813681,"projectId":9022814,"letterContent":"This time of year, as always, I tend to come up short. Short of rewards for my games. Short or supplies for assignments. Most of all, short of decorations from my last order.\r\n\r\nThis order was mostly odds and ends. Pencils, lollypops, and stuff I forgot in my last project.\r\n\r\nThat being said, I COULDN'T HAVE COMPLETED MY OTHER PROJECTS WITHOUT ALL OF THESE ITEMS!!!! Thank you so much for making it possible for me to have a classroom that is fun, engaging, and well stocked. This is such a great opportunity to make my community, friends, and family part of my classroom!","fullyFundedDate":1736442160917,"projectUrl":"project/100th-day-refill/9022814/","projectTitle":"100th Day Refill","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. H.B. Murray","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8813681_orig.jpg?crop=356,356,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1735582487985","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8813681"},{"teacherId":8813681,"projectId":9022759,"letterContent":"When I moved schools I left the joy of teaching 6th graders Joseph Campbell's. I was crestfallen. I had developed a strong lesson plan and my little young authors had love for writing and still reach out to me for advice and updates on their progress.\r\n\r\nAt my new school . . . I got 8th graders. I know. The unwanted. The disgruntled. The UNTAPPED POTENTIAL!!! I love the fact that no one wants to teach them because they have attitude and grit. What they really need is stories. Inside them is the same need for expression that my 6th graders had. It can be buried in some of them, and maybe even bursting out of others without the benefit of harnessing skills.\r\n\r\nI have been thinking deeply about how to make story writing and storytelling a curriculum rather than a workshop. A journey and not an assignment. The materials have helped me to study the methods and ideals of masters like C. S. Lewis and even modern methods like those of Roy Peter Clark. I am looking for the core of storytelling and the skills that make writers passionate. My hope is to unlock the 8th grade soul to the joys of writing.\r\n\r\nSo far I have used Mr. Clark's advice on structuring sentence beginnings and endings to advise my students who were writing entry essays to get accepted into pre-college programs. I have also absorbed C. S. Lewis's belief that fantasy is less deceptive than stories that are exact parallels to life. I see the importance to connect students with the metaphysical over the exactitude of reality.\r\n\r\nOver the summer I plan to continue deep diving into RPG world and story building techniques to create an interactive curriculum that sustains creative writing and problem solving throughout the school year. Additionally, Ron Clark and the other texts will help me study methods to reach the students who profess to be \"unreachable.\"\r\n\r\nReading for pleasure with my new library, thanks to your donation, actually helps me sleep better! I wake up rested and excited to read whenever I am not teaching. As I read, I underline inspiring lines in pencil. When I finish a book, I place it on my desk and review my markings and record findings in a special journal.\r\n\r\nI couldn't have done it without you! Thank you so much for helping me become better. Thank you for believing I am capable of doing something more interesting than the prepackaged lessons that are \"easier\" and \"like everyone else!\"","fullyFundedDate":1735683285578,"projectUrl":"project/what-if-/9022759/","projectTitle":"What if . . . ?","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. H.B. Murray","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8813681_orig.jpg?crop=356,356,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1735582487985","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8813681"},{"teacherId":9516980,"projectId":8868219,"letterContent":"Thank you for supporting my project, although we are still on the process of completing equipments for volleyball club, having some materials especially the ball is very helpful. Our school is very grateful for the support for the students. Being engaged in sports is very helpful mentally, physically and socially. I appreciate all your help to put this in reality. I will be forever grateful as we start to be more engaged in sports. I can see how students want to learn more about volleyball game.","fullyFundedDate":1730595004931,"projectUrl":"project/volleyball-players/8868219/","projectTitle":"Volleyball Players","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Christine","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9516980_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1739140591605","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9516980"},{"teacherId":2566503,"projectId":8831531,"letterContent":"I would like to express my gratitude for each donation that make this project possible! \r\n\r\nFor a school with a majority of students who speak Spanish, this book order was crucial to make the library collection more relevant for them. It has noticeably expanded our Spanish language book section. Beyond that, it has inspired the students to read knowing that these new books are meant specifically for them.\r\n\r\nI am so grateful to that donors have made the first step in expanding our collection of books in Spanish possible. Previously, Spanish-only speakers would check out certain books in English- especially graphic novels and nonfiction books. Students who are learning English also benefit from reading in Spanish and building their biliteracy. At this time, there are new books from this project that have been checked out several times.\r\n\r\nThank you again for making that opportunity possible by expanding the choices our students have when it comes to reading!","fullyFundedDate":1727976789137,"projectUrl":"project/beef-up-our-books-in-spanish/8831531/","projectTitle":"Beef Up Our Books in Spanish","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Marymor","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-2_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/2566503"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_18689","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":384,"numTeachers":19,"percentFrplEligible":95,"percentAsian":3,"percentBlack":14,"percentWhite":3,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":75,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"7 - 8","studentTeacherRatio":"20.2:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"SUBURBAN","ncesMetroType":"SUBURB_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":68.6,"schoolId":18689,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Lovonya DeJean Middle School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Lovonya DeJean Middle School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/california/west-contra-costa-unified-school-district/lovonya-de-jean-middle-school/18689"}