{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"Peres K-8 School","outOfStateSupporters":23.6,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":388300,"projectId":9780164,"letterContent":"I just received all of the Grade Level Spanish reading books today and my students were very excited for me to read the books to them. Most of my students did not want me to put the books down and read them all day. This same students just last week thought books that they read made no sense.\r\n\r\nAll of my students have a goal to read more because reading is a valuable way of self-educating themselves and by reading they are getting in to fewer problems in class. They are finding an excellent positive way to fill in their in time. Reading in their leveled groups the students are finding ways to improve their young minds. All of the students are getting smarter and staying smart so they can have the edge over the average person. They know that they need to learn new things and reading is one of the best ways to learn and expand their knowledge. Books are stimulating and exciting their imagination as well as arousing the students' curiosity, everything that exists and has ever existed is documented and can be found in a book, reading is teaching them new skills, ideas and giving the students a new positive outlook on life. Obtaining more information is giving them a distinct advantage over the others because they will have gathered a much wider understanding of many subjects and topics of conversation. Limited knowledge can seriously hold you back and leave you feeling left out in some social situations. Reading makes you wiser not to mention the educational and learning benefits that are gained; it is enjoyable as well as factual. The benefits of reading are enormous, some books will inspire you, reading about other people's success stories or how they have overcome near seemingly impossible feats which have required immense courage and determination can give you great inspiration to go on and achieve your dreams with the knowing that if other people have already done it then so can you.\r\n\r\nThe importance of reading has never been greater while the literacy rates get lower. The very culture that has shaped the millennial student into the technological generation is the same culture that has resulted in a lower interest in reading and lower active and critical reading skills. Getting the grade leveled reading books into the classroom will benefit my students, myself, and society in general.","fullyFundedDate":1761417547406,"projectUrl":"project/need-some-great-books-to-read/9780164/","projectTitle":"Need Some Great Books To Read!","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Mayer","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-1_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/388300"},{"teacherId":10178439,"projectId":9738893,"letterContent":"When my students first saw the new Montessori and sensory materials, their excitement filled the room. They immediately began exploring the colorful puzzles, tracing boards, and movable alphabets; touching, experimenting, and proudly showing each other what they could do. The Bouncy Bands quickly became a favorite, giving my most active learners a quiet way to move and focus during lessons. These tools have created a calm, engaging learning environment where every child can participate meaningfully.\r\n\r\nNow, our literacy and math centers are alive with purpose. Students use the spindle boxes to match quantities, the movable alphabet to build words, and the tracing boards to strengthen writing skills. Each day, they work independently or in pairs, exploring at their own pace and celebrating small successes together. Thanks to your generosity, our classroom feels more joyful, inclusive, and hands-on than ever; every child has the tools to thrive and believe in their own potential.","fullyFundedDate":1759106097252,"projectUrl":"project/hands-on-tools-for-literacy-math-and-f/9738893/","projectTitle":"Hands-On Tools for Literacy, Math, and Focus","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Petrofsky","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-10_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10178439"},{"teacherId":971162,"projectId":9572016,"letterContent":"My scholar and I would like to extend a huge, thank you to all of you who have helped us receive some very important classroom necessities that were very much needed. We have been using the laminating pouches throughout the weeks to lemonade name tags, sight words, flashcards for math and vocabulary words,photos, and we are so thankful to have them. Our printer \r\nhad now been stocked with our toner cartridges and we are so happy to have our printer back again. We have been using the printer to print out lots of data of our assessments, such as i- Ready results that goe home along with many other vocabulary words to display in the classroom. Everything you have provided us. We cannot do this without your support.","fullyFundedDate":1757099505417,"projectUrl":"project/printing-necessity-needed/9572016/","projectTitle":"Printing Necessity Needed","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Hansen","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-2_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/971162"},{"teacherId":971162,"projectId":9566320,"letterContent":"My scholars and I cannot thank you enough for being so helpful and supportive to our classroom. We greatly appreciate your thoughtful donation of water bottles, snacks, and incentives for our classroom! Everything has been so useful to the students. The water bottles are being used daily, throughout the entire day by the students. They take them everywhere they go during the day and with these hot days that we've had recently they have been a lifesaver .Without your support, we would not have any of these things. Thank you so much for your dedication to our children in this community.","fullyFundedDate":1755544267896,"projectUrl":"project/beginning-of-school-must-have/9566320/","projectTitle":"Beginning of School Must Have","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Hansen","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-2_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/971162"},{"teacherId":4187905,"projectId":9429309,"letterContent":"I want to sincerely thank you for your generous support in funding my DonorsChoose project. Because of your kindness, my students now have essential supplies that make a big difference in their learning experience. Thanks to you, we have pencils, math posters, dry erase markers, laminate sheets, pencil pouches to keep our supplies safe, and a cursive poster to help with handwriting skills. These materials have already brought excitement and confidence to our classroom.\r\nYour donation is helping my students grow, explore, and succeed every day. I am truly grateful for your support and belief in their potential.","fullyFundedDate":1757905611402,"projectUrl":"project/beginning-of-the-school-year-supplies/9429309/","projectTitle":"Beginning of the School Year Supplies","teacherDisplayName":"Teacher Fell","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-3_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/4187905"},{"teacherId":10178439,"projectId":9693160,"letterContent":"I want to sincerely thank you for your generous support of our classroom. The new resources you helped provide have quickly become an important part of my students' daily learning.\r\n\r\nWhen the materials first arrived, the excitement was overwhelming. My students were eager to explore the Mystery Box, peek inside the puzzles, and shake the new instruments. They gasped and clapped as we opened each item, and several students immediately asked, \"Can we try them right now?\" Their joy was contagious and reminded me how powerful hands-on learning can be.\r\n\r\nSince then, we've been using these resources in meaningful ways across our lessons. The Montessori puzzles and spindle box have given students concrete practice with numbers and patterns, while also building their focus and fine motor skills. One of my students, who often struggles to sit through math activities, spent nearly twenty minutes carefully counting and placing the spindles — and proudly announced, \"I did all of them!\"\r\n\r\nThe tie-up shoe tool has been another favorite. Several students have been practicing tying during our \"life skills\" block, and one child beamed with pride when he tied the laces all by himself for the very first time. The musical instruments and egg shakers have added rhythm and energy to our circle time, and the students love keeping a beat while we sing together. The tangram puzzles and cylinder blocks have challenged them to think critically, problem-solve, and collaborate as they work through different shapes and arrangements.\r\n\r\nThese tools have made our classroom feel richer, more engaging, and more student-centered. They not only build academic foundations but also encourage independence, confidence, and creativity.\r\n\r\nLooking ahead, we will be weaving these materials into ongoing projects. For example, students will use the botany puzzles as part of our science unit on plants, helping them connect real-world concepts with tactile exploration. The instruments will also play a key role in our upcoming performance for families, where students will showcase what they've learned about rhythm and sound.\r\n\r\nYour support has truly made an impact. You've given my students opportunities to learn, explore, and grow in ways that wouldn't have been possible otherwise. Thank you for believing in them and in our classroom.","fullyFundedDate":1757729763702,"projectUrl":"project/little-hands-big-learning-music-puzzl/9693160/","projectTitle":"Little Hands, Big Learning: Music, Puzzles, and Play","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Petrofsky","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-10_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10178439"},{"teacherId":10178439,"projectId":9598439,"letterContent":"When the boxes of new materials arrived, my kindergarten students' faces lit up with excitement. The alphabet rug quickly found its place in our writing area, where it now serves as both a comfortable spot to sit and a helpful reference for students learning their letters. I often see children glancing down at the rug while they practice writing, using it to check their letter formation and feel more confident in their work. When my students first saw the alphabet rug they recognized. \r\n\r\nThe sketch pads have been especially powerful. Students have used them not only for free drawing but also for tracing letters and numbers. One moment that stood out was when a small group of students used the geometric shapes to trace in their journal and made some very creative art. The pride on their faces was priceless, and it gave me an opportunity to celebrate their progress in handwriting and their creativity.\r\n\r\nThe pencil grips have already made a noticeable difference for several students who were struggling with holding pencils correctly. I've seen them gain confidence as their handwriting becomes more legible, and they are excited to \"graduate\" from using the grips once they've built stronger habits. Meanwhile, the feelings chart given students the language and tools to express emotions in healthy ways, leading to calmer transitions and more empathy among classmates.\r\n\r\nOur next steps include continuing to build on handwriting skills by using the sketch pads daily for structured practice, paired with the pencil grips for support. We'll also keep integrating the feelings chart into our morning meetings and problem-solving discussions, giving students the tools they need for both learning and life.\r\n\r\nThank you for bringing these resources into our classroom. You have helped create a safe, welcoming environment where learning and self-expression can flourish.","fullyFundedDate":1757099560356,"projectUrl":"project/comfort-creativity-and-confidence-for/9598439/","projectTitle":"Comfort, Creativity, and Confidence for Kindergarten","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Petrofsky","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-10_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10178439"},{"teacherId":388300,"projectId":9464354,"letterContent":"I just received the shelves and the Author's Chair today and my students were very excited for me to sit and read the books to them. Most of my students wanted to sit in the other chair and read their writing to their classmates and me. These are the same students just last week who thought books that they read made no sense.\r\n\r\nAll of my students have a goal to read and write more because reading is a valuable way of self-educating themselves and by reading they are getting into fewer problems in class. They are finding an excellent positive way to fill in their time. Reading their writing to the other students they are finding ways to improve their young minds. All of the students are getting smarter and staying smart so they can have the edge over the average person. They know that they need to learn new things and reading is one of the best ways to learn and expand their knowledge. Books are stimulating and exciting their imagination as well as arousing the students' curiosity, everything that exists and has ever existed is documented and can be found in a book, reading is teaching them new skills, ideas and giving the students a new positive outlook on life. Obtaining more information is giving them a distinct advantage over the others because they will have gathered a much wider understanding of many subjects and topics of conversation. Limited knowledge can seriously hold you back and leave you feeling left out in some social situations. Reading makes you wiser not to mention the educational and learning benefits that are gained; it is enjoyable as well as factual. The benefits of reading are enormous, some books will inspire you, reading about other people's success stories or how they have overcome near seemingly impossible feats which have required immense courage and determination can give you great inspiration to go on and achieve your dreams with the knowing that if other people have already done it then so can you.\r\n\r\nThe importance of reading has never been greater while the literacy rates get lower. The very culture that has shaped the millennial student into the technological generation is the same culture that has resulted in a lower interest in reading and lower active and critical reading skills. Getting the grade leveled reading books into the classroom will benefit my students, myself, and society in general.","fullyFundedDate":1757099559729,"projectUrl":"project/need-some-things-to-organize/9464354/","projectTitle":"Need Some Things to Organize!","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Mayer","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-1_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/388300"},{"teacherId":388300,"projectId":9464283,"letterContent":"I just received classroom supplies and essentials and my students were very excited to get to use them. Most of my students wanted to learn all day. These same students were so distracted last week that they only did 3 assignments each...\r\n\r\nAll of my students have a goal to learn more each day, because learning is a valuable way of self-educating themselves and by not being distracted while reading they are getting in to fewer problems on line. They are finding an excellent positive way to fill in their in time. By not being distracted by outside sources the students are finding ways to improve their young minds. All of the students are getting smarter and staying smart so they can have the edge over the average person. They know that they need to learn new things and reading is one of the best ways to learn and expand their knowledge. Books on line are stimulating and exciting their imagination as well as arousing the students' curiosity, everything that exists and has ever existed is documented and can be found in a book, reading is teaching them new skills, ideas and giving the students a new positive outlook on life. Obtaining more information is giving them a distinct advantage over the others because they will have gathered a much wider understanding of many subjects and topics of conversation. Limited knowledge can seriously hold you back and leave you feeling left out in some social situations. Reading makes you wiser not to mention the educational and learning benefits that are gained; it is enjoyable as well as factual. The benefits of reading are enormous, some books will inspire you, reading about other people's success stories or how they have overcome near seemingly impossible feats which have required immense courage and determination can give you great inspiration to go on and achieve your dreams with the knowing that if other people have already done it then so can you.\r\n\r\nThe importance of not being distracted while learning has never been greater while the literacy rates get lower. The very culture that has shaped the millennial student into the technological generation is the same culture that has resulted in a lower interest in reading and lower active and critical reading skills. Getting the grade leveled reading books into the classroom will benefit my students, me, and society in general.","fullyFundedDate":1757099558178,"projectUrl":"project/some-school-supplies-to-get-us-started/9464283/","projectTitle":"Some School Supplies to Get Us Started!!!","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Mayer","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-1_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/388300"},{"teacherId":388300,"projectId":9489742,"letterContent":"I just received the Author's Chairs today and my students were very excited for me to sit and read the books to them. Most of my students wanted to sit in the other chair and read their writing to their classmates and me. These are the same students just last week who thought books that they read made no sense.\r\n\r\nAll of my students have a goal to read and write more because reading is a valuable way of self-educating themselves and by reading they are getting into fewer problems in class. They are finding an excellent positive way to fill in their time. Reading their writing to the other students they are finding ways to improve their young minds. All of the students are getting smarter and staying smart so they can have the edge over the average person. They know that they need to learn new things and reading is one of the best ways to learn and expand their knowledge. Books are stimulating and exciting their imagination as well as arousing the students' curiosity, everything that exists and has ever existed is documented and can be found in a book, reading is teaching them new skills, ideas and giving the students a new positive outlook on life. Obtaining more information is giving them a distinct advantage over the others because they will have gathered a much wider understanding of many subjects and topics of conversation. Limited knowledge can seriously hold you back and leave you feeling left out in some social situations. Reading makes you wiser not to mention the educational and learning benefits that are gained; it is enjoyable as well as factual. The benefits of reading are enormous, some books will inspire you, reading about other people's success stories or how they have overcome near seemingly impossible feats which have required immense courage and determination can give you great inspiration to go on and achieve your dreams with the knowing that if other people have already done it then so can you.\r\n\r\nThe importance of reading has never been greater while the literacy rates get lower. The very culture that has shaped the millennial student into the technological generation is the same culture that has resulted in a lower interest in reading and lower active and critical reading skills. Getting the grade leveled reading books into the classroom will benefit my students, myself, and society in general.","fullyFundedDate":1755714814111,"projectUrl":"project/let-us-share-in-our-author-chair/9489742/","projectTitle":"Let Us Share in Our Author Chair!","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Mayer","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-1_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/388300"},{"teacherId":6263581,"projectId":9164414,"letterContent":"My students have become so excited to read books! They are growing as readers every day, and their home libraries have grown with your generous donations! \r\nThe Bluey books were a huge hit with my kiddos, and they couldn't wait to sit with each other and take turns sharing their favorite parts. They were thrilled to be able to take them home and share them with their families and community. \r\nThese Bluey books were special because they were Bilingual! The large percentage of my students coming from Bilingual households, and having books in their home language, honors their culture and background.\r\nThank you for supporting my amazing students by providing them with a set of books to build their library and love of reading!","fullyFundedDate":1744219240843,"projectUrl":"project/bluey-books-to-boost-bilingual-readers/9164414/","projectTitle":"Bluey Books to Boost Bilingual Readers!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Geritz","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp6263581_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1656838875830","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/6263581"},{"teacherId":6263581,"projectId":8974785,"letterContent":"Before my students become readers themselves, they enjoy books with their families and communities. With your donations, my little darlings were able to take books home and build a library for themselves. \r\nThe look of excitement on my students' faces when I showed them the books was truly joyful. They immediately sat together, found letters, looked at pictures, and read them to the best of their ability. Even my students who hadn't learned all of the literacy skills yet were happy to show what they knew. They were then able to take the books home and show the most important people in their lives the skills they worked so hard to build!\r\nOne of my most important goals is to create a classroom that fosters a love of reading, and for my students to carry that love home with them and read every evening. These books were instrumental in helping me achieve that goal. \r\nThank you so much for your support!","fullyFundedDate":1733270245753,"projectUrl":"project/more-books-means-more-reading/8974785/","projectTitle":"More Books Means More Reading!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Geritz","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp6263581_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1656838875830","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/6263581"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_4221","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":567,"numTeachers":20,"percentFrplEligible":95,"percentAsian":1,"percentBlack":13,"percentWhite":0,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":82,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"K - 8","studentTeacherRatio":"28.4:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"SUBURBAN","ncesMetroType":"SUBURB_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":76.4,"schoolId":4221,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Peres K-8 School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Peres K-8 School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/california/west-contra-costa-unified-school-district/peres-elementary-school/4221"}
Join the 1,594 supporters who believe in this school.
About this school
Peres K-8 School is
a suburban public school
in Richmond, California that is part of West Contra Costa Unified School District.
It serves 567 students
in grades K - 8 with a student/teacher ratio of 28.4:1.
Its teachers have had 1,034 projects funded on DonorsChoose.
Boost support for our school's classrooms. Share this page with friends and family who want to make a difference. If you're a teacher, sign up to get started!
DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.
As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. Each classroom request for funding was created by a classroom teacher and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
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
96%
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.
Peres K-8 School Support on DonorsChoose
Last updated Dec 7, 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.
Peres K-8 School
$652,569
raised using DonorsChoose
1,034
projects
funded
78
teachers
funded
1,594
donors
127
projects
for
basic supplies
109
projects for
technology
108
projects for
books
39
projects
for
art supplies
Peres K-8 School has received support from
1,218 individuals from California and
376 individuals out-of-state.