{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"Mary Pennock Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":21.6,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":9566721,"projectId":9580082,"letterContent":"Having a classroom rug, flexible seat cushions, chart paper, dry-erase writing surfaces, and small squishy prizes has had a tremendous positive impact on my first graders' learning, behavior, and overall sense of belonging in our classroom. The classroom rug and flexible seating options have created a welcoming, comfortable environment where students are able to focus for longer periods of time, regulate their bodies, and actively participate in lessons. Many students who previously struggled to sit and attend are now more engaged and confident learners.\r\nAccess to chart paper and dry-erase surfaces has greatly increased student participation and understanding. Students are more willing to take academic risks when they can write, erase, and try again. These tools support hands-on learning, encourage collaboration, and allow me to quickly assess understanding while keeping students excited about their work.\r\nSquishy prizes have also played an important role in motivation and self-regulation. They serve as meaningful positive reinforcement and, for many students, provide a calming sensory outlet that helps them manage emotions and stay on task. Together, these resources have helped create a supportive, inclusive classroom where students feel safe, motivated, and eager to learn each day.","fullyFundedDate":1755521906821,"projectUrl":"project/sparking-joy-in-learning-a-first-grade/9580082/","projectTitle":"Sparking Joy in Learning: A First-Grade Classroom Project","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Hermann","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9566721_orig.jpg?crop=1317,1317,x1370,y846&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1754768596905","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9566721"},{"teacherId":9254255,"projectId":9959095,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting my classroom through DonorsChoose! Because of your generosity, my students now have balance scales to explore weight, measurement, equivalency , and problem solving in hands-on, engaging ways. The treasure box items have also been a wonderful motivator, reinforcing positive choices and effort each day. Your kindness directly enhances our learning environment and helps students feel excited, valued, and proud of their work. My students will feel this kindness for years to come! We are truly grateful for you!","fullyFundedDate":1766126334122,"projectUrl":"project/dear-santa-we-want-to-understand-equiva/9959095/","projectTitle":"Dear Santa, We Want to Understand Equivalency This Season","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Ure","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9254255_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1754589043236","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9254255"},{"teacherId":9631137,"projectId":9683595,"letterContent":"I am not even sure where to begin! When I started this project, it was just an idea to get kids interested in reading. My kindergarten students meet with their fifth grade buddies every Friday for 20 minutes. In the past it has always been a little bit stressful trying to find an activity that would be enjoyable for both ages. This book club has been a game changer! \r\n Having a copy for every student really makes a difference. 5 year olds really want to be the same as their peers! Our students are able to spend a few minutes remindig each other what happened last time, and then the rest of the time reading together. I love hearing the laughing and gasping as they are all engaged in the story. The older students are learning to read with tone and how to make their reading more engaging which is actually helping their fluency. The younger students are learning the importance of paying attention to details. A few students have started making connections to the movie they have seen in the past. They are listening for more details from the movie. \r\n Reading buddy time is definitely our favorite time of the week! We are so lucky to have these books to use during our time!","fullyFundedDate":1758808893960,"projectUrl":"project/books-for-reading-buddies/9683595/","projectTitle":"Books for Reading Buddies","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Causby","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-9_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9631137"},{"teacherId":9635025,"projectId":9596979,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous support in providing our classroom with team-building equipment. The impact on my students has been truly wonderful. From the moment the equipment arrived, their excitement was evident, and they eagerly jumped into working together, encouraging one another, and problem-solving as a team. These activities have helped strengthen communication skills, cooperation, and perseverance in a way that feels fun and engaging for everyone involved.\r\n\r\nAll of our classes at school love the \"Don't Lose Your Marbles\" challenge. They loved the hands-on nature of the game and the way it pushed them to think critically while relying on their teammates. It was amazing to watch students celebrate small successes, learn from mistakes, and support one another through the challenge. The activity created meaningful moments of teamwork and laughter that brought our class closer together.\r\n\r\nBecause of how successful and impactful this equipment has been, we plan to continue using it throughout the year, including during our end of year field day. Thank you again for making these memorable learning experiences possible. Your generosity has helped create positive, lasting moments for my students that extend far beyond the classroom.","fullyFundedDate":1762391109281,"projectUrl":"project/the-power-of-teamwork/9596979/","projectTitle":"The Power of Teamwork","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Poole","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9635025_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1723170650905","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9635025"},{"teacherId":9254255,"projectId":9542548,"letterContent":"This project has made a hide impact in our classroom this school year! I've been able to use the iPad for so much more than originally planned- data collection, project creation, student coding activities, and much more! \r\nWe haven't got to use the space items yet, but I'm excitedly planning out that unit to include the items I received from you this fall. My students are engaged and excited for science each day when I tell them we get to use one of the new items you purchased for us. Thank you for helping my first graders grow and experience a more tactile science lesson!","fullyFundedDate":1755741394865,"projectUrl":"project/firsties-fascinated-by-science/9542548/","projectTitle":"Firsties Fascinated By Science!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Ure","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9254255_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1754589043236","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9254255"},{"teacherId":9566721,"projectId":9568486,"letterContent":"Adding headphones and a large easel with chart paper to our first grade classroom has made a meaningful and noticeable difference in both learning and classroom management.\r\n\r\nHeadphones have helped create a calmer, more focused learning environment. Students are able to engage in independent literacy and math activities on their devices without being distracted by background noise or other students' programs. This has:\r\nImproved concentration during digital reading and phonics lessons\r\nSupported students who need quieter spaces to succeed\r\nAllowed for more personalized learning, as students can work at their own pace\r\nReduced overall classroom noise, making small-group instruction more effective\r\n\r\nThe big easel has become a daily anchor for whole-group and small-group instruction. Its visibility and flexibility help students stay engaged and participate more actively. The easel has:\r\nProvided a clear, central spot for modeling writing, math strategies, and phonics\r\nMade interactive lessons easier—students love coming up to add ideas, solve problems, and contribute to anchor charts\r\nSupported stronger writing instruction by allowing students to see sentence formation, spacing, revising, and editing modeled in real time\r\nHelped create lasting visual references (anchor charts) that students use throughout the day for independent work\r\n🌟 Overall Impact\r\nTogether, the headphones and easel have boosted student engagement, increased independence, and strengthened the quality of instruction. Students are more focused, more confident, and more excited about learning. These tools have truly elevated our classroom environment and supported meaningful growth for all learners.","fullyFundedDate":1754882189821,"projectUrl":"project/classroom-essentials-needed/9568486/","projectTitle":"Classroom Essentials Needed!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Hermann","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9566721_orig.jpg?crop=1317,1317,x1370,y846&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1754768596905","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9566721"},{"teacherId":10170776,"projectId":9578693,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for the whiteboards, easel, and prizes! My class and I are so appreciative to have space to show our work and motivating prize box toys! We love having the space to spread out and show our thinking in ways that are more than just a worksheet. They have grown their way of communicating their ideas to others and have really practiced collaborating with others.\r\nMy students were very excited for the prizes and were that much more motivated to always try their best to earn classroom money. They love spending their classroom economy on prizes they really enjoy like our keychain pops.","fullyFundedDate":1755105464851,"projectUrl":"project/supplies-to-support-learning/9578693/","projectTitle":"Supplies to Support Learning","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Gold","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10170776_orig.jpg?crop=2834,2834,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1755022521985","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10170776"},{"teacherId":9254255,"projectId":9545626,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for the prize box items to fill our class store to the brim! My students have been faithfully earning classroom money so they can spend their earnings each week! It has been great to see first graders grasp the concept of saving so they can have enough money for a higher priced item the following week! The bunny money books have been essential to building that concept and they explain everything in a simple to understand way- and the illustrations draw them right in! A special new concept I've noticed this year after we read the book about giving is that students are buying items for siblings and family members as gifts. It makes my heart swell to see them be so gracious and selfless in their gift giving. They've been very proud of the purchases they make and I'm grateful that you were able to take the burden of filling my prize box off my shoulders this year. Thank you!","fullyFundedDate":1754747434809,"projectUrl":"project/financially-intelligent-in-first-grade/9545626/","projectTitle":"Financially Intelligent in First Grade","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Ure","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9254255_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1754589043236","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9254255"},{"teacherId":3592608,"projectId":9525796,"letterContent":"Thank you for your generous donation that provided all the First Graders at my school the opportunity to bring the science of light and sound to life using Snap Circuits. We are using the Snap Circuits to see how light and sound moves from turning on a switch to coming out of a speaker or lighting up a bulb. We had read about this process and watched videos but they did to actually understand it until they snapped the circuits together and pressed that switch! \r\nWhen my students saw the Snap Circuits boxes piled on the science table their excitement was palpable! I try to keep science as hands on and interactive as possible but the curriculum provided to us is book based and resources are limited. Since these kits are reusable they will be used for many years to come.","fullyFundedDate":1755436807688,"projectUrl":"project/snap-circuitshands-on-stem-for-all/9525796/","projectTitle":"Snap Circuits=Hands on Stem for All!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Biel","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp3592608_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1461951788998","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/3592608"},{"teacherId":9749728,"projectId":9548778,"letterContent":"Thanks to your generous support, our classroom has become a more focused, organized, and student-centered learning environment! The noise-cancelling headphones have quickly become a daily tool for students who need help maintaining focus, especially while others are engaged in small-group discussions. The individual timers have made a big difference for students who need extra help managing their time and staying on task, empowering them to take ownership of their learning.\r\n\r\nThe classroom mailbox system has also been a huge success! Students were so excited to set it up and brainstorm creative ways to use it. It's now an important part of our Friday Folder routine, where students proudly take responsibility for organizing and bringing home their work.\r\n\r\nThese new tools have helped foster independence, focus, and accountability — essential parts of building a thinking classroom. Our next step is to continue growing this environment by adding even more organizational tools that support student ownership and active learning. Thank you for helping our learners thrive every day!","fullyFundedDate":1756858494039,"projectUrl":"project/an-organized-and-sensory-safe-space-for/9548778/","projectTitle":"An Organized and Sensory-Safe Space for Every Student","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Montoya","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-5_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9749728"},{"teacherId":9242007,"projectId":9635021,"letterContent":"Never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd be able to gather nearly $1,000 worth of snacks for my students. It was an indescribable gift to be able to provide such sweet treats for my students, many of whom are unable to bring snacks from home. \r\n\r\nWith your generosity, I was not only able to fill an entire giant storage bin full of snacks (literally overflowing) but was also able to share snacks with my school psychologist so that her office could also be a safe haven for those in need. I also was able to stock the snack drawers of several classrooms, too.\r\n\r\nIt only took a month for the snacks to be gone! THANK YOU for helping me be a place where students could know that they are taken care of in all of their basic needs.","fullyFundedDate":1756400793798,"projectUrl":"project/snacks-count-too/9635021/","projectTitle":"Snacks Count Too!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Bernabe","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9242007_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1755738016553","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9242007"},{"teacherId":9242007,"projectId":9583886,"letterContent":"This year has felt so different thanks to the generous support that you provided in helping my counseling office be place of safety, openness, and learning. The students have loved using the play doh, especially to help their bodies return to a state of calm.\r\n\r\nThe organizational tools have been an unbelievable delight, as well, in helping students have a sense of routine and structure when they come into my office for small groups. I truly could not have had the impact that I've been able to have without you.\r\n\r\nThrough the support you've offered, I have served nearly 50% of my students through small groups and individual support. I have been able to help teachers stock their calm down corners with the supplies that students love most, which has helped them get back to learning even more quickly.\r\n\r\nBeyond words!","fullyFundedDate":1755282531828,"projectUrl":"project/counseling-goals/9583886/","projectTitle":"Counseling Goals","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Bernabe","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9242007_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1755738016553","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9242007"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_73925","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":592,"numTeachers":25,"percentFrplEligible":60,"percentAsian":2,"percentBlack":1,"percentWhite":33,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":59,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"K - 5","studentTeacherRatio":"23.7:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":false,"metroType":"SUBURBAN","ncesMetroType":"SUBURB_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":78.4,"schoolId":73925,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Mary Pennock Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Mary Pennock Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/colorado/27j-schools/mary-pennock-elementary-school/73925"}