{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"Waltersville Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":43.8,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":10220123,"projectId":9844407,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting our project, Hearing Their Hearts: Helping Nonverbal Students Communicate and Connect. Because of your generosity, our students now have access to engaging books that support communication, emotional understanding, and early literacy in a way that truly meets their needs.\r\n\r\nThe new texts are helping introduce important skills such as identifying emotions, building vocabulary, following simple story sequences, and connecting pictures with meaning. Many of the books include clear visuals and repetitive language, which is perfect for our nonverbal and emerging communicators. Students are learning to point to pictures, use their AAC devices to make choices, and show understanding through gestures and expressions.\r\n\r\nReading in our classroom looks very interactive and sensory-friendly. We use large visuals, voice output devices, and hands-on materials while reading together in small groups and during circle time. Students are encouraged to touch pictures, respond with their devices, and participate in simple questions like \"Who do you see?\" or \"How does the character feel?\" This makes reading a shared experience rather than just listening.\r\n\r\nSeveral students have especially connected with the new books. Some enjoy pointing to characters and matching emotions to pictures, while others become very focused during story time and attempt to use their communication devices to label animals and objects. We have also seen students sitting longer, turning pages independently, and showing increased engagement progress that was difficult for them before.","fullyFundedDate":1761954915302,"projectUrl":"project/hearing-their-hearts-helping-nonverbal/9844407/","projectTitle":"Hearing Their Hearts: Helping Nonverbal Students Communicate and Connect","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Rosario","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10220123_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1756081340497","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10220123"},{"teacherId":10220123,"projectId":9840618,"letterContent":"We have already started using the new resources daily, and they have become a meaningful part of our classroom routine. One of our favorite moments was during our sensory center time when students explored the new materials while practicing turn-taking and communication. Jaelah used the items to help regulate her body before transitioning to a learning activity, and Jimmy stayed engaged longer than usual while working on matching and counting. These resources have helped create a calmer, more focused learning environment where students feel safe and supported.\r\n\r\nWhen the students first saw the materials, their faces lit up with excitement. Many immediately wanted to touch and explore everything, and several students who typically struggle with attention were able to sit longer and participate more actively. It was wonderful to see how quickly the resources became motivating and comforting for them.\r\n\r\nThanks to our donors, the next steps in our classroom include building structured sensory stations to support self-regulation while working on academic goals such as letter identification, early counting, and communication skills. We are also incorporating the materials into small-group lessons to support transitions and social interaction. These tools are helping our medically fragile students access learning in a way that meets their individual needs and allows them to grow with confidence.","fullyFundedDate":1761954915323,"projectUrl":"project/building-communication-and-calm-in-every/9840618/","projectTitle":"Building Communication and Calm in Every Student","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Rosario","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10220123_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1756081340497","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10220123"},{"teacherId":300275,"projectId":9860028,"letterContent":"I was proud of having obtained for my class a set of books for my students to read, thanks to the generosity of donors. I was excited to share the news with my students who instantly recognized the books by their titles, since it is a series popular with youngsters.\r\n\r\nMany of my students have expressed their keen interest in the book series and have told me how eagerly they look forward to reading these books. It is exciting and rewarding for me to see students of the 7 - 8 age group taking an interest in reading instead of being preoccupied with hand-held games. \r\n\r\nI hope this step will instill in my students a life-long interest in reading.","fullyFundedDate":1766104330826,"projectUrl":"project/read-to-develop-imagination/9860028/","projectTitle":"Read, to Develop Imagination","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Menon","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp300275_orig.jpg?crop=405,405,x19,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1768391260476","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/300275"},{"teacherId":3954984,"projectId":9381341,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous donation of pencils, notebooks, tissues, and highlighters to our 2nd grade classroom. Your support has made a meaningful difference in my students' daily learning experiences.\r\n The pencils you provided are used every day as students complete classwork, practice new skills, and demonstrate their understanding across subject areas. Having an ample supply ensures that all students are always prepared to learn and fully participate in classroom activities. The notebooks have become an essential learning tool during independent work time and are also used during ELA and math centers. These centers allow students to practice targeted skills and help close academic gaps by meeting learners where they are. The notebooks give students a dedicated space to record their thinking, practice strategies, and reflect on their learning. \r\n The tissues are greatly appreciated, especially during the winter months when stuffy noses are common. Having tissues readily available helps keep students comfortable, healthy, and focused throughout the school day. Finally, the highlighters are a valuable resource during ELA instruction. Students use them to annotate texts, identify key details, and highlight important information, which strengthens comprehension and supports close reading skills.\r\n Thank you again for your generosity and for investing in our students and their success. Your donation directly supports a positive, prepared, and engaging learning environment for my 2nd graders.","fullyFundedDate":1750608423994,"projectUrl":"project/from-blank-page-to-brilliance/9381341/","projectTitle":"\"From Blank Page to Brilliance\"","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Rios","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp3954984_orig.png?crop=1248,1248,x0,y20&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1725493407090","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/3954984"},{"teacherId":3954984,"projectId":9271089,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your incredible generosity in donating a classroom printer, printer paper, laminating sheets, and a laminator to our 2nd grade classroom. Your support has already made a meaningful difference in our daily learning environment.\r\n Having access to a classroom printer allows me to quickly and efficiently create differentiated materials that meet the diverse academic needs of my students. Whether it's targeted reading practice, math supports, or enrichment activities, I am now able to provide resources that ensure every student is appropriately challenged and supported.\r\n Additionally, the laminating sheets and laminator have been invaluable. These tools allow me to create durable instructional materials that students will use consistently throughout both ELA and math. From reusable learning tools to hands-on practice activities, these materials help reinforce skills while maintaining an organized and engaging classroom space.\r\n Your generosity directly supports student learning and helps create an environment where students can thrive. We are truly grateful for your kindness and support.","fullyFundedDate":1748031730848,"projectUrl":"project/bring-learning-to-lifeone-print-at-a-ti/9271089/","projectTitle":"Bring Learning to Life—One Print at a Time","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Rios","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp3954984_orig.png?crop=1248,1248,x0,y20&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1725493407090","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/3954984"},{"teacherId":10220123,"projectId":9669380,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting our project, \"Clean Classrooms = Safe Classrooms.\" Your generosity has made an immediate and meaningful difference in Room 130. Because my students are medically fragile, a clean, safe environment is not just helpful, it is essential. Your gift helps protect their health and their ability to learn each day comfortably.\r\n\r\nThe supplies you funded are already being used to keep our classroom sanitized, organized, and calm. This means fewer distractions, fewer sensory overload moments, and a space where my students can focus on building communication, independence, and confidence. For many of them, feeling safe and comfortable is the first step toward being ready to learn, and you helped make that possible.\r\n\r\nI wish you could see the small moments that your support has created: a calmer morning routine, fewer tears during transitions, and more smiles because my students feel at ease in their environment. Those moments matter deeply in a medically-fragile classroom, and your kindness helped create them.\r\n\r\nThank you for believing in my students, believing in our work, and choosing to invest in a classroom that truly needs and appreciates your support.","fullyFundedDate":1757441009989,"projectUrl":"project/clean-classrooms-safe-classrooms/9669380/","projectTitle":"Clean Classrooms = Safe Classrooms","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Rosario","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10220123_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1756081340497","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10220123"},{"teacherId":8682542,"projectId":9421118,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous support of our classroom! Because of your kindness, we now have the essential supplies our students need to be successful each day. These materials have already made a tremendous difference in the learning environment and in the confidence of my students.\r\n\r\nMany of my students are unable to bring basic supplies from home and rely on our classroom to provide what they need. Thanks to you, every child now has access to the tools required to learn, create, and stay engaged. Instead of worrying about whether they have a pencil, notebook, or other essentials, students can focus on participating, problem-solving, and growing academically.\r\n\r\nYour donation has also helped us build a more organized and efficient classroom. A well-arranged learning space supports both students and teachers—less time wasted searching for materials means more time for meaningful learning. Students can easily find what they need, work independently, and feel proud of their environment. The calm and orderly structure you helped create allows our class to stay productive and focused every single day.\r\n\r\nThank you again for believing in our students and investing in their success. Your generosity has created a ripple effect that will be felt throughout the entire school year.","fullyFundedDate":1756064463920,"projectUrl":"project/office-supplies-for-a-more-organized-and/9421118/","projectTitle":"Office Supplies for a More Organized and Efficient Classroom","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Markarian","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-2_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8682542"},{"teacherId":300275,"projectId":9752935,"letterContent":"Paper is the most expended consumable in the classroom. Large quantities of loose-leaf paper are used for classroom and homework assignments each and every day. Therefore, it becomes necessary for me, as the teacher, to ensure that the class is adequately supplied with the requisite amount of paper. Each classroom's requirement of the paper exceeds the quantity the school can provide. It becomes incumbent on the teacher to find ways and means to provide the paper. Thanks to the interest, kindness and generosity of the donors, my class is now adequately supplied with the paper.","fullyFundedDate":1763565574248,"projectUrl":"project/paper-essential-for-daily-classwork-ho/9752935/","projectTitle":"Paper Essential for Daily Classwork & Homework","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Menon","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp300275_orig.jpg?crop=405,405,x19,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1768391260476","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/300275"},{"teacherId":10220123,"projectId":9767588,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generosity, my medically-fragile students now have the tools, comfort, and clean environment they need to learn safely each day. The SEL flashcards are already being used during our Morning Circle to help my students identify feelings, build communication skills, and connect with one another in meaningful ways. For many of my non-verbal learners, these visuals give them a voice they didn't have before.\r\n\r\nThe new busy board has been a huge success in our sensory corner. It keeps little hands engaged, regulated, and focused, especially for students who need tactile input to stay calm. It has quickly become one of our most loved items in the classroom!\r\n\r\nThe cleaning supplies and disinfecting wipes are essential in a medically-fragile setting like ours. They help us maintain a safe classroom by preventing germs, keeping surfaces sanitized, and ensuring students can learn and play with lower health risks. With your support, we are able to clean throughout the day so our students can stay healthy and continue receiving the education they deserve.\r\n\r\nYour contribution has made a real impact so thank you from all of us. My students feel safer, more supported, and more engaged because of you. Thank you for helping us learn, grow, and shine.","fullyFundedDate":1760739902722,"projectUrl":"project/clean-and-calm-a-space-for-my-students/9767588/","projectTitle":"Clean and Calm - A Space for My Students to Thrive","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Rosario","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10220123_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1756081340497","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10220123"},{"teacherId":7610098,"projectId":9431401,"letterContent":"Thank you for your generous donation to our classroom. The journals you provided have become an invaluable tool for supporting my students' writing development. Each time we begin our journaling routine, the students are genuinely excited to write, and it is wonderful to see how these materials spark their enthusiasm for learning.\r\n\r\nThe journals also serve as a meaningful way to document growth. They allow us to share students' progress with families throughout the year, which helps strengthen the home–school connection and builds excitement about writing for both students and their families.\r\n\r\nThank you again for your support. Your contribution has made a significant impact on our classroom and has helped my students develop a true love for writing.","fullyFundedDate":1755733835786,"projectUrl":"project/write-on/9431401/","projectTitle":"Write On!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Brennan","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7610098_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1663654308197","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/7610098"},{"teacherId":9459283,"projectId":9689458,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting our STEM classroom with your generous donations! Because of you, we now have electric cardboard cutters, hobby knives, cutting mats, hot glue guns, glue sticks, and printing paper—everything we need to safely and creatively bring our engineering ideas to life.\r\n\r\nThese tools have already sparked so much excitement among my students. They're eager to dive into hands-on projects where they can design, build, and prototype their ideas with real materials. From constructing models to experimenting with design challenges, your donations are helping them develop problem-solving, teamwork, and critical thinking skills in meaningful ways.","fullyFundedDate":1760735587308,"projectUrl":"project/stem-essentials/9689458/","projectTitle":"STEM Essentials","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Buzzeo","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-2_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9459283"},{"teacherId":9459283,"projectId":9771288,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous contributions to our classroom project! Because of your support, we now have new 3D printer filament that will allow my students to keep creating, designing, and bringing their ideas to life.\r\n\r\nMy students are incredibly excited to continue learning through hands-on experiences with our 3D printer. With the new filament, they'll be able to explore designing models, engineering prototypes, and solving real-world problems through creativity and collaboration.\r\n\r\nYour kindness has made a lasting impact on their education. You've not only provided materials, but also inspired curiosity, innovation, and confidence in a new generation of makers.\r\n\r\nThank you again for investing in our classroom and believing in the power of hands-on learning. We can't wait to share what we create!","fullyFundedDate":1760731996225,"projectUrl":"project/fueling-young-inventors-3d-printer-fila/9771288/","projectTitle":"Fueling Young Inventors: 3D Printer Filament for Future Engineers","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Buzzeo","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-2_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9459283"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_43431","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":432,"numTeachers":36,"percentFrplEligible":95,"percentAsian":0,"percentBlack":33,"percentWhite":3,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":60,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"Pre-K - 8","studentTeacherRatio":"12.0:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_MIDSIZE"},"inStateSupporters":56.2,"schoolId":43431,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Waltersville Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Waltersville Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/connecticut/bridgeport-public-schools/waltersville-elementary-school/43431"}