{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"Voluntown Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":39.7,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":10036467,"projectId":9358274,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for the wonderful games and toys you donated to our Kindergarten classroom! The children were so excited to explore all the new activities, and it has truly brought happiness and new energy into our room.\r\nSince we received the donations and our project was funded, having these new items in our room had made a big impact. The students have been learning important skills like sharing, taking turns and working together as they play. Most importantly, they have filled our room with smiles and laughter each time these new toys are played with!\r\nWe are so grateful for all the donors. Your support and kindness mean the world to us!","fullyFundedDate":1757440273119,"projectUrl":"project/help-us-add-new-items-to-our-toy-story/9358274/","projectTitle":"Help us add new items to our Toy Story!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. ORZEL","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-4_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10036467"},{"teacherId":4626927,"projectId":9485951,"letterContent":"I can't thank you enough for your generosity and helping to get materials to my students that are relevant, important, and necessary for conversations, collaborations, and change in our world. I know my current students and those in years to come will enjoy reading this novel and take away valuable lessons from Woodson's memoir.\r\n\r\nIn our classroom, reading takes on many forms. Students read independently books of their choosing, as well as a class novel study. These novels will be used for a novel study. This includes delving deeper into the text, analyzing the author's purpose, character growth and development, and theme and life lessons that the reader learns as a result of the novel. I am excited to see the students in action, analyzing this novel with respect, curiosity, and eagerness.\r\n\r\nYour donation is greatly appreciated and your impact does not go unnoticed. Thank you for your consistent support of my projects to enhance my students' learning!","fullyFundedDate":1754069448846,"projectUrl":"project/empowering-voices-exploring-identity-wi/9485951/","projectTitle":"Empowering Voices: Exploring Identity with Brown Girl Dreaming","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Glidden","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp4626927_orig.jpg?crop=278,278,x1,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1637372393393","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mglidden"},{"teacherId":6908001,"projectId":9575268,"letterContent":"I am so appreciative of the donations that were received. I am so thankful for the support for myself and my students. The things that were donated are beneficial for my students' learning as well as the environment in my classroom. \r\nWe received posters, snacks, TPT gift cards, and fidgets. All of these items will be used in different ways to support my students. The snacks are used for my students when they are hungry or when they don't have breakfast. I like to have things stocked so that way none of my students have to work on an empty stomach. The TPT gift card is one of the most useful items for me to use for my students. Because I am a Special Education teacher, I often teach many different topics, sometimes without much warning. I love to use TeachersPayTeachers to find on level work that will be engaging for my students. It is a website I use consistently and there are always great lessons for me to use. My students love to use fidgets when they are working or when they are on breaks. Fidgets help my students focus their movements as well as are an enjoyable tool to use. The posters I ordered are for the new subjects I am teaching this year. I am teaching math, which I haven't done in years. The posters will be great resources for my students to refer to when we are working. I also order some science posters that will help when we get to the topic. I also ordered some new calming posters because I am trying to have a designated calm corner this year. \r\nThe posters have been helpful in my math class and my students refer to them often. They also have enjoyed the snacks as well. Thank you again to everyone who donated. It is so appreciated.","fullyFundedDate":1755736747581,"projectUrl":"project/ms-stockfords-classroom-community/9575268/","projectTitle":"Ms. Stockford's Classroom Community!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Stockford","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp6908001_orig.jpg?crop=2431,2431,x0,y153&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1651111404728","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/6908001"},{"teacherId":9607389,"projectId":9427524,"letterContent":"I sincerely appreciate your support in funding my Calm & Focused Eagles project. My students were excited to discover what was inside the boxes that arrived at school, so we unboxed them together. There were plenty of gasps of excitement, with children eagerly asking, \"When can I have a turn?\"\r\n\r\nAfter allowing everyone to try out items like the wobble cushions, sensory tubes, and LCD tablets, I introduced everything individually over the next couple of weeks. I explained how each item could help the students and where it would be stored in the classroom. We began reading The Little SPOT Of Emotion books during our Social-Emotional Learning group. I love that these books explain each emotion and how to deal with it if it is an uncomfortable feeling (e.g., anger) or express it if it is a comfortable feeling (e.g., love). It gives the kids tools to put in their emotional toolbox. Each child got to choose an animal sensory sticker for their desk. The students thought it was cool that I picked one too. When the class is getting loud and a little off task, we stop to take a quick movement and breathing break to help everyone regain focus on what we are doing. \r\n\r\nIn October, the kindergarteners are still getting up to speed. They need a little more time to transition into school life than other age groups. Due to that fact, I believe I will not know the true impact of having these new classroom materials until later in the school year. What have I noticed so far? I have seen students visiting the safe space in our classroom. Taking a few minutes to write on an LCD tablet, hug our weighted dinosaur named Rex, trace one of the Mindful Mazes, or look at one of the sensory tubes helps them feel calm & grounded, and ready to resume learning. They are beginning to use breathing strategies from our SPOT stories, too. If this is how my students are responding this early in the year, I can only imagine how much my little Voluntown Eagles will learn about themselves & their emotions, as well as the kindergarten content.","fullyFundedDate":1751130684536,"projectUrl":"project/calm-focused-eagles-ready-to-soar-in/9427524/","projectTitle":"Calm & Focused Eagles - Ready To Soar Into Learning","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Lord","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9607389_orig.jpg?crop=1105,1105,x0,y203&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1750624094130","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ves-ms-lord"},{"teacherId":4904190,"projectId":7475865,"letterContent":"Thanks to your generous donations, our first-grade classroom has been transformed into a more comfortable, engaging, and inclusive learning environment!\r\nThe seat cushions, new stools, and adaptive chairs have made a big difference in helping students stay focused and comfortable during lessons. Many of our young learners need to move or shift positions to stay engaged, and now they can do so without distraction. Students who used to struggle to sit still or find a comfortable spot are now able to focus longer, participate more actively, and feel more confident during class activities.\r\nThe addition of movement tools like bike peddlers and bouncy bands has brought energy and calm to the room at the same time. These tools give students the chance to release extra energy in appropriate ways, helping them self-regulate and return to learning ready and focused. Students often share that the new options \"help their bodies feel better\" and \"make it easier to listen.\"\r\nOverall, these flexible seating and movement opportunities have created a classroom that meets students where they are—supporting focus, comfort, and emotional regulation. Your support has empowered our first graders to learn in ways that fit their individual needs, and it's clear that they are happier, more attentive, and more successful because of it.\r\nThank you for helping make our classroom a space where all students can thrive!","fullyFundedDate":1688663815749,"projectUrl":"project/first-grade-firsts/7475865/","projectTitle":"First Grade Firsts!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Seifert","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp4904190_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1688344107910","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/4904190"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_44199","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":216,"numTeachers":30,"percentFrplEligible":35,"percentAsian":1,"percentBlack":0,"percentWhite":85,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":5,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"Pre-K - 8","studentTeacherRatio":"7.2:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":false,"metroType":"RURAL","ncesMetroType":"RURAL_DISTANT"},"inStateSupporters":60.3,"schoolId":44199,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Voluntown Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Voluntown Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/connecticut/voluntown-school-district/voluntown-elementary-school/44199"}