{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"First State Montessori Academy","outOfStateSupporters":22.6,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":5669481,"projectId":9825107,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for the generous donation. We are learning so much already using the books in our lessons. These new books are helping support literacy development, strengthening our vocabulary, and improving the overall comprehension of my students. The new books also encourage curiosity, imagination, and critical thinking and help support me by having additional engaging and diverse resources for instruction. My students are finding joy and building community in shared reading experiences using these resources. I am so grateful for the donation of these materials that will continue to support my teaching and my students learning for years to come.","fullyFundedDate":1760404593459,"projectUrl":"project/brand-new-book-clubs/9825107/","projectTitle":"Brand New Book Clubs!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Mellinger","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-1_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/5669481"},{"teacherId":10312386,"projectId":9832528,"letterContent":"I am deeply grateful to our generous donors for helping me enrich our school's music program in such meaningful ways. Thanks to your support, we were able to purchase a wonderful collection of books about music that have expanded our classroom library and sparked curiosity and excitement among our students. These resources have given our music classes fresh context, deeper understanding, and new inspiration as students explore musical styles, history, and ideas beyond what we could previously offer.\r\n\r\nYour generosity also allowed us to add several teacher pedagogy books and choral resources that are already making a real impact. The pedagogy texts have introduced new approaches and creative strategies that are strengthening our lessons and helping me grow as an educator. The choral books, in particular, have provided our students with engaging new warmups and effective vocal techniques, building confidence and healthy singing habits. Thank you for believing in our students and our teachers—your support is helping music come alive in my classroom every day.","fullyFundedDate":1760744181280,"projectUrl":"project/music-literacy-helps-students-express-th/9832528/","projectTitle":"Music Literacy Helps Students Express Their Souls!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Del Naja","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-4_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10312386"},{"teacherId":10318351,"projectId":9842461,"letterContent":"Students are actively engaged in reading these age appropriate texts together. Code talker is a particular favorite right now, as students experience cross-curricular learning in ELA and Social Studies. \r\n\r\nSome chapters are being done as an audio-book which allows learners to hear proper pronunciation of Navajo words. Other chapters are read-to-self, and others are done as 'popcorn' reading in small groups. \r\n\r\nStudents are making connections with ancient civilizations and World War II through this reading and small group discussions are exploring big questions about identity and interconnections.","fullyFundedDate":1760893008898,"projectUrl":"project/middle-school-reading-engagement/9842461/","projectTitle":"Middle School Reading Engagement","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Michelle Treisner","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-6_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10318351"},{"teacherId":10314265,"projectId":9834681,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous donations toward books for our Second/Third grade classroom at First State Montessori Academy. Because of your kindness, our students now have access to a wider variety of stories that spark their curiosity, strengthen their reading skills, and inspire a love of learning. Seeing their excitement as they explore new books has been truly heartwarming.\r\n\r\nYour support makes a lasting difference in our classroom every day. These books will be read, shared, and cherished as our students grow as readers and thinkers. We are deeply grateful for your investment in their education and for helping us create a welcoming, literacy-rich environment where every child can thrive.\r\n\r\nSincerely, \r\nLisa Pomraning \r\nand the students of Room 16\r\nFirst State Montessori Academy\r\nWilmington, DE","fullyFundedDate":1760810642523,"projectUrl":"project/delaware-project/9834681/","projectTitle":"Delaware Project","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Lisa","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-3_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10314265"},{"teacherId":5610244,"projectId":9841756,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous donation to our DonorsChoose project. My students have truly enjoyed exploring the new Language Works materials in our classroom. They were so excited to open the boxes, look through the materials, and work together to organize everything so it could be easily used by everyone. It was wonderful to see their enthusiasm and sense of ownership as they prepared the resources for daily learning.\r\n\r\nThe teachers have also enjoyed using these materials, as they are accessible and engaging for students at all levels. While I do not currently have another DonorsChoose project, I am hopeful that the skills students are building with these resources will carry over into future learning, including writing animal research papers. Your support has made a meaningful difference in our classroom, and we are incredibly grateful for your kindness and generosity.","fullyFundedDate":1760886925297,"projectUrl":"project/literacy-supplies-for-our-room/9841756/","projectTitle":"Literacy Supplies for Our Room!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. J","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-3_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/5610244"},{"teacherId":5737710,"projectId":9841603,"letterContent":"Thanks to your generosity, my students are already benefiting from the new resources in meaningful ways. We've been using them during small group lessons, and one standout moment was when a kiddo wrote a super funny story using the story elements randomizer box! The resources made learning more engaging and accessible, and I could immediately see students taking more ownership of their work.\r\n\r\nWhen the materials arrived, my students were beyond excited—they couldn't believe that people they've never met cared enough to support their classroom and teacher. Some asked, \"Are these really for us?\" Next, we'll be using these resources to help low-preforming readers to build their reading and phonics fluency, which will help students continue building confidence and deeper understanding. Thank you for giving my students this opportunity and for being part of our classroom story.","fullyFundedDate":1760904363956,"projectUrl":"project/meeting-every-learner-where-they-are/9841603/","projectTitle":"Meeting Every Learner Where They Are","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Krumer","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp5737710_orig.jpg?crop=1822,1822,x0,y97&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1566426865290","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/5737710"},{"teacherId":6633278,"projectId":9834860,"letterContent":"I wanted to take a moment to reach out and thank you for the magnificent gift of books and floor seating for my classroom. I teach in a science classroom which has hard stools and no soft surfaces, and while I am passionate about reading, it's a difficult to promote literature when students are unable to get comfortable and really focus on the books in hand. I had requested soft floor seating as well as a selection of science books and fiction books to promote literature in my classroom.\r\n\r\nWhen the boxes arrived, students wasted no time setting up the classroom so that they could get comfy in different spots. I had asked for donations of lamps and bookshelves, and had received them from families so we set up a corner of our classroom into a cozy library nook. What I had not seen is that the velocity thing is also being used to the students can collaborate more and have different places to work on their science work as well.\r\n\r\nI have truly noticed an increase in engagement with our books. Students are so happy when they can find a spot, play some quiet music, and really focus on what they are reading without having to shuffle and fidget because they are physically uncomfortable. \r\n\r\nThank you again from all the students in room 208.","fullyFundedDate":1760797398523,"projectUrl":"project/create-a-cozy-reading-area/9834860/","projectTitle":"Create a Cozy Reading Area!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Plant","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-10_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/6633278"},{"teacherId":7654367,"projectId":9828354,"letterContent":"The donation to purchase educational materials for my Montessori classroom has a profound and lasting impact on students by enriching their daily learning environment. With access to hands-on, developmentally appropriate materials, students are able to explore concepts through active discovery rather than passive instruction. These materials support individualized learning, allowing each child to progress at their own pace while building confidence and independence. As students engage with the materials purchased through Donors Choose for language instruction, they strengthen concentration, problem-solving abilities, and a genuine love of learning. \r\n\r\nThe materials purchased through Donors Chose included lap desks. The students were very excited when these materials arrived and the class was eager to have a turn to use the lap desks. These desks allow another option during independent work time for students to focus and work. The materials purchased to support language instruction based on the Science of Reading have allowed my students to grow and learn so far this year. This growth was evident in my mid year assessments which showed growth in all areas for many students.","fullyFundedDate":1760744127239,"projectUrl":"project/literacy-resources-in-a-montessori-class/9828354/","projectTitle":"Literacy Resources in a Montessori Classroom","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Scarpitti","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7654367_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1605982789026","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/7654367"},{"teacherId":10317100,"projectId":9841144,"letterContent":"Thank you for your incredible investment in our classroom. When the packages arrived, the students' reactions were a mix of pure joy and intense curiosity; they huddled around each new item, eager to touch the colorful Montessori bead stairs and explore the Wooden Sudoku puzzle. These materials have immediately shifted the energy in our room from passive listening to active, tactile discovery. By providing high-quality tools like the Stamp Game, Checker Board, and Hundred Board, you have given my students the ability to physically \"hold\" math in their hands, turning abstract numerical concepts into concrete, manageable tasks that they can master with confidence.\r\n\r\nWe are currently integrating these resources into a variety of interdisciplinary projects. Specifically, the Measurement Center and Big Tape Measure are being used alongside our Magnetic Graph and Array Charts to help students visualize spatial relationships and data. It was a profound moment to watch a student successfully use the Apple Tree Counting Box to solve a complex word problem, then transition to the Social Emotional Learning cards to navigate a collaborative disagreement with a peer. These tools are working in harmony to develop both the brilliant minds and the kind hearts of my students.\r\n\r\nLooking ahead, our next steps involve using the Small Wooden Number Cards and Dry Erase Number Line Boards to tackle multi-digit operations. Your generosity has provided the scaffolding these children need to reach the next level of their academic journey. We are so grateful for your support in making this \"prepared environment\" a reality, allowing each child to work at their own pace with dignity and excitement.","fullyFundedDate":1760877805040,"projectUrl":"project/hands-on-learning-building-literacy-min/9841144/","projectTitle":"Hands-On Learning: Building Literacy Minds and Caring Hearts","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Udud","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10317100_orig.jpg?crop=946,946,x50,y450&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1760690031536","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10317100"},{"teacherId":7677677,"projectId":9848287,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous donations. Because of your generosity, our students were able to use may new books for their books clubs. These books have opened new worlds to them. Students loved using the new books and working on the activities. \r\n\r\nYour generosity has helped to shape the minds of so many students. That impact will carry on for many years to come. Students are now getting interested in entirely new topics because of you! They are also learning to work in groups and share new perspectives. These skills are invaluable as they move on in life.","fullyFundedDate":1760975005731,"projectUrl":"project/literacy-through-book-clubs/9848287/","projectTitle":"Literacy Through Book Clubs","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. DeFino","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-9_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/7677677"},{"teacherId":10312128,"projectId":9829003,"letterContent":"Thank you for all of the support given to our classroom! If it weren't for your generous donations, we wouldn't have been able to achieve many projects this year. The students have used the books for many projects. A class favorite was the Native American dioramas that were created. \r\n\r\nStudents had the opportunity to work in groups on dioramas depicting what life would be like for Native Americans. They were able to use the wide range of books we were able to secure through this grant. Students researched, took notes, and used pictures found in the books as valuable resources to finish their projects! Your donations are helping to build memorable activites that they will hold dear for many years to come.","fullyFundedDate":1760966863981,"projectUrl":"project/knowledge-through-reading/9829003/","projectTitle":"Knowledge Through Reading","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Gros","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-5_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10312128"},{"teacherId":10314149,"projectId":9833880,"letterContent":"The grant-funded math materials have increased student engagement and understanding by providing hands-on learning opportunities that make math concepts more concrete. Students enjoy using the lap desks, which promote focus, flexibility, and independence during math activities. In addition to improving math skills, these materials support literacy by encouraging students to read problems closely, use math vocabulary, explain their thinking, and engage in meaningful academic discussions. My students and I are so thankful for this grant!","fullyFundedDate":1760793847302,"projectUrl":"project/words-count-too-integrating-literacy-in/9833880/","projectTitle":"Words Count Too: Integrating Literacy into Math Learning","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Taylor","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-5_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10314149"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_106941","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":428,"numTeachers":46,"percentFrplEligible":11,"percentAsian":2,"percentBlack":18,"percentWhite":70,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":1,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"K - 6","studentTeacherRatio":"9.3:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":false,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_SMALL"},"inStateSupporters":77.4,"schoolId":106941,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about First State Montessori Academy on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"First State Montessori Academy","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/delaware/delaware-department-of-education/first-state-montessori-academy/106941"}