{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Highlands Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":62.4,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":568507,"projectId":9658131,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for funding my project. I get to give my hungry students a snack daily and they are so happy. Also, my students truly love reading in the library with their new seating. It allows them to be a lot more comfortable. Each student has an assigned day and on Friday those who meet their goals get to sit there. During free time students can choose to sit there if it's their day. We have talked about respect with them because they are brand new and want to keep them clean. Thank you again for helping to make my classroom a fun place to learn!","fullyFundedDate":1762392821953,"projectUrl":"project/snacks-and-comfortable-seating-keep-my-k/9658131/","projectTitle":"Snacks and Comfortable Seating Keep My Kids Reading","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. MacLaughlin","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-4_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrs-maclaughlin"},{"teacherId":9781555,"projectId":9592538,"letterContent":"I am writing this impact letter with sincere gratitude and appreciation for the generous donations provided to my special education classroom at HLE School. Your kindness and support have made a profound difference in both my students' daily learning experiences and the overall environment of our classroom. As a special education teacher working with struggling learners who have a wide range of individual needs, I can confidently say that these supplies are not only helpful, but essential in helping my students grow academically, emotionally, and socially.\r\nMy students face daily challenges that often affect their confidence, motivation, and self-esteem. Because of this, it is extremely important for me to create a learning environment that feels safe, encouraging, engaging, and joyful. The snacks and treats you donated—including Oreo chocolate cookies, Oreo vanilla cookies, Nabisco Chips Ahoy cookies, healthy snack bars, Kellogg's Rice Krispies, Welch's fruit snack gummies, Sour Patch Kids, Skittles, and assorted candies—play a vital role in achieving this goal. These items allow me to maintain a well-stocked treasure box that serves as a powerful motivational tool. My students earn rewards from the treasure box for meeting academic goals, demonstrating effort, taking on positive leadership roles, and making good choices. For many of my students, these incentives help build confidence, reinforce positive behavior, and create excitement around learning. Even something as simple as earning a treat can put a smile on a child's face and encourage them to keep trying, even when learning feels difficult.\r\n \r\nThe variety of zip-lock bags donated in multiple sizes has also been incredibly beneficial. These bags help my students stay organized by holding individual snacks, learning tokens, phonics materials, and personal crayon or supply bags. Organization is especially important for students with special needs, as it helps reduce anxiety, minimize distractions, and maximize instructional time. These zip-lock bags allow students to independently manage their materials, which builds responsibility and independence.\r\n \r\nThe cleaning supplies you donated—such as Clorox disinfecting lemon wipes, Windex glass cleaner, and Ajax liquid soap—have had a significant impact on maintaining a clean, safe, and healthy learning environment. A clean classroom helps protect students' health, reduces the spread of germs, and creates a welcoming space where students feel comfortable and ready to learn. The fresh and clean environment also helps students focus better and feel proud of their classroom.\r\n \r\nThe Uni-Ball pens in red, black, and blue are used daily by both my students and myself. My students use them to check their work, practice editing, and participate in peer-review activities, while I use them to provide feedback and encouragement. The Sharpie highlighters are another essential tool used throughout the day. My students use them to highlight key details, identify important information in texts, color-code graphs and charts, and complete hands-on activities that support visual learning—an especially effective strategy for struggling learners.\r\n \r\nThe dry-erase board erasers you donated are used constantly on our classroom whiteboard, individual student boards, and desks. Dry-erase activities allow for immediate feedback, reduce fear of making mistakes, and encourage participation from students who may feel hesitant to write on paper. These erasers support daily practice, engagement, and confidence-building.\r\n \r\nThe letter-tile organizers have been invaluable during phonics and literacy instruction. By keeping phonics tiles organized and easily accessible, students are able to focus on learning rather than searching for materials. This improves efficiency, supports structured literacy instruction, and helps students develop stronger reading and spelling skills.\r\n \r\nFinally, the electronic timers you donated have added structure and independence to our classroom routines. Students use them to time their reading and vocabulary fluency practice activities, learning games, independent work, breaks, and transitions. Timers help students develop time-management skills, stay focused, and take ownership of their learning.\r\n \r\nThank you for believing in my students and investing in their success. Your generosity has created a positive, motivating, and well-supported learning environment where my students can build confidence, strengthen their academic skills, and reach their full potential. Your impact will be felt every single day in our classroom, and I am deeply grateful for your support.","fullyFundedDate":1762390569658,"projectUrl":"project/a-clean-and-sweet-place-for-learning/9592538/","projectTitle":"A Clean and Sweet Place for Learning","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Seijo","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9781555_orig.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1727575573039","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9781555"},{"teacherId":10108113,"projectId":9527685,"letterContent":"Thanks to your generous support, our new board has made a wonderful impact in our classroom! We use it every day during our reading and spelling lessons, and it has quickly become one of our favorite tools for learning. The students love using it—it keeps them engaged, excited, and eager to participate.\r\n\r\nFor me as a teacher, this board has been extremely helpful and versatile. I can easily adjust the height and use both sides, which allows me to create a variety of fun and interactive activities. It supports group work, centers, and whole-class lessons beautifully.\r\n\r\nThank you so much for making this possible! Your kindness and generosity have truly enhanced our classroom and made learning even more meaningful for my students.\r\n\r\nWith gratitude,\r\nMrs. Carluccio","fullyFundedDate":1758255147757,"projectUrl":"project/helping-young-learners-shine-with-tools/9527685/","projectTitle":"Helping Young Learners Shine with Tools for Interactive, Joyful Learning","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Carluccio","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-7_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10108113"},{"teacherId":10190773,"projectId":9626343,"letterContent":"On behalf of the fourth and fifth grade ESE students at Highlands Elementary, I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude for your generous donation of math and phonics manipulatives. Your thoughtful contribution has made a tremendous impact on our classroom, and I want to take a moment to express just how much your support means to both me and my students. The arrival of the new manipulatives has truly transformed our learning environment. In mathematics, students now can explore numbers, patterns, and problem-solving in ways that are concrete and engaging. Tools such as counters, base-ten blocks, fraction tiles, and geometric shapes have made abstract concepts come alive. I have noticed that students who once hesitated to participate during math lessons are now eagerly working with their hands, experimenting with different ways to solve problems, and collaborating with classmates to build understanding. The manipulatives encourage critical thinking, creativity, and confidence—skills that extend far beyond the math classroom.\r\n\r\nPlease know that your support has made a lasting difference. The manipulatives you provided are not just tools; they are gateways to curiosity and confidence. Every day, I witness students engaging in meaningful learning experiences that will build the foundation for their future academic success. Your generosity reminds us that education is a community effort and that when we work together, we can open doors of opportunity for every child.","fullyFundedDate":1755687823741,"projectUrl":"project/help-me-help-my-striving-students/9626343/","projectTitle":"Help Me Help My Striving Students!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Rodriguez","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-7_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10190773"},{"teacherId":10103426,"projectId":9520740,"letterContent":"As the items were added to the classroom the students were very excited and eager to use the donated items and resources. The stools we received is used for flexible seating. The students are able to use the stools during small group rotations and it allows them the flexibility to get up and sit down smoothly when we rotate to the next center. The students really love the stools! The playdough is used to work on letter formation and number formation throughout the day. This is great to enhance their fine motor skills. This is one of the student's favorite. The Auditory Feedback Phones for Reading allows the students to hear their words, sounds and pronunciations as they are working on their reading fluency. This allows them to play with spoken words, sounds and encourages them to read with automaticity and prosody. The dice are used in small group center rotations in which the students roll the dice and write the sight words according to what sight words correspond to the number of dot that is shown. The bear counters and the matching bowls are used for sorting, counting, color recognition and letter sounds identification. During some down time and silent reading, the students enjoy the books and reading buddies that were added to our classroom library.","fullyFundedDate":1754233062803,"projectUrl":"project/keep-kindergarten-thriving-in-the-classr/9520740/","projectTitle":"Keep Kindergarten Thriving in the Classroom","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Benoit","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-4_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10103426"},{"teacherId":9716831,"projectId":9511822,"letterContent":"My students were so excited when they saw the treasure box items and snacks. I explained to them how I would be rewarding Dino-Mite attendance this year. Each day they receive a check mark and every 5 days are rewarded. Some of them have finished one card and are working on a new one. Many of them have 100% attendance which has made a difference in their learning. They are eager, engaged, and have started participating in conversations using the English language they have acquired. I am looking forward to seeing my students overall academic growth this year.","fullyFundedDate":1753884204932,"projectUrl":"project/rewarding-dino-mite-attendance/9511822/","projectTitle":"Rewarding Dino-Mite Attendance","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Hernandez","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-6_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9716831"},{"teacherId":9725072,"projectId":9513531,"letterContent":"My students are loving using the boogie boards for small group instruction in both math and reading. They love to compete to see who can answer the math problems the quickest on the boards and answer multiple choice test questions for reading comprehension. \r\nThe boards have also helped us use less white boards and markers saving us both money and mess. White board markers tend to dry out quickly and the caps get lost frequently. These boards eliminate that problem. \r\nEngagement is key in second grade and any tool I can use to keep my students interest is important for me. These tools have been a small but impactful in so many ways and I appreciate your generosity and thoughtfulness.","fullyFundedDate":1754508385983,"projectUrl":"project/boogie-into-learning/9513531/","projectTitle":"Boogie Into Learning","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Williams","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-7_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9725072"},{"teacherId":1528848,"projectId":9516816,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous donation. Your support has made a meaningful difference in our classroom.\r\n\r\nThanks to the headphones you helped fund, students can now work more quietly and stay focused when using iPads and laptops — creating a much more peaceful and productive learning environment. The new timers have been incredibly helpful as well, allowing both staff and students to easily track time for breaks, rewards, and consequences, which supports consistency and structure in our routines.\r\n\r\nYour donation also made it possible for me to print curriculum materials in color, making the content more engaging and visually appealing for the children. Additionally, I've been able to laminate tokens, icons, and many other resources that we use daily — making them more durable and effective for long-term use.\r\n\r\nWe are truly grateful for your generosity. Your support has had a real, lasting impact on our classroom, and we appreciate it more than words can express.","fullyFundedDate":1757180193415,"projectUrl":"project/special-education-is-awesome/9516816/","projectTitle":"Special Education is Awesome","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Palacios","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp1528848_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1724531969494","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/1528848"},{"teacherId":6276810,"projectId":9627477,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting my DonorsChoose project, \"A Safe and Calm Space for My Students.\" Because of your generosity, my students now have a peaceful, welcoming environment where they can take a break, calm down, and express their feelings in healthy ways.\r\n\r\nThe new comfy floor seats have given my students a cozy place to relax and reset when emotions run high. The Calm Ball and other emotional regulation tools have quickly become favorites for helping them manage stress and anxiety in positive ways. And the Kindle Scribe has opened new opportunities for students to read social–emotional books, write, or draw their feelings — especially for those who struggle to express themselves with words.\r\n\r\nI've already seen such a difference. Students who used to shut down or act out when upset are now choosing to come to our calm space instead. \r\n\r\nYour kindness didn't just provide materials — it created a safe haven where my students can feel understood, supported, and ready to learn again. Thank you for believing in them and helping me make this vision a reality.","fullyFundedDate":1760381589822,"projectUrl":"project/counselor-corner/9627477/","projectTitle":"Counselor Corner","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Hendry","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-6_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/6276810"},{"teacherId":2179062,"projectId":9438655,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your kind donation to our Kindergarten class. Our new rug allows students to have a space where they can work in groups, read a book with furry friend and allow students to have access to a comfortable learning environment.\r\nThe students were ecstatic to have a space where they are able to move around to collaborate with their peers. They are academically engaged in various activities thanks to your generosity. We will continue to be creative and build to provide learning opportunities in our community.","fullyFundedDate":1752171433006,"projectUrl":"project/kindergarten-smiles/9438655/","projectTitle":"Kindergarten Smiles!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Gomez","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp2179062_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1726017439777","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/2179062"},{"teacherId":6349905,"projectId":9522681,"letterContent":"Since receiving your generous donation, I have been able to complete my sensory zone regulation corner. I was able to add a sensory wall. I was also able to fill my sensory bin with more sensory items. I added more variety to meet the different sensory needs. I was able to get more cognitive appropriate toys for my lower more dependent kiddos. When some of my students saw the colorful games and activities, they couldn't wait to play with them. This donation has made a big impact in my classroom by giving my students more ways to regulate their emotions. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!","fullyFundedDate":1755703075594,"projectUrl":"project/sensory-area-for-emotional-regulation-fo/9522681/","projectTitle":"Sensory Area for Emotional Regulation for Students with ASD.","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Mennig","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp6349905_orig.jpg?crop=272,272,x96,y75&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1553633143522","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/6349905"},{"teacherId":10100475,"projectId":9515579,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for the materials. They are very useful. It allows me to notified or add on to the materials. They are able to explore the matarials in vary ways, also by differetiating the lesson. \r\n\r\nStudents are already learning to blend and segment words. Those materials catches their attention and motivation to learn. It makes writing fun. \r\n\r\nThey have loved the rhyming building, it has help the students remember some words that rhyme. It helps teachers to provide them with extra tools to their learning. \r\n\r\nMy studentes are grateful and want say thank you for providing them with fun materials.","fullyFundedDate":1754067541811,"projectUrl":"project/hands-on-activity/9515579/","projectTitle":"Hands on Activity","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Ruby","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10100475_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1753858068724","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10100475"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_45538","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":599,"numTeachers":50,"percentFrplEligible":94,"percentAsian":0,"percentBlack":8,"percentWhite":1,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":89,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"Pre-K - 5","studentTeacherRatio":"12.0:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"TOWN","ncesMetroType":"TOWN_DISTANT"},"inStateSupporters":37.6,"schoolId":45538,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Highlands Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Highlands Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/florida/collier-county-public-schools/highlands-elementary-school/45538"}