{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"CICS - West Belden","outOfStateSupporters":31.5,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":9552203,"projectId":9666716,"letterContent":"When our new items arrived, the entire room instantly lit up with excitement. My students could not believe that these materials were theirs to use, and we immediately began exploring each item together. The spinning sensory chair was instantly a hit. Students lined up eagerly to try it (a great spontaneous teaching moment on patience and sharing), and within minutes we began to see how grounding and regulating the movement could be for them. Now, several students independently advocate for a turn in the chair when they feel overwhelmed or dysregulated, using it as a tool to reset and return to learning. It has been so helpful that several parents are also interested in getting one at home. The bounce board and under-desk bike have also become popular choices for students who need movement to stay regulated while learning. They help students channel their energy in a productive way so they can better engage in academic tasks.\r\nThe weighted dolphin also quickly became a favorite. One of my students uses \"Dolphin\" daily during whole-group instruction to support his own focus and emotional stability. He has also begun sharing the weighted blanket with peers when he notices them becoming upset. Our noise-canceling headphones have become part of many students' routines as well. Some even chose their favorite color to keep at their spot, and they reach for them on their own when the classroom becomes too loud or when they need support to stay focused. They have also been a tremendous support in more overstimulating school settings such as assemblies or lunch in the cafeteria. \r\nThe new rug has transformed a corner of our room into a cozy, welcoming space where students love to sit on the floor to read, work independently, or take a quiet sensory break. Meanwhile, the noise-absorbing panels and room divider have made a tremendous difference for instruction. Our resource room is shared by three special education teachers, and now we are able to split the space in a way that minimizes noise distractions and creates calm, structured areas for small-group learning. \r\nThese tools have been essential as students learn to recognize their own needs and independently choose the strategies that help them stay focused and ready to learn. Thank you for giving my students the resources they need to feel safe, regulated, and empowered at school. Your generosity has already made a meaningful, daily difference in their learning, and we are just getting started!","fullyFundedDate":1757343538292,"projectUrl":"project/revamp-our-resource-room/9666716/","projectTitle":"Revamp Our Resource Room!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Mack","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9552203_orig.png?crop=802,802,x0,y24&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1757293110104","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9552203"},{"teacherId":3828692,"projectId":9382706,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous support of our classroom project! With your help, we were able to replace our worn-out cardboard mailboxes with beautiful, sturdy wooden ones. The difference has been remarkable—rather than replacing flimsy boxes year after year, we now have an organized, long-lasting system that gives each student a sense of pride and ownership. When the students first saw the new mailboxes, their faces lit up. Many commented on how \"fancy\" they looked and how nice it felt to have a special place just for them.\r\n\r\nThese wooden mailboxes have already made our daily routines smoother. Students can now easily find their work, notes, and materials without worrying about broken slots or messy piles. It has created more independence, responsibility, and joy in our classroom. One student even shared that it \"feels like we have a real mailboxes, like grown-ups.\" Moments like these remind us how even small upgrades can make a big impact.\r\n\r\nLooking ahead, we will continue to use these mailboxes as part of our classroom systems for distributing and collecting student work, and for celebrating milestones and notes of encouragement. Thanks to your support, this resource will serve students for many years to come. We are so grateful that you gave our classroom something durable, meaningful, and special!","fullyFundedDate":1748454771079,"projectUrl":"project/delivering-daily-success-classroom-mail/9382706/","projectTitle":"Delivering Daily Success: Classroom Mailboxes","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Clough","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp3828692_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1473813208634","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/misskmac"},{"teacherId":9140332,"projectId":8943779,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for donating to this project! These supplies continued to be used by my next class in order to build literacy and math skills. \r\n\r\nThe lined side of the whiteboard have helped students with letter sizing, word spacing, and writing up/down left/right. The noise cancelling headphones have been used for students who work best with small distractions. The timers are used for learning, play time, and other tasks. The visual timer has been a great way to keep students on task while also keeping them accountable.","fullyFundedDate":1733262288230,"projectUrl":"project/more-accessibility-keeping-up-with-kin/8943779/","projectTitle":"More Accessibility - Keeping up with Kindergarten","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Ponce","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9140332_orig.jpg?crop=2400,2400,x0,y256&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1723491030048","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/m-ponce"},{"teacherId":9169260,"projectId":9384040,"letterContent":"I am thrilled to share an update on our \"Sorting Success: Mailboxes for a Thriving Classroom\" project at CICS West Belden. Due to your generous support, our project is fully funded! With your donations, our classroom was able to purchase 36-compartment literature organizers, that we use as our mailboxes.\r\n\r\nOur new classroom mailboxes have been an ultimate game-changer! My homeroom students use them every day to turn in work, keep important papers organized, and manage their materials. They were so excited when they first saw the mailboxes, and it's been amazing to watch them take ownership of their space.\r\n\r\nThese mailboxes are helping our classroom run more smoothly and giving students a boost of independence. Throughout the year, our new mailboxes will continue to help with my student's executive functioning skills, which is so important to their lifelong success. \r\n\r\n\r\nThank you so much for helping make our classroom a calmer, more confident place to learn. I truly appreciate your generosity!","fullyFundedDate":1748656296986,"projectUrl":"project/sorting-success-mailboxes-for-a-thrivin/9384040/","projectTitle":"Sorting Success: Mailboxes for a Thriving Classroom","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Ulis","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9169260_orig.jpg?crop=976,976,x0,y39&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1728504568769","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9169260"},{"teacherId":8494056,"projectId":9063155,"letterContent":"Thank you all so much for the support in getting this project funded! Over the past couple of weeks I was able to provide headphones to my students. As a teacher, I've seen many a headphone stop working or get broken. With your support I am able to provide my students with an extra pair so they can continue their online learning. \r\n\r\nOur school serves predominantly low income families. Asking for replacements on supplies mid year can often put a strain on our families. Thanks to your support, I have relieved some of that strain from our hardworking families. Again, I cannot thank you enough!","fullyFundedDate":1738074026329,"projectUrl":"project/headphones-bridging-gaps/9063155/","projectTitle":"Headphones Bridging Gaps!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Molina","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8494056_orig.png?crop=901,902,x0,y129&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1736973352262","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8494056"},{"teacherId":8840170,"projectId":8762016,"letterContent":"The prizes you helped me raise have been AMAZING for students to win. They add so much to our weekly assemblies and the kids are very excited to win them every week.\r\n\r\nI wish I could show you their faces, but believe me their smiles are something I look forward to every day, and they have been beaming when they win the prizes.\r\n\r\nI was told that these prizes have been some of the best yet! That comes from all of you and the donations you made to my project. I can't thank you enough for everything you did for my students and I!","fullyFundedDate":1726753805534,"projectUrl":"project/pride-prizes/8762016/","projectTitle":"PRIDE Prizes","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. McInerney","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8840170_orig.jpg?crop=2316,2316,x0,y84&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1691695140174","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8840170"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_5532","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":521,"numTeachers":null,"percentFrplEligible":87,"percentAsian":0,"percentBlack":6,"percentWhite":0,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":91,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"K - 8","studentTeacherRatio":null,"demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":false,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":68.5,"schoolId":5532,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about CICS - West Belden on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"CICS - West Belden","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/illinois/chicago-public-school-district-299/chicago-int-l-charter-school-west-belden/5532"}