{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"Haines Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":34.6,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":9615155,"projectId":9545779,"letterContent":"Thanks to your generosity, our new phonics workbooks have made a big difference for my students. We've been using them to strengthen foundational skills—like decoding, blending, and recognizing long- and short-vowel patterns—which will set my readers up for success as we move into more complex texts. These skills are essential building blocks, and the workbooks have given my students the structured, consistent practice they need to grow.\r\n\r\nWhile we haven't fully jumped into our new chapter books yet, the excitement in the room is real. Students keep asking when we'll start The One and Only Ivan, and they love getting a sneak peek at the cover and wondering what the story will be about. Knowing we'll soon be able to take the strong phonics skills they're building and apply them to a shared novel has created such positive anticipation.\r\n\r\nYour support didn't just provide materials—it created momentum. My students feel more confident decoding words, they're participating more during small-group lessons, and they're genuinely excited for the reading adventures ahead. Thank you for giving them the tools they need to grow.","fullyFundedDate":1761232014471,"projectUrl":"project/different-needs-one-goal-growth/9545779/","projectTitle":"Different Needs, One Goal: Growth","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Vandermyde","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-8_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9615155"},{"teacherId":20327,"projectId":9450517,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for making this project happen! We have been using the materials for classroom books, and we are excited to use them for a fundraiser for our garden club soon. We will be making a recipe book with recipe contributions from people in the school community that feature fresh produce, herbs, and edible plants that they grow in their gardens. We hope that this will enable us to start our herb garden in the spring. \r\n\r\nYour support means so much to me and my students, who work so hard to beautify our classroom and our school community.","fullyFundedDate":1755736993436,"projectUrl":"project/lets-get-published/9450517/","projectTitle":"Let's Get Published!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Agostinelli","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp20327_orig.png?crop=398,398,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1738255474582","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/anne-agostinelli"},{"teacherId":20327,"projectId":9375434,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for helping us create a vibrant learning environment! We are, indeed, shining bright, and with 34 students in our homeroom, we need all the light we can squeeze in! \r\n\r\nThe classroom is exactly how I had hoped; bright and full of student touches. With the supplies you provided, we have been able to decorate and create our own art, too. People who come into our classroom always notice the intentional attention to the school theme, as well as student ownership.\r\n\r\nIt is a hard time in the world right now, so being able to provide a warm, welcoming classroom environment is more important than ever. Thank you for making it possible.","fullyFundedDate":1751840023104,"projectUrl":"project/shine-bright-in-5th-grade/9375434/","projectTitle":"Shine Bright in 5th Grade!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Agostinelli","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp20327_orig.png?crop=398,398,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1738255474582","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/anne-agostinelli"},{"teacherId":5340027,"projectId":9368682,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous donations to recognize my students' hard work!\r\n\r\nThis project was funded later than I anticipated, and unfortunately, the gumball machine is no longer available for purchase. However, we're still putting your support to great use!\r\n\r\nWe've decided to use the materials—especially the squishies—on Fridays to celebrate student achievements. There's a wide variety to choose from, including animals, dinosaurs, and other cute characters that students recognize from popular TV shows. The squishies are the perfect size to fit into toy capsules, which adds an extra layer of excitement.\r\n\r\nWe also use them as prizes for math games, and they've been a huge hit—sparking both engagement and joy in the classroom.\r\n\r\nSome of the prizes have been placed in our classroom treasure box. We typically have monthly award celebrations, where students who meet behavior and academic expectations get to pick a prize. But thanks to the abundance of materials from this project, I'm planning to switch to weekly rewards. This is more developmentally appropriate for kindergartners, as waiting a whole month can feel like forever at their age!\r\n\r\nThank you for being a part of our learning journey. Your generosity continues to make a meaningful difference in our classroom!","fullyFundedDate":1753302792830,"projectUrl":"project/end-of-year-kindergarten-celebration-g/9368682/","projectTitle":"End-of-Year Kindergarten Celebration – Gumball Day & More!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Mei","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp5340027_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1526414344934","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/5340027"},{"teacherId":260818,"projectId":9122824,"letterContent":"My third graders are thrilled to have a cozy, large rug to learn on! They bring their clipboards down to the floor and can work together on a rug rather than the hard, tiled floor! Also, we often come down to the rug as a class and can all sit together while I am teaching. This gives them a space near me so that they can focus and each have a circle to sit on. They are spaced out and able to turn and talk to one another, when necessary. \r\n\r\nMy students were excited to have a rug as many did not have one in their classroom last year. They often choose to come down and work on the rug instead of their desks. This rug has made our classroom complete and I thank you so very much for helping contribute to this project!","fullyFundedDate":1744032836494,"projectUrl":"project/cozy-comfy-corner-for-little-learners/9122824/","projectTitle":"Cozy Comfy Corner for Little Learners!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Bruno","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-10_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/260818"},{"teacherId":6272183,"projectId":8578532,"letterContent":"Thanks to your generosity, my students will now be able to explore the science of flight in a hands-on and engaging way. With kites, airplanes, and the classroom resources we need, they can put their knowledge of aerodynamics into practice instead of just reading about it.\r\n\r\nThis project is giving them the chance to see science come alive—watching how wind lifts a kite, or how airplanes stay in the sky—while sparking their curiosity and love for STEM. Your support is not only making lessons more exciting, but also inspiring my students to think like scientists and engineers. We are so grateful for your kindness in helping us make this possible.","fullyFundedDate":1726327548169,"projectUrl":"project/flying-in-the-sky/8578532/","projectTitle":"Flying in the Sky","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Li","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp6272183_orig.jpg?crop=595,595,x0,y112&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1574548513878","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/gracelyn-li"},{"teacherId":6272183,"projectId":8290507,"letterContent":"Because of your generosity, my students will now have the opportunity to build critical thinking and problem-solving skills while having fun together. With board and hands-on games available for Thinking Fun Friday, they can practice logical reasoning, strategy, and teamwork in a way that feels exciting and engaging.\r\n\r\nThese games will also help strengthen important social skills—like turn-taking, cooperation, and communication—while giving students a chance to learn from one another. Your support is helping me create a classroom tradition that blends fun with meaningful learning, and my students are thrilled to dive in!","fullyFundedDate":1720884540273,"projectUrl":"project/learning-critical-thinking-skill-through/8290507/","projectTitle":"Learning Critical Thinking Skill Through Games","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Li","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp6272183_orig.jpg?crop=595,595,x0,y112&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1574548513878","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/gracelyn-li"},{"teacherId":6272183,"projectId":7762144,"letterContent":"Thanks to your support, my students will have the tools they need to begin building strong financial habits at an early age. With the new printer and financial literacy workbooks, they'll be able to engage in real-world scenarios—like budgeting, saving, and making smart choices—through worksheets and activities designed just for them.\r\n\r\nThese resources will not only make lessons more interactive and accessible, but they will also help students see the value of planning ahead and thinking critically about money. Instead of spending impulsively, they'll start to understand how small decisions add up to bigger outcomes.\r\n\r\nYour generosity is giving them skills they can carry into their futures, empowering them to make informed financial decisions that will benefit their lives, families, and communities for years to come.","fullyFundedDate":1694046467600,"projectUrl":"project/financial-literacy-opportunities/7762144/","projectTitle":"Financial Literacy Opportunities","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Li","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp6272183_orig.jpg?crop=595,595,x0,y112&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1574548513878","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/gracelyn-li"},{"teacherId":6272183,"projectId":7058095,"letterContent":"Thanks to your generosity, my students will be able to celebrate Lunar New Year in a meaningful and hands-on way. With crafts and origami art, they will dive into the rich traditions and symbolism of the holiday.\r\n\r\nThis celebration is especially important for our school, where many students are heritage Chinese language speakers. It gives them the chance to see their culture honored and shared, while also teaching their classmates to appreciate and respect diversity.\r\n\r\nYour support is helping me create a classroom where every student feels seen, valued, and excited to learn. The joy of celebrating the Year of the Rabbit together will be an experience my students remember long after the holiday has passed.","fullyFundedDate":1671506657089,"projectUrl":"project/chinese-new-year-materials/7058095/","projectTitle":"Chinese New Year Materials!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Li","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp6272183_orig.jpg?crop=595,595,x0,y112&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1574548513878","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/gracelyn-li"},{"teacherId":5340027,"projectId":9222390,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous donations to support our hands-on classroom activities! With the gift cards, we were able to purchase a variety of phonics picture and word sort activities to enhance our students' reading skills—an essential part of becoming independent readers.\r\n\r\nOur students are engaged in differentiated phonics practice based on their reading levels.\r\n\r\nMy below-grade-level group is working on CVC word sorts.\r\n\r\nThe middle-level group is focusing on consonant blends.\r\n\r\nThe on-level group is practicing long vowels.\r\n\r\nA few students who are above grade level are learning about vowel teams.\r\n\r\nThanks to your support, I was also able to purchase some first-grade-level phonics activities to challenge the above-grade-level group, who really enjoy trying out different types of learning tasks.\r\n\r\nI'm also able to make extra copies of the materials, allowing students to bring them home to practice with their parents. Many families have expressed their appreciation and enjoy seeing the progress their children are making.\r\n\r\nIn addition, we purchased a Force and Motion science unit with five exciting experiments. Last week, we conducted the \"Moving a Ball\" experiment. Students explored what happens when they pull back a rubber band with a ball and let it go. They used balls made of different materials and observed the differences, recording their findings with a partner. It was a fun, hands-on experience that the students absolutely loved!\r\n\r\nWe're planning to do one science experiment each week as a fun and educational way to count down to the end of the school year.\r\n\r\nThank you again for helping make these meaningful learning experiences possible!","fullyFundedDate":1745847017335,"projectUrl":"project/learning-beyond-textbooks/9222390/","projectTitle":"Learning Beyond Textbooks","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Mei","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp5340027_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1526414344934","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/5340027"},{"teacherId":4743285,"projectId":9005399,"letterContent":"Thank you to everyone who donated! The kiddos fell in love with The Giver and it's thanks to your donations that they had the opportunity to even crack it open. I had a handful of students who were so enthralled by the book that they finished it overnight! \r\n\r\nThroughout the new unit, students learned to analyze the characters, plot of the story, and how the author revealed different themes through setting and character development. We haven't yet finished the novel, but soon, students will also compare and contrast the events and characters from the novel to the film! \r\n\r\nThis novel has encouraged students to read more dystopian novels such as The Hunger Games and Divergent! Your donation has gone far beyond funding a novel set— it has inspired young readers to pick up and explore new adventures through literature.","fullyFundedDate":1734390337156,"projectUrl":"project/a-novel-to-explore-and-question-our-worl/9005399/","projectTitle":"A Novel To Explore and Question Our World","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Sato","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp4743285_orig.png?crop=732,732,x0,y14&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1734114508168","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/4743285"},{"teacherId":8929825,"projectId":9131879,"letterContent":"My students were SOO excited to see these new books in our classroom library!\r\n\r\nThanks to your generosity, our classroom library has become a space of excitement, curiosity, and joy! My students now choose to read not just during independent reading time but also as a preferred activity during brain breaks. Watching their excitement blossom, witnessing them immerse themselves in new stories, and hearing them eagerly discuss their favorite books has been truly inspiring. \r\n\r\nYour generosity has nurtured a lifelong love for reading that will extend far beyond this school year. Thank you for making a lasting impact on their learning journey!","fullyFundedDate":1741384030142,"projectUrl":"project/building-an-exciting-classroom-library/9131879/","projectTitle":"Building an Exciting Classroom Library! (Part 2)","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Casa","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8929825_orig.jpg?crop=576,576,x104,y24&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1676637899001","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrscasa"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_5688","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":481,"numTeachers":33,"percentFrplEligible":83,"percentAsian":83,"percentBlack":11,"percentWhite":0,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":4,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"Pre-K - 8","studentTeacherRatio":"14.6:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":65.4,"schoolId":5688,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Haines Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Haines Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/illinois/chicago-public-school-district-299/haines-elementary-school/5688"}