{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"John M Smyth Magnet School","outOfStateSupporters":27.0,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":9100822,"projectId":9762579,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for our new noise machine! We are truly enjoying it so much and it was the perfect holiday gift for our classroom! They were so happy when they opened it and were so excited to give it a name and find it a room in our room! We are so thankful to have received this gift from you! It is the cutest decoration and it has been so useful for students to be aware of how loud they are being while completing work and when they are upset and being loud. It is such a useful tool in the room.","fullyFundedDate":1764713487811,"projectUrl":"project/noisy-noodles/9762579/","projectTitle":"Noisy Noodles!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. D","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9100822_orig.jpg?crop=1243,1243,x618,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1693324319640","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9100822"},{"teacherId":8569426,"projectId":9415449,"letterContent":"Thank you for your generous donation to our project! My students and I appreciate your gift of our new classroom carpets! When my students walked in to see their new carpet, they were overjoyed! To see the excitement on their faces is a memory that I will carry throughout my teaching journey. \r\n\r\nThanks to you, our classroom morning meetings or much more comfortable and engaging. Our class was excited to use our new carpet as a resource during our shape and colors unit! Our classroom is a place that they look forward to coming to and are proud to share with others! Again thank you for our wonderful gift!","fullyFundedDate":1758813111410,"projectUrl":"project/cozy-carpet-for-learning-and-growing/9415449/","projectTitle":"Cozy Carpet for Learning and Growing!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Winston","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8569426_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1672532441417","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8569426"},{"teacherId":8423164,"projectId":9567859,"letterContent":"The new materials have transformed our classroom into a more organized and inspiring learning space! My students were so excited when they saw the new bulletin boards and storage bins — they immediately began helping me organize supplies and pin up their favorite pieces of work. The rotating pencil holders have made it easier for them to find what they need quickly, promoting independence and responsibility.\r\n\r\nOne special moment was when a few students proudly used the cork boards to display their \"All About Me\" projects. Seeing their work showcased boosted their confidence and sparked conversations among classmates about each other's interests and strengths.\r\n\r\nNow that our classroom is more functional and inviting, my students can focus more on their learning projects and creative tasks. Our next step is to use these spaces to feature ongoing STEM and art projects, helping students share their learning journeys and celebrate their growth together.","fullyFundedDate":1762266327193,"projectUrl":"project/providing-essential-tools-for-a-creative/9567859/","projectTitle":"Providing Essential Tools For A Creative And Focused Classroom","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. ORN","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8423164_orig.jpg?crop=1310,1310,x191,y853&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1748746434273","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/missorn"},{"teacherId":8423164,"projectId":9366649,"letterContent":"The moment our new sewing machine and heavy-duty scissors arrived, my students were filled with excitement and curiosity! Many of them had never seen a real sewing machine before, and their faces lit up with anticipation when I explained we'd be using it to make real items — like pencil pouches, mini pillows, and sensory-friendly fidget tools.\r\n\r\nWe started by learning the names of each part of the sewing machine, then practiced with threading and guiding fabric. For some of my students with fine motor or sensory needs, even just pushing fabric through with two hands was a big win! The scissors were perfect for students who needed extra grip support, and they've become a tool we use daily across art, life skills, and even math (measuring fabric!).\r\n\r\nOne of the most beautiful moments was watching a student with limited verbal skills complete their first stitching line with pride — they beamed and immediately asked to make something for their mom. Projects like these aren't just crafts — they build confidence, patience, and independence.\r\n\r\nUp next, we're working on a classroom quilt where each student designs a square that represents them. This project will allow them to express their identity while practicing skills like measuring, cutting, and following a pattern. Your donation made all of this possible — and our classroom is buzzing with creativity because of you!","fullyFundedDate":1756496078150,"projectUrl":"project/sew-much-potential-stitching-life-skill/9366649/","projectTitle":"Sew Much Potential: Stitching Life Skills for Special Learners","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. ORN","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8423164_orig.jpg?crop=1310,1310,x191,y853&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1748746434273","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/missorn"},{"teacherId":9100822,"projectId":9663773,"letterContent":"These math essentials have been such game changers in our classroom! Especially our magnetic base ten blocks! We have used them for just about everything that has to do with math! We are using them to decompose numbers, carrying in addition and borrowing in subtraction. They have really enjoyed visually seeing how numbers work! \r\nThe stapler and stapler removers have also been game changers in our classroom! We use staples a lot in here with our bulletins, sight words, and learning posters. And the staple remover makes taking down our bulletin boards every month so much easier! Thank you so much!","fullyFundedDate":1760297819844,"projectUrl":"project/classroom-mathathon/9663773/","projectTitle":"Classroom Mathathon!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. D","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9100822_orig.jpg?crop=1243,1243,x618,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1693324319640","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9100822"},{"teacherId":9100822,"projectId":9374753,"letterContent":"Thank you for all of our new classroom decor! Our room looks so bright and shiny and it is all thanks to you! The amazing new additions have given our classroom more life and color and the students are truly loving them! They have been using the calming strategies very often when they are upset and using the feelings chart to identify how they are feeling when they are unable to orally state it! They have been beyond helpful with creating a more positive classroom atmosphere. We are using our vocabulary and animal posters to learn about new things we haven't learned before. Thank you!","fullyFundedDate":1758829004178,"projectUrl":"project/sy-25-26-classroom-renovation/9374753/","projectTitle":"SY 25-26 Classroom Renovation!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. D","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9100822_orig.jpg?crop=1243,1243,x618,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1693324319640","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9100822"},{"teacherId":9100822,"projectId":9342099,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for choosing our classroom! These dividers have been such a game changer for our classroom. They have allowed us to be able to divide our room into different sections to get students to concentrate more while they are learning during small groups! When they are not being used to divide up the room, they are acting as a barrier to our toy area so students do not get distracted while doing whole group learning. They truly are an amazing addition to our room! The new colorful bins have also been amazing for keeping our toy area looking tidy and beautiful! It has given our classroom more life, thank you so much!","fullyFundedDate":1757514166048,"projectUrl":"project/classroom-space-update/9342099/","projectTitle":"Classroom Space Update!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. D","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9100822_orig.jpg?crop=1243,1243,x618,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1693324319640","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9100822"},{"teacherId":9100822,"projectId":9704989,"letterContent":"These snacks have made a huge difference for our students! They love that they have a variety of snacks to choose from and they leave school with a very satisfied tummy! It is thanks to donors like you that we are able to provide a snack time to our students and we could not thank you enough for that!\r\nThe snacks are so bountiful that we truly have not even made a dent in them yet! Thank you so much from me and my amazing students. They are being set up for success and our classroom staff feels so supported.","fullyFundedDate":1758222076702,"projectUrl":"project/snack-attack/9704989/","projectTitle":"Snack Attack!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. D","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9100822_orig.jpg?crop=1243,1243,x618,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1693324319640","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9100822"},{"teacherId":9100822,"projectId":9353421,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for donating to this amazing project! I am so grateful to you all for supporting my classroom. The Poly Spots are a big hit in the classroom! We use them during our movement breaks so that students respect their space and don't bump into each other and it works great! The time clock is also a game changer, students not only have a visual timer on the board but also they are able to see the clock time be less and less. It has also been handy to start to teach them the concept of time! Thank you so much donors for being so good to us!","fullyFundedDate":1752846470008,"projectUrl":"project/beneficial-classroom-tools/9353421/","projectTitle":"Beneficial Classroom Tools","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. D","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9100822_orig.jpg?crop=1243,1243,x618,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1693324319640","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9100822"},{"teacherId":433136,"projectId":8510292,"letterContent":"Most third grade students have the gift for gab! However, when given a list of options for choice time they often gravitate towards laptops and electronic games. Your generous donation has given our class the opportunity to be thoughtfully engaged with one another outside of academic learning time. Some of my students had never experienced games such as Master Mind or Don't Spill the Beans. It was incredible to see them learning to play and also choosing to engage others to share how to play the game. Some students also made connections between the games and content areas we have studied. For example, Connect Four was a great visual of horizontal and vertical lines! Chess was another favorite. Many students wanted to learn how to play and couldn't wait to challenge each other. \r\n\r\nThank you again for your wonderful donation. I can't wait to share it with next year's class.","fullyFundedDate":1726697915252,"projectUrl":"project/checkmate-improving-thinking-social/8510292/","projectTitle":"Checkmate! Improving Thinking & Social Skills With Games","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Smith","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp433136_orig.jpg?crop=1440,1440,x716,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1660053243611","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/433136"},{"teacherId":2247834,"projectId":9158556,"letterContent":"We look forward to reading the Scholastic News magazines every month. Scholastic news allows students to have digital access so they can read with their families at home. The students will learn about different current events happening. They will be able to share what we've learned with others. Students will be able to have the experience of reading informative text and coming up with questions so they can enhance their collaborative discussions with their peers. Thank you for your generosity and continued support. We really appreciate you taking the time to donate to our project.","fullyFundedDate":1743442571952,"projectUrl":"project/news-we-can-use/9158556/","projectTitle":"News We Can Use","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Cipriani","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp2247834_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1677582708774","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrs-cipriani"},{"teacherId":8569426,"projectId":9065041,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your donations. I'm excited to share how my students are using the new literacy resources and ABC games donated by our generous donors. One of the highlight moments has been when students first saw the colorful, engaging materials they were immediately curious and eager to explore. I watched as their faces lit up with excitement, and they eagerly started playing the ABC games independently, reinforcing their letter recognition and phonemic awareness.\r\n\r\nSince receiving these resources, my students have become much more engaged and confident in their learning. They love practicing their alphabet skills through interactive games, which have made learning both fun and meaningful. The students are now taking more initiative, working in pairs or small groups to complete activities, which has fostered collaboration and critical thinking.\r\n\r\nLooking ahead, the next step for my students is to apply what they've learned by creating their own simple stories and words using the alphabet tools. This will help them connect literacy concepts with their own creativity and develop stronger reading and writing skills. I am grateful for your support as these resources are making a significant difference in my students' literacy skills.","fullyFundedDate":1742566720662,"projectUrl":"project/learning-to-read-and-work-independently/9065041/","projectTitle":"Learning to Read and Work Independently!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Winston","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8569426_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1672532441417","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8569426"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_5828","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":364,"numTeachers":27,"percentFrplEligible":90,"percentAsian":0,"percentBlack":94,"percentWhite":0,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":3,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"Pre-K - 8","studentTeacherRatio":"13.5:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":73.0,"schoolId":5828,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about John M Smyth Magnet School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"John M Smyth Magnet School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/illinois/chicago-public-school-district-299/john-n-smyth-magnet-school/5828"}
Join the 452 supporters who believe in this school.
About this school
John M Smyth Magnet School is
an urban public school
in Chicago, Illinois that is part of Chicago Public School District 299.
It serves 364 students
in grades Pre-K - 8 with a student/teacher ratio of 13.5:1.
Its teachers have had 223 projects funded on DonorsChoose.
Boost support for this school! Share this page with friends, family, alumni, and fellow supporters. Every connection helps teachers get the supplies they need and shows how much your community cares about its students.
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Every donation funds real needs — pencils, books, lab equipment, art supplies, and more — helping students learn and thrive. We ship supplies directly to the school, and you'll see exactly where each dollar goes.
of students receive free or reduced price lunch
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
Source: the National Center for Education Statistics
97%
of students are Black, Latino, Native
American, or Asian
Data about school demographics comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. The numbers in this chart may not add up to 100% because of limitations in the available data.
John M Smyth Magnet School Support on DonorsChoose
Last updated Dec 24, 2025
DonorsChoose makes it easy for anyone to help a teacher in need, moving us closer to a nation where students
in every community have the tools and experiences they need for a great education.
John M Smyth Magnet School
$93,787
raised using DonorsChoose
223
projects
funded
52
teachers
funded
452
donors
18
projects
for
basic supplies
30
projects for
technology
34
projects for
books
6
projects
for
art supplies
John M Smyth Magnet School has received support from
330 individuals from Illinois and
122 individuals out-of-state.