{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Palmer Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":25.5,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":4200261,"projectId":9491098,"letterContent":"I am writing to express my deepest and most sincere gratitude for your incredible generosity in providing our preschool classroom with our beautiful new classroom rug. In early childhood education, the physical environment plays a crucial role in a child's development, and your contribution has fundamentally transformed our daily learning space. By ensuring my students have a comfortable, defined, and inviting place to gather, you have provided them with a true foundation for their academic and social success.\r\n\r\nIn a preschool setting, the classroom rug is so much more than just a floor covering; it is the \"heart\" of our community. It serves as the primary stage for our morning meetings, where we gather to share our ideas, discuss our feelings, and build the social-emotional skills that will serve these children for a lifetime. Having a high-quality, soft, and visually appealing area for group instruction allows my students to focus better during lessons. It creates a clear sense of \"belonging\" where every child has their own physical space to sit, listen, and participate. In the energetic world of a preschooler, having this designated \"home base\" helps provide the structure and routine they need to feel secure.","fullyFundedDate":1757619315364,"projectUrl":"project/our-classrooms-happy-place-the-rug/9491098/","projectTitle":"Our Classroom’s Happy Place: The Rug!","teacherDisplayName":"Dr. Doyle","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp4200261_orig.png?crop=426,426,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1752981415102","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/doyle107"},{"teacherId":4200261,"projectId":10028264,"letterContent":"I am writing to express my deepest and most sincere gratitude for your incredible generosity in providing our classroom with the OSMO Words system. It is through the kindness of supporters like you that my students are given the opportunity to explore, grow, and thrive in an environment equipped with modern, high-quality educational tools. Ensuring that my students have the specific resources they need to succeed is my highest priority, and your contribution has made a tangible difference in our daily learning journey.\r\n\r\nIn my preschool classroom, we are currently seeing a wonderful trend of academic curiosity. I have many students who are developmentally advanced and are already showing a strong interest in the foundations of literacy. While the standard curriculum is excellent for building basic phonemic awareness, these early bloomers are ready to take the leap into actual reading. Identifying and supporting these advanced learners can sometimes be a challenge without the right tools, but your gift has provided the perfect solution.\r\n\r\nThe OSMO Words supplementary resources have allowed me to differentiate my instruction in a way that feels seamless and exciting. In a classroom of diverse needs, being able to provide a \"challenge\" station for those who are ready to excel is vital. OSMO Words transforms abstract letters into a tactile, interactive experience. By using physical tiles to interact with a digital interface, students are engaging multiple senses at once—sight, touch, and sound. This multisensory approach is exactly what young learners need to bridge the gap between recognizing a letter and understanding how it functions within a word.\r\n\r\nThank you again for your heart for education and for investing in the potential of my students.","fullyFundedDate":1768688918219,"projectUrl":"project/osmo-words/10028264/","projectTitle":"OSMO Words","teacherDisplayName":"Dr. Doyle","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp4200261_orig.png?crop=426,426,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1752981415102","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/doyle107"},{"teacherId":4200261,"projectId":10059711,"letterContent":"Your generosity has transformed our classroom into a vibrant hub of discovery. While we all share a love for a great story, these curriculum-aligned books are more than just \"reads\"—they are specialized tools that unlock critical thinking. Reading in our room is no longer a silent, solitary chore. Because of these books, it is active and social. By providing these high-quality materials, you haven't just given us paper and ink—you've given our students the keys to understand the world and themselves. Thank you for making this possible.","fullyFundedDate":1773842536512,"projectUrl":"project/fueling-young-minds/10059711/","projectTitle":"Fueling Young Minds","teacherDisplayName":"Dr. Doyle","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp4200261_orig.png?crop=426,426,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1752981415102","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/doyle107"},{"teacherId":4200261,"projectId":7366122,"letterContent":"I am writing to express my deepest and most sincere gratitude for your incredible generosity in providing our preschool classroom with new storage cabinets. It is often said that a well-organized environment is the \"third teacher\" in early childhood education, and your contribution has made that a reality for my students. Ensuring that my classroom has the structural resources needed to succeed is a high priority for me, and your gift has fundamentally transformed our daily learning space into a more efficient and inspiring home for discovery.\r\n\r\nIn a preschool setting, the physical layout of the room dictates how children interact with their world. Prior to receiving these cabinets, managing our vast array of art supplies, curriculum materials, and books was a constant logistical challenge. Now, thanks to your support, these essential resources have a dedicated and secure home. This organization does more than just make the room look tidy; it creates a sense of predictability and calm that is vital for young learners to feel safe and focused.","fullyFundedDate":1683684771093,"projectUrl":"project/clutter-be-gone/7366122/","projectTitle":"Clutter Be Gone!","teacherDisplayName":"Dr. Doyle","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp4200261_orig.png?crop=426,426,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1752981415102","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/doyle107"},{"teacherId":9856698,"projectId":9837435,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your incredible generosity and support. Because of you, our basketball program has been able to provide our student athletes with the resources and encouragement they need to feel confident, prepared, and proud to represent their school. Your donations have had a real and immediate impact on our teams, and we are truly grateful.\r\n\r\nThanks to your contributions, our Free Throw-a-Thon was a huge success - our players made over 5,200 points! The energy in the gym, the excitement from the students, and the pride they felt knowing the community was behind them made the event unforgettable. Your support helped create that moment, and our athletes will carry that memory with them all season.\r\n\r\nYour generosity is already paying off on the court as well. We are thrilled to share that both the girls and boys teams won their first game of the season! The students took the court with confidence, unity, and a renewed sense of purpose - fueled by knowing that people like you believe in them.\r\n\r\nThank you again for investing in our students and for helping us build a program that teaches teamwork, perseverance, and school pride. We could not do this without you!","fullyFundedDate":1761956490789,"projectUrl":"project/palmer-basketball-uniforms/9837435/","projectTitle":"Palmer Basketball Uniforms","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Pearson","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9856698_orig.png?crop=1390,1390,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1760630500775","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9856698"},{"teacherId":5212865,"projectId":9772191,"letterContent":"Since receiving these new resources, our classroom learning has been transformed in meaningful and visible ways. We use the cozy rug every single day for morning meetings, read-alouds, and small group discussions. It has become the heart of our classroom—a space where all students feel safe, comfortable, and excited to learn together. The document camera has completely changed how I teach lessons. Students can now clearly see examples of writing, math strategies, and model work in real time, which has greatly improved understanding and participation. The class set of novels has launched our newest book club unit, and the impact has been incredible. During reading time, students are so engaged that they beg me to keep reading \"just one more chapter.\" Their enthusiasm for literature and discussion has grown tremendously.\r\n\r\nWhen the students first saw the materials, their reactions were priceless. Gasps filled the room when they saw the new rug rolled out, and cheers erupted when they realized everyone would get their own copy of the same novel. Holding a brand-new book that belonged just to them made the experience feel special and important. Many students immediately began flipping through the pages, asking questions about the plot, and predicting what might happen next. They felt proud, valued, and excited to begin our class book club together. \r\n\r\nNext, students will continue working through their novel study in book clubs, where they will build critical thinking skills through themed discussions, character analysis, and written responses. We will also use the document camera to share student work with peers, building confidence and presentation skills. These donated resources are not just materials—they are shaping daily learning experiences, deepening engagement, and helping students grow as readers, thinkers, and collaborators. Your generosity is leaving a lasting impact on the students academic growth and their love for learning. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!","fullyFundedDate":1760739516850,"projectUrl":"project/we-love-reading/9772191/","projectTitle":"We Love Reading!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Wilkinson","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp5212865_orig.jpg?crop=960,960,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1563920705782","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/5212865"},{"teacherId":2467989,"projectId":9696766,"letterContent":"First and foremost, I cannot begin to thank you enough for what you all have done for me and my students. The students are so grateful for the Lego Robotics. They love being able to use legos to create something and then bring it to life though coding. We all couldn't be happier with the donations. They were shocked that such amazing people thought of them and wanted to help out.\r\n\r\nThe impact of your support has been immediate and transformative. My students are now using the LEGO SPIKE Prime kits to transition from basic concepts to advanced, real-world engineering challenges. They are actively engaged in designing, building, and coding sophisticated solutions to problems. This hands-on experience is not only making abstract science and math concepts tangible but is also fostering crucial skills like problem-solving, collaboration, and algorithmic thinking.\r\n\r\nYour support has not just provided equipment; it has given my 8th graders the confidence and the tools to see themselves as future innovators, engineers, and computer scientists. Thank you for being a champion for their education and for empowering the next generation of creative thinkers.","fullyFundedDate":1757616569677,"projectUrl":"project/creative-engineers/9696766/","projectTitle":"Creative Engineers","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Hermann","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp2467989_orig.jpg?crop=467,467,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1588104664465","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ms-hermann"},{"teacherId":1066055,"projectId":8683989,"letterContent":"Our first-grade classroom library is now a vibrant resource, thanks to your generosity! What was once worn books now sparks a love of reading in all students. Their excitement upon arrival was clear as they eagerly explored the colorful covers. We've already used the new books for a project exploring genres and authors. Each student shared a chosen book, building confidence and comprehension.\r\n\r\nBeyond reading, these books inspire creative writing, imaginative play, and great discussions. It's amazing to see their imaginations ignited. Your support has cultivated a lasting passion for learning and literacy. Thank you for making a real difference!","fullyFundedDate":1734378854063,"projectUrl":"project/reading-for-success-a-classroom-librar/8683989/","projectTitle":"Reading for Success: A Classroom Library for First Graders","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Chaian","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp1066055_orig.jpg?crop=1778,1778,x2192,y414&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1565825969583","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrs-chaian"},{"teacherId":33278,"projectId":8907596,"letterContent":"Thank you for helping us to symbolically adopt these animals as a culminating activity for our Friendship Unit focused on, \"The One and Only Ivan.\" Students were so excited when the project was fully funded and knew that they were helping to make a difference in the lives of real animals!\r\n As a grade level, we continued reading the book series during our daily read aloud. Students were engaged listening to these stories and made amazing connections. Noticing the students love of animals, we also partnered with our local aquarium. Student learned about animal communication and investigated if cargo ships should be allowed in areas heavily populated by dolphins. \r\n As the year comes to an end, we know that the students love for animals and this symbolic adoption will be something that has shown the students that they can make a difference in the world around them. Thank you for helping us to achieve this!","fullyFundedDate":1731518827277,"projectUrl":"project/help-us-to-help-make-a-difference/8907596/","projectTitle":"Help Us to Help Make a Difference!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Swiderski, NBCT","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp33278_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1462808535042","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ms-swiderski-nbct"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_5331","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":755,"numTeachers":43,"percentFrplEligible":70,"percentAsian":16,"percentBlack":1,"percentWhite":34,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":42,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","percentHawaiianImputed":0,"percentMultiracialImputed":3,"gradesServed":"Pre-K - 8","studentTeacherRatio":"17.6:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":74.5,"schoolId":5331,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Palmer Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Palmer Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/illinois/chicago-public-school-district-299/palmer-elementary-school/5331"}