{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Portage Park Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":34.5,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":2334089,"projectId":9984243,"letterContent":"Your donation has opened up worlds of possibilities for my 7th grade science students- thank you! Before having appropriate eye protection, my students could not engage in activities that involved many materials. Students had to use simulators and watch videos instead of engaging in hands-on experiments. You donation came in just before we are beginning a Chemical Reactions unit, and thanks to you generosity, my students will be able to DO science instead of just reading about or seeing science.","fullyFundedDate":1767881227622,"projectUrl":"project/glasses-for-safety-and-magnification/9984243/","projectTitle":"Glasses for Safety and Magnification","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Anderson","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-5_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/2334089"},{"teacherId":2334089,"projectId":9864959,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for donating these graphic novels to our 7th Grade Social Science classes. All year, we've had students engage in independent historical fiction reading with novels that complement the time periods of American History that we are studying. Fiction enables students to empathize and care about history on a level that is deeper, at times, than learning facts. While our strong readers pore through novel after novel, our developing readers need extra support to fully engage with these stories. Graphic novels are appealing and engaging for these students, and your contribution to our school is helping to bring history to life for all of our 7th graders.","fullyFundedDate":1769384487637,"projectUrl":"project/graphic-novels-to-bring-american-history/9864959/","projectTitle":"Graphic Novels to bring American History to Life","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Anderson","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-5_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/2334089"},{"teacherId":56446,"projectId":9867604,"letterContent":"This project has been a game changer for my diverse learners! I have some students who do not physically participate in dance and it has been challenging to find ways to include them in our lessons. They may dance for a few minutes, but not for the whole lesson. They would bring toys or an iPad to class, and while this would keep them ¨busy¨ during the lesson, it was not helping them connect to dance in any way.\r\n\r\nOne day a paraprofessional invited me to their homeroom and showed me the adapted books they used in their classroom. These books are interactive and can be created for any concept. I used their classroom materials and made a book about dance, and we tried it in my next lesson. Suddenly, the students were learning about dance through the adapted books AND they were enjoying it!\r\n\r\nWith this Donors Choose project, I was able to purchase my own book making materials. I have created over ten books so far, each connected to the learning of a specific grade level, and all of them related to dance. The students come into the dance studio and go straight to the cabinet where we store the adapted books, and they seem to look forward to it. When I add a new book, they are so excited!\r\n\r\nThese materials will allow me to continue making adapted materials for my diverse learners for years to come. I am so grateful to Donors Choose and all of my donors for helping me provide materials to make the dance class more accessible and inclusive for everyone!","fullyFundedDate":1764731472385,"projectUrl":"project/making-dance-accessible-to-all/9867604/","projectTitle":"Making Dance Accessible to All","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Spears","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp56446_orig.png?crop=295,295,x0,y120&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1720202077856","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrs-spears"},{"teacherId":9654143,"projectId":9857891,"letterContent":"Students were so excited when they walked towards the classroom and found the hallway set up with a round table, colorful stools, and a paper cart filled with all of the supplies they could ever need during small groups. They love to use the are for progress monitoring, projects, or just check ins with adults. We have also opened up the space so that it can be shared with support staff such as our Speech Pathologists and Occupational Therapists. It truly has become a space where all are welcome and supported.","fullyFundedDate":1762267652837,"projectUrl":"project/teamwork-makes-the-dreams-work-small-gr/9857891/","projectTitle":"Teamwork Makes the Dreams Work! Small Groups for Big Ideas","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Thompson","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-2_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9654143"},{"teacherId":3544081,"projectId":9511197,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for giving my sixth graders the incredible opportunity to explore these amazing novels. Your generosity has made a meaningful impact in our classroom, allowing students to engage deeply with literature and broaden their cultural understanding. I presented the novels to them by doing a book tasting. Students sampled the books and took notes on their menus while chatting with classmates about what interested them and why. I heard one student say, \"Wow, this character is just like me. I want to read this one!\" Hearing this truly warmed my heart. It's moments like these that remind me of the power of books to inspire and connect, and I am grateful for your support in making this possible.\r\n\r\nReading has become a vibrant part of our classroom routine, and your donations help foster a love for stories and critical thinking. We read together as a class, with students independently exploring texts, and then we come together to discuss and analyze what we've learned. The novels we selected were read independently and discussed weekly in book club meetings, which promoted rich conversations and high levels of engagement. Students loved sharing their thoughts, making inferences, and connecting the stories to their own lives. Your contribution has truly enriched their educational experience, and I am deeply grateful for your kindness and support.","fullyFundedDate":1760042738558,"projectUrl":"project/a-culturally-responsive-classroom/9511197/","projectTitle":"A Culturally Responsive Classroom","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Fiallos","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp3544081_orig.png?crop=323,323,x39,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1683039362724","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ms-fiallos"},{"teacherId":11670,"projectId":9899435,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting our Freaky Frogs STEM and literacy project! Because of your generosity, my students have been able to learn about frog life cycles, habitats, and adaptations in ways that were hands-on, exciting, and meaningful. Instead of just reading about frogs, students became scientists—testing how webbed feet move through water, experimenting with camouflage using light filters, and modeling frog life cycles with their own hands. One especially powerful moment was watching students use the materials from our adaptation labs to explain, in their own words, how and why frogs survive in different environments.\r\n\r\nBecause of you, our learning is continuing to grow. Next, students are using what they learned from the hands-on investigations to write and present research projects on unique frogs such as the water-holding frog, tomato frog, and Amazon horned frog. They are applying both science knowledge and writing skills to explain physical and behavioral adaptations and to teach others what they have learned. Your support has helped turn our classroom into a place where students don't just learn science—they do science.\r\n\r\nThank you for giving my students this unforgettable experience and for being a part of our classroom community.","fullyFundedDate":1763653908921,"projectUrl":"project/investigating-freaky-frog-adaptations/9899435/","projectTitle":"Investigating “Freaky Frog” Adaptations Through Mini STEM Labs","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Michael Pierson","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp11670_orig.jpg?crop=3024,3024,x0,y1008&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1715216714892","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/11670"},{"teacherId":645288,"projectId":9757506,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your incredible generosity in supporting our Media Arts Makerspace! Because of your contribution, our K–6 students now have a dedicated environment where their digital creativity meets hands-on engineering.\r\n\r\nIn our Media Art room, we often talk about \"building worlds.\" Before your donation, students were often limited to what they could draw or find on a screen. Now, the classroom has been transformed into a hive of physical construction. Here is a glimpse of the impact your gift is making across our grade levels:\r\n\r\nEngineering & Architecture: \r\nOur younger students are using the new building materials to explore structural integrity, creating 3D models of cities that we later use as \"sets\" for our filming projects.\r\n\r\nTactile Animation: \r\nThe addition of specialized materials have allowed us to dive deep into Analog Animation. Students are currently busy constructing hand-drawn flip books and thaumatropes, learning the physics of persistence of vision before they ever move to a computer.\r\n\r\nProp & Set Design: \r\nOur aspiring filmmakers now have easy access to a wide variety of materials to build custom props for their green screen videos and sets for LEGO stop-motion animations.\r\n\r\nPhysical Computing: \r\nYour support has provided the tools for our older students to learn about basic circuits. They built their own custom game controllers out of cardboard and conductive materials to connect to our Makey Makeys, bridging the gap between hardware and software.\r\n\r\nA Makerspace in a Media Art room is a special thing. It teaches our students that they aren't just \"users\" of technology, but inventors and architects of it. By having these materials readily available, you have removed the barriers to their imagination.\r\n\r\nWe are so grateful that you chose to invest in our students' curiosity and their future as creators. Thank you for making our school a place where kids can build, test, fail, and succeed every single day.","fullyFundedDate":1760357787604,"projectUrl":"project/steam-maker-space/9757506/","projectTitle":"STEAM Maker Space!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Bancroft","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp645288_orig.jpg?crop=2316,2316,x0,y247&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1759949269371","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/bbancroft"},{"teacherId":1997259,"projectId":9576204,"letterContent":"I cannot express in words how useful the cardboard cutting materials have been this semester. The students have so much autonomy with cutting shapes for their own projects. They are giddy getting to use a machine that is usually saved for adults only, however even kindergarteners are able to use this cardboard cutting machine. \r\n\r\nThank you so much for your contribution. We also used the cardboard cutting machines to make over 20 props and parts for the set of the fall play, Alice @ Wonderland. As an art teacher, it was so helpful to have cardboard cutting machines to use for these props. \r\n\r\nThank you for your kindness and thoughtful contribution to my classroom.","fullyFundedDate":1757726206613,"projectUrl":"project/cardboard-creations/9576204/","projectTitle":"Cardboard Creations","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Whitman","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp1997259_orig.jpg?crop=716,716,x337,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1673304185604","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/1997259"},{"teacherId":4980587,"projectId":9555522,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting this project and helping provide weekly Scholastic Magazines and monthly Scholastic Science Spin magazines for my students during the 2025–2026 school year. These engaging learning resources follow Illinois standards while connecting classroom instruction to real-world topics that truly bring learning to life for students.\r\n\r\nThrough these magazines, students will explore meaningful topics such as scientific investigations, interdependent relationships within ecosystems, and the impact humans have on our Earth. Teaching students about our environment is essential for our future, and these magazines help spark curiosity, discussion, and deeper understanding in a way that is both accessible and exciting.\r\n\r\nIn addition, these magazines strengthen the connection between school and home. Students will take them home to share with their families, creating new conversations and helping classroom learning feel relevant in their everyday lives. This extension of learning beyond the classroom makes a lasting impact on student engagement and understanding.\r\n\r\nThank you for investing in my students and helping make learning meaningful, relevant, and inspiring.","fullyFundedDate":1757553267733,"projectUrl":"project/scholastic-news-for-kids/9555522/","projectTitle":"Scholastic News for Kids!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Hernandez","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp4980587_orig.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1634293605138","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/room226"},{"teacherId":4980587,"projectId":9751609,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting our classroom studios. Studios are small-group or independent learning stations that allow students to rotate through different activities during a learning block. Each studio focuses on a specific skill or subject and can be adjusted by level, giving students the opportunity to work at their own pace and build confidence in their learning.\r\n\r\nBecause of your support, students are actively engaged while working independently or collaboratively, and I am able to pull small groups for targeted instruction. This structure allows me to meet students exactly where they are and provide the support or challenge they need to grow.\r\n\r\nYour generosity helps create a classroom environment where all students can stay engaged, feel successful, and receive individualized instruction. Thank you for helping make this meaningful learning experience possible for my students.","fullyFundedDate":1758837770719,"projectUrl":"project/brightmind-studios/9751609/","projectTitle":"BrightMind Studios","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Hernandez","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp4980587_orig.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1634293605138","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/room226"},{"teacherId":4980587,"projectId":9553721,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting this project. Having access to a Calming Corner is a huge asset to any classroom, and being able to put one in place this school year will benefit my students in meaningful ways beyond academics. This space will allow them to dive deeply into social-emotional learning and develop important life skills they will carry with them.\r\n\r\nThe Calming Corner will be a designated, safe space where students can express their emotions, practice self-regulation, and return to learning with a calm mind and heart. By filling our Calm Down Corner with thoughtfully chosen books and materials, students will have the tools they need to calm themselves, reflect, and rejoin the class ready to learn.\r\n\r\nYour support helps create an environment where students feel safe, supported, and empowered to manage their emotions. Thank you for making this possible for my classroom and my students.","fullyFundedDate":1757530205660,"projectUrl":"project/a-safe-and-calming-space/9553721/","projectTitle":"A Safe and Calming Space","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Hernandez","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp4980587_orig.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1634293605138","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/room226"},{"teacherId":9926246,"projectId":9235289,"letterContent":"I am deeply grateful for the generous donation of a class set of One Well. This book will be a powerful tool in helping my students understand global water issues and inspire them to become informed, compassionate agents of positive change in their communities and beyond. \r\n\r\nIn a classroom where much of our learning happens on Chromebooks and through digital texts, having a physical book in students' hands is especially meaningful. Holding, sharing, and engaging with a real book creates a different kind of connection to the content—one that encourages focus, discussion, and a deeper sense of ownership over their learning. This gift not only enriches our curriculum but also gives students the joy and impact of learning through print in a digital world.\r\n\r\nThank you so much!","fullyFundedDate":1753382799886,"projectUrl":"project/help-my-3rd-graders-be-agents-of-positiv/9235289/","projectTitle":"Help My 3rd Graders Be Agents of Positive Change!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Butler","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-4_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9926246"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_5346","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":889,"numTeachers":47,"percentFrplEligible":69,"percentAsian":2,"percentBlack":3,"percentWhite":27,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":61,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"Pre-K - 8","studentTeacherRatio":"18.9:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":65.5,"schoolId":5346,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Portage Park Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Portage Park Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/illinois/chicago-public-school-district-299/portage-park-elementary-school/5346"}