{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Ruiz Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":25.7,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":7791888,"projectId":10072088,"letterContent":"Thank you for supporting my 2nd grade classroom. Our portable lap desks have created new spaces for students so that they can write. The signage that we received has allowed us to create clear labeling so student know where they can go. Room 201 hadn't seen portable desks and were very eager to use them right away. The portable lap desks have given my students the freedom to choose where they write best. Giving them choice is very important to me as a teacher. I want my students to have wants when it comes to their writing and learning overall. They are able to take ownership of their writing and their space. I thank you for allowing me to give that to them. Your help has given my students a flexible, fun, and productive environment for my students.","fullyFundedDate":1775801128569,"projectUrl":"project/empowering-bilingual-authors/10072088/","projectTitle":"Empowering Bilingual Authors","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. León","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7791888_orig.jpg?crop=1440,1440,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1727059557986","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/7791888"},{"teacherId":2215817,"projectId":10451430,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous support of our project, \"Organization is Our Jam.\" Because of your kindness, our classroom now has the organizational tools and storage solutions needed to keep our learning environment neat, structured, and efficient. Transforming our space with these new resources has created a much calmer atmosphere where students can easily find and care for their materials.\r\n\r\nThe impact of having an organized classroom was immediate. Instead of spending valuable instructional time searching for misplaced supplies or dealing with cluttered workspaces, my students can now independently access what they need and dive straight into their lessons. Having dedicated spots for every item has helped my students take real ownership of their environment and build important habits around responsibility, routines, and executive function skills.\r\n\r\nYour support goes far beyond providing bins and organizers, it shows my students that their learning space is valued and worthy of care. We are deeply grateful for your generosity and for helping us build a structured, welcoming environment where students can stay focused and thrive every day.","fullyFundedDate":1791219315626,"projectUrl":"project/organization-is-our-jam/10451430/","projectTitle":"Organization Is Our Jam","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Escoto","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp2215817_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1507865884157","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ms-escoto"},{"teacherId":2215817,"projectId":10463307,"letterContent":"I am writing to express my deepest gratitude for your generous support of our project, \"Espresso Yourself: Life and Vocational Skills.\" Thanks to your contributions, we were able to acquire an ice machine, our coffee machine, serving cart, cups, syrups, and several other inventory supplies. Your support has turned our school's cluster classroom into a practical, hands-on learning environment that our students look forward to every day.\r\n\r\nThese resources have opened up valuable opportunities for real-world vocational training. Our students will use these materials to practice functional math, customer service, teamwork, and task completion in a practical, meaningful setting. Having them master new responsibilities and take ownership of their roles has been truly inspiring.\r\n\r\nThank you for choosing to support our cluster classroom and invest in our students' future independence. Your generosity shows our class that a whole community is cheering them on, and the skills they are building today will have a lasting impact for years to come.","fullyFundedDate":1786366991373,"projectUrl":"project/espresso-yourself-life-and-vocational-s/10463307/","projectTitle":"Espresso Yourself: Life and Vocational Skills on Wheels","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Escoto","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp2215817_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1507865884157","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ms-escoto"},{"teacherId":2215817,"projectId":10216042,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous support of our project, \"A Place to Gather: Revitalizing Our Outdoor Space.\" Because of your kindness, our students now have an inviting, functional outdoor environment where they can learn, collaborate, and connect with nature. Transforming this area from an underutilized spot into a vibrant community space has completely refreshed our school environment and given our students a well-deserved breath of fresh air during the school day.\r\n\r\nThe impact of these new materials was immediate. Having dedicated seating and resources outdoors has allowed us to take lessons beyond the traditional classroom walls. Whether we are reading together, conducting hands-on science observations, or giving students a peaceful space to collaborate during group activities, this revamped space has boosted student engagement and overall well-being. Our students look forward to outdoor learning time, and their enthusiasm for coming to class has grown significantly. Our community also uses it as it is located within our community garden, and very near the playground. \r\n\r\nYour investment in our school reaches far beyond the physical items, it shows our students that people outside of our school believe in their education and care about their learning environment. We are deeply grateful for your generosity and for helping us create a meaningful space that will benefit our students and community every single day.","fullyFundedDate":1785200416006,"projectUrl":"project/a-place-to-gather-revitalizing-our-outd/10216042/","projectTitle":"A Place to Gather: Revitalizing Our Outdoor Space","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Escoto","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp2215817_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1507865884157","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ms-escoto"},{"teacherId":8627765,"projectId":10621127,"letterContent":"Thank you so much in your help expanding our classroom library. Students enjoy the new books that we have. The girls really enjoy The New Girl book; it was one of the first ones being checked out. The boys were very excited about the Dog Man book. They have been asking for them for weeks. \r\nIn our classroom, reading takes place in many parts of the day. Students read waiting for their turn in their bathroom break. Many students enjoy reading during free time on Fridays. They use it as their calm down break or when they finish other assignments early. So thank you again in making sure Reading is Fun in our classroom!","fullyFundedDate":1789589631006,"projectUrl":"project/reading-is-fun-part11/10621127/","projectTitle":"Reading Is Fun! (part11)","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Ballesteros","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8627765_orig.jpg?crop=554,554,x725,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1660950539293","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8627765"},{"teacherId":7791888,"projectId":10166926,"letterContent":"Thanks to the incredible support of our donors, my second-grade classroom has seen an amazing change by the arrival of our new binding machine!\r\n\r\nHaving these tools on hand has completely streamlined how I create differentiated learning materials. I am now able to instantly print, bind, and distribute customized English and Spanish workbooks tailored directly to each student's specific learning needs. Whether a student needs extra foundational phonics support, advanced challenge prompts, or targeted math practice, I can quickly put a durable, professional-quality book right into their hands.\r\n\r\nBeyond academics, the greatest impact of these tailored materials is equity and representation. Being able to seamlessly provide dual-language workbooks ensures that all of my students have equal access to learning. More importantly, it sends a powerful message to every child who walks through my door: you belong here, your language is valued, and you are fully seen.\r\n\r\nFrom the bottom of my heart—and from all of my amazing second graders—thank you for investing in our classroom, our equity, and our success!","fullyFundedDate":1778031814106,"projectUrl":"project/tailored-tools-binding-success-2nd-grad/10166926/","projectTitle":"Tailored Tools: Binding Success 2nd Grade","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. León","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7791888_orig.jpg?crop=1440,1440,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1727059557986","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/7791888"},{"teacherId":2215817,"projectId":10274334,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generosity in funding our project, \"Learning to Read to Loving to Read!\" Because of your support, our classroom has been transformed into a place where reading is no longer just a daily task and it is now an adventure our students look forward to every day.\r\n\r\nWith the new books and reading materials, my students have been able to explore stories that truly hold their interest and meet them at their specific reading levels. Seeing their faces light up when they open a brand-new book has been incredible. Children who were once hesitant readers are now eagerly choosing books during independent reading time, sharing their favorite parts with classmates, and building their reading confidence step-by-step.\r\n\r\nYour kindness did more than just supply our classroom with resources; you gave my students the gift of literacy and helped spark a lifelong love for reading. Thank you for investing in our classroom and believing in our young readers!","fullyFundedDate":1778273447799,"projectUrl":"project/learning-to-read-to-loving-to-read/10274334/","projectTitle":"Learning to Read to Loving to Read","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Escoto","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp2215817_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1507865884157","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ms-escoto"},{"teacherId":2215817,"projectId":10175672,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your incredible generosity in supporting our project, \"The Path to Focus: A School-Wide Sensory Path.\" Installing these vibrant, interactive sensory elements in our hallway has completely transformed our school environment into an engaging space that supports our students' emotional and physical well-being throughout the school day.\r\n\r\nOur students have been actively engaging with the sensory path from morning until dismissal. It has brought so much joy to our building, while serving as a powerful tool to help students self-regulate, burn off extra energy, and refocus before returning to their classrooms. It is truly an inclusive and interactive space that meets the needs of our entire school community. We see bright smiles across all age groups, from our youngest 3-year-olds to our 13-year-old middle schoolers. Seeing students of all ages use the path to take a brain break and reset has been wonderful. Thank you for making our school a happier, more focused place to learn!","fullyFundedDate":1776357609017,"projectUrl":"project/the-path-to-focus-a-school-wide-sensory/10175672/","projectTitle":"The Path to Focus: a School-Wide Sensory Reset","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Escoto","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp2215817_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1507865884157","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ms-escoto"},{"teacherId":2215817,"projectId":10190327,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your support of our project, \"Empowering Every Voice: Spanish Literacy.\" Having these specialized resources available has made a transformational difference in how we evaluate and support our Spanish-speaking students. Rather than relying on translated or non-standardized tools, we now have access to accurate assessment materials designed specifically to evaluate Spanish literacy and cognitive development.\r\n\r\nThe impact of these materials has been immediately noticeable in our collaborative work. Our school psychologist and special education teacher have been using the resources side by side; learning how to administer the assessments, analyze the diagnostic scores, and deeply understand each student's unique profile. By reviewing these results together, they are able to pinpoint specific learning strengths and areas for growth. This shared data allows them to design highly targeted, individualized instruction and support plans tailored directly to each student's needs. Thank you for giving us the tools to empower our bilingual learners and ensure their voices are heard and supported!","fullyFundedDate":1777926830911,"projectUrl":"project/empowering-every-voice-spanish-literacy/10190327/","projectTitle":"Empowering Every Voice: Spanish Literacy for Special Education","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Escoto","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp2215817_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1507865884157","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ms-escoto"},{"teacherId":2215817,"projectId":10139980,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generosity in supporting our project, \"Hands-On Reading Sensory Success.\" Having these new hands-on reading resources in our classroom has completely transformed the way my students engage with foundational reading concepts. Throughout the week, we focus heavily on explicit phonics instruction, learning specific sound patterns and decoding strategies. The new materials have provided the perfect bridge to reinforce these concepts in an interactive, multisensory way.\r\n\r\nMy students look forward to Fridays all week long because they know it is time to put their learning into action with our new phonics games. Friday learning has turned into a highlight of our week. The students gather with their classmates, laughing and encouraging one another while actively practicing the phonics rules they learned over the past four days. Watching them collaborate, problem-solve, and build reading fluency through play has been incredible. These hands-on resources have made reading practice both meaningful and fun, giving my students the confidence they need to succeed. Thank you again for making this possible!","fullyFundedDate":1777649259618,"projectUrl":"project/hands-on-reading-sensory-success/10139980/","projectTitle":"Hands-On Reading: Sensory Success","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Escoto","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp2215817_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1507865884157","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ms-escoto"},{"teacherId":8627765,"projectId":10130773,"letterContent":"Thank you so much in funding this project. Students were very excited to end the year with a fossil activity. It might be messy, but seeing their smiles and laughter is making great memories. They had fun identifying the different fossils they found and were trying to match it with the booklet. They looked through the booklet to read more about them, which is a fun way to learn. We had so many fossil kits enough for eight groups to make sure every student had enough fossils to take home and turn to \"dig.\"","fullyFundedDate":1776429350995,"projectUrl":"project/we-are-paleontologists/10130773/","projectTitle":"We Are Paleontologists!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Ballesteros","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8627765_orig.jpg?crop=554,554,x725,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1660950539293","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8627765"},{"teacherId":8627765,"projectId":10018347,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for these amazing new books for our classroom library! Students were excited the moment they saw them and couldn't wait to start reading. Some of the most popular choices right now are Bounce Back 3: Sew Totally Nala, the Pokémon battle matchup book, The Awakening Storm, FGTeeV: Out of Time!, and The Pocket Peaches.\r\n\r\nThese books have really sparked interest and conversation, and students are constantly asking to read them or share them with friends. It's wonderful to see how engaged they are and how much they enjoy reading together. Your support is helping build confidence, excitement, and a strong reading culture in our classroom. We truly appreciate your generosity!","fullyFundedDate":1773875226954,"projectUrl":"project/reading-is-fun-part-10/10018347/","projectTitle":"Reading Is Fun! (part 10)","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Ballesteros","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8627765_orig.jpg?crop=554,554,x725,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1660950539293","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8627765"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_5653","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":468,"numTeachers":42,"percentFrplEligible":87,"percentAsian":0,"percentBlack":3,"percentWhite":1,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":93,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","percentHawaiianImputed":0,"percentMultiracialImputed":0,"gradesServed":"Pre-K - 8","studentTeacherRatio":"11.1:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":74.3,"schoolId":5653,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Ruiz Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Ruiz Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/illinois/chicago-public-school-district-299/ruiz-elementary-school/5653"}