{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Willa Cather Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":43.8,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":8537542,"projectId":8744961,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for helping us build a culturally relevant classroom library in our art room. These books have given my students access to stories, artists, cultures, and experiences that more closely reflect both themselves and the diverse world around them. Having these resources directly in our classroom means that books can become a natural part of artmaking rather than something reserved only for reading class.\r\nWe use the books to introduce artists, inspire new projects, make connections between art and students' own lives, and start conversations before creating. Students can also explore the books independently when they finish their work or are looking for inspiration. I especially love seeing students recognize themselves in a book or become interested in an artist or story they had never encountered before. Your support has helped me create an art room where representation, curiosity, reading, and creativity can exist together.","fullyFundedDate":1726675862755,"projectUrl":"project/culturally-relevant-classroom-library/8744961/","projectTitle":"Culturally Relevant Classroom Library","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Reamer","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-2_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8537542"},{"teacherId":10487267,"projectId":10233958,"letterContent":"I work in East Garfield Park in Chicago, Illinois at Willa Cather Elementary. We are a title one school and I work as the middle-school cluster teacher for students with special needs. In Illinois, the term \"cluster\" refers to students who do best in a \"self-contained\" classroom rather than a general education setting. The students I work with work from a significantly modified curriculum, and we get to work on a lot of life-skills rather than only focusing on academic skills. Because of this, we get to teach a cooking curriculum throughout the school year! \r\n\r\nTwice a month, I teach students how to make basic, healthy and accessible meals. Sometimes we bake a treat, like the rice crispy treats we made in the photos attached. Each time we do a cooking lesson, I am always scrounging around at home to find the items needed to provide a well-rounded and accessible lesson, and find it to be quite a struggle each time. The stress to try and find or buy all of the items needed for this part of their curriculum has been very overwhelming at times. That is why this donation has been so incredibly valuable to me and the students in my classroom. \r\n\r\nYour donation included but was not limited to: aprons for each student, a portable stove and griddle to enable the students to learn how to make hot meals like macaroni and scrambled eggs, tongs, safety knives to practice cutting food, food trays, rolling pins, plastic gloves, kid-friendly cookbooks and much more. When we received the package at the end of the school year last year, the students were ecstatic about it and couldn't wait to get back to cooking this school year. We are so thankful for your generosity. You've made a difference in my life, but more importantly, in the student's lives. Thank you, thank you for your donation. We are so excited to kick off our culinary skills in this new school year!","fullyFundedDate":1778033897387,"projectUrl":"project/ready-set-cook/10233958/","projectTitle":"Ready, Set, Cook!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Boyer","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-4_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10487267"},{"teacherId":1010046,"projectId":10298059,"letterContent":"My students' faces lit up when they first saw their new math journals and folders! These simple resources will make a meaningful impact on our daily math block by giving each student materials that are their own and helping them feel organized and prepared to learn. Students will use their math journals to solve word problems, show their mathematical thinking, and explain the strategies they use. Over time, their journals will allow them to look back at their work and see their growth as mathematicians.\r\n\r\nThe folders will be used to keep track of students' daily math fluency materials so they can easily access their practice and build consistency with important math skills. Our next step is to begin incorporating these resources into our daily math routines. Students will use their journals to work through increasingly challenging problems while using their folders to organize their fluency practice. I am so excited to see how these materials help my students build confidence, take ownership of their learning, and recognize their progress throughout the year. Thank you to our generous donors for making this possible!","fullyFundedDate":1779510505156,"projectUrl":"project/math-momentum-starts-here/10298059/","projectTitle":"Math Momentum Starts Here","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Mulcahy","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp1010046_orig.png?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1789439635566","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/1010046"},{"teacherId":10174660,"projectId":9586797,"letterContent":"First off, thank you so much for funding my entire project! It was truly such a surprise and I couldn't be more thankful. \r\n\r\nAs a first year speech pathologist, this project helped me with the essentials to create a classroom with the basic resources and fun resources for my students to use. By having a bookshelf, my students have shown more interest in grabbing books and asking to read them. The bulletin board allows me to display a core board to support communication. All resources are out to great use!","fullyFundedDate":1764728217426,"projectUrl":"project/giving-my-students-a-voice-first-year/9586797/","projectTitle":"Giving My Students a Voice - First Year Speech Pathologist!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Ireland","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10174660_orig.jpg?crop=2066,2066,x0,y729&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1756835373224","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10174660"},{"teacherId":8293154,"projectId":9662447,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous contribution! The sensory tools you've helped provide—especially the weighted vest, noise-canceling headphones, textured desk strips, and fidget toys—are already making a huge impact in our classroom. My 4th and 5th grade students often struggle with focus and regulation, especially in the classroom setting. These resources are giving them the support they need to function and stay engaged.\r\n\r\nThe weighted vest helps students feel grounded and calm during lessons, which allows them to stay focused on their work. The noise-canceling headphones are a lifesaver for students who need to block out distractions in order to concentrate. The textured desk strips provide tactile support, helping students stay focused and manage sensory overload, while the fidget toys give students a way to release excess energy and regulate their attention.\r\n\r\nOne of the most rewarding moments was seeing the students' reactions when they first tried these tools. They immediately began using them to help stay calm and focused, especially during math and reading time. These resources are making a real difference in their ability to stay on task, manage big emotions, and fully participate in lessons.\r\n\r\nThanks to you, my students now have the tools they need to regulate themselves and thrive in a sometimes overwhelming classroom environment. We are so grateful for your support and belief in their potential!","fullyFundedDate":1756842931332,"projectUrl":"project/hands-on-tools-for-calm-and-focus/9662447/","projectTitle":"Hands-On Tools for Calm and Focus","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Werner","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8293154_orig.jpg?crop=704,704,x469,y58&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1660676856673","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8293154"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_5780","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":318,"numTeachers":25,"percentFrplEligible":95,"percentAsian":0,"percentBlack":90,"percentWhite":0,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":8,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","percentHawaiianImputed":0,"percentMultiracialImputed":0,"gradesServed":"Pre-K - 8","studentTeacherRatio":"12.7:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":56.2,"schoolId":5780,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Willa Cather Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Willa Cather Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/illinois/chicago-public-school-district-299/willa-cather-elementary-school/5780"}