{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Van Buren Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":37.3,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":9559100,"projectId":10482291,"letterContent":"Thank you for your support of the Kangaroo Pouches project. Each student in my kindergarten classroom is responsible for their own library book and practice workbooks. Kangaroo Pouches are the perfect way to store these items that are easily accessible for students. This promotes independence skills and allows students more room to work at their classroom tables without the clutter of personal items.\r\nAgain, we a truly grateful for your support as this project is something that will be used, loved and touched each day by our students. THANK YOU!","fullyFundedDate":1792160183609,"projectUrl":"project/kangaroo-pouches/10482291/","projectTitle":"Kangaroo Pouches","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Halligan","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9559100_orig.jpg?crop=3024,3024,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1717027872274","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9559100"},{"teacherId":9684792,"projectId":10622497,"letterContent":"Thanks to our generous DonorsChoose supporters, students across our school now have access to winter hats, gloves, and scarves whenever they need them. As temperatures have dropped, these items will be used daily during recess, arrival, and dismissal. One especially meaningful moment was seeing students who previously struggled through outdoor time without adequate winter clothing eagerly head outside knowing they would be warm and comfortable. Having these resources readily available has helped ensure that all students can safely participate in school activities regardless of their circumstances.\r\n\r\nWhen the winter gear arrived, students were excited and grateful. The materials helped students feel cared for and supported, and staff appreciated being able to quickly provide assistance when a child needed winter clothing.\r\n\r\nAs we move further into the winter season, these resources will continue to support our students every day. Your generosity has made a lasting impact on our school community by helping students stay warm, comfortable, and ready to learn. Thank you for helping us create a more supportive environment for every child.","fullyFundedDate":1790804679993,"projectUrl":"project/warm-heads-warm-hands-warm-hearts-wint/10622497/","projectTitle":"Warm Heads, Warm Hands, Warm Hearts-Winter Gear for Van Buren","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Galus","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9684792_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1741046475563","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ms-galus"},{"teacherId":10045940,"projectId":9439742,"letterContent":"The new resources have been such a helpful addition to our kindergarten classroom! As a kindergarten teacher, I want my classroom to be a place where students feel safe, comfortable, and ready to learn each day. With a room full of young learners who are still developing independence and learning how to take care of themselves and their environment, supplies like hand sanitizer, Clorox wipes, baby wipes, and a mini dustpan and broom make a big difference in our daily routines. We use these materials to help keep our classroom clean, practice healthy habits, and teach students the importance of taking responsibility for their learning space. For example, during our classroom activities and hands-on learning centers, students often use crayons, markers, manipulatives, and other materials that can get messy throughout the day. Having cleaning supplies available allows us to wipe down tables, clean up spills, and keep shared materials and workspaces as clean as possible. The mini dustpan and broom also give students opportunities to practice cleaning up small messes independently. These simple routines help build responsibility, independence, and pride in our classroom. Hand sanitizer and baby wipes are also especially useful throughout the school day as students transition between activities, finish projects, and prepare for snack or other classroom routines.\r\n\r\nWhen my students first saw the new materials, they were excited to see the supplies that would help us take care of our classroom. While these items may seem like everyday necessities to adults, they play an important role in helping young children learn how to care for themselves and their surroundings. Kindergarten students are naturally curious and eager to participate in classroom jobs, and they enjoy having opportunities to help their teacher and classmates. The mini dustpan and broom are particularly useful because students can see that even small jobs help our classroom run smoothly. They are learning that being part of a classroom community means doing their part, helping others, and treating shared spaces with care. Having the right supplies available also allows us to respond to everyday messes quickly, so students can return their attention to learning instead of worrying about spills or dirty workspaces. I appreciate being able to provide these opportunities for my students because learning responsibility and healthy habits is just as important as developing academic skills at this age.\r\n\r\nAs we continue throughout the school year, our next steps are to build on these routines while strengthening the foundational skills that are so important in kindergarten. My students are learning to become more independent with classroom procedures, follow directions, care for shared materials, and work together as a classroom community. We will continue practicing how to clean up after activities, sanitize our hands when appropriate, and keep our tables and learning spaces organized. These habits will become part of our everyday classroom routine and help students understand how their actions contribute to a safe and welcoming environment. At the same time, we will continue focusing on early literacy, letter and sound recognition, counting, number recognition, shapes, and other foundational skills that prepare students for future learning. By teaching students to take responsibility for their classroom environment, we are also helping them develop the confidence and independence they need to be successful learners.\r\n\r\nI am incredibly grateful to everyone who contributed to this project and helped provide these important supplies for our classroom. Your generosity supports much more than keeping our room clean; it helps us create an environment where students can focus on learning, practice healthy habits, and develop important life skills. These materials allow me to better meet the everyday needs of my young learners while making our classroom a more comfortable and organized place to learn and grow. Thank you for investing in our kindergarten students and helping make our classroom a place where every child has the opportunity to feel cared for, build independence, and succeed. Your support truly makes a difference in our daily classroom experience, and we are so thankful to have donors who care about helping our students thrive.","fullyFundedDate":1756088560983,"projectUrl":"project/a-clean-start-keeping-kindergarten-clea/9439742/","projectTitle":"A Clean Start: Keeping Kindergarten Clean","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Stearns","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10045940_orig.jpg?crop=1242,1242,x0,y269&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1748524930727","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10045940"},{"teacherId":9625040,"projectId":10290008,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your donations towards our stem bins. They have made a huge impact as we have started our 2026-2027 school year. These items have been used as a tool to foster critical thinking, imaginative pay, cooperation, and communication in the classroom. I have noticed students learning how to connect with others, brainstorm new/challenging ideas, and collaborate in a fun environment. \r\n\r\nWe use these supplies every day as students enter the school in the morning. Having these bins provides students with a calm and welcoming environment before we begin our learning. I have noticed a huge increase in students' ability to enter the classroom calmly when using these tools. My favorite part of these bins is that it gets students excited to come to school the next day! \r\n\r\nI can't thank you enough for your contribution to my classroom! It is truly making a difference in several student's lives.","fullyFundedDate":1784142510075,"projectUrl":"project/help-our-second-graders-think-like-engin/10290008/","projectTitle":"Help Our Second Graders Think Like Engineers","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Kyte","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9625040_orig.png?crop=513,513,x173,y557&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1746239520958","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9625040"},{"teacherId":9559100,"projectId":10623470,"letterContent":"In tight spaces, we must be creative, flexible, and come up with unique storage ideas. These totes are my way of staying organized. These tubs will be labeled with monthly themes and will be easily accessible for use. \r\nMoving forward with our new building, the totes are very visible and, when labeled, will serve as great stackable storage. Bridges math, CKLA, and other monthly themed units will be housed inside these.\r\nThank you for your support of our kindergarten classroom. We appreciate your thoughtfulness and kindness in making this project, which will make our classroom much more organized, neat, and ready for learning.","fullyFundedDate":1791848822931,"projectUrl":"project/clutter-crusader/10623470/","projectTitle":"Clutter Crusader","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Halligan","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9559100_orig.jpg?crop=3024,3024,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1717027872274","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9559100"},{"teacherId":8224212,"projectId":10391118,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for the generous gift. During the pandemic we had extra money from grants to make sure that we had things like hand sanitizer. Now that has gone by the way side and we are responsible for getting those things ourselves. With your gift I am able to make sure that my students have tissues when they are sick, hand sanitizer (that we use every time we enter the room), and bleach wipes that we can wipe down the tables with after we have our group. Hopefully this will give us a healthy year! The bulletin boards, folders and containers have brightened up our space making it more welcoming. Thank you for your generosity and support!","fullyFundedDate":1786049095968,"projectUrl":"project/basic-necessities/10391118/","projectTitle":"Basic Necessities","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Kenny","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8224212_orig.jpg?crop=1980,1980,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1641497139244","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8224212"},{"teacherId":9684792,"projectId":10394727,"letterContent":"Thanks to the generosity of our donors, Fun Friday has become an even more exciting and meaningful part of our week! When the new educational games arrived, my students were immediately drawn to them. Their faces lit up with excitement as they explored the colorful materials and eagerly asked when they could start playing. Many students who are often hesitant to participate in new activities were excited to join in right away.\r\n\r\nWe use these games during Fun Friday to reinforce important academic, social, and communication skills in a way that feels fun and engaging. One memorable moment was watching a group of students work together during a cooperative game. They practiced taking turns, following directions, and encouraging one another while also strengthening skills like counting, reading, and problem-solving. It was wonderful to see students building confidence and celebrating each other's successes.\r\n\r\nThese games have also provided valuable opportunities for my students to practice communication goals. Students are learning how to ask questions, share ideas, make choices, and interact positively with peers in a structured and supportive environment. The games create natural opportunities for social interaction while reducing the pressure that can sometimes come with more traditional learning activities.\r\n\r\nThank you for helping create a classroom where students can learn, grow, and connect through play. Your generosity has made a lasting impact on our special education classroom, and my students look forward to using these games every week!","fullyFundedDate":1789053661395,"projectUrl":"project/structured-play-that-supports-learning-a/10394727/","projectTitle":"Structured Play That Supports Learning and Social Skills!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Galus","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9684792_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1741046475563","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ms-galus"},{"teacherId":7828365,"projectId":10109622,"letterContent":"These books are perfect! They match the skills we are teaching in our intervention groups. The kids are successful and enjoy reading them.\r\n They asked for them several times once I introduced them. They like that they can read them and that they are actual books instead of just passages.\r\n Thank you so much for your generosity and kindness. It is hard to get interesting books that are at the right level for young readers. \r\n Two classrooms are using these books and they are organized easily with their own storage boxes so we can get the correct set out for the level our students are at.","fullyFundedDate":1773846502215,"projectUrl":"project/fun-phonics-readers/10109622/","projectTitle":"Fun Phonics Readers","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Urbanowski","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7828365_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1673381351835","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/7828365"},{"teacherId":7828365,"projectId":10121852,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for donating to my math literature project. We are adding math literature to some of our lessons to help build mathematical thinking and to pose problems the books present to our students.\r\n These books give the students context for problem solving and help develop adding and subtracting strategies.\r\n We have a book of lessons built around these read alouds that we can use during whole group and small group instruction. These lessons also support building number sense.\r\n Thank you for your generosity!","fullyFundedDate":1773845000973,"projectUrl":"project/math-literature/10121852/","projectTitle":"Math Literature","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Urbanowski","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7828365_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1673381351835","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/7828365"},{"teacherId":9684792,"projectId":10394692,"letterContent":"Thanks to your generosity, my students have new tools that are helping make writing more accessible and successful for every learner in our special education classroom. The story starters, phonics kits, writing workbooks, and tracing boards allow me to provide writing instruction that meets students at their individual skill levels and gives them multiple ways to practice and demonstrate their learning.\r\n\r\nMy students were excited to explore the new materials! The tracing boards have been especially helpful for students who are developing fine-motor skills and letter formation, while the phonics kits give students hands-on practice connecting letters and sounds. The story starters provide additional support for students who may have difficulty generating ideas independently, helping them begin expressing their thoughts through writing. Seeing students experience success with materials designed to support their needs has helped make writing time more positive and engaging.\r\n\r\nOur next step is to continue building each student's skills from their individual starting point. For some students, that means strengthening pencil control and tracing letters. For others, it means writing letters and words independently, building sentences, or creating their own short stories. We will continue using these materials during individualized instruction and small groups to practice communication, phonics, handwriting, and written expression.\r\n\r\nMost importantly, these resources allow my students to experience success without expecting every child to learn or write in the same way. Every traced letter, independently written word, completed sentence, and shared idea is progress worth celebrating. Thank you for helping my students build the skills and confidence they need to see themselves as writers!","fullyFundedDate":1788267471569,"projectUrl":"project/creating-accessible-writing-lessons-to-b/10394692/","projectTitle":"Creating Accessible Writing Lessons to Build Strong Writers.","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Galus","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9684792_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1741046475563","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ms-galus"},{"teacherId":9684792,"projectId":10394492,"letterContent":"Thanks to your generous support, our classroom is now stocked with essential supplies that help us create a fresh, clean, and healthy learning environment every day. The Clorox wipes, paper towels, tissues, hand sanitizer, disinfecting spray, and student hand wipes are already being put to good use throughout our daily routines.\r\n\r\nMy students were so excited to see all of the new supplies arrive! They could not believe the size of the Clorox wipes bucket!! While cleaning supplies may seem simple, having them readily available makes such an important difference in our classroom. We can quickly clean tables and shared learning materials, wipe hands when needed, take care of spills, and have plenty of tissues available without interrupting learning. These resources are especially valuable in a busy classroom where students work with hands-on materials and share spaces throughout the day.\r\n\r\nYour donation has also helped us reinforce important routines like keeping our hands and learning spaces clean and taking responsibility for our classroom community. As we continue learning and working together, these supplies will support us during lessons, hands-on projects, and everyday classroom experiences.\r\n\r\nMost importantly, having these essentials available allows us to spend less time worrying about supplies and more time learning, growing, and enjoying our classroom together. Thank you for helping provide my students with a clean, welcoming space where they can feel comfortable and ready to learn each day! Thank you so much!","fullyFundedDate":1789222640486,"projectUrl":"project/a-fresh-healthy-classroom-for-every-stu/10394492/","projectTitle":"A Fresh, Healthy Classroom for Every Student!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Galus","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9684792_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1741046475563","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ms-galus"},{"teacherId":9559100,"projectId":10602390,"letterContent":"Students have begun to use the items from this project and let me tell you it has promoted engagement in my class. The whiteboard is a critical tool in how we deliver classroom lessons. They are eager to raise their hand at a turn to hold the pointer and are excited for learning. This is the kind of project that is fun to watch as excitement for learning happens, is shared within our learning community and retold to families. Thank you for making this project come to life. We are very grateful!","fullyFundedDate":1788891894597,"projectUrl":"project/adding-to-whiteboard-experiences/10602390/","projectTitle":"Adding to Whiteboard Experiences","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Halligan","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9559100_orig.jpg?crop=3024,3024,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1717027872274","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9559100"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_51658","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":424,"numTeachers":29,"percentFrplEligible":89,"percentAsian":0,"percentBlack":46,"percentWhite":22,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":25,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","percentHawaiianImputed":1,"percentMultiracialImputed":4,"gradesServed":"K - 5","studentTeacherRatio":"14.6:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_MIDSIZE"},"inStateSupporters":62.7,"schoolId":51658,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Van Buren Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Van Buren Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/iowa/cedar-rapids-community-school-district/van-buren-elementary-school/51658"}