West Middle School in Lawrence, Kansas on DonorsChoose

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Students in our school are feeling the impact more than we know.\r\n\r\nThe students are so appreciative of \"snack time\" in my classroom, and they know that there are people in the larger community who really care for them. I am so appreciative as well, knowing that my students can worry less about their hunger than about their academic needs.","fullyFundedDate":1769880551763,"projectUrl":"project/full-stomachs-for-hungry-minds/9820605/","projectTitle":"Full Stomachs for Hungry Minds","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Robinson","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-10_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10309598"},{"teacherId":10256167,"projectId":9707845,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your donation. These books give my students a chance to connect with a variety of texts, authors, characters, and styles of writing. Having texts by diverse authors about diverse characters allows more students to feel represented, which makes them more likely to read those books. I have seen more students reading now that they have more modern and more relevant books to read. I didn't have any graphic novels in my classroom before, and those are the most popular books amongst middle school students, especially 6th graders. I also have many more genres available for students to read now from fantasy to horror to nonfiction, and my classroom library is much more well-rounded now. I appreciate having a classroom library that reflects the many interests of my students.\r\nMy students read for 10 minutes every day at the beginning of Student Success (which is like a homeroom class). They also read during the first 10 minutes of my English Language Arts class every Tuesday and Thursday. They are expected to write a summary after their reading time in English Language Arts. I always call on a few volunteers to share their summaries with the class, and it has been a joy to hear kids so excited to share their summaries, which tells me they have been enjoying reading these new books.\r\nStudents have been especially loving the Percy Jackson series, the New Kid series, Cat Kid Comic Club, and Hooky. Some students have been reunited with books they enjoyed previously as well like The One and Only Ivan. One of my students has already read all three Hooky books. One student was so excited when she saw I had the Cat Kid Comic Club books that she asked to borrow it to read at home, and I don't even have that student in class. \r\nAgain, thank you so much for your donation. It means so much to me that you provided opportunities for my students to increase their love of reading.","fullyFundedDate":1761153972286,"projectUrl":"project/classroom-library/9707845/","projectTitle":"Classroom Library","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Maile","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10256167_orig.jpg?crop=1500,1500,x0,y300&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1757621799667","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10256167"},{"teacherId":10095245,"projectId":9503315,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous donations to our \"Life as a Scientist\" project! Because of your support, our classroom now has lab coats, balancing scales, a science rug, and many other science tools that have transformed our learning environment into a place where students can truly think and work like scientists.\r\n\r\nMy students have been using the new resources every day during our science investigations. The lab coats have helped them step into the role of real scientists, while the balancing scales have allowed them to explore measurement, comparison, and data collection through hands-on activities. The science rug has become a special gathering place where we discuss observations, share discoveries, and collaborate on experiments.\r\n\r\nOne memorable moment occurred during our \"Life as a Scientist\" project when students put on their lab coats and used the balancing scales to investigate and compare the weights of different classroom objects. They carefully recorded their observations, made predictions, and shared their findings with classmates. Their excitement and engagement were incredible, and they were eager to ask questions and think critically about what they observed.\r\n\r\nWhen the students first saw the materials, they were absolutely thrilled. The lab coats immediately sparked their imaginations, and many students exclaimed that they felt like \"real scientists.\" They could not wait to explore the new equipment, and their enthusiasm was contagious. The donations created an instant sense of excitement and curiosity that continues to inspire our learning.\r\n\r\nAs we move forward, students will continue building their scientific skills through inquiry-based investigations. Our next steps include conducting more experiments, collecting and analyzing data, and learning how scientists use evidence to answer questions about the world around them. These resources will help students deepen their understanding of the scientific process while developing confidence, collaboration, and problem-solving skills.\r\n\r\nThank you again for investing in our students and making these meaningful learning experiences possible. Your generosity has had a direct impact on our classroom, and we are truly grateful for your support.\r\n\r\nWith Sincere Appreciation, \r\n\r\n\r\nWest Middle School","fullyFundedDate":1757440600260,"projectUrl":"project/life-of-a-scientist/9503315/","projectTitle":"Life of a Scientist","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Holaves","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-3_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10095245"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_56716","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":648,"numTeachers":50,"percentFrplEligible":38,"percentAsian":1,"percentBlack":6,"percentWhite":66,"percentIndigenous":1,"percentLatinx":11,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","percentHawaiianImputed":0,"percentMultiracialImputed":13,"gradesServed":"6 - 8","studentTeacherRatio":"13.0:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":false,"titleOne":false,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_SMALL"},"inStateSupporters":75.3,"schoolId":56716,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about West Middle School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"West Middle School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/kansas/lawrence-unified-school-district-497/west-junior-high-school/56716"}

About this school

West Middle School is an urban public school in Lawrence, Kansas that is part of Lawrence Unified School District 497. It serves 648 students in grades 6 - 8 with a student/teacher ratio of 13.0:1. Its teachers have had 16 projects funded on DonorsChoose.

Public School

Grades 6 - 8

648 Students

50 Teachers

2700 Harvard Rd

Lawrence, KS 66049 View local requests

http://www.usd497.org

Direct, proactive support

Empower teachers at West Middle School to request what their students need.

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Ms. Vero, a DonorsChoose teacher for 9 years.

Kindergarten teacher at PS81 - Robert J. Christen School in Bronx, NY

West Middle School Teachers on DonorsChoose

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West Middle School Demographics

38%

of students receive free or reduced price lunch

Source: the National Center for Education Statistics

19%

of students are Black, Latino, Native American, or Asian

Schools in districts that mainly serve students of color receive substantially less state and local support than similar districts that serve primarily White students. Learn more about this gap, why it exists, and how you can help close it.

West Middle School Support on DonorsChoose Last updated Jun 9, 2026

DonorsChoose makes it easy for anyone to help a teacher in need, moving us closer to a nation where students in every community have the tools and experiences they need for a great education.