{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Presumpscot Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":47.4,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":283890,"projectId":10193378,"letterContent":"Dear Donors,\r\nThank you so much for supporting my DonorsChoose project and helping bring 16 wonderful new titles, with six copies of each book, into our kindergarten classroom. Your generosity is making it possible for my students to learn and grow as readers while also experiencing the joy of getting lost in a good book.\r\nThese books will be an important part of our reading instruction as we work on building foundational literacy skills. The collection reflects the most recent research on early literacy instruction, providing students with opportunities to practice important skills in meaningful, engaging ways. Having multiple copies of each title allows us to read together, practice new skills, discuss stories, and learn from one another.\r\nJust as importantly, these books are fun and engaging! The stories are sweet, funny, and filled with characters and situations that capture young children's attention. The nonfiction titles are informational while also being relatable and connected to topics that young learners can understand and explore. Even more meaningful is that my diverse students can see themselves represented in the illustrations and stories, helping them feel seen, valued, and connected to what they are reading.\r\nYour donation is giving my students more than books. You are giving them access, representation, confidence, and countless opportunities to become enthusiastic and capable readers. I am so grateful that you chose to invest in my kindergarten students and their literacy journey.","fullyFundedDate":1780500604357,"projectUrl":"project/sound-it-out-and-shout-it-out-we-can-re/10193378/","projectTitle":"Sound It Out and Shout It Out: We Can Read!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Kristen Flaherty","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp283890_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1781102971086","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrs-flaherty"},{"teacherId":283890,"projectId":10157588,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous donation to our DonorsChoose project! Your support is helping us build an exciting and engaging classroom library filled with chapter books and graphic novels for our second-grade readers.\r\n\r\nOur students are especially excited to explore titles such as Stick Dog, Lightfall, Lunch Lady, Clementine, and many more. Having access to a variety of books allows each child to discover stories that capture their interests, build their confidence, and encourage them to read more often.\r\n\r\nFor many of our students, finding a book that makes them laugh, wonder, or want to keep turning the pages is what helps them develop a lifelong love of reading. Your generosity is making those moments possible. These books will not simply sit on a shelf—they will be read, shared, discussed, and loved by our second-grade readers throughout the year.\r\n\r\nWe are incredibly grateful that you chose to support our classroom and invest in our students. Thank you for helping us create a classroom where every child can find a book that feels just right for them!\r\n\r\nWith sincere gratitude","fullyFundedDate":1780500606488,"projectUrl":"project/the-plot-thickens-in-2nd-grade/10157588/","projectTitle":"The Plot Thickens in 2nd Grade","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Kristen Flaherty","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp283890_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1781102971086","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrs-flaherty"},{"teacherId":283890,"projectId":10149629,"letterContent":"Dear Donor,\r\n\r\nThank you so much for your generous support of our classroom and our DonorsChoose project! Your donation is helping us build a collection of high-interest chapter books in sets of four, giving students the opportunity to choose books that truly capture their attention and imagination.\r\n\r\nThese books will be used for student-run book groups as well as independent reading. Having multiple copies of the same title allows students to gather with classmates, take ownership of their discussions, share their thinking, and experience the excitement of reading together. For students who prefer to read independently, these books also provide engaging choices that encourage them to read for enjoyment and discover new favorite authors and stories.\r\n\r\nYour generosity is doing more than putting books on our shelves—you are creating opportunities for students to see themselves as readers, build confidence, and develop a lifelong love of reading.\r\n\r\nThank you for investing in our students and helping make our classroom a place where books, choice, conversation, and curiosity can thrive. We are truly grateful for your support!","fullyFundedDate":1780500607025,"projectUrl":"project/just-one-more-chapter-please/10149629/","projectTitle":"Just One More Chapter, Please!?","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Kristen Flaherty","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp283890_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1781102971086","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrs-flaherty"},{"teacherId":3773243,"projectId":8674150,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous support of this project! The colorful stools were so popular, whether when working in a small group at my teacher table, or even for a busy body that needs a little bit more space during whole group learning. The large comfy chairs were the home to many hours of reading stories or playing math games. These different options gave students choice about where they wanted to work in the classroom and were easy to move out into the hallway, over to a soft carpet, or to put away when we wanted to use our space in a different way. Thank you!","fullyFundedDate":1726766229832,"projectUrl":"project/flexible-seating-focused-minds/8674150/","projectTitle":"Flexible Seating - Focused Minds!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Philbrick","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp3773243_orig.png?crop=234,234,x0,y20&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1786455453630","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/3773243"},{"teacherId":3773243,"projectId":8941895,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for generously donating to this project. The hands on experience of using the tools that real paleontologists used to dig for fossils was the magic that brought this expedition to life. Without your help, this meaningful experience would not have been possible. On the last day of school, we shared during our \"crew\" meeting about our favorite memories from the year, and this experience was mentioned many times. Students wrote narrative stories in the perspective of a paleontologist, and research alone would not have provided the background knowledge to be able to do this authentically.","fullyFundedDate":1732629141262,"projectUrl":"project/second-grade-paleontologists/8941895/","projectTitle":"Second Grade Paleontologists","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Philbrick","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp3773243_orig.png?crop=234,234,x0,y20&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1786455453630","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/3773243"},{"teacherId":8007449,"projectId":9511452,"letterContent":"Part of my process in finishing out each school year involves taking the time to reflect on what went well this year, as well as who deserves my gratitude. This year, my reading intervention block truly came alive. This is a one-hour period each day when 4th graders get what they need in order to elevate their level of engagement as readers. Some students work with our literacy specialist, some students work with our ESOL (English Speakers of Other Languages) teacher, some students work with the special education teacher, and some students work with me in the classroom. We were thrilled to see enormous growth in reading this year on the spring Maine Through the Years state test, and everyone's hard work during this intervention block really paid off.\r\n\r\nI noticed during this intervention block that the students who stayed in the classroom with me had very little interest in reading, even with all of the high-interest new books I was apply to provide them with thanks to this Donors Choose project. Reading engagement has plummeted in this post-Covid era! I realized that students were not going to read books unless it was part of a project, and so I used all of these new texts to create book clubs. With an objective, students were motivated to stay on pace with their fellow book club members, and were engaged in discussions about what they had read that day. My classroom was once again filled with engaged readers ... even if I did sort of have to make them crack open the books! ; )\r\n\r\nWe can't get very far in increasing reading engagement if we don't have great books, and I am supremely grateful for your generosity in helping me fill the bookshelves of my classroom with intriguing titles. It truly takes a village!","fullyFundedDate":1758804925306,"projectUrl":"project/kids-these-days-can-be-voracious-readers/9511452/","projectTitle":"Kids These Days Can Be Voracious Readers!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Boltz","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8007449_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1754010696346","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ms-boltz"},{"teacherId":7965046,"projectId":10077090,"letterContent":"Our students have had great success participating in our cooking groups since receiving all of our kitchen supplies. We have made several cookie recipes, muffins, English muffin pizzas, and more! Cookies are delivered to classroom teachers by our younger students. Muffins are regularly being made to sell on our student run Friday snack cart. Snack cart is an important piece of our upper elementary students' functional program where they learn skills for communication as well as math skills needed to manage money. Our younger elementary students are making English muffin pizzas and other lunch foods while they learn how to follow multiple steps and the self-care skills of making food and cleaning up.\r\n\r\nIt's been a joy to see our students engage with these activities. Every week they ask when we are going back to the kitchen!","fullyFundedDate":1770378917132,"projectUrl":"project/supplies-for-speech-ot-cooking-groups/10077090/","projectTitle":"Supplies for Speech-OT Cooking Groups!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Marino","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7965046_orig.jpg?crop=480,480,x0,y4&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1675874198155","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/7965046"},{"teacherId":283890,"projectId":8690827,"letterContent":"Dear Donors,\r\n\r\nThank you for your generous support of our decodable books project. Because of you, our students now have access to carefully structured texts that align directly with the phonics skills they are learning—short vowels, long vowels, digraphs, and r-controlled vowels. These books provide students with the opportunity to practice decoding in a meaningful and successful way, reinforcing classroom instruction while building confidence with every page they read.\r\n\r\nHaving access to decodable texts has made a powerful difference in how our students experience reading. Instead of guessing at words, they are applying their knowledge of sound patterns and phonics rules to read independently. As their skills grow, so does their excitement and sense of accomplishment. These books meet students at their level and support a clear progression, allowing each child to develop fluency at a pace that feels achievable and encouraging.\r\n\r\nYour support is helping to create strong, capable readers who feel empowered and motivated. By providing these targeted resources, you are making reading more accessible, more successful, and more enjoyable for our students.","fullyFundedDate":1727979654826,"projectUrl":"project/wow-books-we-can-read/8690827/","projectTitle":"Wow! Books We Can Read!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Kristen Flaherty","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp283890_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1781102971086","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrs-flaherty"},{"teacherId":283890,"projectId":8682630,"letterContent":"Dear Donors,\r\n\r\nThank you for supporting my flexible seating project and helping transform my office into a more engaging, student-centered space. With your contribution, we were able to add five bright, padded nesting stools and six comfortable foam ottoman seating cushions. These colorful, inviting options have made an immediate impact—students are excited to choose where they sit. That sense of ownership has noticeably increased their engagement and focus throughout the day.\r\n\r\nStudent choice is a powerful motivator, and flexible seating allows each child to find a spot where they feel comfortable and ready to learn. Whether perched on a stool or settled into a soft cushion, students are more relaxed and better able to concentrate—especially during independent reading time. Having a cozy, personalized place to read helps keep reading fun, turning it into an activity students genuinely look forward to.\r\n\r\nYour generosity has helped create a classroom environment where comfort, choice, and learning come together.","fullyFundedDate":1724522136586,"projectUrl":"project/flexible-seating-increased-engagement/8682630/","projectTitle":"Flexible Seating, Increased Engagement","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Kristen Flaherty","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp283890_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1781102971086","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrs-flaherty"},{"teacherId":283890,"projectId":8540554,"letterContent":"I am so grateful for these beautiful Heggerty decodable readers. They have become an incredible resource for my students. \r\n\r\nBecause of your generosity, our young readers now have access to Series 3 Kindergarten Heggerty Decodables—high-quality texts that are already making a meaningful difference in my reading instruction. These books are thoughtfully designed with clear phonics progression, engaging illustrations, and developmental language that supports early decoding skills. Students are building confidence as they read words and sentences independently, strengthening the foundational literacy skills that will carry them forward.\r\n\r\nEqually important is the rich representation and variety found throughout the series. Our students see characters and families that reflect a wide range of backgrounds, cultures, and experiences, helping every child feel seen and valued while also learning about others. The inclusion of diverse genres—from playful fiction stories to simple informational texts—keeps students engaged and curious, while broadening their understanding of how reading connects to the world around them.\r\n\r\nYour support has helped create joyful, inclusive, and effective literacy experiences for our youngest learners. I am deeply grateful for your investment in their growth and success.","fullyFundedDate":1724358819445,"projectUrl":"project/supporting-our-k-2-readers/8540554/","projectTitle":"Supporting Our K-2 Readers","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Kristen Flaherty","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp283890_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1781102971086","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrs-flaherty"},{"teacherId":283890,"projectId":8737965,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting this project! I'm excited to begin a new role as Reading Interventionist. I will be working with students in grades K–5 during Literacy Blocks and FLEX blocks throughout the day.\r\n\r\nThis role allows me to support students in the classroom or support them one-on-one or in small groups. Together, we focus on building important literacy skills like decoding, phonics, vocabulary, and comprehension.\r\n\r\nTeachers Pay Teachers is an incredible resource where educators share engaging lessons, activities, organizers, and slides. While some resources are free, many cost money because teachers put a lot of time and effort into creating them.\r\n\r\nIn my new role, I work with students who all have different learning needs, and two students are rarely working on the same skills. Having access to TPT gift cards will help me quickly find the right materials for each student, save planning time, and allow me to spend more time teaching.\r\n\r\nThank you for helping me better support young readers! Your generosity truly makes a difference.","fullyFundedDate":1734794137871,"projectUrl":"project/work-smarter-not-harder/8737965/","projectTitle":"Work Smarter, Not Harder!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Kristen Flaherty","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp283890_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1781102971086","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrs-flaherty"},{"teacherId":283890,"projectId":9751572,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting our classroom! As a new Reading Specialist, I work with students in grades 2–5 who need extra help building foundational reading skills, and your generosity has given us tools that make a big difference.\r\n\r\nThe Heggerty Decodable Readers are engaging, developmentally appropriate, and full of colorful illustrations that reflect our students. With 12 titles and six copies of each, students are practicing decoding, building comprehension, and exploring both fiction and nonfiction—while staying motivated and excited to read.\r\n\r\nThe Bridge the Gap Guide provides short, targeted lessons to address gaps in phonemic awareness, helping students feel confident and capable as they apply new skills.\r\n\r\nThanks to your support, my students are growing as readers every day, and I'm growing as a teacher, too. Your generosity is making reading fun, meaningful, and full of confidence!","fullyFundedDate":1765981903213,"projectUrl":"project/reading-intervention-with-decodables/9751572/","projectTitle":"Reading Intervention with Decodables!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Kristen Flaherty","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp283890_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1781102971086","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrs-flaherty"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_65281","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":247,"numTeachers":21,"percentFrplEligible":62,"percentAsian":5,"percentBlack":31,"percentWhite":43,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":12,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","percentHawaiianImputed":0,"percentMultiracialImputed":6,"gradesServed":"Pre-K - 5","studentTeacherRatio":"11.8:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_SMALL"},"inStateSupporters":52.6,"schoolId":65281,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Presumpscot Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Presumpscot Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/maine/portland-public-schools/presumpscot-elementary-school/65281"}