{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Dr Gustavus Brown Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":31.8,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":9319004,"projectId":10338181,"letterContent":"Your generous donations have made a meaningful difference in our special education classroom. The supplies you provided, including Velcro dots and laminating materials, have allowed us to create hands-on, durable visual supports that help our students learn, communicate, and become more independent.\r\nVisuals are crucial for students, especially students with special needs. Many of our students benefit from seeing information rather than relying only on verbal directions. When students can see what is expected of them, they are better able to understand instructions, make choices, and participate in classroom activities. The donated laminating supplies have allowed us to create durable visuals that can be used repeatedly throughout the school year.\r\nThe Velcro dots have been especially helpful when creating interactive visual activities. Many of the materials we use require students to move, match, and place pictures, letters, numbers, and other pieces. These hands-on activities make learning more engaging while giving students an opportunity to practice important academic and life skills. Students enjoy being able to physically interact with their learning materials, and this often helps them remain focused and motivated.\r\nVisual timers are another important support for our students. Some students need transition cues and reminders to help them understand when it is time to finish one activity and begin another. A visual timer provides a clear representation of the passage of time and helps reduce uncertainty. Instead of simply hearing, \"You have five more minutes,\" students can actually see how much time remains. This can make transitions smoother and help students prepare for changes in their routines.\r\nVisual schedules are equally important. A daily schedule helps students process what is happening throughout their day and understand what comes next. For students who may have difficulty processing verbal information or unexpected changes, having a visual schedule provides consistency and reassurance. Students can look at their schedules to see which activities are coming, which have been completed, and what they should expect next.\r\nThese materials do much more than simply support classroom instruction. They help create an environment where students can feel successful, confident, and more independent. A student who can look at a visual schedule and know what comes next is developing independence. A student who can use a visual timer to prepare for a transition is learning an important self-management skill. A student who can interact with a hands-on activity is actively participating in the learning process.\r\nYour donations have helped us create a classroom filled with meaningful learning opportunities and supports tailored to our students' individual needs. Because of your generosity, we are able to provide students with the visual and hands-on tools they need to better understand their world and their learning.\r\nThank you for investing in our students and helping us provide the resources they need to learn, grow, and succeed. Your generosity truly makes a difference every day in our classroom.","fullyFundedDate":1782401801932,"projectUrl":"project/special-education-supplies/10338181/","projectTitle":"Special Education supplies","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Jenkins","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-3_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9319004"},{"teacherId":9319004,"projectId":10120862,"letterContent":"My students are happy and excited to use the supplies that were generously donated to support their learning. These materials have made a positive impact in our classroom by giving students opportunities to learn through hands-on activities that are engaging, meaningful, and fun. The donated resources allow students to practice important academic skills while also building confidence and independence.\r\nOne of the most exciting ways students are using the materials is by working with letters to build words. Students can physically move and arrange the letters to create words, making learning more interactive than simply looking at words on a worksheet. This hands-on approach helps students connect individual letters with sounds and words while giving them an opportunity to practice at their own pace. The activity also encourages students to participate and become more excited about learning.\r\nThe sentence-building materials have also made a significant difference. Some students are now able to build sentences by using the sentence builder step by step. Students can begin with a single word and gradually add additional words to create a complete sentence. This process helps make sentence structure easier to understand because students can physically see how words work together. Instead of feeling overwhelmed by the task of writing a sentence, students can focus one step at a time.\r\nThe donated materials have also increased students' curiosity and motivation. When students see new materials arrive, they are excited to open the boxes and discover what is inside. Their natural curiosity encourages them to explore and try new activities. Once students realize that the materials are easy to use and designed to help them learn, they become more willing to participate. This excitement creates a positive learning environment where students are eager to practice their skills.\r\nThese resources are especially valuable because they provide students with hands-on learning experiences. Many of my students benefit from being able to touch, move, match, and organize materials while learning. The activities allow students to remain actively involved instead of passively listening or completing traditional paper-and-pencil assignments. This type of learning can help students stay focused and better understand the skills they are practicing.\r\nThe students will continue using these materials throughout the school year. As their skills develop, they will be able to use the resources in more advanced ways. For example, students may begin by building one word with the sentence materials and then gradually progress to building short phrases and complete sentences. This step-by-step approach provides students with repeated practice while allowing them to experience success along the way.\r\nOverall, the donated materials have brought excitement, engagement, and meaningful learning opportunities into our classroom. They are helping students develop literacy and communication skills while encouraging independence and confidence. Most importantly, the materials make learning enjoyable and give my students the opportunity to learn by doing. I am grateful for the generosity of the donors who have helped provide resources that make such a positive difference in my students' educational experiences.","fullyFundedDate":1774893299393,"projectUrl":"project/behavior-skills/10120862/","projectTitle":"Behavior Skills","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Jenkins","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-3_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9319004"},{"teacherId":1919704,"projectId":9950382,"letterContent":"Thank you! These materials have truly made a difference in the way my students view indoor recess. In the past, students were often disappointed and upset when weather c forced us to stay inside. Indoor recess was typically met with groans and frustration because students felt limited in what they could do.\r\n\r\nSince receiving these supplies, however, indoor recess has become something the students actually look forward to. The materials have provided engaging, hands-on activities that keep them entertained, involved, and excited. More importantly, they have encouraged students to use their imagination and creativity in ways that I do not often get to see during the school day.\r\n\r\nBecause our classroom time is primarily focused on academics, there are fewer opportunities for students to freely explore their creative interests. These materials have given them a chance to build, create, collaborate, problem-solve, and express themselves. It has been wonderful to watch students work together, share ideas, and take pride in what they create.","fullyFundedDate":1774893298796,"projectUrl":"project/make-recess-fun-again/9950382/","projectTitle":"Make Recess Fun Again","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Gillum","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-3_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrs-gillum"},{"teacherId":8574729,"projectId":9474614,"letterContent":"My students and I are truly appreciative of the way you stepped up to support mathematical learning in our classroom. I chose this project because I know how much my students enjoy storytelling and wanted to couple this enjoyment with their developing understanding of foundational math concepts. \r\nOver the years I've noticed that far too many students have anxiety about math. The reasons for this is varied and deep-seeded. However, I've found that teaching math through the context of stories, real or imagined, provide a low risk and inviting place to learn math. The stories I've shared perfectly aligns with our math curriculum and allow my students to really stay engaged during math lessons. \r\nThis has made teaching and learning math a lot more rewarding and enjoyable. \r\nThank you.","fullyFundedDate":1764789064400,"projectUrl":"project/math-with-storytelling/9474614/","projectTitle":"Math with Storytelling","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Wilson","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-5_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8574729"},{"teacherId":9319004,"projectId":9901954,"letterContent":"My students are using the tactile board to touch and match different objects by exploring a variety of textures, shapes, and materials with their hands. During the activity, they carefully feel each item and then locate its matching pair on the board. This hands-on exploration allows them to actively engage their sense of touch while strengthening their ability to compare, sort, and make connections. As they participate, I observe them slowing down, concentrating, and using both hands to manipulate the pieces with increasing control and confidence.\r\n\r\nWhen my students first saw the tactile board, they were immediately excited and eager to try it because it was easy to understand and use. The clear layout and inviting materials encouraged them to jump right in without hesitation. Their enthusiasm created a positive learning environment where they felt comfortable experimenting, touching new textures, and communicating about what they noticed. This initial excitement helped build motivation and sustained their engagement throughout the activity.\r\n\r\nThe tactile board is especially important because it provides essential sensory input while improving fine motor skills through meaningful, hands-on learning. By touching, pressing, grasping, and matching the objects, students strengthen hand muscles and coordination needed for other classroom tasks. At the same time, the board helps regulate sensory-seeking behaviors by offering structured sensory experiences in a purposeful way. It encourages focus, communication, and spatial awareness in an engaging format, supporting both their developmental growth and their ability to participate successfully in daily classroom routines.","fullyFundedDate":1764718333585,"projectUrl":"project/special-education-is-for-learning/9901954/","projectTitle":"Special Education is for Learning","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Jenkins","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-3_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9319004"},{"teacherId":9319004,"projectId":9670878,"letterContent":"Items purchased through donations have had a meaningful and poitive impact on my students. These materials actively engage students and make learning enjoyable through play- based experiences. Students are excited to use the items and show increased focus and participation during activities.\r\n\r\nThe resources also support the development of fine motor skills by encouraging hands- on manipulation, coordination, and control. These items provide essential learning opporunities that greatly enhance our classroom experience.","fullyFundedDate":1763056614659,"projectUrl":"project/fine-motor/9670878/","projectTitle":"Fine Motor","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Jenkins","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-3_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9319004"},{"teacherId":9343952,"projectId":9367140,"letterContent":"Thank You for Your Generous Donation\r\n\r\nOn behalf of our students, we extend our heartfelt thanks for your generous gift of pencils and erasers and all other supplies that was sent. These essential supplies will make a meaningful difference in their daily learning experience, helping them stay prepared, focused, and confident in the classroom.\r\n\r\nYour generosity not only provides essential tools for learning but also sends a powerful message of care and support. Your kindness reminds us that small gestures can have a big impact. Thank you for investing in their education and encouraging their growth.\r\n\r\nBecause of your generosity, our students are better equipped to focus, create, and thrive in their educational journey. Your kindness truly makes a difference, and we appreciate it more than words can express.","fullyFundedDate":1754321745273,"projectUrl":"project/pencils-and-eraser/9367140/","projectTitle":"Pencils and Eraser","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Tina Thomas","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-7_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9343952"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_64566","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":395,"numTeachers":33,"percentFrplEligible":93,"percentAsian":0,"percentBlack":61,"percentWhite":2,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":26,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","percentHawaiianImputed":0,"percentMultiracialImputed":8,"gradesServed":"Pre-K - 5","studentTeacherRatio":"12.0:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"SUBURBAN","ncesMetroType":"SUBURB_MIDSIZE"},"inStateSupporters":68.2,"schoolId":64566,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Dr Gustavus Brown Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Dr Gustavus Brown Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/maryland/charles-county-public-schools/dr-gustavus-brown-elementary-school/64566"}