{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Highland View Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":66.2,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":9080686,"projectId":10358416,"letterContent":"We cannot thank you enough for your generous support of our classroom library! It is only a few weeks into the school year, and I am already amazed by how excited my students are to read. The rotating bookshelf has been a huge hit—students are constantly browsing the books, and even students from other classrooms and students I taught last year have stopped by to see what is new. The whisper phones have also become an essential part of independent reading and testing; nearly all ten are in use whenever we have quiet reading time!\r\n\r\nMost importantly, my students are finding themselves reflected in the stories they read. They have been especially excited to discover characters and real people who share their cultures, backgrounds, and experiences, including stories connected to Latin America, Africa, and Muslim communities. One student asked if she could take They Called Us Enemy home for the weekend because her family is part Japanese and she wanted to share the book with them. Another student loved The Water Princess so much that she immediately asked if we could get the sequel! We also introduced excerpts from Small Steps and The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind during our first ELA unit, and both full books quickly flew off the shelf afterward.\r\n\r\nThese materials have helped me create a classroom library that students are genuinely excited to explore while also giving me opportunities to introduce important ideas about history, culture, environmental responsibility, perseverance, and activism through literature. My students are not simply reading these books—they are talking about them, recommending them to one another, connecting them to their own lives, and asking questions about the world around them. Seeing that level of enthusiasm for reading has been incredibly rewarding, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to give my students a library that reflects both who they are and the world they are learning about.","fullyFundedDate":1784289971040,"projectUrl":"project/building-readers-who-change-the-world/10358416/","projectTitle":"Building Readers Who Change the World","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Pugsley","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9080686_orig.jpg?crop=1512,1512,x0,y156&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1782828352723","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9080686"},{"teacherId":9080686,"projectId":10358163,"letterContent":"We cannot thank you enough for your donation to our classroom's Calm Corner. It is only a few weeks into the school year, and I'm grateful to already be able to share the impact that your generosity has made!\r\n\r\nBecause of your support, we received calming sensory rings, a pillow with positive statements, faux plants, gel pens for students to journal and doodle their feelings, a weighted lap blanket, sand timers, and multiple mindfulness books. We introduced these items—including how to use and care for them—during our first week, and the kids have already begun utilizing them! The timers have helped students stay focused and mindful of their time in the Calm Corner, while the sensory rings and weighted blanket have given several students tools they can use when they need help calming their bodies. Some students even like surrounding themselves with the faux plants while they use the corner, creating a little nature-inspired space where they can refocus. The pillow has also become a favorite, thanks to a little extra weight I added inside the pillowcase.\r\n\r\nOne of the most meaningful moments happened when a student who often experiences very big emotions was having a difficult episode. I read I Am Peace with him, and the book helped him begin to calm down and regulate his emotions. He has since found the sensory rings helpful as another tool he can use when he needs to reset. Experiences like this are helping students realize that they have strategies they can use to take care of themselves when they are overwhelmed. Instead of always needing an adult to step in or going to the counselor for every small difficulty, they are becoming more confident in recognizing what they need and choosing a strategy that works for them.\r\n\r\nThank you for giving my students these tools and for helping us create a classroom where they can learn not only how to read, write, and solve problems, but also how to understand and care for themselves. Your generosity is already making a difference!","fullyFundedDate":1783362413102,"projectUrl":"project/finding-our-calm-fueling-our-growth/10358163/","projectTitle":"Finding Our Calm, Fueling Our Growth","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Pugsley","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9080686_orig.jpg?crop=1512,1512,x0,y156&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1782828352723","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9080686"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_64805","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":311,"numTeachers":31,"percentFrplEligible":51,"percentAsian":2,"percentBlack":31,"percentWhite":26,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":33,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","percentHawaiianImputed":0,"percentMultiracialImputed":5,"gradesServed":"Pre-K - 5","studentTeacherRatio":"10.0:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":false,"metroType":"SUBURBAN","ncesMetroType":"SUBURB_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":33.8,"schoolId":64805,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Highland View Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Highland View Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/maryland/montgomery-county-public-schools/highland-view-elementary-school/64805"}