{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Cool Spring Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":51.6,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":3225553,"projectId":10267620,"letterContent":"My kindergarten ELD students are using the new LEGO materials for hands-on STEM challenges that encourage them to build, create, problem-solve, and work together.\r\n\r\nWhen my students first saw the LEGO materials, they were immediately excited to start building! They loved choosing their own pieces and sharing their ideas with friends. The materials gave even our quieter students a fun way to participate, communicate, and show their thinking.\r\n\r\nOur next steps are to continue using LEGO STEM challenges to practice designing, building, testing, and improving our creations during indoor recess. Students will work with partners to describe their designs, compare structures, and use new STEM vocabulary while developing their speaking, listening, and problem-solving skills.","fullyFundedDate":1783116210505,"projectUrl":"project/brick-by-brick/10267620/","projectTitle":"Brick by Brick","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Bruning","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp3225553_orig.jpg?crop=1158,1158,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1721924705078","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/3225553"},{"teacherId":3225553,"projectId":10184798,"letterContent":"My kindergarten ELD students are using their individual planters to put their learning into action after completing our unit on plants. Each student will plant a seed, care for their own plant, and observe how it changes over time. They will use drawings, labels, and simple sentences to document their plant's growth and practice the vocabulary we learned during our unit.\r\n\r\n When my students first saw the planters, they were so excited to have something that was their very own! They loved the idea of becoming \"plant scientists\" and getting to take care of a living thing. The hands-on experience made the science concepts feel real and meaningful.\r\n\r\n Our next steps are to plant our seeds and begin a classroom plant-growth project. Students will observe their plants each week, measure or compare changes, and share their observations with classmates using sentence stems. This project will continue building their science knowledge, vocabulary, speaking, and early writing skills.","fullyFundedDate":1785260836195,"projectUrl":"project/little-planters-big-impact-growing-flo/10184798/","projectTitle":"Little Planters, Big Impact: Growing Flowers for a Better World","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Bruning","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp3225553_orig.jpg?crop=1158,1158,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1721924705078","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/3225553"},{"teacherId":3225553,"projectId":10151866,"letterContent":"These new books introduce our kindergarten ELD students to important skills while teaching them about protecting sea turtles and our oceans. Students are learning how to identify the main idea and key details, build environmental vocabulary, make observations, ask and answer questions, and use pictures and words to understand informational text. They are also practicing speaking in complete sentences using sentence stems as they share their thinking with classmates.\r\n\r\nReading in our classroom is interactive and hands-on! During the story, I pause to model thinking, introduce new vocabulary with visuals and gestures, and give students opportunities to turn and talk. Students use sentence stems to share what they notice, make connections, and explain their ideas.\r\n\r\nMy students especially loved receiving their own sea turtle book to take home. They were so excited to have a book that belonged to them! I am especially excited for students to share what they learned with their families and revisit the vocabulary and ideas from our environmental justice unit at home. I am eager to hopefully receive another set for my new kindergarteners this school year!","fullyFundedDate":1773875572014,"projectUrl":"project/save-the-sea-turtles/10151866/","projectTitle":"Save the Sea Turtles!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Bruning","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp3225553_orig.jpg?crop=1158,1158,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1721924705078","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/3225553"},{"teacherId":3225553,"projectId":10090965,"letterContent":"My students are using the new resources to make our classroom a more joyful and engaging place to learn. SkinnyPop and Ring Pops are special rewards for celebrating birthdays, positive choices, and student accomplishments, while the squishy toys provide a fun incentive that keeps my kindergarten ELD students excited and motivated to participate.\r\n\r\nWhen my students first saw the materials, their faces lit up! They were especially excited to see the colorful squishy toys and the special birthday treats. These small surprises have helped create moments of celebration and encouragement throughout our school day.\r\n\r\nOur next steps are to continue building language and literacy skills through hands-on lessons, partner talk, and interactive activities. I am so grateful that these resources help me celebrate my students while creating a classroom where they feel excited, supported, and proud of their learning.","fullyFundedDate":1772550235900,"projectUrl":"project/sweet-success-treating-students-to-rewa/10090965/","projectTitle":"Sweet Success: Treating Students to Rewards and Joy","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Bruning","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp3225553_orig.jpg?crop=1158,1158,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1721924705078","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/3225553"},{"teacherId":10077724,"projectId":9529066,"letterContent":"From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for supporting our project, \"Tools for Growing Readers.\" Your generosity has given my fourth-grade students resources that have made reading more engaging, interactive, and enjoyable. Many of my students come to class with different reading abilities, and these materials have helped me provide meaningful learning experiences that meet their individual needs.\r\n\r\nThe excitement on my students' faces when they saw the new tools was unforgettable. They couldn't wait to use them during small-group instruction, independent reading, and literacy centers. I've watched students become more confident as readers, participate more actively in discussions, and celebrate their own progress. It's amazing to see students who were once hesitant to read now eager to pick up a book and share what they've learned.\r\n\r\nBecause of your kindness, these resources will continue helping students strengthen their reading comprehension, vocabulary, fluency, and critical thinking skills throughout the school year. More importantly, you have helped nurture a love of reading that will stay with them long after they leave my classroom. Thank you for believing in my students and investing in their future. Your generosity has truly made a lasting difference.","fullyFundedDate":1754396555067,"projectUrl":"project/tools-for-growing-readers/9529066/","projectTitle":"Tools for Growing Readers","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Robinson-Swain","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10077724_orig.jpg?crop=1005,1005,x0,y50&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1754177026234","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10077724"},{"teacherId":10077724,"projectId":9460020,"letterContent":"Dear Donors,\r\n\r\nThank you so much for your generosity and for making our project, \"Lighting the Way to a Love of Reading,\" possible. Because of your kindness, my students have had access to engaging reading materials that make learning more exciting and meaningful. Many of my fourth graders come into my classroom reading below grade level or are learning English as a new language, so having resources that capture their interest is incredibly important.\r\n\r\nWhen the materials arrived, my students were so excited. They couldn't wait to explore them, and I immediately noticed an increase in their enthusiasm during our reading lessons. They were eager to participate in discussions, work together, and spend more time reading independently. It has been wonderful watching students build confidence as they practice new reading strategies and discover books they truly enjoy.\r\n\r\nYour support has made a lasting impact on our classroom. We will continue using these resources throughout the year to strengthen reading comprehension, vocabulary, fluency, and writing. More importantly, you have helped create a classroom where students feel excited to learn and believe they can become successful readers. Thank you for believing in my students and investing in their futures. Your generosity has made a difference that will continue long after this school year.","fullyFundedDate":1756743453676,"projectUrl":"project/lighting-the-way-to-a-love-of-reading/9460020/","projectTitle":"Lighting the Way to a Love of Reading","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Robinson-Swain","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10077724_orig.jpg?crop=1005,1005,x0,y50&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1754177026234","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10077724"},{"teacherId":8224066,"projectId":9271816,"letterContent":"Last years end of the year celebration was terrific thanks to you! The students are now in fourth grade and still talk about the celebration we had. Thank you for supporting our classroom! \r\n\r\nOn our last day of school, students used removable tattoos to celebrate their learning growth over the entirety of the year. This was extremely memorable and made all their growth and struggles feel appreciated.\r\n\r\nWe watched our classes favorite movies and spent the last few days together closing out our year as a community.\r\n\r\nThank you again for helping celebrate with us!","fullyFundedDate":1749137544594,"projectUrl":"project/cheers-to-the-end-of-3rd-grade/9271816/","projectTitle":"Cheers to the End of 3rd Grade!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Nieman","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-4_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8224066"},{"teacherId":10321393,"projectId":9845056,"letterContent":"I am writing to express my sincere gratitude for your generous support of our after-school snack program. Your contributions have made a meaningful and immediate impact on the students we serve.\r\n\r\nRecently, several students shared with me that food at home has been limited. In particular, about six children expressed how grateful they were to have access to snacks like Pop-Tarts and other items provided through your generosity. For them, these snacks are more than just a small treat—they are a source of comfort and nourishment during a time of need.\r\n\r\nYour kindness is helping to ensure that our students can focus, feel supported, and know that their community cares about their well-being. It is difficult to fully capture the difference you are making, but please know that your support is deeply appreciated by both the students and staff.\r\n\r\n\r\nThank you again for your compassion and commitment to helping our children thrive.","fullyFundedDate":1765991848777,"projectUrl":"project/stem-and-snack-time/9845056/","projectTitle":"STEM and Snack Time","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Alston","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10321393_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1790194006970","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10321393"},{"teacherId":1952252,"projectId":9607641,"letterContent":"Dear Rachelle and Scott,\r\n\r\nBecause of your generosity, our classroom now has comfortable stools for our reading group table and a fresh supply of dry erase markers. These simple tools have made a big difference in how my fourth graders learn every day.\r\n\r\nMy students are English language learners who work incredibly hard to build their reading, speaking, and writing skills. The new stools allow students to gather together at our reading table where we practice reading strategies, discuss stories, and build confidence using English in small groups. Having a dedicated, comfortable place to sit helps students stay focused and feel like they are part of a team of readers.\r\n\r\nThe dry erase markers are used constantly during our lessons. Students use them to practice spelling, respond to comprehension questions, and share their ideas quickly during reading activities. Being able to write, erase, and try again encourages students to take risks with language and keeps learning interactive and fun.\r\n\r\nBecause of you, my students have a welcoming space where they can collaborate, practice English, and grow as readers. Your support shows them that people believe in their success.\r\n\r\nThank you for helping our classroom thrive.","fullyFundedDate":1766525052337,"projectUrl":"project/seats-for-success-small-group-learning/9607641/","projectTitle":"Seats for Success: Small Group Learning Made Comfortable","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Pedersoli","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-7_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/1952252"},{"teacherId":7887806,"projectId":9682112,"letterContent":"As a second-grade English Language Development (ELD) teacher, I see our new books as powerful tools for building both language and literacy skills.\r\n\r\nOur new books help students develop vocabulary, comprehension, and confidence in using English. We focus on skills like identifying the main idea, describing characters, making predictions, and retelling stories. For our multilingual learners, these texts also support language structures—such as sentence frames, verb usage, and conversational skills. Many of the books include rich visuals and relatable themes, which help students connect meaning to new words and concepts.\r\nReading time in my classroom is interactive and engaging. I model fluent reading. We often pause to ask questions, act out parts of the story, or connect the text to students' own experiences. Students also use visuals, gestures, and discussion to support their understanding. The goal is to make reading both meaningful and accessible for every learner.\r\nMany of my students—especially those who are newer to English—are really connecting with the stories. For example, some students love books with strong illustrations because they can \"read\" the pictures while building their language skills. Others enjoy stories that reflect their own cultures or experiences, which helps them feel seen and more confident participating. I've noticed students becoming more eager to share their thoughts, ask questions, and even recommend books to their classmates.\r\n\r\nOverall, these books are not just teaching students how to read—they're helping them find joy and confidence in reading.","fullyFundedDate":1761245107956,"projectUrl":"project/stories-we-cant-wait-to-read/9682112/","projectTitle":"Stories We Can’t Wait to Read","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Martinez","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7887806_orig.png?crop=728,728,x15,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1628779933716","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/7887806"},{"teacherId":9125665,"projectId":9523009,"letterContent":"Because of your generosity, our classroom has been transformed into a more welcoming, organized, and engaging learning space. When the rug and floor cushions arrived, my students immediately asked if we could use them right away. That first lesson on the rug felt different — students were comfortable, focused, and eager to participate. The rolling cart has made our Lego materials organized and accessible, allowing students to independently build, problem-solve, and collaborate during STEM challenges or have fun during indoor recess. The analog clock has become part of our daily routine as students practice telling time and take pride in being the \"timekeeper,\" and the lamination sheets have allowed us to create reusable learning materials that students use again and again with dry-erase markers.\r\n\r\nThese resources continue to support both academic growth and classroom community. My students feel proud of their classroom and excited to learn in it each day. Thank you for investing in their comfort, independence, and success — your impact is felt daily.","fullyFundedDate":1755692502223,"projectUrl":"project/new-year-new-grade/9523009/","projectTitle":"New Year, New Grade!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Hayes","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9125665_orig.jpg?crop=1175,1175,x512,y50&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1724710728091","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9125665"},{"teacherId":3225553,"projectId":9575018,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for providing snacks, treats, and prizes for our classroom. Your generosity has made celebrating my students' successes extra special and motivating. The treats and prizes give students something tangible to look forward to when they reach goals or demonstrate effort, helping build confidence and a sense of accomplishment. Beyond just the rewards, these thoughtful gestures show my students that their hard work is noticed and valued, creating a positive and encouraging classroom environment where learning feels fun and meaningful.","fullyFundedDate":1761070041996,"projectUrl":"project/treats-and-incentives-for-growing-minds/9575018/","projectTitle":"Treats and Incentives for Growing Minds","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Bruning","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp3225553_orig.jpg?crop=1158,1158,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1721924705078","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/3225553"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_61368","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":406,"numTeachers":64,"percentFrplEligible":95,"percentAsian":0,"percentBlack":1,"percentWhite":1,"percentIndigenous":1,"percentLatinx":95,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","percentHawaiianImputed":0,"percentMultiracialImputed":0,"gradesServed":"Pre-K - 5","studentTeacherRatio":"6.3:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"SUBURBAN","ncesMetroType":"SUBURB_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":48.4,"schoolId":61368,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Cool Spring Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Cool Spring Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/maryland/prince-george-s-county-public-schools/coolspring-elementary-school/61368"}