{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"John F Kennedy Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":32.6,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":3988595,"projectId":9588468,"letterContent":"Thanks to your generosity, our classroom has become an even more vibrant, organized, and engaging learning space. We've already begun using the laminator, laminating sheets, folders, and storage materials to create durable literacy games, adapted books, visual schedules, and hands-on materials that truly meet the diverse needs of my students. Having the ability to laminate materials means the tools we rely on daily—sound cards, sequencing boards, name puzzles, and communication visuals—can now be used repeatedly and shared across small groups without worrying about wear and tear.\r\n\r\nThe sensory materials—Play-Doh and kinetic sand—have been a huge success during fine motor warm-ups and emotional regulation breaks. Students who often feel overwhelmed now have calming, purposeful options to help them reset so they can re-engage in learning. The rolling storage cart and file organizers have helped me to manage the dual classroom workflow for my small groups, making it easier for me to prep materials quickly and for students to access their tools independently.\r\n\r\nOur next steps are to continue creating adapted literacy resources for our reading and writing units and to build additional hands-on literacy centers for students with IEPs, English language learners, and those needing more structured, engaging practice. The new supplies will allow my students to participate more deeply, stay organized, and feel confident and supported throughout the school day.\r\n\r\nYour donation has directly strengthened our classroom community, improved access to learning, and brought so much joy to my students. Thank you for making a meaningful, lasting impact on their education.","fullyFundedDate":1756393061798,"projectUrl":"project/a-fresh-start/9588468/","projectTitle":"A Fresh Start","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Sach","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp3988595_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1534957517018","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/3988595"},{"teacherId":2736948,"projectId":9419770,"letterContent":"I want to start off by saying THANK YOU SOOO MUCH for all of your donations, without all of you, we would've never been able to have this amazing GaGa Pit. Students of all ages have literally filled the pit since the first day it was assembled. If you look outside before school, after school or recess you will see countless children, smiling, laughing, screaming with excitement as they move throughout the Gaga Pit trying not to get tagged with the ball. To any person walking by it just looks like a \"goat pen\", as one of my 3rd graders said the first day it was in the schoolyard, but to the students it's a high energy, inclusive game of controlled chaos. Recess will never be the same thanks to all of your generous donations.\r\n\r\n\tWith your donations, we were able to replenish some of our much needed recess equipment. Students now have new playground balls for kickball, four-square as well as Gaga Ball. The new hula hoops have created very fast past, energetic hula hoop tag games. \r\n\r\nYou have truly made our recess and PE time a more memorable experience for all of the students at the JFK.","fullyFundedDate":1761774273459,"projectUrl":"project/redefining-recess-and-pe-class/9419770/","projectTitle":"Redefining Recess and PE Class","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Wilson","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp2736948_orig.jpg?crop=3024,3024,x510,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1684157923627","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/2736948"},{"teacherId":9994016,"projectId":9362927,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous donation to our classroom! The new set of headphones has already made a huge difference in the way my 3rd graders learn and engage with technology. In our classroom, we use online programs daily for reading, math, and even social-emotional learning. Having high-quality headphones for each student means they can focus without distractions and truly immerse themselves in their individual learning path. Before this project was funded, students often had to share or make do with broken or uncomfortable headphones—now, each child has access to a tool that supports their success.\r\n\r\nThe excitement on their faces when we unpacked the new headphones was priceless. Many students commented on how \"cool\" and \"comfortable\" they were, and several even said it made their learning \"feel easier.\" One student, who has struggled with focus in the past, told me that the new headphones helped him \"block out the noise and solve problems better\" during math time. Another student who receives English Language Learner support has been thriving with interactive language apps—she's now more confident in speaking up during class discussions.\r\n\r\nThank you again for supporting our classroom and giving my students the tools they need to grow. Your kindness has made a lasting impact not just on their learning, but also on how they feel about school each day.","fullyFundedDate":1748276946073,"projectUrl":"project/3rd-grade-classroom-set-of-headphones/9362927/","projectTitle":"3rd Grade Classroom Set of Headphones","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Davis","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-9_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9994016"},{"teacherId":9602457,"projectId":9150752,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your incredible generosity in providing our classroom with containers, crayons, and skin color crayons. Your support has truly made a big difference in our daily learning, creativity, and sense of community.\r\n\r\nThe new containers have already brought so much organization and calm into our classroom. Before, we often struggled with scattered supplies and the challenge of finding what we needed during lessons. Now, with the containers, everything has a place. Students can quickly grab materials, clean up more efficiently, and take more responsibility for their learning environment. It may seem like a small change, but for our classroom, it has created smoother transitions, less stress, and more time focused on learning. Having an organized space helps our students feel proud of their classroom and encourages them to respect their materials.\r\n\r\nThe crayons have been such a wonderful addition, too! Our students love having fresh supplies that allow them to express their ideas, illustrate their stories, and complete their work with bright, bold colors. Something as simple as a new box of crayons can spark so much joy. Students are more excited to dive into their projects, and the quality of their work has improved because they now have the right tools to show their creativity. For many of our students, crayons are not always readily available at home, so being able to use them in class every day feels extra special.\r\n\r\nWhat has been especially meaningful for us are the skin color crayons. Representation matters so much for children, and having crayons that match a wide variety of skin tones allows our students to create art that feels true to themselves. When children can draw pictures of their families and friends using colors that actually reflect the people in their lives, it validates their identities and celebrates diversity. It has been heartwarming to watch students carefully choose the shades that look like them, their classmates, and their loved ones. The excitement and pride they feel when they can finally say, \"This looks like me!\" is priceless.\r\n\r\nYour donation is helping to nurture creativity, self-expression, and belonging in our classroom. These supplies are not just tools—they are building blocks for confidence, collaboration, and meaningful learning. When students have access to materials that reflect who they are and help them succeed, it shows them that their voices matter and that people believe in their potential.\r\n\r\nThank you for supporting our classroom and investing in our students' futures. Every day, your kindness is making a difference. We are deeply grateful for your generosity and the way it has impacted our learning community.","fullyFundedDate":1743269207169,"projectUrl":"project/supporting-creativity-comfort-and-incl/9150752/","projectTitle":"Supporting Creativity, Comfort, and Inclusion in Our Classroom","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Sullivan","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9602457_orig.jpg?crop=602,602,x0,y60&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1721623697868","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9602457"},{"teacherId":9602457,"projectId":9071383,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous gift of chairs for our classroom! They have already made such a positive difference. Our students now have a comfortable and supportive place to sit, which helps them stay focused and ready to learn. Having the right furniture makes our classroom feel more welcoming and allows students to engage in their work without distraction.\r\n\r\nWe are so grateful for your support of our classroom. All of our students benefit from this addition to the classroom. Your kindness is helping our students grow, learn, and thrive each day!","fullyFundedDate":1746786522682,"projectUrl":"project/providing-my-third-graders-with-comforta/9071383/","projectTitle":"Providing My Third Graders with Comfortable Seating for Focused Learning","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Sullivan","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9602457_orig.jpg?crop=602,602,x0,y60&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1721623697868","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9602457"},{"teacherId":9602457,"projectId":8510921,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous donation of magnets and organizing containers for our classroom! These supplies have already made such a positive difference for our students.\r\n\r\nThe magnets have been wonderful learning tools. They allow us to make lessons more interactive and hands-on, which keeps our students engaged and curious. Whether we are practicing spelling, solving math problems, or exploring science concepts, the magnets bring learning to life. Our students love using them, and it has helped them understand and remember important skills in a fun way.\r\n\r\nThe organizing containers have been a true gift as well. They help keep our materials neat, accessible, and easy for students to find. With everything in its place, our classroom runs more smoothly, and students are able to focus more on their learning instead of searching for supplies. This simple change has created a more calm and productive environment.\r\n\r\nYour kindness and generosity are felt every day in our classroom. Thank you for helping us create a space where students can thrive, learn, and feel excited about school.","fullyFundedDate":1723649579742,"projectUrl":"project/essential-tools-for-a-thriving-classroom/8510921/","projectTitle":"Essential Tools For A Thriving Classroom","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Sullivan","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9602457_orig.jpg?crop=602,602,x0,y60&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1721623697868","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9602457"},{"teacherId":8976381,"projectId":8753296,"letterContent":"I want to extend my heartfelt thanks for your generous donation of chairs to our classroom. These new chairs, thoughtfully sized for our students, have made an immediate and meaningful difference in our reading and writing time. It may seem like a small change, but having furniture that truly fits our learners helps them maintain focus, sit with better posture, and engage more comfortably in their literacy work. The students are more eager to settle in with a good book or tackle their writing assignments now that they feel supported—literally and figuratively.\r\n\r\nYour gift has not only improved our classroom environment but has also shown our students that there are people beyond these walls who care about their success. It's amazing how something as simple as a well-sized chair can create a more inviting, productive space for learning. Thank you for investing in our readers and writers—you've made a lasting impact that will continue to support growth, confidence, and joy in literacy every day","fullyFundedDate":1735657745818,"projectUrl":"project/chairs-for-readers/8753296/","projectTitle":"Chairs for Readers!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Yurgelun","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8976381_orig.jpg?crop=1136,1136,x515,y261&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1726594413377","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8976381"},{"teacherId":9746329,"projectId":8774166,"letterContent":"Thank you again for supporting my project of obtaining a rug for my classroom.\r\nWords cannot express how grateful I was the moment I found out that you had fully donated to my project. I waited with great anticipation for its arrival. My students were extremely excited about our new classroom addition and could not wait to use it.\r\n \r\n Since we received delivery of the rug we started to use it immediately. This rug has been a great addition to the ambiance of our classroom and It has become an intricate part of our classroom life. It has also made a great impact on teaching and learning. My students now have a spot that solely belongs to them when we come together for morning meetings and whole group learning time. They also enjoy spending their independent reading and partner/small group work time there. Our current and future group of students will be forever grateful.","fullyFundedDate":1735657759087,"projectUrl":"project/oh-how-i-long-to-have-my-own-personal-sp/8774166/","projectTitle":"OH How I Long to Have My Own Personal Space!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Walcott","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-5_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9746329"},{"teacherId":4681818,"projectId":8563194,"letterContent":"Motivating and rewarding youth to do things that are difficult makes it more enjoyable and makes them more likely to keep coming back! This past fall we had over 50 youth take part in our school-based running clubs. For many this was the first time they considered running as anything other than something they did on the playground, an athletic field or a court. So, providing them with incentives, like bracelets and stickers, for achieving certain milestones was crucial in building positive growth mindsets, encouraging effort and building motivation. \r\n\r\nOur student runners worked hard for ten weeks, during which time they received coaching to set and achieve goals and increase their endurance and sense of community. In November we held a culminating lap challenge event and these new youth runners were all determination, effort and teamwork. We are proud to report that almost every runner improved over 20% in the distance they could run in 10 minutes, a truly momentous accomplishment! \r\n\r\nThis coming Spring we have a new season starting and many of the Fall participants are already eagerly recruiting friends to join them! So, it is with heartfelt appreciation that we say thank you for nurturing both physical and mental wellness in our youth!","fullyFundedDate":1729605461820,"projectUrl":"project/motivation-to-run-run-run/8563194/","projectTitle":"Motivation to Run Run Run!","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. McCaffrey","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp4681818_orig.jpg?crop=871,871,x0,y275&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1644182634217","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/4681818"},{"teacherId":4681818,"projectId":8611719,"letterContent":"It's cold and icy here in the Northeast, but our hearts are warm because of your generous support of our youth running teams this past fall! Thanks to you, over 40 youth received new running sneakers that enhanced their experience in our fall running season. Rewarding their focus and perseverance over ten weeks is one key motivator for these youth, most of whom are brand new to running as an organized activity. \r\n\r\nThese student runners worked hard and received coaching to increase their endurance, set and achieve goals and along the way they created a new community at their school too. As you can see from the enclosed photos, they were all determination and teamwork at our culminating event in November. And the results were outstanding! By the end of November, almost all of our youth improved more than 20% or more in the distance they could run in 10 minutes. This is a huge accomplishment for these new runners.\r\n\r\nWe will restart our running team this Spring and many of the Fall participants are already eagerly anticipating a new season and new accomplishments. Thank you for helping us to continue nurturing the seeds of physical and mental wellness in so many young people!","fullyFundedDate":1728747616581,"projectUrl":"project/fall-in-love-with-running/8611719/","projectTitle":"Fall In Love With Running","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. McCaffrey","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp4681818_orig.jpg?crop=871,871,x0,y275&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1644182634217","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/4681818"},{"teacherId":8976381,"projectId":8452664,"letterContent":"On behalf of John F. Kennedy School, I would like to express our heartfelt gratitude for your generous donation to fund the purchase of decodable books. Your contribution has made a profound impact on our students' literacy development, providing them with the essential resources they need to build strong reading skills. Decodable books are an invaluable tool for young readers, as they allow students to practice phonics patterns and letter-sound relationships in context. This is key for reading fluently and with confidence. These books enhance our instruction by supporting differentiated learning, by offering targeted practice. With decodable words and sentence structures, these texts reinforce the connection between phonics instruction and meaningful reading experiences. Thanks to your generosity, our teachers now have an enhanced resource to guide students through critical stages of literacy development, ensuring a strong foundation for future academic success. We are deeply grateful for your support in helping to shape the future of our young learners.","fullyFundedDate":1728312575401,"projectUrl":"project/decodable-texts-for-readers/8452664/","projectTitle":"Decodable Texts for Readers!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Yurgelun","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8976381_orig.jpg?crop=1136,1136,x515,y261&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1726594413377","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8976381"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_62885","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":399,"numTeachers":27,"percentFrplEligible":69,"percentAsian":1,"percentBlack":18,"percentWhite":15,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":58,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"Pre-K - 6","studentTeacherRatio":"14.8:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":67.4,"schoolId":62885,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about John F Kennedy Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"John F Kennedy Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/massachusetts/boston-public-schools/john-f-kennedy-elementary-school/62885"}