{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"Grant Middle School","outOfStateSupporters":21.7,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":9444712,"projectId":9343059,"letterContent":"When our needle-felting supplies and new storage cabinet arrived, my students were instantly excited and wanted to help open all of the boxes. Needle felting is a completely new medium for them, and having these materials available has opened the door to an entirely different kind of artistic exploration that we wouldn't have been able to offer otherwise.\r\nThe additional storage has already made a noticeable impact in our classroom. Having a dedicated cabinet and organized containers allows us to keep all of the wool, needles, and materials safely stored and ready for use. In a middle-school art room where supplies move quickly and space is always limited, this level of organization is truly invaluable.\r\nWe are incredibly grateful for the generosity that made this possible. Your support has given them an opportunity that feels special, exciting, and deeply meaningful. Thank you for investing in our students.","fullyFundedDate":1759314552855,"projectUrl":"project/needle-felt-project/9343059/","projectTitle":"Needle Felt Project","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Kelley","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9444712_orig.jpg?crop=1017,1017,x0,y271&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1743525082388","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9444712"},{"teacherId":10028345,"projectId":9335934,"letterContent":"My students were very excited to see the new books in our classroom. Several of them immediately grabbed titles off the shelves and started reading on the carpet. \r\n\r\nSince then, we've used these books daily in small-group reading and independent practice. For example, during our recent novel study, students were able to choose high-interest, appropriately leveled books that matched their reading goals. One of my struggling readers picked a book from the set and, for the first time, volunteered to read aloud in front of her peers. That confidence boost was such a powerful moment for our classroom community.\r\n\r\nThe next step for us is to build on this enthusiasm for reading. Students will get to share their favorite parts of these new books with classmates, sparking even more excitement and discussion. Thanks to your generosity, reading has gone from being an assignment to something my students look forward to each day.\r\n\r\nThank you for helping make this transformation possible—your support truly opened doors for my students.","fullyFundedDate":1749928199908,"projectUrl":"project/every-reader-deserves-the-right-book/9335934/","projectTitle":"Every Reader Deserves the Right Book","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. McKnight","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-3_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10028345"},{"teacherId":9444712,"projectId":9189965,"letterContent":"The clay project was a creative outlet and a fun project that was just in time to wrap up the school year. Students were given the choice to create either a clay deer mount or a project of their own design, and the results were incredibly diverse and personal. Some students chose the structured challenge of sculpting realistic deer mounts, while others explored other animals showcasing their individual interests and styles. The freedom to choose allowed every student to connect with the project in a meaningful way, making the process both engaging and rewarding.\r\n\r\nLast week, we finished the final step of glazing and painting the sculptures, and now they've come out of the kiln. It was the perfect way to close out the year, with students reflecting on the time, effort, and creativity they poured into their work. This project not only helped them build skills in 3D design and craftsmanship but also gave them a great project from their middle school years.","fullyFundedDate":1743533849740,"projectUrl":"project/european-deer-mount-and-3d-art-lesson/9189965/","projectTitle":"European Deer Mount and 3D Art Lesson","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Kelley","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9444712_orig.jpg?crop=1017,1017,x0,y271&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1743525082388","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9444712"},{"teacherId":9444712,"projectId":9221511,"letterContent":"The birdhouse building project was an incredibly impactful experience for our middle school students, blending creativity, craftsmanship, and community service into a meaningful hands-on activity. With the goal of designing and building birdhouses for locations around the community, students were challenged to think beyond the classroom and consider how their work could contribute to the local environment. This real-world connection gave the project a deeper sense of purpose, as students realized their efforts could provide shelter for birds and beautify public spaces.\r\n\r\nThroughout the process, students developed important skills such as measuring, planning, problem-solving, and safely using cardboard school safe tools. They worked both independently and collaboratively, learning to troubleshoot design challenges and make thoughtful decisions about materials and construction methods. Many students took great pride in knowing their finished birdhouses would be placed in parks, gardens, or other community spaces where others could enjoy them. The project not only enhanced their technical and artistic abilities, but also instilled a sense of civic responsibility and pride in contributing something lasting and positive to the world around them.","fullyFundedDate":1746806052217,"projectUrl":"project/bird-houses-for-around-the-community/9221511/","projectTitle":"Bird Houses for Around the Community","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Kelley","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9444712_orig.jpg?crop=1017,1017,x0,y271&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1743525082388","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9444712"},{"teacherId":9816062,"projectId":8903455,"letterContent":"Therapy dogs in schools have a profound impact on students, staff, and the overall learning environment. Their presence contributes to emotional, social, and academic benefits. Here are some key ways therapy dogs make a difference:\r\n\r\nOur school therapy dog, Reggie, is currently in training to be fully certified and start providing services to students. The students at Grant Middle School have been fundraising all year to get a therapy dog and are so excited for Reggie to be apart of our school community! When we got Reggie's supplies in the mail; the kids were so excited to open them and set them up in my office. \r\n\r\nThe presence of therapy dogs in schools creates a more nurturing, supportive, and inclusive environment. Whether providing comfort, improving behavior, or enhancing academic success, these animals play a vital role in student well-being and education.","fullyFundedDate":1735580680691,"projectUrl":"project/school-social-worker-therapy-dog-dream/8903455/","projectTitle":"School Social Worker Therapy Dog Dream","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Mcdonald","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-2_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9816062"},{"teacherId":9580055,"projectId":8475980,"letterContent":"Thank you SO much for donating to my counseling office! The students that come to me have loved the new seating option. They are drawn to the chair and and say it is so comfortable to sit in. They are relaxing and regulating their bodies by watching the sensory light. They enjoy changing the colors of the lights daily. The baskets work perfect for holding the fidgets students use. \r\nThe added furniture has really made my office feel warm and comforable. I really appreciate your support and generosity!","fullyFundedDate":1729859330460,"projectUrl":"project/regulate-and-reset-calming-down-with-th/8475980/","projectTitle":"Regulate and Reset: Calming Down With the Counselor","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Engelhard","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-8_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9580055"},{"teacherId":9566838,"projectId":8449948,"letterContent":"Thank you for funding my very 1st Donors Choose classroom fundraiser. Within days of reaching my goal, I had 40+ brand new high-interest books sprawled out in front of my students. For the 1st time in my teaching career, I saw genuine excitement and desire to touch, open, and read books. It reminded me of myself at that age, nose always in a book, pining over the latest release in a series. \r\n\r\nSome kids latch onto reading with fervor, while others not so much--for various reasons, of course, that are no fault of their own. Many require explicit reading instruction, including strategies that have proven to strengthen even the most reluctant of readers. Thus, in the past several months, my instruction has centered around researched-based reading techniques aimed at improving reading comprehension. These include implementing the 3W and H questions (who, what, where, and how?), using context clues to make inferences and understand unknown words, predicting, and summarizing. \r\n\r\nUsing the donated books, my students and I practice these reading strategies. They have become so confident in their abilities that they volunteer to stand on my homemade stage and read snippets of their book to the class. A couple of my students find humor in sharing fantastically gross (but real!) content from fact-based books, and they hysterically laugh as I make pained-type expressions!\r\n\r\nMost days, my students have at least 10-15 minutes to dive into a book of their choosing. In my classroom, this time is called \"Independent Reading.\" To model (and because I love to read), I also read my own book--one of many perks of being a teacher!\r\n\r\nBehind every good reader is a teacher. Behind every good teacher is a supportive school and community who values solid education for our youth. Please know that you, Donor, have made a difference in my classroom.","fullyFundedDate":1728058492180,"projectUrl":"project/reading-is-rad/8449948/","projectTitle":"Reading is Rad!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Palmer","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9566838_orig.jpg?crop=2316,2316,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1718065100735","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9566838"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_71599","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":445,"numTeachers":28,"percentFrplEligible":89,"percentAsian":0,"percentBlack":0,"percentWhite":70,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":24,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"5 - 8","studentTeacherRatio":"15.9:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"RURAL","ncesMetroType":"RURAL_DISTANT"},"inStateSupporters":78.3,"schoolId":71599,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Grant Middle School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Grant Middle School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/michigan/grant-public-school-district/grant-middle-school/71599"}