{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Whitman Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":18.0,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":7575157,"projectId":10188209,"letterContent":"Thank you for your generous support of our \"Ready to Learn: Supplies for My Classroom\" project!\r\n\r\nYour kindness has helped provide essential classroom supplies that allow my second-grade students to participate in daily learning activities with confidence and enthusiasm. The students were excited to see the new materials and eager to use them.\r\n\r\nThese supplies are helping us create an organized, engaging, and supportive learning environment where every child has the resources needed to succeed. As we continue strengthening our reading, writing, and math skills, your contribution will make a meaningful difference throughout the school year.\r\n\r\nThank you for investing in my students' education and helping ensure that every child has the opportunity to learn, grow, and succeed!","fullyFundedDate":1777993463564,"projectUrl":"project/ready-to-learn-supplies-for-my-classroo/10188209/","projectTitle":"Ready to Learn: Supplies for My Classroom","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Hussain","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-9_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ms-hussain"},{"teacherId":7575157,"projectId":10622470,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous support of our project, \"Hydrate to Learn: Water Bottles for Our Classroom!\" Your kindness has made a wonderful difference in our second-grade classroom.\r\n\r\nWhen the water bottles arrived, my students were excited to receive their very own bottles. Seeing their names on their bottles made them feel special and gave them a sense of ownership and responsibility.\r\n\r\nWe have incorporated the water bottles into our daily classroom routine. Each student now has an individually labeled water bottle that can be refilled with fresh, filtered water throughout the school day. Students no longer need to worry about forgetting to bring water from home, and everyone has equal access to drinking water whenever they need it.\r\n\r\nHaving water readily available helps minimize interruptions during instruction and allows students to stay focused on their reading, writing, and math lessons. The bottles also encourage healthy habits as students learn the importance of staying hydrated, caring for their belongings, and being responsible for their own needs.\r\n\r\nAs we continue through the school year, we will reinforce these healthy habits and encourage students to become more independent in managing their daily routines.\r\n\r\nYour generosity has provided much more than water bottles. You have helped create a healthier, more comfortable, and supportive learning environment for my students.","fullyFundedDate":1789926940664,"projectUrl":"project/hydrate-to-learn-water-bottles-for-our/10622470/","projectTitle":"Hydrate to Learn: Water Bottles for Our Classroom","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Hussain","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-9_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ms-hussain"},{"teacherId":7575157,"projectId":10622388,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous support of our classroom Snacks to Power Our Learning! Your kindness has made a meaningful difference in the lives of my second-grade students.\r\n\r\nWhen the snacks first arrived, my students were excited and grateful. Their smiles and enthusiasm showed how much even a small treat can brighten their school day. Many of my students come to school without snacks, and having these resources available ensures that every child has something to eat when they need it.\r\n\r\nWe have incorporated snack time into our daily classroom routine, giving students an opportunity to recharge and refocus before continuing their learning. I have noticed that having snacks available helps students stay engaged, concentrate better, and participate more actively in classroom activities.\r\n\r\nAs we continue working on strengthening our reading, writing, and math skills, these snacks will help keep my students energized and ready to learn. We are also using snack time to reinforce kindness, gratitude, sharing, and classroom responsibility.\r\n\r\nYour generosity has provided more than just food. It has helped create a caring and supportive classroom environment where students feel valued and ready to succeed.\r\n\r\nThank you for investing in my students' well-being and education. Your kindness truly makes a difference every day!","fullyFundedDate":1790614797543,"projectUrl":"project/snacks-to-power-our-learning/10622388/","projectTitle":"Snacks to Power Our Learning.","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Hussain","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-9_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ms-hussain"},{"teacherId":9248013,"projectId":10400940,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous support of my kindergarten classroom. Your donation of healthy whole-grain snacks, cardstock, sentence strips, and other classroom materials has had a tremendous impact on my students and their ability to learn throughout the school day. Many of my students come from low-income households, so having these resources available at school helps remove barriers that can interfere with learning. Your generosity has allowed me to provide my students with not only the academic materials they need, but also snacks that help keep their bodies fueled and their minds ready to learn.\r\n\r\nFor a kindergarten student, the school day can feel very long. Five- and six-year-old children are constantly learning, moving, communicating, creating, and developing new skills. All of that takes energy! When a child is hungry, it can be extremely difficult for them to concentrate on a letter sound, listen to a story, count objects, practice writing, or participate in a classroom discussion. Instead of thinking about what we are learning, their attention can quickly turn to the hunger in their bellies.\r\n\r\nHaving healthy whole-grain snacks readily available has helped change that for my students. Snack time provides them with an opportunity to refuel their bodies so they can return to learning feeling more comfortable and prepared to focus. Instead of wondering when they will eat again or watching the clock until lunchtime, students can concentrate on the content being taught.\r\n\r\nThis is particularly meaningful for students from low-income households. Families have many different circumstances, and providing a daily classroom snack can be an additional expense. Having snacks available in our classroom means that students do not have to worry if they were unable to bring one from home. Every student can participate in snack time and receive something to help sustain them throughout their busy kindergarten day.\r\n\r\nThe whole-grain snacks you provided have become more than just something for students to eat. They are helping create an environment in which students feel cared for and ready to learn. When children's basic needs are met, we can spend more of our classroom time focusing on the exciting work of kindergarten—learning letters and sounds, developing early reading skills, practicing numbers and counting, writing, creating, problem-solving, and building relationships with others.\r\n\r\nYour donation of sentence strips and cardstock has also made a wonderful difference in our classroom. In kindergarten, hands-on learning is essential. Young children learn best when they can see, touch, move, create, and practice concepts in meaningful ways. Sentence strips provide us with a versatile resource that can be used for practicing names, letters, words, sentences, sequencing activities, and many other literacy skills.\r\n\r\nCardstock allows me to create learning materials that are more durable and can withstand repeated use by little hands. It is also wonderful for classroom projects and activities that students are excited to complete and share. These materials give me the flexibility to create developmentally appropriate learning experiences based on the specific skills my students are working on.\r\n\r\nOne of the most meaningful ways we use these supplies is to extend learning beyond our classroom. Students are able to take projects and learning materials home to practice and share with their families. This creates an important connection between school and home. A child can proudly show a family member what they have learned, practice a skill together, or use a classroom-created resource for additional learning at home.","fullyFundedDate":1789055501819,"projectUrl":"project/growing-great-minds-supplies-for-kinder/10400940/","projectTitle":"Growing Great Minds: Supplies for Kindergarten Success","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Luthe","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9248013_orig.jpg?crop=420,420,x0,y22&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1743727662009","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/msluthe"},{"teacherId":9248013,"projectId":10347516,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for helping provide our kindergarten classroom with chair seat pockets and name tag holders. These materials may seem simple, but they have made a tremendous difference in our classroom and in the daily learning experiences of my students. For young learners, especially students from a low-income community who may not always have access to organizational tools and learning materials outside of school, having a classroom that is organized, welcoming, and designed for independence is incredibly important.\r\n\r\nThe chair seat pockets have helped my kindergarten students become much more independent in managing their learning materials. Kindergarten is often a child's first experience with the responsibility of keeping track of multiple materials throughout the school day. Instead of depending on the teacher to pass out or collect everything they need, students now have a designated place directly behind their chairs to keep their daily learning materials. They are learning that their materials have a specific place and that they are responsible for taking care of them.\r\n\r\nHaving supplies within easy reach has also helped us make the most of our instructional time. When students need a folder, book, paper, or other classroom material, they can quickly retrieve it from their seat pocket rather than waiting for materials to be passed out or searching around the classroom. This means less transition time and more time for learning. It also gives students a sense of ownership because they know exactly where their materials belong and can access them independently when they need them.\r\n\r\nThe color coding of the chair pockets has been especially helpful for my young learners. Each chair pocket coordinates with a table color, providing students with an easy visual system for staying organized. Kindergarten students are still developing their ability to read labels, follow multi-step directions, and manage their belongings. Color coding gives them a simple visual cue that they can understand immediately. Students can identify their table, their materials, and where items belong without always needing to ask an adult for assistance.\r\n\r\nThe name tag holders have also made a significant impact on student independence. Learning to write their names is an important skill in kindergarten, but at the beginning of the year, many children still need a model to help them remember letter formation and the order of the letters in their names. With their names displayed in an easily accessible name tag holder, students can quickly look at their names whenever they need help. Instead of waiting for an adult to write their name for them or provide a model, they have a reference available right in front of them.\r\n\r\nThe name tag holders are also color coordinated with the chair seat pockets and table colors. This creates a consistent organizational system throughout our classroom. The students quickly learn to associate their color with their table, chair pocket, and name tag. This visual organization helps make our classroom environment predictable and manageable for five- and six-year-old learners.\r\n\r\nMost importantly, these materials are helping my students develop confidence and independence. Each time a child gets a learning material without asking for help, puts something away in the correct place, finds their name independently, or uses their name tag as a reference for writing, they are practicing skills that extend far beyond one classroom activity. They are learning responsibility, organization, problem-solving, and self-reliance.\r\n\r\nFor students in a low-income community, having consistent access to high-quality classroom materials is especially meaningful. These chair pockets and name tag holders help ensure that every student has an organized space and the tools needed to participate fully in classroom learning, regardless of what resources may be available at home. They help create an equitable learning environment where students can focus on learning, growing, and becoming increasingly independent.\r\n\r\nThank you for investing in my kindergarten students and helping us create a classroom where materials are accessible, organization is developmentally appropriate, and students are encouraged to take responsibility for their own learning. Your support is helping my students build habits that will benefit them throughout kindergarten and for many years to come.","fullyFundedDate":1786807231611,"projectUrl":"project/learning-independence-in-kindergarten/10347516/","projectTitle":"Learning Independence in Kindergarten","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Luthe","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9248013_orig.jpg?crop=420,420,x0,y22&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1743727662009","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/msluthe"},{"teacherId":10385819,"projectId":9961547,"letterContent":"The snacks made such a wonderful difference for my students last year! Having snacks available in our classroom helped make sure that my students had something to eat when they were hungry and could stay focused and ready to learn throughout the school day.\r\nMy students were always excited when they saw the snack bin come out! It was especially meaningful to see students who may not have had a snack from home be able to choose something to eat. Having this resource available helped create a caring and supportive classroom environment where my students knew their needs were important.\r\nWe used the snacks throughout the school year, and they became a helpful part of our daily classroom routine. I am so grateful to the donors who helped make this possible. Your generosity supported my students not only in the classroom, but also by helping them feel cared for, comfortable, and ready to learn!","fullyFundedDate":1766988315400,"projectUrl":"project/fueling-first-grade-minds-with-snacks/9961547/","projectTitle":"Fueling First Grade Minds with Snacks","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Erickson","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-10_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10385819"},{"teacherId":9210267,"projectId":10183638,"letterContent":"Our new Lakeshore headphones have already made a wonderful difference in our classroom! My students use them during i-Ready, independent work, digital learning activities, and small-group instruction. The headphones help students stay focused on their own learning while reducing distractions around them. My students were excited to have comfortable, classroom-quality headphones they could use each day. Thank you for helping us create a quieter, more focused learning environment and giving my students the tools they need to be successful!","fullyFundedDate":1776366516066,"projectUrl":"project/plug-into-learning-with-new-headphones/10183638/","projectTitle":"Plug Into Learning with New Headphones!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Greene","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9210267_orig.jpg?crop=3024,3024,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1704720601825","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9210267"},{"teacherId":9210267,"projectId":10271624,"letterContent":"Our Scholastic News subscription has become a valuable resource in our classroom! My students enjoy reading about real-world topics while practicing important reading skills such as finding key details, learning new vocabulary, and using text evidence. They especially enjoy discussing the articles and sharing what they learned with their classmates. Thank you for helping us continue this resource for another year and giving my students engaging, age-appropriate texts that make reading meaningful!","fullyFundedDate":1786807230675,"projectUrl":"project/scholastic-news-renewed/10271624/","projectTitle":"Scholastic News Renewed!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Greene","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9210267_orig.jpg?crop=3024,3024,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1704720601825","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9210267"},{"teacherId":9210267,"projectId":10500565,"letterContent":"The new comfy seats have made our classroom a more welcoming and comfortable place to learn! My students were so excited when they first saw them and couldn't wait to try them out. We use the seats during independent reading, small-group activities, and times when students need a comfortable space to work.\r\n\r\nHaving flexible seating gives my students more choices and helps them feel comfortable and focused while learning. Our next step is to continue using these spaces during reading and small-group instruction to encourage students to stay engaged, work together, and enjoy learning. Thank you for helping make our classroom a more comfortable and inviting place for my students!","fullyFundedDate":1789610393660,"projectUrl":"project/comfy-seating-in-our-classroom/10500565/","projectTitle":"Comfy Seating in Our Classroom!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Greene","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9210267_orig.jpg?crop=3024,3024,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1704720601825","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9210267"},{"teacherId":9210267,"projectId":10579734,"letterContent":"The new library shelves have made such a wonderful difference in our classroom! My students are using them every day to organize, browse, and choose books that interest them. When they first saw the new shelves, they were so excited to see our classroom library looking more organized and inviting.\r\n\r\nThe shelves have created a special space where students can easily find books and enjoy independent reading. Our next step is to continue building our classroom reading community by exploring new books, recommending favorites to classmates, and spending more time reading and discussing what we learn. Thank you for helping make our classroom library a place where students feel excited to read!","fullyFundedDate":1789321491034,"projectUrl":"project/building-our-classroom-library-one-shel/10579734/","projectTitle":"Building Our Classroom Library, One Shelf at a Time","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Greene","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9210267_orig.jpg?crop=3024,3024,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1704720601825","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9210267"},{"teacherId":9248013,"projectId":10247064,"letterContent":"The students were very excited to see the addition of the new manipulatives in the room. The addition of the 3D block shapes has been a wonderful addition to the classroom. 3D shapes are defined as being solid and buildable. The students have been building structures with the various 3D shapes that were included in the large block container; this has also promoted sharing and collaboration in small groups as they work together to build and balance the 3D shapes.\r\n The magnetic pattern blocks have been an asset as the students are able to compose and decompose 2D shapes in larger scale as opposed to the regular small pattern blocks. In fact, we have learned that the students can build 3D shapes from the 2D magnetic pattern blocks and explore various prism shapes. Thank you.","fullyFundedDate":1777993309687,"projectUrl":"project/mastering-math-manipulatives-in-kinderga/10247064/","projectTitle":"Mastering Math Manipulatives in Kindergarten","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Luthe","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9248013_orig.jpg?crop=420,420,x0,y22&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1743727662009","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/msluthe"},{"teacherId":9248013,"projectId":10208626,"letterContent":"Thank you for your enormous heart and contribution to our room. The magnetic white board and magnetic letter tiles have been a huge asset and addition to our classroom. The students were very excited to see the magnetic board set up for large group activities. One of the main activities has been to search for high frequency words in messages in the beginning of the day. The students have used magnetic letters to build dictated words and high frequency words. The students use dry erase markers to write letters, words, and sentences during large group.\r\n We learned that the magnetic board came with detachable clips and this enabled charts to be hung for literacy instruction and story map displays. The magnetic board and magnetic letter tiles have been a great contribution and are used daily. Thank you!","fullyFundedDate":1777480151011,"projectUrl":"project/literacy-and-learning-in-kindergarten/10208626/","projectTitle":"Literacy and Learning in Kindergarten","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Luthe","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9248013_orig.jpg?crop=420,420,x0,y22&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1743727662009","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/msluthe"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_120790","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":611,"numTeachers":46,"percentFrplEligible":95,"percentAsian":1,"percentBlack":41,"percentWhite":2,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":48,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","percentHawaiianImputed":0,"percentMultiracialImputed":4,"gradesServed":"K - 5","studentTeacherRatio":"13.3:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_SMALL"},"inStateSupporters":82.0,"schoolId":120790,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Whitman Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Whitman Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/michigan/pontiac-city-school-district/whitman-elementary/120790"}