{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"Weiss Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":18.8,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":4936495,"projectId":9694663,"letterContent":"Receiving STEM bins filled with hands-on materials—such as LEGO bricks, Play-Doh, Brain Flakes, straw builders, and other creative building tools—will have a powerful and immediate impact on my 4th-grade classroom. These materials will transform our learning environment into a space where curiosity, problem-solving, and imagination guide students' daily experiences. Instead of traditional worksheets, students will begin their mornings with purposeful, engaging tasks where they can choose a bin and dive into building challenges, design prompts, or free-choice engineering exploration. This helps them ease into the day, build independence, and regulate their energy while fostering collaboration as they share ideas and build together.\r\n\r\nSTEM bins also enrich our math instruction by allowing students to apply concepts like geometry, measurement, patterns, and spatial reasoning through real-world building tasks, making abstract ideas more concrete and accessible. In science, students will be able to explore engineering and core concepts such as force and motion, structures, simple machines, and material properties through hands-on experimentation and tinkering. These materials support the engineering design process in a low-risk, high-interest way, encouraging students to test ideas, revise their thinking, and grow as young scientists and engineers.\r\n\r\nBeyond academics, STEM bins increase engagement, creativity, perseverance, and collaboration. They empower students to take ownership of their learning and provide meaningful opportunities for teamwork, communication, and problem-solving. Because they offer multiple ways to participate and succeed, STEM bins are especially valuable for diverse learners who benefit from tactile, visual-spatial, or open-ended tasks. Overall, these resources will create a more vibrant, student-centered classroom where every child can explore, invent, and grow.","fullyFundedDate":1763603885327,"projectUrl":"project/from-bins-to-brilliance-4th-grade-stem/9694663/","projectTitle":"From Bins to Brilliance: 4th Grade STEM Explorers","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Bushnell","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp4936495_orig.jpg?crop=747,747,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1564671809228","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/thomas-ashley"},{"teacherId":4936495,"projectId":9453472,"letterContent":"I'm so grateful for your generosity in funding our project for classroom snacks! Your support means more than you know to my 4th graders and their families. Many of my students come from low-income households where access to consistent, healthy snacks can be a challenge. Thanks to you, my students will be able to focus on learning instead of worrying about hunger.\r\n\r\nProviding snacks helps keep their energy up, improves concentration, and creates a more positive classroom environment. It also lets my students know that there are caring people out there who believe in them and want them to succeed.\r\n\r\nYour kindness is making a real difference in our classroom every single day. From the bottom of our hearts—thank you for nourishing both our bodies and our minds!","fullyFundedDate":1761512185744,"projectUrl":"project/brain-food-for-busy-learners/9453472/","projectTitle":"Brain Food for Busy Learners","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Bushnell","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp4936495_orig.jpg?crop=747,747,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1564671809228","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/thomas-ashley"},{"teacherId":4936495,"projectId":9339682,"letterContent":"This DonorsChoose project has had a meaningful impact on my 4th grade classroom by providing essential tools that support both learning and organization. With the Teachers Pay Teachers gift card, I was able to purchase a variety of engaging, standards-aligned printable resources that enrich small group instruction and independent work time. The rolling cart has become an invaluable tool for organizing small group intervention materials, allowing for smooth transitions and more focused, efficient instruction. Additionally, the pencil holders and number stickers have helped create a more organized classroom environment, making it easier for students to keep their desks tidy and take responsibility for their materials. Altogether, these resources have helped create a more structured, supportive, and engaging learning space for my students.","fullyFundedDate":1754833863868,"projectUrl":"project/equipping-4th-graders-for-success/9339682/","projectTitle":"Equipping 4th Graders for Success","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Bushnell","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp4936495_orig.jpg?crop=747,747,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1564671809228","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/thomas-ashley"},{"teacherId":4936495,"projectId":9583437,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for funding our Classroom Desk Pet Project! Your generosity has made such a meaningful difference for my students, and we are already seeing the impact in our classroom community.\r\n\r\nWith your support, each child now has their very own desk pet and the opportunity to earn \"pet bucks\" through positive behavior choices. This reward system has transformed the way students think about their actions, encouraging responsibility, kindness, and teamwork. It has also given them a hands-on way to practice real-world financial literacy skills—saving, budgeting, and making thoughtful spending decisions.\r\n\r\nStudents who may have struggled to stay engaged before are now motivated and excited to participate. The joy on their faces when they earn enough to \"purchase\" an accessory for their desk pet has been priceless. Beyond the smiles, they are gaining important lifelong lessons in self-control, goal setting, and managing resources wisely.\r\n\r\nWe are so grateful for your generosity in making this project a reality. Your contribution has not only provided a fun and engaging tool, but it has also helped build stronger character and essential financial skills for our future leaders.","fullyFundedDate":1755521860783,"projectUrl":"project/classroom-critters-desk-pets-for-respon/9583437/","projectTitle":"Classroom Critters: Desk Pets for Responsibility and Rewards","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Bushnell","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp4936495_orig.jpg?crop=747,747,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1564671809228","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/thomas-ashley"},{"teacherId":4936495,"projectId":9335011,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting our DonorsChoose project! I'm thrilled to share that the bulletin board supplies and magnetic whiteboard accessories you helped fund have shipped and are on their way to our 4th grade classroom.\r\n\r\nEven though we haven't received the items just yet, I'm already imagining the difference they'll make in our learning environment. These tools will allow me to create more engaging, organized, and visually inviting spaces for my students. With new borders, backgrounds, and displays, our bulletin boards will become vibrant hubs of student work, academic goals, and classroom celebrations.\r\n\r\nThe magnetic whiteboard accessories will help transform our main teaching space into a more interactive and student-centered area. With magnetic labels, shapes, and tools, I'll be able to model lessons more effectively—and students will have more opportunities to engage hands-on with content during whole-class and small-group instruction.\r\n\r\nThanks to your generosity, our classroom will feel more inspiring and structured—a place where students can take pride in their work and actively participate in their learning each day.\r\n\r\nWe can't wait to put everything to use once it arrives. Thank you again for helping us build a brighter and more dynamic learning space!","fullyFundedDate":1752345683281,"projectUrl":"project/beautiful-boards/9335011/","projectTitle":"Beautiful Boards","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Bushnell","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp4936495_orig.jpg?crop=747,747,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1564671809228","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/thomas-ashley"},{"teacherId":4936495,"projectId":9453519,"letterContent":"I want to express my heartfelt thanks for your generous support of our DonorsChoose project. Because of you, a color printer and ink are now on their way to our 4th grade classroom!\r\n\r\nAlthough the items haven't arrived just yet, the excitement is already building. My students are buzzing with anticipation, imagining the colorful learning tools and creative projects we'll be able to bring to life. From vibrant anchor charts and engaging graphic organizers to student-created booklets and project displays, having access to color printing will make a noticeable difference in how we learn and share ideas.\r\n\r\nThis printer will help me create materials that are not only visually engaging but also more accessible for a variety of learners—especially those who benefit from color-coded resources and visuals. It will also allow students to bring their own work to life in full color, which helps build pride in what they create.\r\n\r\nThank you for investing in our classroom. Your kindness and support mean the world to me and to my students, and we can't wait to show you what we'll do with these tools once they arrive!\r\n\r\nWith gratitude,","fullyFundedDate":1753964919496,"projectUrl":"project/from-black-white-to-bright-a-printer/9453519/","projectTitle":"From Black & White to Bright: A Printer Project","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Bushnell","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp4936495_orig.jpg?crop=747,747,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1564671809228","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/thomas-ashley"},{"teacherId":9528453,"projectId":9145886,"letterContent":"I cannot begin to explain how thankful I am that you chose my group of students to show kindness to. They have been absolutely loving their new flexible seating options throughout the room. I have noticed a big impact on their learning. With the wobble stools in this order, I have been able to increase students engagement and time teaching because the stools have given students the opportunity to move while still learning and not be a distraction to others. I can tell that these stools will help future learners for many years to come.","fullyFundedDate":1746786277006,"projectUrl":"project/flexible-seating/9145886/","projectTitle":"Flexible Seating","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Fiting","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9528453_orig.jpg?crop=1199,1199,x786,y735&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1731337939256","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrsfiting"},{"teacherId":9528453,"projectId":9323098,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your incredible donation of STEM supplies for my classroom. Because of you, I was able to create individual bins for each of my students with plenty to rotate through supplies. They are so excited to be able to pull them up and use them when they finish their work early. They have already made so many amazing projects and they have only had the supplies for a few short days.\r\n\r\nSeeing how excited they are to show me their creations in something that I will always cherish. Thank you so much for choosing my students to impact with your generosity.","fullyFundedDate":1746785776339,"projectUrl":"project/steam-bins/9323098/","projectTitle":"STEAM Bins","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Fiting","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9528453_orig.jpg?crop=1199,1199,x786,y735&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1731337939256","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrsfiting"},{"teacherId":9528453,"projectId":9305338,"letterContent":"I cannot begin to describe the joy your donation has brought my students. When the coloring supplies arrived and I opened it all, my students faces lit up with so much happiness. You could see the wheels spinning in their minds with all the things they wanted to create and draw. We spent a good hour using the supplies and creating.\r\n\r\nThe supplies you donated to my classroom will be used to influence many drawing and creations for many groups of students to come. Thank you again for your kindness and choosing my students to receive your act of kindness.","fullyFundedDate":1746565629274,"projectUrl":"project/color-it-forward/9305338/","projectTitle":"Color It Forward","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Fiting","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9528453_orig.jpg?crop=1199,1199,x786,y735&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1731337939256","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrsfiting"},{"teacherId":9043617,"projectId":9323163,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your incredible support of our classroom! Because of your generosity, we were able to gather a variety of engaging materials—like Brain Flakes, LEGO sets, magnetic rods and balls, Play-Doh, and other building tools—along with sturdy plastic pencil boxes to organize them. These resources are helping us create individual STEM bins for each student, giving them hands-on learning opportunities that encourage creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving.\r\n\r\nThe students are so excited to explore their bins, and I've already seen their confidence and collaboration skills grow as they work through open-ended challenges and design projects. Having their own materials allows each child to take ownership of their learning, explore at their own pace, and engage meaningfully during STEM rotations or early finisher time. Your donation has helped bring this vision to life, and we are truly grateful for the joy and learning it brings to our classroom every day!","fullyFundedDate":1746785899070,"projectUrl":"project/let-them-play/9323163/","projectTitle":"Let Them Play","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Hingston","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9043617_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1693062637171","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/misskestner"},{"teacherId":9043617,"projectId":9178337,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous support of our classroom! With your help, we received an incredible set of tools to strengthen both our organization and instruction. The 30-pack of whiteboard clipboards is already transforming how we approach independent and small group work—students love having their own portable space to jot down ideas, solve problems, and share their thinking. The magnetic file holders, marker caddies, and magnetic clips are helping keep our materials neat and accessible, making transitions smoother and minimizing lost time during lessons.\r\n\r\nThe jumbo magnetic notebook paper has become a student favorite for modeling handwriting and paragraph structure on our front whiteboard. These visual aids are making a big difference, especially for students who benefit from clear, scaffolded instruction. Your donation has helped us create a more organized, interactive, and student-centered classroom. We are so grateful for your generosity and the impact it's making on our daily learning!","fullyFundedDate":1746482107730,"projectUrl":"project/magnetic-materials/9178337/","projectTitle":"Magnetic Materials","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Hingston","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9043617_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1693062637171","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/misskestner"},{"teacherId":9043617,"projectId":9169756,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting our birthday celebration project! Because of your generosity, we now have everything we need to make each student feel special and celebrated on their big day. From the colorful birthday crowns and festive gift bags to the playful reusable straws and wristbands, every item you helped provide adds a personal touch to our classroom birthday tradition.\r\n\r\nMy students light up with excitement when they see their birthday surprises, and it's such a joy to watch them feel recognized and appreciated. These small celebrations have a big impact—they help build a sense of belonging, boost self-esteem, and create happy memories that last well beyond the school year. Your kindness is helping us create a classroom community full of joy, connection, and care. Thank you for making that possible!","fullyFundedDate":1746785302220,"projectUrl":"project/birthday-bash/9169756/","projectTitle":"Birthday Bash","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Hingston","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9043617_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1693062637171","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/misskestner"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_72681","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":357,"numTeachers":19,"percentFrplEligible":74,"percentAsian":1,"percentBlack":17,"percentWhite":42,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":27,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"3 - 5","studentTeacherRatio":"18.8:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"SUBURBAN","ncesMetroType":"SUBURB_MIDSIZE"},"inStateSupporters":81.3,"schoolId":72681,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Weiss Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Weiss Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/michigan/saginaw-township-community-school-district/weiss-elementary-school/72681"}