{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Early Childhood Hub West","outOfStateSupporters":25.0,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":1789105,"projectId":10177866,"letterContent":"Thank you for supporting our classroom and helping create a safe, welcoming space for STEM learning. Our new rug provides structure and comfort, allowing students to explore, build, and experiment with confidence. The defined spaces support organization, counting, and patterning while encouraging collaboration and problem-solving. Students use the rug daily for hands-on activities that build early math, science, and engineering skills. Your generosity has created an environment where students feel secure, engaged, and excited to learn through exploration.\r\n\r\nThank you for making this possible.","fullyFundedDate":1775678221703,"projectUrl":"project/stem-starts-with-a-safe-space/10177866/","projectTitle":"STEM Starts With a Safe Space","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Cassie","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp1789105_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1754697822870","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/1789105"},{"teacherId":1789105,"projectId":10124737,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting our \"STEM in Early Ed\" project. Your generosity has made a big difference in how my students access and engage with learning materials every day. The new storage system has helped create a more organized and student-centered classroom where children can independently explore STEM resources.\r\n\r\nWhen students first saw the bins, they were excited and curious to see what was inside. We explored the materials together, talking about how they could be used and how to take care of them. Now, students are able to choose materials on their own, which has increased their independence and confidence. They are building, testing, and problem-solving in more meaningful ways because everything is easy to access and clearly organized.\r\n\r\nThis system has also supported social skills. Students are learning to share materials, take turns, and work together during play. I see more collaboration and communication as they build and explore together. It has helped create a stronger sense of classroom community.\r\n\r\nBecause of your support, I am able to provide more hands-on STEM experiences that encourage curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking. Thank you for helping create a space where my students can learn through exploration every day.","fullyFundedDate":1774963733032,"projectUrl":"project/stem-in-early-ed/10124737/","projectTitle":"STEM in Early Ed","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Cassie","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp1789105_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1754697822870","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/1789105"},{"teacherId":1789105,"projectId":10126111,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting our \"Engineering Through Play\" project. Because of your generosity, our classroom has been transformed into a space where curiosity, movement, and meaningful learning come together in powerful ways. One of the most impactful additions has been our new climber, which has quickly become a central part of our daily routine and learning experiences.\r\n\r\nFrom the very first moment the children saw the climber, their faces lit up with excitement and wonder. Many of them were eager to explore, while others approached it more cautiously, watching their peers before trying it themselves. This range of reactions created natural opportunities for social interaction, encouragement, and relationship-building. I observed children offering hands to help each other up, cheering for their friends, and celebrating small successes together. These moments have strengthened our classroom community in ways that go far beyond physical play.\r\n\r\nThe climber has also been an incredible tool for developing social skills. Students are learning how to take turns, negotiate space, and communicate their needs with peers. For some of my students, especially those who need additional support with social-emotional development, this has been a meaningful and authentic way to practice skills like waiting, sharing, and cooperative play. The structure of the climber invites interaction, and I've seen friendships grow as children work together to navigate it.\r\n\r\nIn addition to social growth, the climber has opened the door to rich exploration and early STEM learning. As children climb, balance, and move through the structure, they are naturally experimenting with concepts like cause and effect, problem-solving, and spatial awareness. For example, they quickly learn that where they place their feet or how they shift their weight affects their ability to climb or stay balanced. They test ideas, adjust their movements, and try again—engaging in the kind of trial-and-error thinking that is foundational to engineering and scientific reasoning.\r\n\r\nWe have also extended this learning by incorporating language and questioning into play. I might ask, \"What happens if you climb from this side?\" or \"How can you help your friend get up?\" These prompts encourage children to think critically, make predictions, and reflect on their experiences. The climber has truly become a hands-on laboratory where learning is active, meaningful, and driven by the children's own curiosity.\r\n\r\nAnother powerful impact has been on students' confidence and independence. Many children who were initially hesitant are now climbing with pride, taking safe risks, and celebrating their own progress. These moments of success build not only physical skills but also a sense of self-belief that carries into other areas of the classroom.\r\n\r\nLooking ahead, we plan to continue integrating the climber into our daily routines and expanding its use within our curriculum. We are exploring ways to connect it to storytelling, obstacle courses, and collaborative challenges that further support problem-solving and teamwork. The possibilities are endless, and the children continue to surprise us with their creativity and ideas.\r\n\r\nYour support has made all of this possible. You have provided more than just a piece of equipment—you have created opportunities for connection, growth, and joyful learning. Thank you for investing in our students and for believing in the power of play as a foundation for lifelong learning.","fullyFundedDate":1774963782204,"projectUrl":"project/engineering-through-play/10126111/","projectTitle":"Engineering Through Play","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Cassie","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp1789105_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1754697822870","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/1789105"},{"teacherId":1789105,"projectId":10082162,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting our \"Squeeze Me\" project. The squeeze machine has quickly become one of the most loved resources in our classroom. From the very first day, students were drawn to it with excitement and curiosity. With modeling and supervision, they quickly learned how to use it safely and appropriately—and now many of them are able to access it independently to meet their sensory needs. Watching them take ownership of their regulation in this way has been incredible.\r\n\r\nThe squeeze machine has made a meaningful impact on our students' social-emotional growth. For many of our learners, deep pressure input helps their bodies feel calm and organized. Instead of becoming overwhelmed or dysregulated, they are learning to recognize when their bodies need a break and to choose the squeeze machine as a tool. We've seen students return to group activities more focused, participate more successfully in learning tasks, and engage more positively with peers after using it.\r\n\r\nBecause of your generosity, our classroom now has a powerful tool that supports self-regulation, independence, and emotional well-being. The next steps for our students include continuing to build their awareness of their bodies and practicing identifying which strategies help them feel ready to learn. The squeeze machine is already playing a key role in helping our students develop lifelong skills in self-regulation. We are so grateful for your support in making this possible.","fullyFundedDate":1770907291663,"projectUrl":"project/squeeze-me/10082162/","projectTitle":"Squeeze me","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Cassie","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp1789105_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1754697822870","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/1789105"},{"teacherId":1789105,"projectId":9625685,"letterContent":"Our DonorsChoose project has had a meaningful and immediate impact on our classroom. The color-changing touch board quickly became a class favorite. One student in particular now independently goes to the board when they feel upset and uses it as a tool to calm and regulate their emotions. Being able to self-select a regulation strategy is a huge step toward independence, and this board has made that possible.\r\n\r\nMy classroom is made up of students with significant disabilities, and the smaller sensory table has opened the door to even more accessible sensory options. With two sensory areas available, every student can now have a safe, appropriate choice that meets their needs. Students have begun exploring water as a regulation tool, and we are now introducing fall sensory items. They are using their AAC devices to talk about what they find in the sensory table, building communication skills through play and exploration.\r\n\r\nThe routines and expectations around using the sensory table have also helped students learn to wait, take turns, and follow predictable steps. These materials have not only supported emotional regulation and sensory needs, but have also strengthened communication, engagement, and independence in our classroom.\r\n\r\nWe are so grateful for the support—these tools are making a real difference every single day. 💛","fullyFundedDate":1755718046196,"projectUrl":"project/little-learners-big-feelings/9625685/","projectTitle":"Little Learners, Big Feelings","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Cassie","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp1789105_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1754697822870","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/1789105"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_130675","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":null,"numTeachers":null,"percentFrplEligible":70,"percentAsian":23,"percentBlack":19,"percentWhite":18,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":12,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"Not specified","studentTeacherRatio":null,"demographicsDataSource":"MDR District Record","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":false,"metroType":"UNCLASSIFIED","ncesMetroType":null},"inStateSupporters":75.0,"schoolId":130675,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Early Childhood Hub West on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Early Childhood Hub West","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/minnesota/saint-paul-public-schools/early-childhood-hub-west/130675"}