{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"Bench Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":37.6,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":6317122,"projectId":8690653,"letterContent":"I can't thank you enough for supplying the funds to purchase the decodable books for my classroom library. It brings me so much joy when I watch a kiddo select a book and be able to sit down and read it. They get so excited when they are able to read the book on their own. They also love the wide variety of books that you funded as I have students with a wide range of interests. You have helped me provide the opportunity to grow their self confidence in their reading abilities. My current class and many to come will greatly benefit from your generosity. Thank you.","fullyFundedDate":1724530067145,"projectUrl":"project/lets-get-reading/8690653/","projectTitle":"Let's Get Reading!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Conklin","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp6317122_orig.jpg?crop=2316,2316,x0,y77&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1769576385239","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/6317122"},{"teacherId":7026201,"projectId":9267338,"letterContent":"From the bottom of my heart—and from twenty-five pairs of very excited feet—thank you!\r\n\r\nYour incredible generosity has officially transformed our classroom floor from a cold, hard space into a vibrant hub for learning. The arrival of our new classroom rug has changed the energy of our room in ways I couldn't have fully anticipated.\r\n\r\nWhy This Rug Matters\r\nBefore your donation, \"carpet time\" was often a bit chaotic. Students struggled to find their own space, leading to accidental bumps and constant shifting. Now, everything is different:\r\n\r\nRoom to Grow: The sheer size of this rug means every student finally has ample personal space. No one is cramped, which has significantly decreased fidgeting and increased focus.\r\n\r\nDefined Boundaries: The divided spaces on the rug act as \"visual anchors.\" Students now have their own designated spots, which helps them feel secure and organized during lessons.\r\n\r\nBuilding Our Community: Most importantly, this rug is the heart of our classroom community. It's where we hold our morning meetings, share our daily wins, and solve problems together. Sitting in a circle on a comfortable, beautiful rug creates an environment of equality and belonging that was missing before.","fullyFundedDate":1746787128884,"projectUrl":"project/rug-for-community-building/9267338/","projectTitle":"Rug for Community Building","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Giannini","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7026201_orig.jpg?crop=2371,2371,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1603069943857","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/7026201"},{"teacherId":6865777,"projectId":9744095,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your donation for snacks for our classroom. The students love to have snack midmorning to keep them going. This allows them to feel like they can stay focused and working from breakfast to lunch without having growling tummies, a headache, or a distraction from being hungry. The demographic of students that I work with have parents or grandparents that are outside the home working often before they come to school or late after students arrive home, paychecks are split between housing necessities, and gas, if they are lucky enough to have a car, and there are rarely funds left over to buy extras- including things like snacks. \r\n\r\nWatching their faces light up as boxes would arrive knowing that it was snacks to choose from inside was a humbling experience, as it is something that many of us think nothing about to go to the cupboard and grab a snack- but truly is a luxury that we often overlook. Seeing the variety that we opened and they are able to pick from each day as we continue working always brings about large smiles, so many thank you's, and a giddy feeling in their stomachs. Thank you again- we so appreciate you supporting our classroom.","fullyFundedDate":1764036908289,"projectUrl":"project/nourished-bodies-make-for-working-brains/9744095/","projectTitle":"Nourished Bodies Make for Working Brains!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Detling","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp6865777_orig.png?crop=306,306,x17,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1569951918501","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/6865777"},{"teacherId":8570269,"projectId":9226799,"letterContent":"This project has allowed my students the opportunity to learn without worrying about the financial burden of not having classroom materials. My students can now follow the lessons and make our interactive notebooks with the class. My students love that they have the materials they need regardless of the financial income of their families. Our next steps are to use these materials to make future reading journals and continue to see the merit in making resources for yourself that you can use later. In these notebooks students write vocabulary words and definitions as well as spelling patterns that help them complete their reading work.","fullyFundedDate":1746568397552,"projectUrl":"project/reading-and-writing-proficiency/9226799/","projectTitle":"Reading and Writing Proficiency","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Schwartz","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8570269_orig.jpg?crop=473,473,x1441,y1401&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1744123576011","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8570269"},{"teacherId":7756305,"projectId":8623468,"letterContent":"This project help provide essential resources for students. These resources made it classroom a safe space to take risks and make mistakes. Students were grateful for the new materials like whiteboards and new additions such as math games. \r\n\r\nWe were able to add additional tools to our calm corner space providing options. Students enjoyed that we were able to rotate tools and had a variety to choose from. This space helps contribute to self regulation inside the classroom and ultimately help more learning take place.","fullyFundedDate":1724876800558,"projectUrl":"project/classroom-essentials/8623468/","projectTitle":"Classroom Essentials","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Jones","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7756305_orig.jpg?crop=507,507,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1724182333450","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/7756305"},{"teacherId":8570269,"projectId":8725616,"letterContent":"Our classroom is eternally grateful for your donation. The novels we have received have opened up new words for our students and allowed them to read the text at their level. My students have read about three of the novels now and continue to grow in their reading abilities. They have also been independently seeking out novels by the same authors to read on their own time. This gift has truly fostered a love for reading that could not have been done without your donation. All of my learners in 3rd grade now have novels on the shelf that are on their level and help them feel more confident as readers.","fullyFundedDate":1725249455693,"projectUrl":"project/novel-adventures/8725616/","projectTitle":"Novel Adventures","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Schwartz","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8570269_orig.jpg?crop=473,473,x1441,y1401&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1744123576011","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8570269"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_78777","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":314,"numTeachers":25,"percentFrplEligible":95,"percentAsian":0,"percentBlack":0,"percentWhite":57,"percentIndigenous":19,"percentLatinx":10,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"K - 5","studentTeacherRatio":"12.6:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_MIDSIZE"},"inStateSupporters":62.4,"schoolId":78777,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Bench Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Bench Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/montana/billings-school-district-2/bench-elementary-school/78777"}
Join the 290 supporters who believe in this school.
About this school
Bench Elementary School is
an urban public school
in Billings, Montana that is part of Billings School District 2.
It serves 314 students
in grades K - 5 with a student/teacher ratio of 12.6:1.
Its teachers have had 140 projects funded on DonorsChoose.
Boost support for this school! Share this page with friends, family, alumni, and fellow supporters. Every connection helps teachers get the supplies they need and shows how much your community cares about its students.
DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for public school teachers.
Every donation funds real needs — pencils, books, lab equipment, art supplies, and more — helping students learn and thrive. We ship supplies directly to the school, and you'll see exactly where each dollar goes.
of students receive free or reduced price lunch
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
Source: the National Center for Education Statistics
29%
of students are Black, Latino, Native
American, or Asian
Data about school demographics comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. The numbers in this chart may not add up to 100% because of limitations in the available data.
Bench Elementary School Support on DonorsChoose
Last updated Feb 9, 2026
DonorsChoose makes it easy for anyone to help a teacher in need, moving us closer to a nation where students
in every community have the tools and experiences they need for a great education.
Bench Elementary School
$55,493
raised using DonorsChoose
140
projects
funded
38
teachers
funded
290
donors
11
projects
for
basic supplies
21
projects for
technology
21
projects for
books
3
projects
for
art supplies
Bench Elementary School has received support from
181 individuals from Montana and
109 individuals out-of-state.
