{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"Columbia Falls Junior High School","outOfStateSupporters":37.2,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":9714680,"projectId":9574304,"letterContent":"As I mentioned before, getting a project funded feels like winning the lottery! Using Donors Choose supplies, the posters have been safely secured to the students desks. The parts of speech are important to develop stronger writing skills using and I always require them to use correct punctuation marks on all academic material.\r\nI really appreciate that donors, such as yourself see merit in our teacher projects and are willing to support it with your own hard-earned money.\r\nThank you for valuing my project; students are utilizing this resource every single day!","fullyFundedDate":1755697701123,"projectUrl":"project/grammar-and-punctuation-matters/9574304/","projectTitle":"Grammar and Punctuation Matters!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Wetsch","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-1_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9714680"},{"teacherId":5385000,"projectId":9120921,"letterContent":"Our middle school students have devoured these new books! They have been very popular for our nature-loving students (which are plentiful). These survival, nature, and adventure themed stories especially appealed to our 6th grade students. They especially loved the hunting and fishing stories.\r\n\r\nWe received these books in the final weeks of our school year and we know they will get a lot of attention when next school year starts up again as well. These books will continue to entertain our Montanan kiddos for years to come. Thank you so much!","fullyFundedDate":1744996961463,"projectUrl":"project/survival-skill-books/9120921/","projectTitle":"Survival Skill Books","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Gange","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp5385000_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1525820217123","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/5385000"},{"teacherId":5385000,"projectId":8809543,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your donation towards our project \"Bring Back the Classics!\" Thanks to you, we now have dozens of new copies of the best children and young adult books. Our middle schoolers here at CFJH have been excited to read the same stories that many of their parents grew up reading - like Roald Dahl's BFG and Gary Paulsen's Hatchet. \r\n\r\nLast week we did a lesson for our 6th graders where they got to go \"Speed Dating\" with these books. We gave them 2 minutes on the clock and they were tasked with investigating one of the new books on their table - to look at the front, back, and inside of the book, and to determine whether they might enjoy reading that book. Many of our 6th graders loved this fun activity and ended up checking out books from this collection to take home and read that weekend.\r\n\r\nThanks to you, our students are taking home classic oldies and they are excited to read during their time away from school!","fullyFundedDate":1730402879377,"projectUrl":"project/bring-back-the-classics/8809543/","projectTitle":"Bring Back the Classics!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Gange","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp5385000_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1525820217123","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/5385000"},{"teacherId":9749974,"projectId":8782573,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous donation to our classroom library! These books with diverse characters are allowing students to develop their reading skills, while gaining an understanding of different cultures. In addition, it is furthering their knowledge about geographic locations, since the settings of the books occur all around the world! \r\nIn our sixth grade reading class, students were able to participate in a 'book tasting.' The books were sorted by the continent on which the stories took place. Then, students traveled to each table (continent) and chose one of the books that interested them. They had a short time to preview the book and jot down notes about it on their 'menu.' They repeated this for each of the continents as they rotated through the tables of books. After the students got a 'taste' for some of the books, they ranked their 'must read' books on their bookmarks. Next, the students were able to choose the book they most wanted when the spinner stopped on their name. \r\nThese books were an incredible way to spark excitement for reading that has been contagious! Not only do students want to read the book they have, but they are checking in with their classmates to find out if they have finished a book, so they can read it next. Students are having discussions about the characters, settings, and genres of their books. I am looking forward to facilitating additional learning as the students continue to read.\r\nThank you again for providing a variety of books with a wide range of reading levels to meet the needs and interests of ALL the students in my class now and in years to come.","fullyFundedDate":1727102418611,"projectUrl":"project/reading-around-the-world-inspiring-rea/8782573/","projectTitle":"Reading Around the World! Inspiring Readers with Engaging Multicultural Books","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Bowler","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-8_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9749974"},{"teacherId":9774901,"projectId":8815470,"letterContent":"I am writing to express my deepest gratitude for the generous funding that enabled me to build a nonfiction book collection for my 6th grade science classroom at Columbia Falls Junior High. Thanks to your support, my students now have access to a selection of nonfiction books that will hopefully spark curiosity and foster a deeper understanding of the world around them.\r\n\r\nThe collection has already made an impact in our classroom. Students set a goal to read a certain amount of nonfiction each quarter, and having the resources in the classroom has been a great help. My hope is the books will challenge them to think critically about science, nature, and the world and encourage them to ask thoughtful questions.\r\n\r\nYour kindness has made a difference in the lives of my students. Thank you for making these resources available to them and helping to nurture their love of reading and discovery. You are appreciated!","fullyFundedDate":1727970286961,"projectUrl":"project/getting-curious-about-science/8815470/","projectTitle":"Getting Curious About Science","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Gange","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-1_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9774901"},{"teacherId":9758353,"projectId":8798772,"letterContent":"I want to extend my heartfelt thanks for your generous donation, which has had a significant impact on our classroom this year. Thanks to you, over 165 students in 7th and 8th grade have been able to use the new timers, calipers and measuring tapes in their learning. These resources were first introduced at the beginning of the year, where students eagerly engaged in lessons focused on metric units and measurement skills. The measuring tapes and calipers allowed students to practice taking accurate measurements. The skill building has paid off during experiments this school year. Students can better use the tools, discuss units and record accurate findings. The students were excited and curious when they first saw the new tools, each student was able to utilize the tools in small groups. By having enough supplies during our experiments, students continued to spark a sense of wonder and enthusiasm for the hands-on learning to come.\r\nA highlight of using these supplies was the 8th grade egg drop project in December. Students worked in teams to design and build structures that would protect an egg from a high drop. The timers were used to measure the duration of the fall, and the measuring tapes were essential for ensuring precise measurements of drop height and design dimensions. The competition was fierce this year, the timers were a vital tool in their design process as they developed their prototypes and analyzed the results from each of their trials. \r\nLooking ahead, students are now using these materials as they dive deeper into engineering and physics concepts throughout the year. Your contribution has not only provided the tools they need but has inspired them to approach challenges with curiosity and determination. Thank you again for helping make these meaningful learning experiences possible.\r\nWarm regards,","fullyFundedDate":1726895739760,"projectUrl":"project/metric-madness/8798772/","projectTitle":"Metric Madness!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Coghlan","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-7_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9758353"},{"teacherId":8199662,"projectId":8777592,"letterContent":"Your headphones have been an invaluable addition to our classroom. They allow my students to access audio books to support their independent reading interests. When students need a supported reading with a text, they have our new headphones at their fingertips.\r\n\r\nThe headphones that were graciously donated by you are high quality and comfortable. Many school headphones hurt kids' ears and they don't want to use them. Ours, however, fit our students' heads, produce quality sound, and are easy to plug in and adjust the sound. My students are so appreciative of the donation.","fullyFundedDate":1726581887942,"projectUrl":"project/meeting-readers-where-they-are/8777592/","projectTitle":"Meeting Readers Where They Are","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. DiMaio","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-2_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8199662"},{"teacherId":7657363,"projectId":8718202,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous gift to our classroom! I included a picture of the view from our classroom window with a few of the books we received from our grant. I realize that the books are a little difficult to see, but I wanted you to see our rare sunny view! We live near Glacier National Park, and every day, the mountains look different. Every day, we look out at our beautiful view and feel grateful for where we live. Every day in our class, we choose to read books that help us see ourselves in those stories. But it's equally important that we read stories that help us understand others' lives as well. The books you purchased for us are both windows and mirrors for us to help us see ourselves and others. \r\n\r\nWe also appreciate the supplies for our classroom! We use notebooks every day for our thinking. Many of my students experience a great deal of trauma. Sometimes, a notebook is the last thing on their minds. I provide them with this tool when I am able, and I appreciate not purchasing them out of my own pocketbook. I also included some pictures of some of the work my students produced in their notebooks about the classic novel The Outsiders. As my students absorb this book, they think deeply about stereotypes and how all of us are more similar than different. After all, according to The Outsiders, no matter where we live in this big beautiful world, we all see the same sunsets.","fullyFundedDate":1726581073276,"projectUrl":"project/books-and-notebooks-are-bridges/8718202/","projectTitle":"Books and Notebooks Are Bridges","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Robbins","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-2_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/7657363"},{"teacherId":9777566,"projectId":8819690,"letterContent":"The supplies I received from this project have been instrumental in helping me create and foster a thinking classroom. The additional seating options and marker supplies have significantly enhanced student engagement throughout the classroom period. \r\n\r\nUpon seeing the new wobble chairs, many of my students expressed gratitude and excitement to replace their traditional seating with these innovative options. Combined with my existing stools and bean bags, these chairs now offer alternative seating options for nearly half my classroom. I have found that giving students some autonomy in their seating choices reduces distractions and increases their engagement in the learning process.\r\n\r\nThe use of small marker boards, combined with vertical workspaces, has been an exciting change for most of my students, many of whom were accustomed to and fatigued by traditional math worksheets. By working on marker boards, students not only demonstrate greater enthusiasm for math tasks but also provide me with an opportunity to review their work and thought processes in real-time—something that traditional worksheets do not easily facilitate.\r\n\r\nThanks in part to the funding of this project, the daily routine in my classroom includes students being able to self-select the seating arrangement and working materials that they prefer. Doing so has given my students choice in shaping their classroom experience and fostered a sense of ownership.","fullyFundedDate":1727458882644,"projectUrl":"project/math-movement-and-learning/8819690/","projectTitle":"Math Movement and Learning","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Kavanagh","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-4_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9777566"},{"teacherId":8500239,"projectId":8681696,"letterContent":"The books, cushions, and headphones were well-received by my students! They were helpful to me as a teacher as well because they let me get to know my students better. I was able to share my love of reading with my students and it has helped my students want to read more. We've also been able to teach important social skills such as it's okay to feel angry. In addition, the students have shown a new interest in other book characters they may not have enjoyed before. \r\n\r\nThe headphones have been a surprising use in the classroom. Sensory overload is common in classes with autism and other special needs. Usually only one or two students use them but this year almost the WHOLE class is using them to engage in stories online and to complete reading!(and math) activities to improve their comprehension skills. \r\n\r\nThanks so much for this gift to provide reading opportunities for my students!","fullyFundedDate":1724453979649,"projectUrl":"project/reading-is-fun/8681696/","projectTitle":"Reading is Fun!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Foster","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8500239_orig.jpg?crop=533,533,x55,y66&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1655352071414","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8500239"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_78405","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":543,"numTeachers":36,"percentFrplEligible":56,"percentAsian":0,"percentBlack":0,"percentWhite":88,"percentIndigenous":1,"percentLatinx":5,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"6 - 8","studentTeacherRatio":"15.1:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"TOWN","ncesMetroType":"TOWN_REMOTE"},"inStateSupporters":62.8,"schoolId":78405,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Columbia Falls Junior High School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Columbia Falls Junior High School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/montana/columbia-falls-school-district-6/columbia-falls-junior-high-school/78405"}