Central Elementary School in Sidney, Montana on DonorsChoose

{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"Central Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":20.0,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":9694454,"projectId":8684289,"letterContent":"My third graders loved the two new novel sets! We typically read 2-3 chapters each day together as a class. They especially enjoy 'popcorn' reading, where the student that is reading says 'popcorn' followed by another student's name who then takes over reading. \r\nThe Ranger in Time series quickly became a class favorite, so I bought a few more titles to add to our classroom library. \r\nOur unit ended with an in-depth study of the Underground Railroad, which I tied into our social studies lessons. We discussed many ways in which slaves communicated secret escape messages. For an art project, each student painted a quilt square, as they had learned that quilts were sometimes used to portray escape routes to the North.","fullyFundedDate":1724417728025,"projectUrl":"project/take-a-ride-on-the-reading-train/8684289/","projectTitle":"Take a Ride on the Reading Train!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Tharp","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-8_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9694454"},{"teacherId":9749192,"projectId":8780676,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for donating to my novel project. You kindness and generosity has made it possible for my students to engage with new literature. \r\n\r\nWe have been reading A Boy Called Christmas through the months of November and December. They have been loving the novel so far and will continue to finish it before Christmas break. I am excited for \"Fish in a Tree\" after the new year.\r\n\r\nAgain, I would like to extend my warmest thanks and gratitude. Opportunities like this are what make teaching fun and exciting for our students.","fullyFundedDate":1726581256566,"projectUrl":"project/my-novel-study-project/8780676/","projectTitle":"My Novel Study Project","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. McLaughlin","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-7_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9749192"},{"teacherId":9748477,"projectId":8779156,"letterContent":"Thank you for sponsoring this project and enabling the students in my classroom to enjoy these beautiful books! With a strong reading background and experience, I believe that it is essential for students to understand culture, history, and society through the stories that are told. Enabling the students to read myths, fables, tall tales, and fairy tales helps to lay the foundation for students to become strong readers and be able to relate future stories they encounter to their rightful sources.\r\n\r\nI wish that you could be in the classroom to experience the joy that the students have experienced while reading these books. To have students that say they don't like reading to then go sit down and enthusiastically read these books is marvelous to witness. The importance of the project is also emphasized through the numerous students who say they didn't know the story was a book before it became a show or movie. To me, as a teacher, it is necessary to help give students a solid background of stories and to help grow their love of reading. Your support helps to make both possible. I deeply thank you.","fullyFundedDate":1726424613024,"projectUrl":"project/classic-stories-tales-and-myths/8779156/","projectTitle":"Classic Stories, Tales, and Myths","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Oprica","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-9_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9748477"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_106194","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":256,"numTeachers":18,"percentFrplEligible":43,"percentAsian":0,"percentBlack":0,"percentWhite":80,"percentIndigenous":1,"percentLatinx":12,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"4 - 5","studentTeacherRatio":"14.2:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":false,"titleOne":false,"metroType":"UNCLASSIFIED","ncesMetroType":"TOWN_REMOTE"},"inStateSupporters":80.0,"schoolId":106194,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Central Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Central Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/montana/sidney-school-district-5-1/central-elementary-school/106194"}

About this school

Central Elementary School is a town public school in Sidney, Montana that is part of Sidney School District 5&1. It serves 256 students in grades 4 - 5 with a student/teacher ratio of 14.2:1. Its teachers have had 10 projects funded on DonorsChoose.

Public School

Grades 4 - 5

256 Students

18 Teachers

200 3rd Ave SE

Sidney, MT 59270 View local requests

http://www.sidney.k12.mt.us

Evidence-based impact

Inspire teachers to stay in the classroom and boost student achievement.¹

Give to this school

Ms. Vero, a DonorsChoose teacher for 9 years.

Kindergarten teacher at PS81 - Robert J. Christen School in Bronx, NY

Central Elementary School Teachers on DonorsChoose

DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. Each classroom request for funding was created by a classroom teacher and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

See how DonorsChoose works

Central Elementary School Demographics

43%

of students receive free or reduced price lunch

Source: the National Center for Education Statistics

13%

of students are Black, Latino, Native American, or Asian

Schools in districts that mainly serve students of color receive substantially less state and local support than similar districts that serve primarily White students. Learn more about this gap, why it exists, and how you can help close it.

Central Elementary School Support on DonorsChoose Last updated Dec 5, 2025

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.