{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Joseph J Catena School","outOfStateSupporters":9.6,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":4502464,"projectId":10090987,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for helping bring our Book Vending Machine to Catena! This project has given us an exciting new way to celebrate both positive behavior and a love of reading. Students can earn a special Golden Token by demonstrating the qualities we value throughout our school community, being respectful, responsible, safe, and kind. They can then use their token to select a brand-new book from the vending machine that is theirs to keep. By connecting books with recognition, we hope students begin to see reading not only as something they do for school, but as something exciting, rewarding, and worth celebrating.\r\n\r\nReading is an important part of every day at Catena. Our students are learning to become stronger readers by building skills such as decoding unfamiliar words, developing fluency, expanding vocabulary, making predictions and connections, identifying important details, and thinking deeply about what they read. Just as importantly, we want students to develop their own identities as readers. Having a wide variety of engaging, age-appropriate books available allows children to discover authors, characters, topics, and genres that truly interest them.\r\n\r\nThe excitement surrounding the Book Vending Machine has already been wonderful to see. Students are proud when they receive a Golden Token, but there is something especially meaningful about watching them carefully choose their very own book. Your generosity has allowed us to recognize students for making positive choices while putting more books directly into their hands and homes. Thank you for helping us build a school community where good character and a love of reading are celebrated together!\r\n\r\nWith Grateful Hearts,\r\nThe Positive Behavior Team at Joseph J Catena","fullyFundedDate":1778612678156,"projectUrl":"project/pbs-possibilities-a-book-vending-machin/10090987/","projectTitle":"PBS Possibilities: A Book Vending Machine for Students","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Boysen","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp4502464_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1497887877501","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/4502464"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_81674","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":445,"numTeachers":42,"percentFrplEligible":14,"percentAsian":8,"percentBlack":3,"percentWhite":70,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":12,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","percentHawaiianImputed":0,"percentMultiracialImputed":5,"gradesServed":"K - 5","studentTeacherRatio":"10.6:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":false,"titleOne":false,"metroType":"SUBURBAN","ncesMetroType":"SUBURB_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":90.4,"schoolId":81674,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Joseph J Catena School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Joseph J Catena School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/new-jersey/freehold-township-elementary-school-district/joseph-j-catena-school/81674"}
Join the 334 supporters who believe in this school.
About this school
Joseph J Catena School is
a suburban public school
in Freehold, New Jersey that is part of Freehold Township Elementary School District.
It serves 445 students
in grades K - 5 with a student/teacher ratio of 10.6:1.
Its teachers have had 70 projects funded on DonorsChoose.
Public School
Grades K - 5
445 Students
42 Teachers
275 Burlington RdContact info is sourced from our partners at MDR Education, and DonorsChoose updates our site ahead of each school year.
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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
23%
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.
Joseph J Catena School Support on DonorsChoose
Last updated Oct 1, 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.
Joseph J Catena School
$49,459
raised using DonorsChoose
70
projects
funded
26
teachers
funded
334
donors
3
projects
for
basic supplies
2
projects for
technology
7
projects for
books
Joseph J Catena School has received support from
302 individuals from New Jersey and
32 individuals out-of-state.