{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Ridgeway Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":23.1,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":232332,"projectId":10738435,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting our project, Big Buddies, Bright Futures: Building Literacy Together! Your generosity is helping us create meaningful opportunities for students to learn, grow, and build confidence through literacy.\r\n\r\nWith your support, our older students will have the opportunity to become reading role models and mentors for our younger learners. Through buddy reading, students will strengthen their reading skills, develop friendships, practice leadership, and discover the joy of learning together.\r\n\r\nYour kindness is making a difference beyond books and reading. You are helping us build a stronger school community where students encourage, support, and inspire one another.\r\n\r\nWe are so grateful for your generosity and for believing in our students. Thank you for helping our big buddies and little buddies create bright futures together!","fullyFundedDate":1793290207213,"projectUrl":"project/big-buddies-bright-futures-building-li/10738435/","projectTitle":"Big Buddies, Bright Futures: Building Literacy Together","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Policastro","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp232332_orig.jpg?crop=3024,3024,x0,y292&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1733856112034","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/cpolicastro"},{"teacherId":8720542,"projectId":10380924,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for fully funding our compact Chromebook cabinet!\r\nBecause of your kindness, our cozy first-grade space is officially clutter-free. Freeing up our space from tangled cords has transformed our classroom, giving my students back the room they need for hands-on reading and math centers.\r\nOne of the best parts of having this new setup is seeing how empowered my six year olds feel! The accessible design allows my students to take complete ownership of their devices. Every day, they independently line up, carefully retrieve their Chromebooks for learning centers, and return them to their designated slots to plug them in when finished. They take immense pride in managing their \"tech station\" all on their own!\r\nThank you for investing in our classroom, keeping our learning environment safe and organized, and helping my students build lifelong habits of responsibility.","fullyFundedDate":1789606203325,"projectUrl":"project/tiny-tech-big-dreams-reclaiming-classr/10380924/","projectTitle":"Tiny Tech, Big Dreams! Reclaiming Classroom Space.","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Schaefer","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8720542_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1784138486699","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8720542"},{"teacherId":232332,"projectId":10710913,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting our Warm Hearts Winter Care Project! Your generosity will help provide our students with warm, comforting, and essential items throughout the winter months.\r\n\r\nYour donation means more than simply providing a hat, pair of socks, blanket, or personal-care item. It sends our students an important message: You matter. You are valued. You are cared for.\r\n\r\nBecause of your kindness, we can help create a school environment where students feel comfortable, supported, and ready to learn. These resources will be available to students when they need them, allowing us to provide support with dignity and compassion.\r\n\r\nWe are incredibly grateful for your generosity and for believing in our students and our school community. Thank you for helping us keep little hearts—and little bodies—warm this winter!","fullyFundedDate":1791048460138,"projectUrl":"project/warm-hearts-winter-care-project/10710913/","projectTitle":"“Warm Hearts” Winter Care Project","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Policastro","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp232332_orig.jpg?crop=3024,3024,x0,y292&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1733856112034","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/cpolicastro"},{"teacherId":4260484,"projectId":10707811,"letterContent":"The Chromebook storage cabinets have made a positive difference for my 23 second-grade students by creating a safer, more organized classroom. With fewer tangled cords and less clutter, we have more table and counter space for small-group reading, math manipulatives, STEM projects, and literacy centers. Students can independently retrieve and return their Chromebooks, helping our transitions run smoothly and giving us more time for instruction. Keeping devices organized and charged also ensures students are ready to use technology for reading practice, math activities, and other digital learning experiences. These improvements allow us to spend less time managing materials and more time learning, collaborating, and growing!","fullyFundedDate":1790985964648,"projectUrl":"project/charged-organized-ready-to-learn/10707811/","projectTitle":"Charged, Organized & Ready to Learn!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Cofone","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp4260484_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1516965293264","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/4260484"},{"teacherId":5262423,"projectId":4067501,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous support of our Flexible Seating for Busy Learners project! Your kindness has provided our students with comfortable, supportive seating options that help them feel ready to learn, participate, and grow.\r\n\r\nWhen our new flex seating arrived, the students were so excited to see them in our classroom. They immediately wanted to try them out and discovered that the chairs gave them their own special learning space during small groups, centers, and classroom activities.\r\n\r\nThese flexible seating options have made a wonderful difference in our daily routines. Students are able to sit comfortably, focus their attention, and practice important skills such as listening, participating, and working independently. The chairs also support our social-emotional learning by helping children develop body awareness, self-regulation, and confidence.\r\n\r\nOne of the best moments has been watching students proudly choose their seating spot and settle in for learning activities. A simple chair has become a tool that helps children feel secure, included, and successful in the classroom.\r\n\r\nThank you for investing in our students and helping us create a classroom where every child has the opportunity to learn, grow, and shine!","fullyFundedDate":1556144206709,"projectUrl":"project/flexible-seating-for-busy-learners/4067501/","projectTitle":"Flexible Seating for Busy Learners","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Stab","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp5262423_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1701191533092","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ms-jparsons"},{"teacherId":5262423,"projectId":8074864,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting our phonics project! Because of your generosity, our students now have exciting, hands-on resources that make learning letters, sounds, and early literacy skills more engaging and meaningful.\r\n\r\nWhen our new phonics materials arrived, the students were immediately excited to explore them. Their curiosity came alive as they touched the pieces, named letters, and began making connections between letters and sounds. Students enjoyed using the materials during small groups, literacy centers, and teacher-led activities.\r\n\r\nOne special moment was watching students work together to find letters, identify their sounds, and connect them to words they already know. A simple activity such as \"Find the letter that starts your name\" became an opportunity for children to practice letter recognition, vocabulary, communication, and confidence.\r\n\r\nThese resources have helped create more opportunities for students to learn through play, repetition, and exploration. As a special education classroom, we are continuing to build our phonemic awareness skills by practicing letter sounds, rhyming, listening games, and beginning sound activities.\r\n\r\nOur next steps are to continue using these materials during small-group instruction and learning centers as students begin applying their phonics knowledge to writing their names, recognizing letters in their environment, and developing a strong foundation for reading.\r\n\r\nThank you for investing in our learners and helping us create a classroom where every child can discover the joy of literacy!","fullyFundedDate":1702734035732,"projectUrl":"project/phonics-fun/8074864/","projectTitle":"Phonics Fun!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Stab","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp5262423_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1701191533092","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ms-jparsons"},{"teacherId":250046,"projectId":10044279,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for making such a difference in my Gifted and Talented classroom! My students are so happy to have a centralized place to keep all of their materials organized. I love that the students also have easy access during lessons to the materials that they need. The cart, headphones, crayons-- it is all being used every day! This is all thanks to you--- our donors! You have shown my students that education is valued and important to the world, and for that I thank you from the bottom of my heart!","fullyFundedDate":1778320327820,"projectUrl":"project/organizing-minds-and-materials-for-creat/10044279/","projectTitle":"Organizing Minds and Materials for Creative Learners","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Palmer","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp250046_orig.jpg?crop=865,865,x65,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1745788574090","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/misspilcher"},{"teacherId":250046,"projectId":9778738,"letterContent":"My students have been really enjoying these STEM kits! They couldn't wait to get their hands on them when they arrived and were put together. They have been building, creating, and problem solving at any chance they get. The younger groups love creating with the play dough, cups, and pattern blocks. The older students have really been enjoying learning with the challenge cards and using a variety of the materials. We are so grateful for your contributions and donations to our Gifted and Talented classroom. Thank you!","fullyFundedDate":1768851983484,"projectUrl":"project/stem-kits/9778738/","projectTitle":"Stem Kits","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Palmer","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp250046_orig.jpg?crop=865,865,x65,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1745788574090","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/misspilcher"},{"teacherId":312315,"projectId":9806867,"letterContent":"Thank you for funding this project based on science. Science is such an important subject that really needs hands-on experiences to bring it to life. These new science kits are invaluable for my students. \r\nThe 3 Meet the Standards kits intrigued them as soon as they arrived. They were immediately drawn to the Energy kit, as we just finished the unit on Energy. A group of students opened it and demonstrated it for the others. \r\nThe next 2 kits are the Human Body and Changes in Landscape.These are the next two units that we will cover. We opened the kits and looked through them. The Human Body skeleton and the teeth and jaw have them so excited for the Spring!\r\nThe last thing that was on our wish list was the Growing System. Many of my students don't have a garden at home and have never grown anything at all! I bought lettuce, beans, and flower seeds. \r\nWe planted everything on a Friday. Much to our delight, the lettuce sprouted by Monday morning! Watching them get bigger every day has them wanting to be in school and not miss a day.\r\nPlease know how special this addition to our science curriculum is, and how big the impact is on my TItle 1 classroom.","fullyFundedDate":1762010466570,"projectUrl":"project/science-and-engineering-in-action/9806867/","projectTitle":"Science and Engineering in Action","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. W.","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-8_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/312315"},{"teacherId":250046,"projectId":9696205,"letterContent":"I write to you today with such a grateful heart! My students have been having such a great time with these materials! The Gingerbread Man book is perfect for the holiday season during our Fairy Tale unit-- and then getting to complete the STEM activity you provided for us has been the icing on the cake! Thank you for helping to provide more kits so that most students are able to get a kit to themselves or share with only one other student. It has been such a joy watching the fairy tale come to life, and to see them become problem solvers within the storyline. Thank you!","fullyFundedDate":1758735361321,"projectUrl":"project/cant-catch-me/9696205/","projectTitle":"Can't Catch Me...!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Palmer","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp250046_orig.jpg?crop=865,865,x65,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1745788574090","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/misspilcher"},{"teacherId":250046,"projectId":9697788,"letterContent":"Thank you so very much for your kindness and generosity towards my first grade gifted and talented students! They have been enjoying this Fairy Tale unit, exploring all of the different stories and characters. Their favorite part, however, is the STEM kits that connect to the literature! These are the kits that you have helped to purchase for my students. I am witnessing collaboration, failures, successes, productive struggling--- I am witnessing FUN while learning-- thanks to YOU! I am sure that these kits will be loved for years to come-- thank you!","fullyFundedDate":1757712169746,"projectUrl":"project/ill-huff-and-ill-puff-/9697788/","projectTitle":"I'll Huff... and I'll Puff... !","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Palmer","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp250046_orig.jpg?crop=865,865,x65,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1745788574090","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/misspilcher"},{"teacherId":250046,"projectId":9731894,"letterContent":"I wish you could see the excitement these robots have brought into my gifted and talented classroom! Thank you so much for your extreme kindness and generosity towards my classroom. The students are really using their brains putting these robots together-- then, they are able to show off their creativity by mixing and matching the parts to create their own version of a robot. We are so grateful for your donations to our classroom, and for showing us that the kindness of strangers can make a huge difference.","fullyFundedDate":1758731654146,"projectUrl":"project/build-and-play-robots/9731894/","projectTitle":"Build and Play Robots!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Palmer","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp250046_orig.jpg?crop=865,865,x65,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1745788574090","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/misspilcher"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_81971","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":476,"numTeachers":48,"percentFrplEligible":57,"percentAsian":2,"percentBlack":10,"percentWhite":36,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":44,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","percentHawaiianImputed":0,"percentMultiracialImputed":5,"gradesServed":"Pre-K - 5","studentTeacherRatio":"9.9:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":false,"metroType":"SUBURBAN","ncesMetroType":"SUBURB_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":76.9,"schoolId":81971,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Ridgeway Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Ridgeway Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/new-jersey/manchester-township-school-district/ridgeway-elementary-school/81971"}