{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Cadwalader Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":34.8,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":6399585,"projectId":10509835,"letterContent":"Our Learning Toolkit Binder project is officially underway, and it has already created so much excitement in our classroom! When the packages arrived, my students were thrilled to see the new binders and materials. \r\n\r\nThey were especially excited to choose their own favorite colors, which made the binders feel personal and truly theirs. \r\n\r\nI had to explain that these were not just regular school binders, but their very own learning toolkits—something we would build together throughout the year and use whenever they needed a little extra help. I loved watching their curiosity as they began to understand that these binders would become a collection of tools they could use to help themselves.\r\n\r\nWe have already started adding materials to our binders, beginning with our math addition table. This was such a simple first step, but it gave students an opportunity to see exactly how the binders will work. We talked about how, when they come across a challenging addition problem, they won't always have to immediately ask an adult for the answer. Instead, they can open their toolkit, find a resource, and use it to help themselves. We are still in the early stages of building these personalized toolkits, and our next step is for each student to create a cover and begin organizing their binder. \r\n\r\nWith the sheet protectors, pencil cases, and other organizational materials, we will be able to continue adding phonics charts, reading strategies, writing checklists, number lines, high-frequency words, SEL strategies, and other tools throughout the year. \r\n\r\nMy hope is that these binders will eventually become a visual reminder for every student that they have strategies, resources, and knowledge available to them—and most importantly, that they can do hard things. \r\n\r\nThank you for helping us take the first steps toward creating confident, capable, and increasingly independent learners!","fullyFundedDate":1789143729374,"projectUrl":"project/ultimate-2nd-grade-survival-binder-lear/10509835/","projectTitle":"Ultimate 2nd Grade Survival Binder: Learn, Use It, Master It.","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Jackson","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp6399585_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1784649493927","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrsjajackson"},{"teacherId":6399585,"projectId":10509447,"letterContent":"Thank you for Helping My Students Find Their Super SEL Powers! Thank you so much for supporting our classroom and helping us build a special Social-Emotional Learning library for our second graders. Your generosity has brought so many wonderful books into our classroom, and these books have quickly become much more than stories we read together. They have become conversation starters, reflection tools, comfort during difficult moments, and reminders to our students that they have the ability to work through big feelings and challenges.\r\n\r\nSecond grade is such an exciting age. My students are growing in so many ways academically, socially, and emotionally, but they are still learning something incredibly important: what to do with all of the feelings they experience. Second graders can have very big feelings! They can become frustrated when something is difficult, nervous when something feels unfamiliar, disappointed when things do not go as planned, or overwhelmed when they are trying to manage several emotions at once. They are still learning that having a big feeling does not mean they are a bad student and that feeling frustrated does not mean they have failed.\r\n\r\nThese books have given us a beautiful and age-appropriate way to talk about those feelings.\r\nWe have been reading the books from our collection during our morning routines, using the characters and their experiences as a way to begin conversations about emotions, choices, kindness, perseverance, courage, and helping others. Instead of simply telling students what they should do when they are upset or worried, we can look at a character together and ask, \"How do you think they are feeling?\" \"Why might they feel that way?\" \"What could they do next?\" and, most importantly, \"Have you ever felt that way?\"\r\n\r\nThose conversations have opened doors for students to talk about themselves in ways that can sometimes be difficult for young children.\r\nOne of the most special parts of this project has been watching students connect so deeply with the characters in these stories. Our students absolutely loved the Super Ninja books. They connected with the story in such a powerful way because the emotions and challenges felt familiar to them. They could see pieces of themselves in the character and recognize that feeling nervous, unsure, frustrated, or overwhelmed is something that happens to everyone.\r\n\r\nThat connection has made our conversations feel authentic rather than like another lesson we have to complete.\r\n\r\nThe students have also been creating their own superheroes inspired by the books and our conversations. These superheroes have become a wonderful part of our calming corner. We talk about the idea that being a superhero does not mean that you never get upset, never make mistakes, or never feel nervous. Instead, our classroom superheroes represent the idea that real strength is knowing how to recognize your feelings, make thoughtful choices, ask for help, try again, and care for other people.\r\n\r\nThe students have really embraced this idea.\r\nOur calming corner is now becoming a place filled with these messages. The books from this project are housed there so that students can independently choose a story when they need a quiet moment, want to recenter, or simply want to read. The space is becoming more than just a \"calm down\" area. It is becoming a place where students can pause, reflect, learn about themselves, and choose a strategy that might help them return to the classroom ready to participate.\r\n\r\nThat independence is incredibly important.\r\nWe want students to gradually learn that they have tools they can use when they experience difficult emotions. Sometimes that might mean taking a quiet moment. Sometimes it might mean reading a book. Sometimes it might mean talking to an adult or a friend. Sometimes it might mean taking a deep breath, trying again, or reminding themselves that they can do something even when it feels difficult.\r\nThe books give us a shared language for all of those experiences.\r\n\r\nStories such as The Nervous Ninja, The Boy with Big, Big Feelings, and The Magical Yet have helped students explore ideas like courage, perseverance, optimism, creativity, kindness, gratitude, teamwork, and resilience. These are skills that students will carry with them far beyond second grade. We can return to these stories whenever a student needs a reminder that struggling with something does not mean they cannot eventually succeed.\r\n\r\nI have especially loved watching students begin to make connections between the stories and their own lives.\r\n\r\nDuring our discussions and kindness circles, students have opportunities to reflect on what they are feeling, listen to the experiences of their classmates, and think about how their choices affect other people. They are learning that everyone experiences emotions differently and that we can respond to one another with kindness and empathy.\r\n\r\nSometimes the most important learning that happens in our classroom is not written on a worksheet.\r\n\r\nIt happens when a student recognizes that a classmate is having a difficult day and chooses to be kind. It happens when a child says, \"I think I need a minute,\" instead of becoming overwhelmed. It happens when a student makes a mistake and decides to try again instead of giving up. It happens when a child realizes, \"I'm feeling frustrated,\" and begins thinking about what they can do next.\r\n\r\nThose are the moments this project is helping us create.\r\n\r\nYour donation has helped us build a library that students can return to again and again throughout the entire school year. These are not books that will be read once and put away. They are becoming part of our classroom culture. We can read them together in the morning, revisit them during our kindness circles, recommend them to students who need a particular message, and keep them available in our calming corner for students to access independently.\r\n\r\nI am especially grateful that this project allows us to weave Social-Emotional Learning naturally into our everyday classroom life. Students do not have to wait for a designated SEL lesson to talk about feelings. The books are always there. The calming corner is always there. The language of kindness, perseverance, and self-awareness is becoming part of who we are as a classroom community.\r\n\r\nMy hope is that when my students leave our classroom, they take with them a deeper understanding of themselves and the people around them.\r\n\r\nI want them to know that their feelings are important, but their feelings do not have to control their choices. I want them to understand that making a mistake does not make them a failure. I want them to know that asking for help is a strength. I want them to recognize that their classmates have big feelings too and that kindness can make a difficult moment easier for someone else.\r\n\r\nMost of all, I want them to understand that they have their own \"superpowers.\"\r\n\r\nTheir superpower might be perseverance. It might be kindness. It might be creativity, courage, patience, empathy, or the willingness to try one more time. Through these books and the conversations they inspire, students are beginning to recognize those strengths in themselves and in one another.\r\n\r\nThank you for helping us create a classroom where those lessons can take root.\r\n\r\nBecause of your generosity, our students have a beautiful collection of books that will continue supporting them throughout the school year. You have helped us create an inviting SEL library, strengthen our calming corner, encourage meaningful conversations, and give students stories that help them see themselves in the characters they read about.\r\n\r\nYou have given our students opportunities to say, \"I have felt that way too.\"\r\n\r\nYou have helped them discover that big feelings are something they can learn to understand and manage.\r\n\r\nAnd you have helped us remind them that being a superhero isn't about never having hard days. It's about learning what to do when those hard days come.\r\n\r\nThank you for believing in our students, supporting their emotional growth, and helping us create a classroom where every feeling can be acknowledged, every challenge can become an opportunity to learn, and every student can discover the strengths they already carry inside themselves.\r\n\r\nYour generosity has truly become part of our classroom community, and we are so grateful.","fullyFundedDate":1787781307147,"projectUrl":"project/growing-hearts-and-minds-an-sel-reading/10509447/","projectTitle":"Growing Hearts and Minds! An SEL Reading Adventure","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Jackson","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp6399585_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1784649493927","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrsjajackson"},{"teacherId":6399585,"projectId":10383093,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for supporting our classroom through this project. Your generosity has provided something that may seem small at first—a supply of classroom snacks—but the impact it has had on our students and our classroom environment has been meaningful. Your donation has helped create a space where students feel cared for, supported, and understood, while also giving them an additional opportunity to remain focused and engaged throughout their school day.\r\n\r\nEvery day, our students come into the classroom carrying different experiences, responsibilities, emotions, and needs. While we are here first and foremost to learn, we also know that students cannot always separate what is happening in their lives from what happens in the classroom. Sometimes a student is simply having a difficult morning. Sometimes they have had a long day before they even walk through our classroom door. Sometimes they are hungry, tired, or struggling to maintain their concentration. Having snacks readily available has given us a simple way to respond to those moments with kindness and understanding.\r\n\r\nBecause of your support, students now know that there is a little extra help available when they need it. A quick snack can provide a much-needed pick-me-up and help a student regain the energy and focus they need to continue participating. Instead of allowing hunger or low energy to become an additional obstacle, we can address that need quickly and discreetly and help the student get back to learning.\r\n\r\nThe snacks have also become part of the caring classroom environment we work hard to create. Students know that their well-being matters to us. They know that their needs are seen and that asking for support does not have to be embarrassing or uncomfortable. This has helped reinforce an important message in our classroom: you matter, and we want you to be successful.\r\n\r\nOne of the most meaningful parts of this project is that the snacks can be provided as needed. There is no assumption that every student needs the same thing at the same time. Some students may need a snack because they are genuinely hungry, while another student may simply need a small boost to help them get through a challenging afternoon. Having these supplies available allows us to meet students where they are and provide support without making them feel singled out.\r\n\r\nWe have seen how something as simple as a snack can create a positive moment during the school day. A student who may have been distracted or having difficulty getting started can take a short break, have something to eat, and return to the task in front of them. A student who is struggling to maintain focus can receive a little extra support and continue working. A student who is having a difficult day can experience a small gesture of kindness that reminds them that they are in a classroom where people care about them.\r\n\r\nYour donation has also helped us remove one more potential barrier to learning. When students are uncomfortable, hungry, or lacking energy, it can be much harder for them to give their full attention to instruction, complete assignments, collaborate with classmates, or participate in classroom activities. While a snack cannot solve every challenge a student may face, it can help address one immediate need and give students a better opportunity to focus on the learning taking place around them.\r\nThis project has reminded us that supporting students means supporting the whole child. Academic success is important, but students also need to feel safe, valued, encouraged, and cared for. Creating a classroom where students' basic needs and well-being are acknowledged helps establish the kind of environment where learning can happen more comfortably and confidently.\r\n\r\nThe snacks have also provided opportunities for us to build stronger relationships with our students. Sometimes the simple act of offering a snack can open the door to a conversation. A student may come to us because they need something to eat, but that brief interaction can become an opportunity to check in, ask how they are doing, or remind them that they have someone in the classroom who is there to support them. Those small moments of connection are incredibly valuable.\r\n\r\nWe want our students to know that asking for help is okay. We want them to understand that needing support at times does not make them less capable or less deserving of success. Your donation has helped us communicate that message in a very tangible way.\r\n\r\nPerhaps most importantly, your generosity has helped strengthen the sense of community in our classroom. Students are learning that classrooms are not simply places where assignments are completed and grades are earned. They are communities where people look out for one another, where kindness matters, and where everyone deserves the opportunity to learn and participate.\r\n\r\nWe are incredibly grateful that you chose to invest in our students. Your contribution has reached far beyond the individual snacks themselves. You have helped provide comfort, encouragement, and an additional layer of support for students throughout their school day. You have helped us create a classroom environment where students can feel valued and where they know that their needs are important.\r\nAs educators, we often see the difference that small acts of support can make. A student who is able to refocus, a student who feels comfortable asking for help, a student who makes it through a difficult afternoon, or a student who simply feels cared for—these moments may not always show up in a gradebook, but they are meaningful parts of a student's educational experience.","fullyFundedDate":1789126747153,"projectUrl":"project/fueling-our-cubs-snacks-for-success/10383093/","projectTitle":"Fueling Our Cubs: Snacks for Success","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Jackson","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp6399585_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1784649493927","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrsjajackson"},{"teacherId":9277789,"projectId":9306884,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for helping to provide my students with the opportunity to take part in personalizing their school community through art. Students have been excitedly sharing ideas, designs, and suggestions since the introduction of this community project. During any free time we have had this school year, students have been able to practice mixing, layering, or otherwise arranging the various colors of paint our classroom was provided with as a result of this project being funded thanks to your support. Thanks to student engagement with this activity, we have also collected almost enough rocks for every student to be able to paint their own!\r\nAttached, you will see photos of students experimenting with their new paint! Again, we are incredibly grateful for your support. These supplies have granted the students of our school the ability to work together, build not only their own confidence but that of their classmates as well, and ultimately growth as artists.","fullyFundedDate":1747670293112,"projectUrl":"project/kindness-rock-garden/9306884/","projectTitle":"Kindness Rock Garden","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Rue","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-5_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9277789"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_132399","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":200,"numTeachers":null,"percentFrplEligible":80,"percentAsian":0,"percentBlack":60,"percentWhite":1,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":34,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","percentHawaiianImputed":0,"percentMultiracialImputed":3,"gradesServed":"K - 3","studentTeacherRatio":null,"demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_SMALL"},"inStateSupporters":65.2,"schoolId":132399,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Cadwalader Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Cadwalader Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/new-jersey/trenton-public-schools/cadwalader-elementary-school/132399"}