{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"J Watson Bailey Middle School","outOfStateSupporters":18.1,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":10174690,"projectId":9586899,"letterContent":"Thank you for your donations to be able to purchase Keva Planks for my school library. The students love them! I was able to introduce the materials on a day when we were having a discussion about good digital citizens and how it's important to have balance in our lives with screen time and time off of screens. The Keva Planks are one of our off screen, brain break activities, where they are literally finding balance! \r\n\r\nStudents of all ages and abilities have been able to build, create, and enjoy the Keva Planks. Students spend time in the library and are making some really creative things. Some students even made a bridge across two tables. I love watching them work together and problem solve to put their ideas into action. \r\n\r\nThanks again for supporting my library program and our students!","fullyFundedDate":1755434548063,"projectUrl":"project/think-build-grow-keva-planks-for-the/9586899/","projectTitle":"Think, Build, Grow: KEVA Planks for the JWB Library","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Polack","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10174690_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1755133320455","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10174690"},{"teacherId":9173640,"projectId":9655746,"letterContent":"Thanks to your generous support, my students now have access to healthy snacks throughout the day, and the difference has been remarkable. They are more focused and engaged during lessons, able to participate fully in classroom activities, and less distracted by hunger. Snacks have also created moments of connection and community, as students share and enjoy a quick break together. Beyond academics, providing these snacks shows students that their needs are valued, helping them feel cared for, supported, and more confident in their learning environment.","fullyFundedDate":1756600350602,"projectUrl":"project/fueling-focus-with-healthy-snacks/9655746/","projectTitle":"Fueling Focus With Healthy Snacks","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Dempsey","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9173640_orig.png?crop=1439,1439,x0,y110&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1692806070106","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/slp-dempsey"},{"teacherId":9173640,"projectId":9572389,"letterContent":"Thanks to your generous support, my students are experiencing real progress and confidence in their learning. With the Speech Buddies, they are able to practice challenging sounds in a fun, hands-on way, which has improved their clarity, participation, and willingness to speak in class. The extra Chromebook chargers mean students can access digital learning and therapy activities consistently, without interruptions. And having healthy snacks available helps them focus, stay energized, and fully engage in their sessions—especially for those who face food insecurity.\r\n\r\nOverall, your contribution has helped my students communicate more effectively, feel more confident socially and academically, and focus on learning without distractions. It's empowering them to succeed in ways that extend far beyond the speech room.","fullyFundedDate":1755745574144,"projectUrl":"project/helping-middle-schoolers-speak-learn-a/9572389/","projectTitle":"Helping Middle Schoolers Speak, Learn, and Thrive","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Dempsey","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9173640_orig.png?crop=1439,1439,x0,y110&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1692806070106","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/slp-dempsey"},{"teacherId":9173640,"projectId":9424909,"letterContent":"The materials from this project have already had a wonderful impact on my students. The fidgets have helped many of them maintain focus and self-regulate during speech sessions, allowing for longer and more productive participation. The games have made practicing language goals—like turn-taking, vocabulary, and conversation skills—so much more engaging and natural. Students who were once hesitant to speak are now eagerly interacting with peers, laughing, and using new words and sentences in meaningful ways. These resources have transformed our sessions into a space filled with energy, motivation, and confidence.","fullyFundedDate":1750945913462,"projectUrl":"project/games-and-fidgets-to-boost-focus-langua/9424909/","projectTitle":"Games and Fidgets to Boost Focus, Language, and Communication Skills","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Dempsey","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9173640_orig.png?crop=1439,1439,x0,y110&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1692806070106","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/slp-dempsey"},{"teacherId":9486724,"projectId":9137770,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for donating to our classroom project. The students enjoyed the snacks while they worked. This created an environment in our classroom that we are a family and within our family, we work and snack while taking chances with challenging academic materials. My students come from low income families and everyone receives free breakfast and lunch during the school day. The snacks provided by this project are individually packed and gives them a sense that they are loved and cared about. \r\n\r\nThe snacks are kept in a sealed tight Rubbermaid box. When we open the box, the students eyes pop open because they love to see all the choices of snacks. It is like Christmas morning. I do thank all my donors from the bottom of my heart. I have such generous friends who have donated to my classroom as well as the donors on donorschoose that I do not know. I appreciate all your generosity and kindness.","fullyFundedDate":1746470848920,"projectUrl":"project/we-like-some-snacks-and-we-can-not-lie/9137770/","projectTitle":"We Like Some Snacks and We Can Not Lie!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Kazolias","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9486724_orig.jpg?crop=320,320,x0,y72&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1734205946895","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9486724"},{"teacherId":9173640,"projectId":9305255,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous donation to our classroom project. Your support means more than you know—not just to me as an educator, but to every student who walks through my door each day.\r\n\r\nAs a Speech-Language Pathologist working with 5th–8th grade students, I see firsthand how much it takes for a child to stay focused, confident, and ready to learn. Many of my students have language-based learning differences and benefit from individualized, small-group instruction that is structured, visual, and interactive. But just as important as the right teaching strategies are the basic needs that support learning—like a simple, healthy snack.\r\n\r\nThanks to you, our classroom is now stocked with individually packaged snacks to help students stay energized and focused during sessions. You've also provided us with Teachers Pay Teachers gift cards, which allow me to access targeted language resources that align directly with student goals—like grammar, sentence formulation, inferencing, and summarizing. And the dry-erase materials you helped supply? They're in daily use, helping me model language concepts in real time and keep lessons dynamic and engaging.\r\n\r\nYour kindness and generosity are helping us finish the year strong. You've not only filled our shelves—you've lifted our spirits.","fullyFundedDate":1746623996931,"projectUrl":"project/bites-boards-and-brain-boosters-fueli/9305255/","projectTitle":"Bites, Boards, and Brain Boosters: Fueling Our Learning!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Dempsey","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9173640_orig.png?crop=1439,1439,x0,y110&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1692806070106","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/slp-dempsey"},{"teacherId":9173640,"projectId":9068409,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous support of our Social Thinking® curriculum initiative. As a Speech-Language Pathologist working with students in grades 5–8, I have the privilege of helping tweens and teens navigate the increasingly complex social world — a journey that is both challenging and deeply rewarding.\r\n\r\nThe social mind of an adolescent is constantly evolving. During these pivotal years, students are not only building a stronger sense of self, but also learning to interpret subtle social cues, regulate their emotions, and develop meaningful relationships. These skills are foundational to their success in school and in life — yet they don't always come easily.\r\n\r\nThanks to your donation, we are now able to implement the Social Thinking® curriculum in our learning spaces. This research-informed program helps students understand social expectations, interpret the nuances of interactions, and respond with greater confidence and empathy. Through engaging lessons and interactive activities, students strengthen vital skills such as perspective-taking, problem-solving, emotional regulation, and executive functioning.\r\n\r\nYour support is helping us create a more inclusive, empowering, and supportive learning environment where every student has the opportunity to thrive — both socially and academically.\r\n\r\nFrom all of us — and especially from the students who will benefit most — thank you for being a part of this meaningful work.","fullyFundedDate":1737400862018,"projectUrl":"project/empowering-social-success-proposal-for/9068409/","projectTitle":"Empowering Social Success: Proposal for Funding the Social Thinking Curriculum","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Dempsey","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9173640_orig.png?crop=1439,1439,x0,y110&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1692806070106","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/slp-dempsey"},{"teacherId":9486724,"projectId":9006814,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for all your generosity. My students absolutely loved when the boxes of snacks showed up. It was like Christmas in the spring. As for the tissues, they were quite impressed with how soft and soothing they were. We also love the bookcase and have slowly filled it with grade level texts. \r\n\r\n\r\nThere are not enough words to express my joy, gratitude, and thanks for your generous donations to my class project. My students, teaching assistants and I are so very appreciative of your support for education and providing snacks and tissues for the classroom. The pencil cases have helped my students become better organized and the bookcase is absolutely stunning. I can't thank you enough for your generosity.","fullyFundedDate":1740199861938,"projectUrl":"project/snacks-bookcase-pencil-cases-and-tissu/9006814/","projectTitle":"Snacks, Bookcase, Pencil Cases and Tissues...Oh My!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Kazolias","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9486724_orig.jpg?crop=320,320,x0,y72&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1734205946895","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9486724"},{"teacherId":9173640,"projectId":8452324,"letterContent":"Thanks to the generous donations we received, I was able to incorporate novel studies into my speech-language therapy sessions with middle school students. This funding provided access to high-quality, engaging literature that supported my students' academic, social, and linguistic growth in a meaningful and personalized way.\r\n\r\nThrough the use of well-chosen novels, my students had the opportunity to expand their vocabulary, develop an understanding of complex sentence structures, and strengthen their reading comprehension skills. These rich, contextual reading experiences encouraged students to make inferences, summarize key information, and predict outcomes—critical thinking skills that are essential for academic success.\r\n\r\nBeyond academic benefits, the novels allowed us to explore social themes and emotional experiences, helping students build empathy, emotional intelligence, and interpersonal communication skills. Group discussions around the novels served as a platform for students to practice expressive language in a supportive environment, increasing their confidence and fluency in verbal communication.\r\n\r\nFurthermore, the shared reading experiences were tailored to each student's language goals, allowing for targeted skill development in phonological awareness, decoding, and narrative structure. The enthusiasm and engagement I observed during these sessions were truly remarkable; the novels sparked curiosity and fostered a love for reading and learning.\r\n\r\nThis project has had a lasting impact on my students, empowering them to grow not only as readers and communicators but also as thoughtful, confident individuals. I am deeply grateful for the support that made this work possible.","fullyFundedDate":1718625733430,"projectUrl":"project/literacy-is-essential/8452324/","projectTitle":"Literacy is Essential!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Dempsey","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9173640_orig.png?crop=1439,1439,x0,y110&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1692806070106","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/slp-dempsey"},{"teacherId":9486724,"projectId":9007786,"letterContent":"Thank you to everyone who donated to our classroom project, \"Help the Hangry Kids\". Everyday we give snacks to our students so they can stay focused before lunch time. They are all so grateful to have these snacks and it creates a classroom community similar to a very supportive and loving household. \r\n\r\nMy teaching assistants and my myself were spending upwards of $40 per week in order to keep this snack program within the classroom. As you can imagine it added up for us to support our students basic needs. Almost our entire class comes from low income households where they are not able to bring in a snack from home. Our entire school received free breakfast and free lunch. \r\n\r\nOur students were excited to see the boxes arrive filled with snacks. They were so happy to know that generous people out there were willing to support them in providing healthy snacks for them in order to be successful in school. With that, I am very grateful to all of our donors. Thank you so much.","fullyFundedDate":1734974952282,"projectUrl":"project/help-the-hangry-kids/9007786/","projectTitle":"Help the Hangry Kids!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Kazolias","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9486724_orig.jpg?crop=320,320,x0,y72&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1734205946895","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9486724"},{"teacherId":5488526,"projectId":9012404,"letterContent":"I am appreciative of the Mott's Snacks. Many of my students both current and former come to me daily for snacks, due to hunger. I like to have the ability to give them food when I can, and you donation will allow me to do that and more. Food insecurity is a problem for many students and being allowed to help when they come to me makes me feel great. They look forward to the boxes we receive from DonorsChoose and they are very appreciative anytime we get a donation as am I. Thank you again for helping our classroom!","fullyFundedDate":1734554118853,"projectUrl":"project/classroom-essentials-shipment-2024-12-1/9012404/","projectTitle":"Classroom Essentials Shipment: 2024-12-18","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Dixon","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-4_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/5488526"},{"teacherId":5488526,"projectId":8391446,"letterContent":"Thank you for the donation headphones, rug, sign and decorations, which have made my classroom a calming atmosphere. Your decorations give my students positive messages to look at when they are feeling stressed or uneasy. The headphones allow my students to listen to relaxing music which helps my students work and listen to music which can make them calm down in a fast paced classroom. My students were excited to see the rug and sit on it while they work and zone out on times when they need to find a relaxing area. Thank you again for making my classroom dream come true!","fullyFundedDate":1721164169258,"projectUrl":"project/calming-classroom-corner/8391446/","projectTitle":"Calming Classroom Corner","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Dixon","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-4_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/5488526"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_22901","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":922,"numTeachers":87,"percentFrplEligible":81,"percentAsian":2,"percentBlack":6,"percentWhite":56,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":25,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"5 - 8","studentTeacherRatio":"10.6:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":false,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_SMALL"},"inStateSupporters":81.9,"schoolId":22901,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about J Watson Bailey Middle School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"J Watson Bailey Middle School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/new-york/kingston-city-school-district/j-watson-bailey-middle-school/22901"}