{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"Tate Topa Tribal School","outOfStateSupporters":60.3,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":8806462,"projectId":9846636,"letterContent":"The integration of books and hand puppets into programming for children with autism had a significant and measurable positive impact on communication, emotional development, and social engagement. These tools provided structured yet flexible learning experiences that aligned with the unique learning styles and sensory needs of children on the autism spectrum.\r\n\r\nBooks and hand puppets served as effective communication bridges for children who experience challenges with verbal expression. Storybooks offered predictable language patterns, visual supports, and repetition, which helped children build vocabulary and improve receptive language skills. Hand puppets further encouraged expressive communication by allowing children to \"speak through\" the puppet, reducing anxiety associated with direct verbal interaction. Many children demonstrated increased willingness to participate in dialogue, initiate conversations, and respond to questions when puppets were involved.\r\n\r\nChildren with autism often face difficulties with social engagement and peer interaction. The use of puppets transformed social exchanges into playful, low-pressure experiences. Puppets acted as neutral social partners, helping children practice turn-taking, eye contact, and joint attention. Group storytelling activities promoted cooperative play and fostered a sense of shared experience, strengthening peer connections and improving social confidence.\r\n\r\nBooks featuring relatable characters and emotional themes helped children identify, label, and understand feelings in themselves and others. Puppets provided a safe medium for expressing emotions that children might otherwise struggle to communicate. Through role-playing scenarios, children practiced coping strategies, problem-solving, and emotional regulation. This approach contributed to reduced frustration, fewer behavioral challenges, and increased emotional awareness.\r\n\r\nThe multisensory nature of books and puppets captured children's interest and sustained attention more effectively than traditional instructional methods. Visual cues, tactile interaction, and imaginative play helped children remain engaged for longer periods. Increased engagement led to improved participation in learning activities and greater retention of information.\r\n\r\nAs children became more comfortable interacting with books and puppets, they demonstrated increased independence in learning activities. Successfully retelling stories, directing puppet interactions, or choosing books empowered children and boosted self-esteem. These successes reinforced positive learning experiences and encouraged continued participation.\r\n\r\nThe combined use of books and hand puppets created an inclusive, supportive learning environment tailored to the strengths of children with autism. These tools helped reduce communication barriers, strengthened social-emotional skills, and enhanced overall engagement. The positive outcomes observed highlight the effectiveness of creative, play-based strategies in supporting the developmental needs of children on the autism spectrum.","fullyFundedDate":1761780236423,"projectUrl":"project/meeting-the-needs-of-each-student-with-a/9846636/","projectTitle":"Meeting the Needs of Each Student With Autism!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Fisk","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-2_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8806462"},{"teacherId":10300290,"projectId":9790315,"letterContent":"Thank you for your donations to our classroom. It has been an amazing opportunity to provide extra nutrition for my students, some of whom are have food insecurities. It is has been very satisfying to be able to give students extra snacks as they may not have much to eat when they go home for the day. Since food is consumable, it is expensive to keep it in stock for my students and so I really do appreciate your financial support which enables me to provide this to my students. I would not be able to do this on my own.","fullyFundedDate":1763498221485,"projectUrl":"project/full-stomach-full-brain/9790315/","projectTitle":"Full Stomach, Full Brain!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Turck","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-6_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10300290"},{"teacherId":9356293,"projectId":9641776,"letterContent":"This project has made such a meaningful impact in my classroom. My students no longer have to worry about being hungry during the school day, and I no longer have to face the moment of telling them we don't have any food available. Thanks to your generosity, that worry has disappeared.\r\n\r\nWhen the boxes of snacks arrived, my students reacted as if it were Christmas morning. They clapped, cheered, and watched with excitement as the security guards unloaded each box. Their joy was genuine and contagious, and it reminded all of us just how powerful kindness can be.\r\n\r\nYour support has brought comfort, dignity, and happiness to our classroom, and we are truly grateful.","fullyFundedDate":1758814275944,"projectUrl":"project/fuel-for-learning/9641776/","projectTitle":"Fuel for learning","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Kelsch","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-7_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9356293"},{"teacherId":7090644,"projectId":8974325,"letterContent":"My students are loving the new books that they can read independently. There are some non-fiction and some fiction books that are peaking their interests. They are so excited to have books that they can read and are able to read with little or no support!\r\n\r\nMy students are able to read at their assigned level. It is so exciting to see and hear them read fluently! When they first learned about the new books, there were excited dig right into them and read! \r\n\r\nMy next step for this project is to find more books put in the book bins for that current level and to find more challenging books for the students that have exceeded the kindergarten levels.","fullyFundedDate":1735683323960,"projectUrl":"project/leveled-readers/8974325/","projectTitle":"Leveled Readers","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Everding","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7090644_orig.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1733849360956","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/7090644"},{"teacherId":7090644,"projectId":8686208,"letterContent":"My students were excited to use the calm down corner. I have many students who have big emotions and need a space to get control of their bodies. Our fish LED light tube is one of our favorites. We turn it on every day and it gives the classroom a calm feeling. \r\n\r\nMy students enjoy the squishy sensory letters and the squish and squeeze tube. The stretch bands, calming kitty, and squishy animals help regulate my students and use breathing techniques. The magnet cubes help them once they are in the cooling down stage. \r\n\r\nThe calming corner has really helped me students regulate themselves and created a calmer classroom.","fullyFundedDate":1735515854954,"projectUrl":"project/calm-down-corner/8686208/","projectTitle":"Calm Down Corner","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Everding","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7090644_orig.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1733849360956","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/7090644"},{"teacherId":8806462,"projectId":8920894,"letterContent":"I want to thank you again for all the support you have give to me and the school I work at. The items have helped in calming the children for example the playdough is such a calming technique for autistic children. The ten frame blocks have already helped students master the counting by tens and are getting a grasp on counting up. \r\n\r\nWhen we brought out the playdough for our little guy his face went to an instant smile and he sat down and started rolling and using cutters to make animals. It is such a good technique for calming after a rough spot. The playdough acts like a fidget for this little guy.\r\n\r\nMy other students love the base ten frame blocks, because it gives them something to hold on to while they are learning. The materials make it more enjoyable for the students. This way they have something to see and hold instead of just listening to someone talk.","fullyFundedDate":1734547953632,"projectUrl":"project/it-takes-a-villiage-to-raise-our-childre/8920894/","projectTitle":"It Takes a Villiage to Raise Our Children","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Fisk","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-2_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8806462"},{"teacherId":7090644,"projectId":7833755,"letterContent":"My students were so excited to receive new books for our library. These books go along with our reading series and they enjoy being able to retell, reread, and read with friends. Some of the books are non fiction and most of my students enjoy learning about new facts about animals. \r\n\r\nSome skills that we are working on book parts such as front cover, back cover, and spine. We talk about what the author and illustrator does for the book. We work on identifying the characters, setting, and what is happening in the beginning, middle, and end. We also are learning to read from left to right and starting to sound out words and using picture clues. \r\n\r\nReading in the classroom looks like sitting at the carpet and practicing reading skills listed above. Being engaged in the reading and answering questions from the story. In the library, they are free to choose whatever book they would like and can read with a friend or to a stuffy. I want them to use the skills that I have taught them to read their books on their own.","fullyFundedDate":1695934541205,"projectUrl":"project/new-learning-adventures/7833755/","projectTitle":"New Learning Adventures","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Everding","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7090644_orig.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1733849360956","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/7090644"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_100193","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":552,"numTeachers":null,"percentFrplEligible":95,"percentAsian":0,"percentBlack":0,"percentWhite":0,"percentIndigenous":100,"percentLatinx":0,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"K - 8","studentTeacherRatio":null,"demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"RURAL","ncesMetroType":"RURAL_DISTANT"},"inStateSupporters":39.7,"schoolId":100193,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Tate Topa Tribal School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Tate Topa Tribal School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/north-dakota/-bureau-of-indian-affairs-/tate-topa-tribal-school/100193"}