{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"Smith-Wade-El Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":20.6,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":9258103,"projectId":9568241,"letterContent":"The donations we received have made a meaningful impact on our school store, which is a central part of our positive behavior incentive system. Students earn points for demonstrating responsibility, kindness, and respect, and they are able to use those points to shop at the store. A memorable moment was watching students carefully budget their earned points, make thoughtful choices, and proudly \"check out\" their items. The store has also become a learning opportunity, as students practice decision-making, goal setting, and self-regulation while being rewarded for positive behavior.\r\n\r\nWhen students first saw the new items added to the store, their excitement was immediate. They were eager to explore the options and began talking about which behaviors they wanted to work on in order to earn enough points for specific rewards. The new materials gave the incentive system renewed energy, motivating students who may have struggled in the past and reinforcing positive habits across the school. It was especially rewarding to see students encourage one another and celebrate each other's successes.\r\n\r\nThanks to our donors, the next steps involve expanding the role of the school store as both a motivational and educational tool. Students will continue setting behavior goals and tracking their progress, while also connecting the experience to lessons on responsibility, perseverance, and goal achievement. We are also working toward involving students more in the organization and operation of the store, helping them build leadership skills and a deeper sense of ownership. Your support has helped create a positive, engaging environment where good choices are recognized and celebrated every day.","fullyFundedDate":1760721657029,"projectUrl":"project/school-store/9568241/","projectTitle":"School Store","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Henry","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-2_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9258103"},{"teacherId":9747069,"projectId":9868562,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generosity and picking my amazing school to make a difference in! Most of the students in our school lack any type of \"extras\". So when we ask students after they have had any type of urinary accident if they have extra clothing to change in to, they truly do not. This allows for less embarrassment for the student and one less thing to put on the families who in all honesty cannot afford extras. \r\n\r\nThank you also for picking me so I can assist with giving students snacks. We have several families that unfortunately do not have extra food. I have asked multiple students if they have enough food in their houses and they have told me they do not. By me having snacks I can discreetly give them to the student without them being embarrassed. \r\n\r\nThank you for being a difference maker in the lives of our students!","fullyFundedDate":1763475371010,"projectUrl":"project/clothing-and-supplies-for-students/9868562/","projectTitle":"Clothing and Supplies for Students","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Grow","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9747069_orig.jpg?crop=1284,1284,x0,y522&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1726507242848","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9747069"},{"teacherId":10334387,"projectId":9861802,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generosity and support toward my classroom! The items on this list have made such a positive impact on my classroom and students! \r\n\r\nMy students are loving using all of the items, and it was so sweet to watch their faces light up at the addition of these items! Many of my students are particularly excited about our new bean bag chair! It has served as a flexible seating choice for our daily Morning Meeting and Read Out Loud times, and it has been a comfy spot for them when they need a few minutes to rest. Many of the toys and snack items have been serving as \"mand targets\" for my kiddos, meaning that because they are interested in and motivated by them, we can use them to teach students how to appropriately request for them. I have seen many of my students grow in this skill over the past few weeks thanks to your generosity! My students have been learning to play together, share, and take turns as they build the train tracks, jump onto the bean bag chair, and use the magnetic maze puzzles. We are so incredibly thankful for your support! Thank you, thank you, thank you!","fullyFundedDate":1763475370393,"projectUrl":"project/creating-a-motivating-and-engaging-class/9861802/","projectTitle":"Creating a Motivating and Engaging Classroom!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Chernich","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-4_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10334387"},{"teacherId":9079516,"projectId":9947424,"letterContent":"Thanks to your generous support, my students now have access to reliable and comfortable headphones that have made a huge difference so far in our daily learning. Technology is an important part of our classroom, and these headphones allow students to fully engage with digital reading programs, phonics practice, math lessons, and instructional videos without distractions. Students are able to focus, listen closely, and learn at their own pace.\r\n\r\nThe most exciting part for my students is having their own pair of headphones that fit well, work consistently, and have a bag that they can store them in. Our classroom environment is quieter, more focused, and more productive!\r\n\r\nYour donation has truly helped all of my students \"hear the joy of learning,\" and we are so grateful for your support.","fullyFundedDate":1765969889854,"projectUrl":"project/helping-our-kiddos-hear-the-joy-of-learn/9947424/","projectTitle":"Helping Our Kiddos HEAR the Joy of Learning","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Kulina","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9079516_orig.png?crop=1028,1028,x0,y243&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1687228978924","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9079516"},{"teacherId":9443560,"projectId":9102625,"letterContent":"In truly unprecedented times, my gratitude for the generous donations for my student Peer Mentoring program is beyond measure. My district relies heavily on state funding as a Title 1, urban school district. As you probably know and understand, that funding has not been made available and we are facing detrimental losses to resources for a student population that is truly deserving of them. \r\n\r\nI consider it a truly hidden blessing that I was able to get this project funded through the generosity of your donations. This is my third year at Smith-Wade-El Elementary School and my short term goal upon starting was to implement a peer mentoring program, something that had not previously existed. At the beginning of the 2024-2025 school year, I began training new mentors through fabulous free resources I found. Then, when they completed their training, the frequent question was asked...\"what next?\" I had a vision of what I wanted mentorship to look like but knew that I didn't exactly have the resources to make that happen, which is why I turned to Donors Choose for support. \r\n\r\nThrough the generosity of donors, I was able to answer a question of \"what's next\", by teaching my mentors how to use and teach others how to effectively utilize various tools and resources to promote success. At the end of last year, my trained peer mentors were given a task to pour their hopes, dreams, ambitions, and positive influence into the creation of a sensory bottle. The experience was inspiring. Mentors shared with one another about their future goals and how leadership motivates them to be the best version of themselves. Mentors chose colors that matched their own energy. I only wish I had taken photos, but was immersed in the experience at the time. At the start of this year, when a mentor met with a mentee having a challenging moment, they asked if they could help the mentee make a sensory bottle, stating that it truly helped them when they needed it the most. \r\n\r\nIn addition to sensory tools that can be shared between mentors and mentees, we were able to add to our existing bank of resources to support small group mentoring. The biggest challenge mentors face is not knowing if they are supporting their mentee in the right way. I've encouraged that there is no true right or wrong as long as connection is at the root of their work. It has been heartwarming, to say the least, to watch mentors and mentees engage in meaningful games and activities to support a reduction in anger or improved emotional regulation. \r\n\r\nWhile our program continues to be refined and developed, the tools and resources donated to the Peer Mentoring program at Smith-Wade-El Elementary have been a catalyst for confident and inspired work by a new generation of student leaders. I am eager to continue this work and to instill a passion for leadership and positivity in students for years to come. \r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tSincerest Gratitude,\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tJanet Henninger, the \"Red Panda Counselor\"\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tElementary School Counselor (Pre-K to 5th Grade)\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tSmith-Wade-El Elementary School","fullyFundedDate":1746786407228,"projectUrl":"project/mindful-moment-mentor-resources/9102625/","projectTitle":"Mindful Moment Mentor Resources","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Henninger","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9443560_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1705898356594","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9443560"},{"teacherId":5345729,"projectId":9223006,"letterContent":"Thank you for your generousity! I was able to purchase a comprehensive multi-syllabic phonics program to use with my multilingual learners. Last year, I learned some great strategies for teaching rules for different types of syllable, and the best way to teach students these rules. I was trying to create slides and resources on my own, which was time-consuming and inefficient.\r\nNow, with this new comprehensive resource, I have great slides, activities, decodable stories, and more. They are research based, and excellent science of reading lessons for my students. Often, my students are older elementary students, but they need detailed phonics and reading lessons to help them read in English.\r\nSo, thank you again for your help for my students. They will really benefit from these lessons as they are learning to decode longer words.","fullyFundedDate":1746621541195,"projectUrl":"project/reading-resources-for-multilingual-learn/9223006/","projectTitle":"Reading Resources for Multilingual Learners","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Whetstone","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp5345729_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1533730644273","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrs-whetstone"},{"teacherId":9747069,"projectId":9254192,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generosity and for choosing my project to fund! What may seem like something small to you is a huge impact for our students. When students have urinary and stool incontinence accidents most do not have clothes that they can change into. We do our best to keep extra clothing stocked for the kids, it is a huge financial endeavor to continually give to.\r\n\r\n You may not realize it, but you are a difference-maker in the eyes of our students. Letting them not have to be embarrassed with not having clean clothing is so big in their world! Thank you again!!","fullyFundedDate":1746786142427,"projectUrl":"project/clothing-for-students-in-the-health-room/9254192/","projectTitle":"Clothing for Students in the Health Room","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Grow","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9747069_orig.jpg?crop=1284,1284,x0,y522&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1726507242848","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9747069"},{"teacherId":4068723,"projectId":9116575,"letterContent":"The addition of a classroom easel has made a powerful difference in our daily learning environment. It has quickly become a central hub for instruction and collaboration. \r\n\r\nFor whole group lessons, the easel provides a clear and accessible space for modeling key concepts, whether we're breaking down word problems in math or working through writing strategies. Students are now more engaged because they can easily see visual cues and examples during lessons.\r\n\r\nThis easel has become a platform for student voices. During interactive writing, students take turns coming up to share their thinking and contribute ideas, helping build confidence and a sense of ownership over their learning. It's also helped encourage teamwork, as students often collaborate during shared reading or group brainstorming sessions at the easel.\r\n\r\nHaving a physical, movable space at eye level has made abstract concepts more concrete. Thanks to this donation, we've been able to make learning more visible, engaging, and interactive. It's amazing how one simple tool can transform the dynamics of a classroom by encouraging participation and deepening understanding!","fullyFundedDate":1740515444835,"projectUrl":"project/easely-accessible-information-for-stud/9116575/","projectTitle":"\"Easel\"y Accessible Information for Students","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Boylan","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp4068723_orig.jpg?crop=818,818,x671,y347&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1739721072005","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/4068723"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_90071","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":397,"numTeachers":24,"percentFrplEligible":95,"percentAsian":4,"percentBlack":14,"percentWhite":27,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":43,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"Pre-K - 5","studentTeacherRatio":"16.5:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"SUBURB_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":79.4,"schoolId":90071,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Smith-Wade-El Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Smith-Wade-El Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/pennsylvania/school-district-of-lancaster/james-buchanan-elementary-school/90071"}