{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Matilda F Dunston Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":37.9,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":5575713,"projectId":10272986,"letterContent":"Our students are going to be incredibly excited to use the new ChompSaw tools and Makedo supplies in our Makerspace next school year. These resources will allow students to take their creativity and engineering projects to an entirely new level through hands-on building, designing, and problem-solving experiences.\r\n\r\nThe Makedo tools will give students the opportunity to safely construct cardboard creations such as arcade games, forts, vehicles, story settings, and collaborative engineering challenges tied to literacy and STEM lessons. The ChompSaw will help students accurately and safely cut cardboard for more advanced creations and prototypes, making projects more student-driven and polished.\r\n\r\nWhen students first saw the new materials, they were immediately full of ideas and questions about what they could build. Many began sketching inventions and discussing future projects with classmates before we had even officially introduced the tools. The excitement around creating \"real\" structures and interactive builds was contagious throughout the Makerspace.\r\n\r\nNext school year, students will use these resources during Makerspace rotations focused on innovation, collaboration, and critical thinking. We plan to connect projects to books, science concepts, and design challenges that encourage students to test ideas, revise their work, and think creatively. These supplies will help create an engaging environment where students feel empowered to imagine, build, and learn through hands-on experiences every day.","fullyFundedDate":1778281217891,"projectUrl":"project/imagine-it-build-it-learn-it/10272986/","projectTitle":"Imagine It. Build It. Learn It.","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Mortensen","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp5575713_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1532623721703","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/cmort"},{"teacherId":5575713,"projectId":10131775,"letterContent":"Our students have been absolutely thrilled with the new Makerspace resources. The organizer has already helped us create a much more functional and inviting space where students can independently access supplies and stay organized during creative projects. The glue guns, craft materials, and other supplies have been heavily used during collaborative STEM and design challenges, as well as open-ended creation time tied to literacy and classroom themes.\r\n\r\nOne memorable moment was watching students work together to design and build miniature models and prototypes connected to stories we were reading in the library. The excitement when they realized they could safely use \"real maker tools\" like glue guns was incredible. Students immediately began brainstorming new ideas and encouraging one another's creativity and problem-solving skills.\r\n\r\nWhen the materials first arrived, students were eager to explore every bin, tool, and supply. They were especially excited about having a wider variety of materials to choose from because it made their projects feel more authentic and personal. Many students who are typically quieter in class became leaders during Makerspace activities because they were able to shine creatively.\r\n\r\nNext, students will continue using these resources during Makerspace rotations tied to literacy, engineering, and collaborative design lessons. We are planning additional hands-on projects that encourage critical thinking, creativity, teamwork, and perseverance. These donations are helping us build a space where students feel inspired to create, experiment, and learn in meaningful ways every single day.","fullyFundedDate":1773952206800,"projectUrl":"project/awesome-organizer/10131775/","projectTitle":"Awesome Organizer","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Mortensen","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp5575713_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1532623721703","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/cmort"},{"teacherId":5575713,"projectId":9811912,"letterContent":"Our Read Across America Week was truly transformed because of your generosity. The reading incentives you provided immediately energized our students and elevated the excitement around books in a way we have not seen before.\r\n\r\nStudents used the incentives as part of a schoolwide reading challenge. As they met individual and class reading goals, they earned rewards that made reading feel both meaningful and fun. One of the most memorable moments was watching students rush in each morning asking if it was time to read and earn their next prize. Even some of our more reluctant readers were fully engaged, motivated by both the joy of reading and the opportunity to earn incentives.\r\n\r\nWhen the materials were first introduced, the reaction was immediate excitement. Students were eager, focused, and proud of their progress. The \"book buzz\" throughout the library and classrooms noticeably increased, and conversations about books became more frequent and enthusiastic.\r\n\r\nMoving forward, we are building on this momentum by continuing our reading incentive program beyond Read Across America Week. Students are setting new personal reading goals, tracking their progress, and participating in ongoing challenges that promote stamina and a love of reading. These resources have helped create a lasting culture of excitement around literacy that will continue to grow throughout the year.\r\n\r\nThank you for helping make reading such a rewarding and celebrated experience for our students. Your support is making a lasting impact.","fullyFundedDate":1770405013039,"projectUrl":"project/reading-rewards-motivating-readers-with/9811912/","projectTitle":"Reading Rewards: Motivating Readers with Exciting Incentives!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Mortensen","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp5575713_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1532623721703","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/cmort"},{"teacherId":2575219,"projectId":10011569,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous donation of the thermometer. It has made such a difference to have a quick and easy way to get temperature readings.\r\n\r\nAs our school has students from 4 years old to 12 years old, there is a wide range of ability to take oral temperature. Many of our students are unable to keep the thermometer probe in the correct place in their mouth, resulting in the simple act of temperature checking to take far too long! With the ear thermometer it takes such a quick and accurate reading, we are able to get a fast temperature and move along with our assessment. \r\n\r\nThank you again. I appreciate the donation, and this valuable tool has made such a difference in our day!","fullyFundedDate":1769193060942,"projectUrl":"project/help-us-take-the-temperature-of-our-stud/10011569/","projectTitle":"Help Us Take the Temperature of Our Students","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Winscott","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp2575219_orig.jpg?crop=1020,1020,x0,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1756217402534","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/2575219"},{"teacherId":6553846,"projectId":9552508,"letterContent":"Thank you all so much for your generosity in helping bring my project to life! My students are truly enjoying the books I received. They are building their reading fluency by engaging with texts that meet them exactly where they are.\r\n\r\n Furthermore, my fifth graders especially loved the context clue treasure hunt game. It was wonderful to see how excited they were about reading! The game is already helping them strengthen their comprehension skills as they learn how to use context clues to determine the meanings of unfamiliar vocabulary words.\r\n\r\n Thank you again for supporting my project!","fullyFundedDate":1760725345922,"projectUrl":"project/decoding-success-helping-reading-interv/9552508/","projectTitle":"Decoding Success: Helping Reading Intervention Students Master Reading","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Yuhanick","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp6553846_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1754588934084","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/6553846"},{"teacherId":5575713,"projectId":9738222,"letterContent":"Thanks to your generosity, our library Makerspace has become a vibrant center of creativity, problem solving, and joyful exploration. Students now walk into the library eager to use hands-on materials that spark curiosity and imagination. They are building, designing, experimenting, and discovering new ways to express themselves.\r\n\r\nYour support has opened the door for every student to shine, especially those who may not always feel confident in traditional academic settings. In this welcoming space, they are developing collaboration skills, fine motor abilities, perseverance, and the confidence to try new ideas.\r\n\r\nEach day brings moments of pride and excitement as students create, share, and celebrate their work. The Makerspace has grown into a place where learners can explore their interests, discover their strengths, and experience the joy of learning in meaningful and engaging ways.\r\n\r\nThank you for helping bring Makerspace Magic to life in our library. Your generosity is making a lasting and meaningful difference for our students.","fullyFundedDate":1759236166255,"projectUrl":"project/makerspace-magic-creativity-in-our-libr/9738222/","projectTitle":"Makerspace Magic: Creativity in Our Library","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Mortensen","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp5575713_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1532623721703","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/cmort"},{"teacherId":9582089,"projectId":9280550,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your incredible generosity! As my project name suggested, these materials have truly \"leveled up phonics instruction and accessibility\" in the classroom! \r\n\r\nThe students have all been so excited to use all the activities and books that we were able to receive as part of this project! All of my students were in awe of all the new materials! They ask for them by name all the time! As I have looped up to second grade with many of my students, I can see how all these materials would be beneficial at one stage of their learning, and will continue to support them in learning how to read!\r\n\r\nThe project was a game changer in keeping supplies organized! The stacking bins have been used as well on a daily basis for small group and high dosage tutoring instructional materials!\r\n\r\nThe best thing is how appreciative my students have been and how much of a difference these materials have made in the quality of instruction they receive!","fullyFundedDate":1746786080943,"projectUrl":"project/leveling-up-phonics-instruction-and-acce/9280550/","projectTitle":"Leveling Up Phonics Instruction and Accessibility in My Multilingual Classroom!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Warn","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9582089_orig.jpg?crop=2459,2459,x70,y322&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1720015709161","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9582089"},{"teacherId":9016758,"projectId":9144112,"letterContent":"My students loved reading \"The Wild Robot\". We read the whole book aloud as a class. It was amazing to see how even the most hesitant of readers were eagerly volunteering to read by the end of the unit. The students were engaged the entire novel study and our end of unit \"movie viewing party\" was a total hit. Thank you for helping me give my students such a great reading experience. They talked about it for the rest of the year and made connections to things we were learning in other subjects. Many of them told me at the end of the year that \"The Wild Robot\" was their favorite book.","fullyFundedDate":1741471873881,"projectUrl":"project/fourth-grade-read-aloud-for-book-loving/9144112/","projectTitle":"Fourth Grade Read Aloud for Book Loving Classroom","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. McLaughlin","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-10_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9016758"},{"teacherId":9546170,"projectId":9116768,"letterContent":"This carpet made such a meaningful difference in my classroom this year! It quickly became the heart of our learning space—where some of our best memories were made and most of our lessons came to life. From morning meetings to read-alouds, partner work to quiet reflection time, the carpet provided a cozy, welcoming spot that brought us all together.\r\n\r\nThe students were genuinely so thankful to have their own designated spaces, which helped them feel secure, respected, and ready to learn. Having something soft and comfortable to sit on may seem simple, but to them—and to me—it meant so much. It transformed our room into a place that felt more like home.\r\n\r\nThank you so much for your generous donation. Your support didn't just provide a carpet—it helped create a space filled with laughter, connection, learning, and growth. We are truly grateful!","fullyFundedDate":1739738230763,"projectUrl":"project/a-spot-for-every-student-help-us-carpet/9116768/","projectTitle":"A Spot for Every Student: Help Us Carpet Our Classroom!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Sorensen","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-6_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9546170"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_6218","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":402,"numTeachers":26,"percentFrplEligible":95,"percentAsian":0,"percentBlack":35,"percentWhite":5,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":55,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","percentHawaiianImputed":0,"percentMultiracialImputed":3,"gradesServed":"K - 5","studentTeacherRatio":"15.5:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_MIDSIZE"},"inStateSupporters":62.1,"schoolId":6218,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Matilda F Dunston Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Matilda F Dunston Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/south-carolina/charleston-county-school-district/matilda-dunston-elementary-school/6218"}