{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Lowell Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":60.4,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":457742,"projectId":10174878,"letterContent":"I have been busy reading and creating lessons for the Prairie Bud and Prairie Bloom books donated through this project! The Prairie units are always some of my students' favorite lessons because they are filled with new read-alouds, fun activities, and, of course, a vote for their favorite book. My students especially love being part of the statewide vote and knowing that their voices count alongside students from across South Dakota. These books give us wonderful opportunities to discover new authors, illustrators, characters, and stories together. Thank you for your generosity and for helping my students be part of this wonderful program!","fullyFundedDate":1777995339367,"projectUrl":"project/prairie-please-2026/10174878/","projectTitle":"Prairie Please 2026","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Radway","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-2_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrs-radway"},{"teacherId":10563809,"projectId":10415489,"letterContent":"Learning is off to a hot start in 301! My students are fully engaged during every reading lesson, with their heads in their books and their eyes following along as we read together. They are getting the exciting opportunity to experience what it feels like to read a chapter book from beginning to end.\r\n\r\n I have been able to model, in real time, how readers combine the words on the page with illustrations to deepen their understanding of what is happening in the story. Even better, every student gets to practice this skill alongside me with their own copy of the book.\r\n\r\n My students are eager to find out what happens next in our reading adventure. They are making thoughtful inferences about how the characters are feeling, predicting what might happen next, and visualizing the many animal and robot scenes throughout the story. It has been wonderful to watch their curiosity and excitement grow with each chapter.\r\n\r\n It is because of your incredible generosity that I have the privilege of watching a love of reading slowly unfold in my classroom. Thank you for helping make these meaningful reading experiences possible for my students.","fullyFundedDate":1785569946131,"projectUrl":"project/hands-on-text/10415489/","projectTitle":"Hands-On Text!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Kingsbury","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-5_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10563809"},{"teacherId":10056850,"projectId":10376719,"letterContent":"The seat sacks that were purchased for my classroom are such a wonderful addition! My students store their iPads and headphones in their seat sacks. The ease in which they are able to transition from pencil work to iPad work is amazing. It is a quick transition which allows for more learning! \r\n\r\nUsing seat sacks has fostered independence with my students. They can store their iPads without help from me or another adult. Our iPad cart is complicated for young learners and caused me to have to stop teaching in order to facilitate the transition. Now my students can independently move between iPads and table work. \r\n\r\nI am so thankful for this wonderful classroom tool!","fullyFundedDate":1787175623711,"projectUrl":"project/seat-sacks-for-learning/10376719/","projectTitle":"Seat Sacks for Learning!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Mergen","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10056850_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1752785838744","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10056850"},{"teacherId":457742,"projectId":10408942,"letterContent":"The books are here! I've book-talked them to teachers and the requests for checkout are already coming in. Thank you for providing our teachers with read alouds that will open conversations, build connections, and help students understand that their feelings matter. Teachers are excited to use them as they build their classroom communities during those crucial first weeks of school. Thank you for investing in our students and helping us start the school year with stories that bring people together!","fullyFundedDate":1785201869446,"projectUrl":"project/creating-a-first-day-story-shelf/10408942/","projectTitle":"Creating a First-Day Story Shelf!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Radway","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-2_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrs-radway"},{"teacherId":457742,"projectId":10148212,"letterContent":"Because of your incredible generosity, our most loved books are back in students' hands—strong, sturdy, and ready for many more reads! Where pages were once taped and covers worn thin, we now have fresh copies that students are just as excited to check out. The joy hasn't changed—if anything, it's grown. Students are eagerly revisiting old favorites and sharing them with new friends, building confidence and excitement around reading every day. Your support didn't just replace books; it renewed access, enthusiasm, and opportunity. Thank you for helping keep the love of reading alive and thriving in our library!","fullyFundedDate":1773837442355,"projectUrl":"project/loved-to-pieces-replacing-the-most-read/10148212/","projectTitle":"Loved to Pieces: Replacing the Most Read Books","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Radway","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-2_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrs-radway"},{"teacherId":457742,"projectId":10007473,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for providing this rich collection of new nonfiction books. My students voted on the books each class wanted to read, reading three total. It's so much fun to watch how young students LOVE learning new things. Nonfiction really is a gem to them! I was also very excited to show them the shiny new GOLD SIBERT stickers that we were able to put on past winners. The Silver Sibert stickers will be going on the honor books soon -- they were slightly back ordered and just arrived in the library this week. Once again, thank you for supporting our library and our students' love of learning!","fullyFundedDate":1771281259112,"projectUrl":"project/a-mock-sibert-award-experience-reading/10007473/","projectTitle":"A Mock Sibert Award Experience: Reading Nonfiction with Students","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Radway","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-2_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrs-radway"},{"teacherId":8186530,"projectId":9560241,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for helping us get our new bookshelf! It has made such a big difference in our preschool classroom.\r\nBefore, our books were kept in bins. Now they're displayed at kid-height, and the children can easily see and choose what they want to read. When they first saw the shelf, they were SO excited! They gathered around it, pointing out favorites and quickly picking books to look through on the rug. They were so proud and kept saying, \"These are our books!\"\r\nOne of the sweetest changes has been how much the children enjoy using our cozy book area to calm their bodies. Throughout the day, you'll see students quietly flipping through pages on their own or sitting with one or two friends, peacefully sharing a story. It's become a special, relaxing space for them.\r\nWe use the shelf every day during center time, and the kids love choosing books independently, studying the pictures, and retelling stories in their own words. This bookshelf has truly helped grow their independence, confidence, and love for reading. Thank you for making it possible!","fullyFundedDate":1762266266705,"projectUrl":"project/a-home-for-our-stories/9560241/","projectTitle":"A Home for Our Stories","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Dena","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8186530_orig.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1731173451041","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8186530"},{"teacherId":457742,"projectId":9886850,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous support of our Mock Caldecott Project! Because of your donation, students were able to explore the work of ten different illustrators, learn to appreciate a variety of illustration techniques, and think deeply about how pictures help tell a story. They practiced careful observation, discussion, and critical thinking before proudly casting their votes for the illustrations they felt best deserved the Caldecott Award. Your generosity made this meaningful, hands-on learning experience possible, and it truly sparked excitement, confidence, and thoughtful conversation about books and art among our students. I was even able to add the shiny gold and silver medals to this year's winners because of the generosity of this project from a few years ago! I couldn't do this project without your donations!","fullyFundedDate":1764605111508,"projectUrl":"project/mock-caldecott-2026-analyzing-picture-b/9886850/","projectTitle":"Mock Caldecott 2026: Analyzing Picture Book Illustrations","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Radway","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-2_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/mrs-radway"},{"teacherId":10056850,"projectId":9856641,"letterContent":"It is with deep gratitude that I thank you for your generous contribution to my project, Laminating Makes Learning Fun. With the addition of a laminator, I have been able to add valuable visual tools to my classroom. I have several ELL students in my class. Adding visuals is vital not only for emergent readers but also children learning English for the first time. I use hand signals for several classroom procedures. I now have the capability to print and laminate visual reminders of these signals. \r\n\r\nIn the future I will have the ability to create and laminate materials to use in daily centers or even send home as extension activities. Lamination allows these materials to be used multiple times, cutting down on the teacher prep time required for each activity. I am so very thankful! A classroom laminator is something that will be used to extend learning daily!","fullyFundedDate":1762200003650,"projectUrl":"project/laminating-makes-learning-fun/9856641/","projectTitle":"Laminating Makes Learning Fun!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Mergen","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10056850_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1752785838744","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10056850"},{"teacherId":10340325,"projectId":9871719,"letterContent":"Thank you for supporting my project; \"Less Noise, More Focus\"! Headphones are crucial in the elementary school setting. Headphones minimize distractions, allowing students to concentrate, collaborate, and learn effectively. When the headphones arrived, my team of teachers raced upstairs eagerly awaiting the unboxing of this amazing gift. The headphones were put to use the very next day!\r\n\r\nThe headphones help create a conducive environment for focused work. Students wear them daily during independent work and individualized learning experiences. Our students use them for reading and math apps such Lexia Core 5, Dreambox, Bookflix and Epic. We are also starting our winter testing sessions to assess growth in math and reading. Headphones allow students to listen to the content at their own pace and to replay instructions. Headphones also promote self-regulation. When students have their own headphones, they are responsible for managing their own learning resources. This empowers students to internalize and take ownership of their learning.\r\n\r\nThis project benefits many students at Lowell, and we are extremely grateful for your generosity!","fullyFundedDate":1762309501781,"projectUrl":"project/less-noise-more-focus/9871719/","projectTitle":"Less Noise, More Focus","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Neu","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10340325_orig.jpg?crop=535,536,x0,y78&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1762202584152","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10340325"},{"teacherId":10056850,"projectId":9847746,"letterContent":"It is with heartfelt gratitude that I thank you for your generous donation to my project \"Headphones for Learning\".\r\n\r\nI teach at a Title I school and very few of my students come to school with school supplies. Headphones are expensive. The families of my students don't have the ability or means to provide them. We use headphones daily for leaning. \r\n\r\nOur district uses a math and a literacy IPad program daily. When the children have headphones it gives me the ability to pull individuals or small groups to check-in and extend or scaffold learning. Thank you for your support!","fullyFundedDate":1761261155850,"projectUrl":"project/headphones-for-learning/9847746/","projectTitle":"Headphones for learning!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Mergen","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp10056850_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1752785838744","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10056850"},{"teacherId":8186530,"projectId":9451796,"letterContent":"Our students are loving the new sensory tray for our light table. The tray allows students to experiment with a variety of materials—shapes, colors, and textures—on the light table, helping them build fine motor skills, explore cause and effect, and engage in creative play. The sorting trays also support early math skills as students sort by color, shape, and size.\r\n\r\nNext, we plan to rotate seasonal and themed materials in the tray to keep activities fresh and engaging. These tools continue to make our light table explorations more hands-on and meaningful every day.\r\n\r\nThank you for supporting our classroom and helping our preschoolers explore, learn, and grow!","fullyFundedDate":1752671612236,"projectUrl":"project/a-brighter-way-to-learn-light-table-too/9451796/","projectTitle":"A Brighter Way to Learn: Light Table Tools","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Dena","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8186530_orig.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1731173451041","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8186530"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_92034","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":390,"numTeachers":34,"percentFrplEligible":87,"percentAsian":2,"percentBlack":12,"percentWhite":26,"percentIndigenous":13,"percentLatinx":33,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","percentHawaiianImputed":0,"percentMultiracialImputed":10,"gradesServed":"Pre-K - 5","studentTeacherRatio":"11.5:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_MIDSIZE"},"inStateSupporters":39.6,"schoolId":92034,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Lowell Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Lowell Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/south-dakota/sioux-falls-school-district-49-5/lowell-math-science-elementary-school/92034"}