{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"Dexter K-8 School","outOfStateSupporters":32.9,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":4566574,"projectId":9615937,"letterContent":"We are writing to express our profound gratitude for your thoughtful donation of cases of water and water enhancers for our middle school Physical Education program. Your contribution has had a direct and positive impact on the health, focus, and energy of our students, transforming a simple necessity into a resource for learning and wellness.\r\n\r\nWe immediately integrated the water and enhancers into our unit on \"Hydration, Stamina, and Goal-Setting.\" On days when we tackle high-intensity activities, such as the mile run or a full-court basketball tournament, we use the water station as a teaching moment. Students not only have access to cold, clean water, but they can also use the water enhancers to customize their drinks, which sparks discussions about sugar intake, electrolytes, and the science of healthy hydration before, during, and after exercise. A specific high-point was our recent Fitness Challenge Day: your water station ensured that 100% of our students stayed properly hydrated. This physical support translated directly into a psychological boost, helping students push their stamina and focus on achieving their personal bests.\r\n\r\nThe students' reaction to the materials was one of sheer excitement and deep appreciation. When the first shipment of bottled water and the variety of water enhancers arrived, there was an audible buzz. For many, having this choice and ready access felt like a high-level perk—a tangible sign that their wellness was a priority. It immediately fostered a sense of camaraderie and responsibility, as students took ownership of maintaining the station. The availability of water has also helped improve focus and reduce mid-class fatigue, allowing us to spend more time on skill development and less time managing students who are struggling with dehydration.\r\n\r\nMoving forward, our next project is a \"PE Wellness & Self-Regulation Portfolio.\" In this project, students will track their hydration levels, physical output, and overall energy during our current volleyball unit. The students will be asked to document when they use the water and enhancers, and then analyze the correlation between their specific hydration choices and their on-court performance, stamina, and mental clarity. They will use this data to write a self-reflection on creating a personalized wellness plan. Your donation provides the essential, tangible tools for this data-driven, student-led health exploration. Thank you for supporting the vital connection between physical wellness and academic success in our program.","fullyFundedDate":1758416254217,"projectUrl":"project/quench-our-thirst/9615937/","projectTitle":"Quench Our Thirst","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Sims","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp4566574_272x272.png?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1525797269757","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/4566574"},{"teacherId":4566574,"projectId":9742071,"letterContent":"We are thrilled to share the impact of your generous contributions, which provided our classroom with new volleyballs, a volleyball cart, water enhancers, and Starburst! This project, which brought a unique blend of physical activity and engagement to our class, was truly transformative.\r\n\r\nThe new resources were immediately integrated into our \"Kinetic Learning & Cognitive Demand\" unit. Specifically, we used the volleyballs and cart to facilitate our \"Question-and-Serve\" review game. Instead of traditional seated review, students stood in a circle, and one student would \"serve\" a high-level comprehension question to a peer. The receiving student then had to think, speak, and reason to answer, then use the volleyball cart to quickly choose the next ball and \"serve\" a question of their own. The casters on the cart made the transition between turns fast and seamless, maximizing the active learning time. Meanwhile, the water enhancers have been a huge hit, giving students a choice in their hydration while encouraging them to stay focused and energized during these high-intensity cognitive activities. The Starburst candy is reserved as a tangible, low-cost \"win\" for teams that successfully argue a complex concept or solve a challenging problem, creating a fun, immediate incentive for intellectual risk-taking.\r\n\r\nThe students' reaction was unforgettable. When they first saw the volleyball cart loaded with bright new balls, there was an immediate burst of energy—they knew this was not going to be a typical lesson. They were curious about the unexpected inclusion of sports equipment and were excited to see how it fit into our academic work. The initial gasps of delight when they saw the variety of water enhancers and the sheer volume of Starburst signaled that they felt truly valued and acknowledged. These items transformed a normally sedentary, often intimidating review session into a vibrant, high-energy activity. The biggest behavioral change we've noticed is that the promise of the Starburst reward has motivated students to tackle the most challenging \"evaluate\" and \"analyze\" questions, demonstrating a greater willingness to persist.\r\n\r\nOur next steps involve using these resources to culminate our unit with a \"Final Assessment Scrimmage.\" For this project, students will design their own review questions, categorizing them by cognitive demand (e.g., \"Knowledge,\" \"Application,\" \"Evaluation\"). Using the volleyballs and cart, they will run a review game for a younger class, testing their mastery and teaching others. They will need to track the types of questions asked, using the water enhancers to keep themselves focused as they manage the session. Finally, we will use the remaining Starburst as a data-driven reward: each team will earn a piece for every high-level question they successfully pose, directly linking our reward system to the specific cognitive demand we've been focusing on. Thank you again for providing these incredible tools that have truly energized our classroom!","fullyFundedDate":1758803067556,"projectUrl":"project/its-volley-time/9742071/","projectTitle":"It's Volley Time","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Sims","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp4566574_272x272.png?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1525797269757","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/4566574"},{"teacherId":4566574,"projectId":9366152,"letterContent":"We are incredibly grateful for your generous contribution! Your donation funded red garbage cans and casters for our classroom, which has dramatically improved our students' work flow and allowed us to implement our new questioning and collaboration protocols more smoothly.\r\n\r\nHow We're Using the New Resources\r\nThe red garbage cans and casters aren't just bins; they are a critical classroom management tool that supports our focus on continuous, active work.\r\n\r\nWe implemented a \"Trash-on-the-Move\" protocol during collaborative, hands-on activities, like our recent \"Building Blocks of Argument\" project in which students worked in small groups to construct argumentative essays.\r\n\r\nBefore your gift: Students had to stop their conversation, stand up, walk across the room, and stand in line to throw away scrap paper, drafts, or crumpled notes. This caused interruptions, disrupted group momentum, and wasted valuable instructional time.\r\n\r\nWith your gift: Each group now has its own red bin on casters. When a student needs to dispose of paper, they simply glide the bin over, quickly drop the item, and immediately resume their discussion and work.\r\n\r\nThis small change has maximized our Academic Learning Time (ALT). We no longer lose five minutes of focus per class period to traffic jams at the trash can. Instead, that time is spent with students actively thinking, speaking, and reasoning together, which is the definition of high-quality engagement.\r\n\r\nStudents' Reaction to the Materials\r\nThe initial reaction was a mix of confusion and delight!\r\n\r\nWhen the students saw the bright red bins—which are now a playful symbol of our commitment to efficient work—and realized they could roll them around, a few questions popped up:\r\n\r\n\"Wait, can we really keep it right next to our table?\"\r\n\r\n\"Is this a race car?\"\r\n\r\n\"We don't have to wait in line anymore?\"\r\n\r\nThe fact that they noticed the ease and efficiency immediately was powerful. It subtly signaled to them: \"We value your learning time, and we've removed barriers so you can focus only on your work.\" It transformed a mundane piece of classroom furniture into a tool for autonomy and flow.\r\n\r\nNext Steps for Our Students\r\nCurrently, we are moving into the analysis and evaluation phase of our unit, which requires students to critique each other's work using a detailed rubric.\r\n\r\nOur next project step is a Peer Review Protocol where groups will \"pass the argument\" to two other teams. The next steps are for students to use your materials to maintain efficiency during this high-stakes task:\r\n\r\nDrafting Feedback: As groups draft their feedback on paper, the rolling trash cans will continue to support flow by allowing them to discard drafts and notes as they go, keeping their workspace clear and organized.\r\n\r\nFinalizing Revisions: When they receive their original essay back, students will use a \"Revision Reflection\" template to integrate peer feedback. The efficient movement allowed by the casters means we can rapidly switch between group discussion, individual reading, and final writing, keeping the energy and focus high throughout the editing cycle.\r\n\r\nYour donation has created a smoother, more efficient, and more focused classroom environment, enabling our students to achieve a deeper level of cognitive engagement. Thank you for investing in our students' ability to learn effectively!","fullyFundedDate":1758416042545,"projectUrl":"project/operation-clean-campus/9366152/","projectTitle":"Operation Clean Campus","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Sims","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp4566574_272x272.png?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1525797269757","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/4566574"},{"teacherId":235101,"projectId":9716938,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous contribution to our Hispanic Heritage Celebration!\r\nOur students had so much fun and learned many things about the culture. We had dancers, singers, and a museum for students to experience, as well as fun prizes from the pinatas!\r\nThanks to your donations, our entire school had a wonderful time experiencing the Hispanic Culture! Students are still talking about the program and are very exciting to see what next year brings! The pinata prizes were a hit, as students received a toy, a bracelet, and candy!","fullyFundedDate":1758391931416,"projectUrl":"project/hispanic-heritage-celebration/9716938/","projectTitle":"Hispanic Heritage Celebration","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Neria","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp235101_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1537296197131","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/neriarl"},{"teacherId":4566574,"projectId":9597053,"letterContent":"The Pyle Bluetooth Speaker and Sports Variety Kit have transformed our PE program! The speaker delivers crystal-clear music for dynamic workouts, team warm-ups, and drill transitions, instantly boosting student energy. They cheered when the speaker first boomed their favorite song, a huge upgrade from our previous system. The Sports Variety Kit is fundamental for building the PE program, allowing us to introduce new units like floor hockey and cooperative games. A specific moment: we used the new equipment to host an inclusive \"Adapt-a-Game\" unit, where students designed a sport using the new gear. Next steps involve creating a student-led mentorship program where older students teach the younger classes the new games, fostering leadership skills and continued program expansion.","fullyFundedDate":1758803238388,"projectUrl":"project/quill-to-the-rescue/9597053/","projectTitle":"Quill to the Rescue","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Sims","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp4566574_272x272.png?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1525797269757","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/4566574"},{"teacherId":4566574,"projectId":9742430,"letterContent":"The new stainless steel upright freezer is a game-changer! It's already essential for our \"Cooking for Students\" initiative, allowing us to batch-prep ingredients and store larger meals efficiently. Plus, it provides much-needed dedicated space for frozen novelties—a massive hit and a great incentive. Students were excited by the professional-grade look and the sheer capacity. Next up, we're developing a long-term meal plan focused on nutritious, freezer-friendly options.. i am so happy and grateful for this wonderful gift. You Rock!","fullyFundedDate":1758802593462,"projectUrl":"project/freeze-me/9742430/","projectTitle":"Freeze Me","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Sims","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp4566574_272x272.png?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1525797269757","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/4566574"},{"teacherId":4566574,"projectId":9410400,"letterContent":"We are absolutely thrilled with the new mobile dry erase boards and mobile desk carts! They have been a total game-changer for collaboration and flexibility in the classroom. Previously, our dry erase space was limited to a single wall, which made group work and quick brainstorming sessions challenging. Now, students can easily grab a smaller mobile board, move it to their group, and work on problems simultaneously. The desk carts have been a huge hit, too. They allow us to fluidly switch from whole-class instruction to small, focused groups, and even to individual silent work in a matter of minutes. Just recently, during our unit on fractions, we used the boards to have each group solve a different real-world problem—like splitting a pizza or dividing a budget—and then easily roll their solution to the front of the room to present to their classmates. This allowed every student to be a presenter and a problem-solver, deepening their engagement.\r\n\r\nThe students' reaction was pure excitement. When they first saw the rolling dry erase boards, several students asked, \"Are those ours to write on?\" It was a mixture of surprise and delight at the idea of having their own, movable writing spaces. The flexibility of the desk carts, in particular, empowers them; they love being able to rearrange their workspace to fit the task at hand. It fosters a real sense of ownership and agency over their learning environment. Seeing them naturally gravitate toward the boards for quick explanations or to work out a tricky problem with a friend shows how quickly they've integrated these resources into their daily routines.\r\n\r\nOur current lesson that's taking advantage of these new tools is a collaborative research project on local ecosystems. The next steps involve the students using the mobile desk carts as their \"home base\" to organize their research materials, while the mobile dry erase boards will become their designated \"synthesis stations.\" They will be working in their small groups to diagram the food web, create mind maps of key vocabulary, and develop the outline for their final presentation. The ability to quickly draft, erase, and revise their thinking right on the boards, without wasting paper or feeling the pressure of a permanent mark, is going to be invaluable as they move into the final creation phase of their project. Thank you again for providing the tools that make this dynamic, collaborative learning possible!","fullyFundedDate":1755914214750,"projectUrl":"project/empowering-learning-boards-stands-for/9410400/","projectTitle":"Empowering Learning: Boards & Stands for Success","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Sims","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp4566574_272x272.png?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1525797269757","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/4566574"},{"teacherId":235101,"projectId":9475669,"letterContent":"Thanks so much for thinking of me and my students by providing the materials necessary for us to have a beautiful classroom environment to learn music! My students were so excited to receive the materials and were so thankful! The students are putting the materials to good use by being engaged in our classroom activities. Our room is beautiful thanks to you!\r\nWithout you, our class would not have been able to progress this school year! Your donations matter! Thanks again for being part of our village! You are appreciated!","fullyFundedDate":1753909788092,"projectUrl":"project/beats-balls-and-a-musical-rug/9475669/","projectTitle":"Beats, Balls and a Musical Rug","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Neria","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp235101_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1537296197131","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/neriarl"},{"teacherId":5116236,"projectId":9103634,"letterContent":"Thanks so much much for your wonderful donations to this worthy projects. The students were overjoyed that we were fully funded. The students have been very busy learning how to use the circuit to make their own designs come to life. They have made t-shirts and are learning how to make other crafts.\r\n \r\n We have find a wonderful person to come to the once a week to show us how to make crafts using the circuit. The students are learning how to use the different tools and how to print t-shirts.\r\n\r\n They are remaking some t-shirts to wear to the Special Olympics. Finally, our students will be able to wear shirts for field trips and field days. We are hoping to eventually learn how to make cups designs and other crafts for the students can sell. This will help them learn about goods and services.","fullyFundedDate":1746699599951,"projectUrl":"project/getting-creative-and-inspire-with-circui/9103634/","projectTitle":"Getting Creative and Inspire with Circuit Maker 3 to Design","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Purnell-Redmond","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp5116236_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1517590322885","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/5116236"},{"teacherId":8466837,"projectId":8556150,"letterContent":"I know this is late but we are very appreciative of your contributions for our team. Because of your help we were able to have efficient practices and properly train. If you see our pictures we made it all the way to state finishing Top 5. \r\n\r\nWe have inspired so many in our neighborhood, giving them hope and instilling a genuine inspiration in our community that with a little support our girls and boys can accomplish any and everything. Your help does not go unnoticed. Thank you so much for believing in our goals and dreams.","fullyFundedDate":1723748580568,"projectUrl":"project/take-us-to-state/8556150/","projectTitle":"Take Us to State","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Morris","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8466837_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1722910045661","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/8466837"},{"teacherId":9483866,"projectId":8251793,"letterContent":"Thank you for all your support, you provided a wonderful experience for the young boys from a title 1 school. Out of the 15 players only one player ever played the game before. The growth of confidence that each player showed as the season progressed. Our season started with a 6-2 loss after two innings due to darkness. We bounced back with a win and the boys bought in as they were determined to work harder. Through their efforts they found themselves at the end of the season with a 5-2 record and in tie for 2nd place out of 10 teams. This experience for our boys could have ended earlier than expected but they were determined to make the season last as long as possible and we made the playoffs in our first season as a team and they could not have done this without the support you given us.","fullyFundedDate":1709566538971,"projectUrl":"project/baseball-foundation-to-a-better-future/8251793/","projectTitle":"Baseball Foundation to a Better Future","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Ridenour","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-4_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/baseballdexter"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_72070","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":831,"numTeachers":56,"percentFrplEligible":71,"percentAsian":0,"percentBlack":71,"percentWhite":7,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":16,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"Pre-K - 8","studentTeacherRatio":"14.8:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"SUBURB_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":67.1,"schoolId":72070,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Dexter K-8 School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Dexter K-8 School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/tennessee/memphis-shelby-county-schools/dexter-elementary-school/72070"}