{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"Orca K-8 School","outOfStateSupporters":14.7,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":8020920,"projectId":9633669,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for gifting us our wonderful recorders. We've been having a fun time learning how to make music!\r\n\r\nI use a book called, \"Recorder Karate.\" Each song has a color, and when a student has learned a song, they get a string of that color to tie around the bottom of their recorder. It is so fun and they are clearly so motivated to get the next belt.\r\n\r\nIt has been deeply meaningful for me to give my students their own recorder. Some students come from economically disadvantaged homes, and so a gift of a recorder means so, so much to them. They are energized by owning such a beautiful instrument. \r\n\r\nHappy Holidays,","fullyFundedDate":1757019523076,"projectUrl":"project/soprano-recorders-in-music-class/9633669/","projectTitle":"Soprano Recorders in Music Class","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Michael Holland","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8020920_orig.jpg?crop=3024,3024,x349,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1756103708019","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/hollandinseattle"},{"teacherId":8020920,"projectId":9627763,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your contributions. The music white boards have been. so, so helpful in teaching students how to both read music, and write as well.\r\n\r\nWhen my students first got their white boards, they were excited and enthusiastic to try their hands at writing music. I gave them a dry-erase marker and the eraser that came with the boards. Immediately, they got to work copying what I'd written on the board.\r\n\r\nOur first lessons were recognizing the differences between lines and space. My students were learning so quickly with the white boards! They learned their notes, and then we launched into rhythms. Finally they were able to connect pitches and rhythms, and write music.\r\n\r\nYour donation really made the difference. In the past I've used paper and pencil. But the dry-erase boards make mistakes so much easier to correct, and we saved paper!","fullyFundedDate":1755730139341,"projectUrl":"project/music-white-boards-to-learn-how-to-read/9627763/","projectTitle":"Music White Boards To Learn How To Read/Write Music","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Michael Holland","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp8020920_orig.jpg?crop=3024,3024,x349,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1756103708019","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/hollandinseattle"},{"teacherId":2576197,"projectId":9194727,"letterContent":"I hope this message finds you well. I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for your generous donations towards buying new books for our Orca K-8 students. Your support is invaluable and makes a significant difference in fostering a love for reading among our students.\r\n\r\nI can't tell you how happy they are to see their favorite books when they return to school. \r\nThey feel seen and heard when I'm able to purchase books that they have requested. \r\nI feel so lucky to be able to offer books that they love.\r\n\r\nThank you once again for your kindness and commitment to education.","fullyFundedDate":1743121768791,"projectUrl":"project/favorite-books/9194727/","projectTitle":"Favorite Books!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Appleyard","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp2576197_orig.jpg?crop=473,473,x55,y104&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1603065488098","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/2576197"},{"teacherId":2576197,"projectId":9133550,"letterContent":"I hope this thank you letter finds you well. I want to extend my heartfelt thanks for your generous donations to support our Battle of the Books competition. This was the first time our middle school students participated, and your contributions helped us purchase the necessary books.\r\n\r\nYour support not only enriched our students' experience but also fostered a love for reading and teamwork among them. Our students read six books that we didn't have in our library and they never would have read them if it wasn't for the Battle of the Books competition. We truly appreciate your kindness and commitment to our the reading lives of our middle school students. \r\n\r\nThank you once again for making a difference in our students' lives.","fullyFundedDate":1741198782519,"projectUrl":"project/middle-school-battle-of-the-books-2025/9133550/","projectTitle":"Middle School Battle of the Books 2025","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Appleyard","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp2576197_orig.jpg?crop=473,473,x55,y104&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1603065488098","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/2576197"},{"teacherId":2576197,"projectId":6992140,"letterContent":"I hope this thank you note finds you well. I want to thank you for your generous donations toward purchasing \"peak pick\" books for the Orca K-8 library. Your support means the world to us and greatly enhanced our students' reading experiences, fostering a love for literature that lasts a lifetime.\r\n\r\nThanks to your kindness, we can now offer a diverse selection of engaging books that cater to the interests and needs of our young readers. We are excited to watch our students explore new worlds through these stories, and we are deeply grateful for your role in making this possible. Thank you once again for your support!","fullyFundedDate":1669770028665,"projectUrl":"project/peak-picks/6992140/","projectTitle":"Peak Picks!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Appleyard","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp2576197_orig.jpg?crop=473,473,x55,y104&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1603065488098","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/2576197"},{"teacherId":2576197,"projectId":8658045,"letterContent":"I can't thank you enough for your generosity. It was wonderful to welcome our students back to the library with a collection of books that they wanted to read! We are a school of readers as evident by the pure joy kids demonstrate while browsing our growing collection. Their interests reflect the different cultures, backgrounds, and identities within our community. These kids are motivated not only to educate themselves, but also to learn about the experiences of others, hopefully building understanding and community in the process.\r\n\r\nWe are fortunate in that our library is a roomy, welcoming space with a growing, exciting collection in which to pursue our fascinations as well as our worries, to read about ourselves and to read about those that are different. We believe it is imperative that the library be an embracing space full of materials that encompass our different interests as well as stories that reflect our diverse lives.","fullyFundedDate":1730922056805,"projectUrl":"project/back-to-school/8658045/","projectTitle":"Back to School!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Appleyard","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp2576197_orig.jpg?crop=473,473,x55,y104&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1603065488098","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/2576197"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_35992","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":278,"numTeachers":24,"percentFrplEligible":45,"percentAsian":6,"percentBlack":32,"percentWhite":34,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":12,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"1 - 8","studentTeacherRatio":"11.6:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":false,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":85.3,"schoolId":35992,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Orca K-8 School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Orca K-8 School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/washington/district-one-seattle-public-schools/orca-at-whitworth-elementary-school/35992"}
Join the 754 supporters who believe in this school.
About this school
Orca K-8 School is
an urban public school
in Seattle, Washington that is part of District One - Seattle Public Schools.
It serves 278 students
in grades 1 - 8 with a student/teacher ratio of 11.6:1.
Its teachers have had 113 projects funded on DonorsChoose.
Boost support for this school! Share this page with friends, family, alumni, and fellow supporters. Every connection helps teachers get the supplies they need and shows how much your community cares about its students.
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Every donation funds real needs — pencils, books, lab equipment, art supplies, and more — helping students learn and thrive. We ship supplies directly to the school, and you'll see exactly where each dollar goes.
of students receive free or reduced price lunch
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
Source: the National Center for Education Statistics
50%
of students are Black, Latino, Native
American, or Asian
Data about school demographics comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. The numbers in this chart may not add up to 100% because of limitations in the available data.
Orca K-8 School Support on DonorsChoose
Last updated Dec 23, 2025
DonorsChoose makes it easy for anyone to help a teacher in need, moving us closer to a nation where students
in every community have the tools and experiences they need for a great education.
Orca K-8 School
$67,044
raised using DonorsChoose
113
projects
funded
45
teachers
funded
754
donors
11
projects
for
basic supplies
14
projects for
technology
23
projects for
books
2
projects
for
art supplies
Orca K-8 School has received support from
643 individuals from Washington and
111 individuals out-of-state.
