{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"Mark Twain Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":30.5,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":7094771,"projectId":9982033,"letterContent":"Your generous contribution made it possible for us to purchase phonemic awareness boards for teachers to use during their small‑group reading instruction. Many of our students struggle with phonemic awareness—the ability to hear, separate, and manipulate the individual sounds in words. These boards give them a hands‑on, visual way to break words apart, identify missing or changed sounds, and blend sounds together successfully. Teachers appreciate having a simple, engaging tool that supports such an essential skill.\r\nOne teacher shared with me how remarkable the growth has been for her students with the greatest learning needs since she began using these boards consistently. Seeing students gain confidence and mastery in foundational skills is truly inspiring, and your donation played a key role in making that possible.\r\nOur intermediate students are also benefiting from the boards by using the syllable‑division side. When students struggle with multisyllabic words, teaching them how to divide words into syllables is one of the most effective strategies. It encourages them to slow down, examine word parts carefully, and then blend the syllables to read the full word. These boards make that process clear, manageable, and much more accessible.\r\nBecause each board includes two different learning tools—phonemic awareness on one side and syllable division on the other—they meet a wide range of student needs across grade levels. Teachers consistently share how helpful, engaging, and fun these boards are for students to use.\r\nThank you again for your generosity. Your support is making a meaningful difference in our classrooms every day.","fullyFundedDate":1767719962969,"projectUrl":"project/phonemic-awareness-is-the-foundation-to/9982033/","projectTitle":"Phonemic Awareness is the Foundation to Successful Reading","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Karen Belleque","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7094771_orig.jpg?crop=480,480,x0,y4&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1600224809043","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/kbelleque"},{"teacherId":7094771,"projectId":9581603,"letterContent":"These books have been exactly what our school needed at this time. Our students are truly enjoying the opportunity to listen to new read‑alouds—often delivered by me as I pop into classrooms to share a new story. Research consistently shows that one of the most effective ways to build students' background knowledge is through high‑quality read‑aloud experiences, and your generosity is helping make that possible.\r\nI am deeply grateful for your support, which allows us to build a strong and diverse library of read‑aloud books for our teachers to use. Many of our teachers frequently purchase books out of their own paychecks, so having a shared collection they can borrow from is a tremendous gift and relief.\r\nEach day, I begin my work side‑by‑side with teachers, helping them grow their knowledge of reading instruction. I love witnessing the moment when something \"clicks\" for them—when new learning affirms what they've been seeing with their students. One area our staff has been working hard to strengthen is teaching words in ways that support true learning rather than rote memorization. Make It Stick, one of the books your donation helped us purchase, has been especially impactful in providing teachers with a clear, research‑aligned routine for teaching words effectively.\r\nThank you again for your incredible generosity. Your contribution will benefit our staff and students for many years to come.","fullyFundedDate":1764001935476,"projectUrl":"project/time-for-new-books-for-students-and-staf/9581603/","projectTitle":"Time for New Books for Students and Staff","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Karen Belleque","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7094771_orig.jpg?crop=480,480,x0,y4&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1600224809043","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/kbelleque"},{"teacherId":9568405,"projectId":9181122,"letterContent":"The resources provided have been amazing! My students have had a great time using the play clocks to tell time. They were so excited! It's easier to understand when they can each use their own and try. It's much more engaging. The plastic sleeves have been helpful to reuse centers for ELA and math groups. I plan to use them a lot next year for different centers and stuff I want to reuse. The snacks have been helpful, especially for students who are always hungry. I try to provide snack on Friday if I can. Thank you again for the generous donation! \r\n\r\nAbby","fullyFundedDate":1742924217532,"projectUrl":"project/ms-nelsons-first-grade-class/9181122/","projectTitle":"Ms. Nelson’s First Grade Class","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Nelson","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-3_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9568405"},{"teacherId":7094771,"projectId":9340781,"letterContent":"These books are for my summer reading, however, we have 8 more days of school and I just can't wait to dive in to them so I am starting early. My biggest problem now is deciding which to read first. A coworker came in while I was unboxing them and took one with him to read. A book that he hadn't seen before but will have a direct impact on his work. That was what this is all about, supplying not only professional development books for me, but also for our staff. I want to develop a space that they can come and get resources including these books that will educate them and impact the work they are doing in their classrooms. This space can only happen through generous donations such as the one you made towards this project. Thank you again for your generosity and believing in the work we are doing as educators.","fullyFundedDate":1748276772769,"projectUrl":"project/our-fascinating-brain-and-how-we-learn/9340781/","projectTitle":"Our Fascinating Brain and How we Learn","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Karen Belleque","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7094771_orig.jpg?crop=480,480,x0,y4&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1600224809043","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/kbelleque"},{"teacherId":3117081,"projectId":9285463,"letterContent":"I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to each of you for your generous support of my DonorsChoose project at the end of the last school year. Because of you, I was able to receive a wide range of professional development books that have already begun to shape my thinking and planning for the upcoming school year.\r\n\r\nOver the summer, I dove into several of the titles, including The Number Sense: How the Mind Creates Mathematics, How the Brain Learns Mathematics, How the Brain Learns, and Stick the Learning. These books have been incredibly insightful and have equipped me with new techniques and perspectives to better support my staff in math instruction. As an interventionist/instructional coach working across grades K–5, I'm especially excited about how these resources will help us build a stronger foundation in number sense and deepen our students' conceptual understanding of math.\r\n\r\nOne quote that really resonated with me comes from How the Brain Learns Mathematics:\r\n\r\n\"The more arithmetic we can teach through declarative processes involving understanding and meaning, the more likely children will succeed and actually enjoy mathematics.\" (p. 57)\r\n\r\nThis idea captures exactly what I hope to bring into our classrooms this year—math instruction that is meaningful, engaging, and rooted in true understanding. While I haven't had the chance to implement these strategies just yet, I'm eagerly preparing to integrate them into our professional development and coaching cycles as the school year begins. My hope is that these tools will help our educators make learning \"stick\" for students—so that mathematical concepts aren't just learned for a unit, but truly understood and transferable across contexts.\r\n\r\nYour support means more than just books—it means growth, inspiration, and the promise of better learning experiences for our students. Thank you for believing in educators and for investing in our journey. I'm so grateful, especially knowing that many of you are family. Your generosity is helping me make a real difference.","fullyFundedDate":1746492544345,"projectUrl":"project/a-math-coachs-continued-learning-on-the/9285463/","projectTitle":"A Math Coach's Continued Learning on the Brain and Math","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. McEachern","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp3117081_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1496381594537","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ms-mceachern-mathcoach"},{"teacherId":7094771,"projectId":9253727,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous donation to my classroom project. Your support has already made a meaningful impact. I've eagerly begun exploring the teacher resources to deepen my understanding of reading development and brain function during literacy instruction.\r\n\r\nSeveral of the books have also been shared with my students, and they were especially thrilled with the Finn the Frog series. As Bullfrogs ourselves, with Finn as our mascot, these stories resonated deeply and brought a special sense of connection and excitement to our learning environment.\r\n\r\nThese resources are not only enriching our students' experiences today but will continue to benefit both students and staff for years to come. It is truly heartwarming to know that there are individuals like you who believe in and support our school community.","fullyFundedDate":1746787040866,"projectUrl":"project/read-alouds-that-foster-a-love-of-readin/9253727/","projectTitle":"Read-Alouds That Foster a Love Of Reading","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Karen Belleque","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7094771_orig.jpg?crop=480,480,x0,y4&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1600224809043","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/kbelleque"},{"teacherId":9905282,"projectId":9076492,"letterContent":"On behalf of our students, I want to extend our heartfelt gratitude for your generous donation of durable and high-quality headphones for our Title I students. Your thoughtful contribution directly addresses a critical need in our classrooms and ensures our students are better equipped to engage with their digital learning resources. This support is not just appreciated—it's transformative.\r\n\r\nThe headphones you provided are already making a meaningful impact. Our students can now participate in online lessons, assessments, and individualized learning lessons without distraction or technical issues. Many of these students do not have access to reliable technology at home, so having dependable headphones at school allows them to fully participate in their education and stay on track with their learning goals.\r\n\r\nYour generosity speaks volumes about your commitment to educational equity and student success. Thank you for investing in our students' futures and for helping create a learning environment where every child has the tools they need to succeed. We are deeply grateful for your support and look forward to sharing the positive outcomes your donation continues to inspire.","fullyFundedDate":1739375878507,"projectUrl":"project/headphones-for-students/9076492/","projectTitle":"Headphones for Students","teacherDisplayName":"Mr. Tartaglia","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9905282_orig.png?crop=273,273,x255,y0&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1737581260801","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9905282"},{"teacherId":7094771,"projectId":9148160,"letterContent":"Thank you for our generous donation that brought phonics to life for our students. These phonics read aloud stories have brought phonics to life for our students. These students are learning phonics rules during their classroom phonics time, however, having these books in addition to our curriculum has really brought joy to our students. Storytelling was the first way of teaching and still has a huge impact on learning today, as we have found out with books about phonics. Our teachers have also enjoyed the books we received that have further developed their skills in teaching reading and phonics.\r\n\r\nThank you again for your generous donation and supporting our students and staff. We appreciate you!","fullyFundedDate":1742924217425,"projectUrl":"project/all-aboard-the-literacy-train/9148160/","projectTitle":"All Aboard the Literacy Train!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Karen Belleque","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7094771_orig.jpg?crop=480,480,x0,y4&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1600224809043","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/kbelleque"},{"teacherId":7094771,"projectId":9240270,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for your generous donation to support our students in learning to read. These books are already a hit with our students who are learning phonics rules. Also, our intermediate students are enjoying the books that are about reading yet aren't geared towards the younger grades. I appreciate your donation to our students. We will be sure to take care of these books for many years and which will allow as many students as possible to enjoy them. I did put in a few books for our teachers. A few have already been popular and others I am getting into the hands of teachers. Thank you for giving not only to our students, but also our staff. \r\n\r\nYour donation has already gone a long ways, it's truly appreciated!","fullyFundedDate":1744213915370,"projectUrl":"project/books-for-inquisitive-intermediate-stude/9240270/","projectTitle":"Books for Inquisitive Intermediate Students!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Karen Belleque","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7094771_orig.jpg?crop=480,480,x0,y4&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1600224809043","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/kbelleque"},{"teacherId":3117081,"projectId":9133457,"letterContent":"I am writing to express our deepest gratitude for your generous donation of tangram boards and math read-aloud books. Your thoughtful contribution will significantly enhance our students' learning experiences, providing them with engaging and interactive tools to explore mathematical concepts. The tangram boards will foster their spatial reasoning and problem-solving skills, while the read-aloud books will inspire a love for math through captivating stories.\r\n\r\nYour support is invaluable to us, and it is through the kindness of donors like you that we can continue to offer enriching educational resources. Thank you once again for your generosity and commitment to our students' success. We look forward to sharing the positive impact of your donation with you.\r\n\r\nWarm regards","fullyFundedDate":1741189204278,"projectUrl":"project/number-sense-read-aloud-books-tangrams/9133457/","projectTitle":"Number Sense, Read Aloud Books, Tangrams, and a Chair Mat","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. McEachern","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp3117081_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1496381594537","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/ms-mceachern-mathcoach"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_55342","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":531,"numTeachers":31,"percentFrplEligible":95,"percentAsian":22,"percentBlack":20,"percentWhite":7,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":28,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"Pre-K - 5","studentTeacherRatio":"17.1:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"SUBURBAN","ncesMetroType":"SUBURB_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":69.5,"schoolId":55342,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Mark Twain Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Mark Twain Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/washington/federal-way-public-schools/mark-twain-elementary-school/55342"}