{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":true,"callToActionDisplayName":"Townsend Street Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":30.5,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":4261717,"projectId":8807658,"letterContent":"Walking into our hallway and seeing bright, interactive sensory paths stretching across the floor and walls felt like stepping into an adventure park for our students! When they first saw the colorful frog hopping logs, hand-and-foot jump paths, wall push-up stations, and number flower hopscotch, their faces completely lit up with excitement. The biggest thrill was seeing how their school space had been transformed into an interactive trail. A chorus of amazed gasps and giggles filled the hall as they realized that moving, hopping, and stretching along these paths was now a deliberate, welcomed part of their school day.\r\n\r\nThese resources have revolutionized how we support gross motor development, sensory integration, and emotional regulation. We use the paths daily for sensory breaks, transition times, and targeted self-regulation moments when students need to burn off extra energy or reset their focus. A specific moment that stands out happened during a high-energy morning transition. One of my students was feeling frustrated and visibly dysregulated, making it hard for her to settle into academic work. We took a walk down our \"Walk in the Woods\" path together—she hopped along the number frogs, matched her hands and feet along the dynamic walk path, and completed five wall push-ups at the squat sticker station. By the time she reached the end of the path, her heart rate had slowed, her body was calm, and she was able to communicate to me what was causing her frustration.\r\n\r\nNow that our sensory paths and gross motor stations are fully established, our next step is integrating them into our daily social-emotional learning (SEL) check-ins and independent break routines. We are teaching our students self-advocacy skills—helping them recognize when their body is feeling overstimulated or sluggish and independently choosing the right path routine (whether it's high-energy hopping to burn off excess energy or wall push-ups to ground themselves) to reset their nervous system. Thank you for giving my students a physical, joyous outlet that turns daily movement into a powerful tool for learning and self-regulation!","fullyFundedDate":1731596000379,"projectUrl":"project/sensory-paths-for-overwhelmed-bodies-and/8807658/","projectTitle":"Sensory Paths for Overwhelmed Bodies and Minds","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. N.","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp4261717_orig.png?crop=305,305,x42,y75&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1758464425828","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/kristennogalski"},{"teacherId":4261717,"projectId":8784269,"letterContent":"Unpacking our new flexible seating options felt like an absolute celebration in our classroom! When my students walked in and saw the Timber Ridge swing hammock chairs set up alongside the bright aqua lap desks, low beach chairs, and stacks of colorful floor cushions, their eyes went wide. A chorus of gasps and excited chatter filled the room, with several students asking, \"Are we really allowed to sit in those for learning?!\" Their excitement was immediate, and seeing our classroom transform into a cozy, welcoming learning lounge gave them an overwhelming sense of pride.\r\n\r\nThese resources have completely revolutionized our daily independent work and reading time. Instead of being confined to hard, rigid desks all day, students can now choose an environment where their bodies feel most comfortable and ready to focus. A specific moment that stands out happened last week during our independent reading block. One student who usually struggles to sit still for more than five minutes grabbed an aqua lap desk, settled into one of the swing hammock chairs with a cushion, and lost herself in a chapter book for a solid 30 minutes. The gentle movement of the swing chair gave her the sensory input her body needed, while the lap desk provided a sturdy surface to keep her book open.\r\n\r\nNow that our flexible seating stations are fully integrated, our next step is diving into our upcoming multi-week research and writing project. Students will use their lap desks and cozy floor cushions to collaborate in small research groups, gathering information and drafting their reports. Having a comfortable, flexible space allows them to focus on deep thinking and teamwork rather than physical discomfort. Thank you for giving my students a classroom environment where they feel comfortable, empowered, and truly excited to learn every day!","fullyFundedDate":1733169044937,"projectUrl":"project/if-captains-can-have-chairs-so-can-we/8784269/","projectTitle":"If Captains Can Have Chairs, So Can We!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. N.","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp4261717_orig.png?crop=305,305,x42,y75&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1758464425828","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/kristennogalski"},{"teacherId":4261717,"projectId":8370918,"letterContent":"Unpacking our new tech accessories and ambient lighting completely transformed our classroom's digital learning space! While adults often navigate laptop trackpads with ease at home, young learners building fine motor skills often find built-in touchpads incredibly frustrating. Trying to tap, scroll, and drag small objects on a screen with a trackpad can turn a simple math game or reading assessment into a struggle. Receiving a class set of comfortable, reliable USB computer mice gave my students the physical precision and tactile feedback they needed to navigate educational software with confidence and independence.\r\n\r\nThe most exciting addition for my students was definitely the globe string lights! By hanging these warm lights over our tech corner and plugging everything into our new 12-foot heavy-duty power strips, we created a flexible, cozy \"glow studio\" right in our classroom. Dimming the harsh, buzzing overhead fluorescent lights and turning on the soft globe lights instantly lowered the sensory noise in the room, making computer time feel like a special privilege rather than a rigid task.\r\n\r\nThis technology setup has been a game-changer for several of my students who struggle with motor control or sensory overload. One student in particular used to experience high anxiety during computer-based reading sessions—he would frequently lose control of the cursor on the trackpad and become overwhelmed by the bright classroom lights. On the very first day we turned off the overhead lights and turned on the string lights, he plugged his mouse in, smiled as the soft lights turned on, and stayed focused through his entire 20-minute reading module without a single sign of frustration.\r\n\r\nThanks to your support, technology in our classroom is no longer just a screen on a desk—it is an inviting, accessible, and calm learning environment where every student can succeed. Thank you for giving my students the tools and space they need to build digital literacy with joy!","fullyFundedDate":1715363725210,"projectUrl":"project/give-better-tactile-approach-to-learning/8370918/","projectTitle":"Give Better Tactile Approach to Learning","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. N.","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp4261717_orig.png?crop=305,305,x42,y75&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1758464425828","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/kristennogalski"},{"teacherId":4261717,"projectId":6785375,"letterContent":"Unpacking our StudioFX green screen lighting kit alongside bright new watercolor sets, oil pastels, and craft organizers felt like opening a professional media studio right in our classroom. While many of my students see technology at home as something to passively watch, this project transformed technology into an active tool for creation. What excited my students most was seeing the softbox lights turn on and realizing they weren't just going to make physical art on paper—they were going to digitally step inside their own painted worlds.\r\n\r\nIn our classroom, this technology serves as a powerful bridge between hands-on art and digital storytelling. Students first use the watercolor paper, oil pastels, and Sharpie markers to design detailed physical backdrops—such as animal habitats, outer space, or storybook settings. We then set up the green screen and lighting kit to record students standing in front of their own creations. The professional lighting system ensures crisp digital keying, allowing students to present research, read stories aloud, or act out scenes directly inside their original artwork. Rather than just swiping on a screen, they are learning media production, spatial awareness, and digital communication.\r\n\r\nThis technology has been transformative for several of my quietest students and neurodivergent learners who usually experience high anxiety during traditional oral presentations. One student who rarely speaks up during whole-group instruction completely blossomed during our first green screen recording. Standing under the soft studio lights in front of his hand-painted watercolor ocean backdrop, he felt like a news anchor and confidently explained three facts about sea turtles to the camera. The combination of tactile art-making—kept organized and predictable with our new storage satchels and no-spill paint cups—and the novelty of video production gave him a low-pressure outlet to find his voice.\r\n\r\nThanks to your generosity, my students are learning how to be digital creators, artists, and confident public speakers. Having reliable art supplies paired with green screen technology gives every child in our room a memorable stage to share what they know. Thank you for opening up these exciting possibilities for our classroom!","fullyFundedDate":1672295212352,"projectUrl":"project/van-goh-with-us-on-our-artistic-discover/6785375/","projectTitle":"Van Goh with Us on Our Artistic Discovery?","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. N.","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp4261717_orig.png?crop=305,305,x42,y75&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1758464425828","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/kristennogalski"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_37817","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":266,"numTeachers":12,"percentFrplEligible":95,"percentAsian":0,"percentBlack":86,"percentWhite":1,"percentIndigenous":1,"percentLatinx":3,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","percentHawaiianImputed":0,"percentMultiracialImputed":7,"gradesServed":"Pre-K - 8","studentTeacherRatio":"22.2:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":69.5,"schoolId":37817,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Townsend Street Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Townsend Street Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/wisconsin/milwaukee-public-schools/townsend-street-elementary-school/37817"}