Ms. D'Amato's Classroom Edit display name

Past projects 47

• Oh the Mural-ity!

  Funded May 6, 2014

  Thank you so much for making this exciting project happen! We can't wait to meet with our teaching artist in late September to begin work on our brand new mural!

  The mural that we are re-doing was painted in 1991 (I have been told), and has a theme of peace, as it was made as a dedication to PS 15's former principal Patrick F. Daly, who was tragically killed in crossfire as he ran after a student who had run out of the building during school hours. We will keep this theme of peace in our community, as well as the dedication to Patrick F. Daly in our new mural, and we will add other themes that the student body and staff will vote on. Some themes that have been discussed so far are caring for the environment, arts & science, and diversity in the community. A new, bright, vibrant mural will pay proper respect to Patrick F. Daly, as well as represent the many great things happening inside our school walls.

  We expect the mural to be a beautiful addition to the Red Hook community for many years to come. Your contribution will make a direct impact on our students, as well as the members of our community. Three cheers for you!!”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. D'Amato

  This classroom project was brought to life by 100 Women in Hedge Funds and 4 other donors.

• We've Got So MULCH More To Do!

  Funded Oct 11, 2012

  Thank you so much for your generous donation to our school garden! As you probably already know, our neighborhood of Red Hook was directly hit by Hurricane Sandy. Our garden took a beating, and when we returned to school (after having been relocated) I was happy to see that a large portion of our mulch still remained. We had already used more than half of the bags, and the remaining bags were piled high within a fenced in area of the school. While some bags were part of the casualties of the storm, many were still there, so we were able to pick up where we left off. A garden is always evolving, a constant work in progress, so we will continue our efforts, just as the neighborhood continues to rebuild. Once again thank you for your donation and for your commitment to education.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. D'Amato

• Mulchfest 2011 - With Your Help!

  Funded Oct 22, 2011

  Thank you so very much for choosing to fund my project. Because of your generous donations my gardening club has been able to complete the project that we've been working on since last year, which is ripping up the grass (calling it grass is putting it nicely) and weeds surrounding the school, cultivating the soil, and covering it up with mulch. In some of the photos I posted you can see the difference between the space we have already cleared and what we are still working on. In the space we cleared last year we planted bulbs, perennial bushes and shrubs, and an herb garden in a raised bed. In the space that we are currently clearing we have planted some bulbs - maybe more next week if we're still above freezing, and we plan to plant all types of vegetable seeds in the spring. In addition to being better used, the space is also much nicer to look at, and the kids really take pride in their work, getting appropriately annoyed as we pull litter out of our garden on a daily basis. (I am trying to get the city to place more garbage cans around the perimeter of the school, but that is a whole other story!) My school is located in a neighborhood in transition, making the work that we are doing that much more valuable. It is up to us to make our school and surrounding neighborhood healthier and more attractive, raising the quality of life for all residents. Thank you once again for enabling us to fulfill our major long-term goal. It has been really satisfying to see this project go from just an idea to a nearly completed endeavor.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. D'Amato

• The Grinch Who Stole Our Music

  Funded Dec 15, 2010

  Thank you so much for choosing to fund this project. Your generosity has allowed my students and I to resume our normal gym routines, which I know we all couldn't wait to get back to. Being robbed was one of the worst experiences of my life. So much of my life was affected by this one incident - on top of having to deal with credit card cancellations, police reports, and ordering a new ID, I couldn't get into my gym office the following day, because my keys were in my stolen bag. It was little things like this that I almost couldn't handle - the interruption of life as I knew it. To make matters worse, with my ipod stolen, I couldn't play any of the regular games and activities that I normally played with my kids. I had loaded all of the testing tracks for the Fitnessgram testing onto my ipod, because when played on a tiny boombox the cues were barely audible and it made it difficult for the kids to follow. For the past month I was back using the boombox, having to start testing sessions over and over again because the kids couldn't hear the cues. It was tedious, and a constant reminder of having been robbed.

  My sincerest thanks go to you for helping me get back to normal with my students, but for also bringing me back to a healthy mental state. I experienced the worst in human nature when I was robbed, but my faith in people was quickly restored with your generosity. It is a kind act that I will never forget.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. D'Amato

  This classroom project was brought to life by Wells Fargo and one other donor.

• How Does Our Garden Grow? With Your Help, Of Course!

  Funded Jan 9, 2011

  Thank you so much for choosing to fund this project. We have worked so hard on our gardening and beautification efforts so far this school year, and it has definitely been frustrating at times for lack of having enough tools. My students have been really good about sharing equipment, but at times are just like, "Why haven't I had a rake in 4 days?" It seemed like such a waste of time to have a group of kids assembled who were ready and willing to work, and who couldn't because we didn't have enough of a particular tool. We found ways around it, like using our arms to scoop up leaves since we didn't have dustpans, but we could only do this in our enclosed courtyard area, as there is too much potentially dangerous trash on the street surrounding the school.

  I look forward to the snow melting so that my gardening club can bust out all of our new tools and continue our efforts to clean-up and beautify the areas surrounding our school. We will have our work cut out for us as I'm sure the many storms we've had this year have taken their toll on our garden. I can't wait to roll my sleeves up and get started.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. D'Amato

  This classroom project was brought to life by American Express Members Project and one other donor.

• Thank You Very Mulch!

  Funded Jan 5, 2011

  Thank you so much for choosing to fund this project. It means that when the snow melts away and my young gardeners are outside working every day, we will already have one of the most important resources for our garden - mulch! We call ourselves a "gardening club", but we really do so much more than garden. We are actually landscaping huge areas of greenspace which surround the school, creating a new and improved environment for the school community and the community at large.

  I don't really know how you managed to set all of this up, but Lowe's came to my school and delivered all of the mulch. I had researched where we were going to get the mulch from, and was aware that no store, including Lowe's, delivers mulch. I was prepared to have to arrange for a co-worker with a van to pick it up, which was going to be do-able but somewhat tricky to set up. What a great surprise it was when I got a call saying that Lowe's was outside with a delivery for me.

  Your generous donation is allowing our club to continue our beautification endeavors as soon as this crazy weather permits. I spent a lot of time in the beginning of the school year trying to obtain the necessary tools for our club's projects - it will be a joy to be able to start working with all of the resources already in place.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. D'Amato

  This classroom project was brought to life by American Express Members Project and 2 other donors.

• Gym Class Jams

  Funded Nov 11, 2009

  Thank you for the wonderful gift that you have given to my students. It has transformed gym class! We went from barely being able to hear music from a player which sometimes worked, to having choreographed routines to songs. Even my pre-k and kindergarten students have enjoyed the player, as we can now listen to songs like "One Little Frog Goes Hop" and "Going On A Bear Hunt" while acting out the movements.

  Throughout my years as a teacher I have had countless colleagues tell me about either performances or projects that they wanted to do with their students, but were unable to do because of the lack of technology within the school. Your donation is helping to solve a problem that I believe most teachers try to deal with on a daily basis. Music makes most activities more fun and enjoyable, and exercising is definitely no exception. Even if a student is struggling with an exercise or just doesn't particularly like it, they can relate to the music, which can be soothing and motivating all at once.

  Thank you for choosing to fund this project out of all of the worthwhile projects listed on DonorsChoose. I can assure you that the ipod player will be motivating and inspiring kids for many years to come.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. D'Amato

  This classroom project was brought to life by Perry & Donna Golkin Family Foundation and 3 other donors.

• Signature Required

  Funded Apr 7, 2009

  Thank you so much for choosing to fund my project, "Signataure Required". It really is shocking that handwriting is not part of the curriculum for elementary students, and your help gave my students the opportunity to learn a skill in which they were in serious need. My students thoroughly enjoyed learning cursive handwriting, and would often elect to practice their handwriting during classroom free time. They are as outraged as we are that most students don't get to learn cursive handwriting in the classroom anymore.

  When I asked the kids in June to write about their favorite things from 3rd grade, the overwhelming response was "learning cursive handwriting". It was right up there with sleeping over at the American Museum of Natural History, so that goes to show you just how much they loved it! Cursive handwriting gave the kids a relaxing activity which they could focus on, and learn and practice at their own pace. They took pride in their writing, and aspired to "publish" a piece of writing in cursive handwriting. This experience solidified my opinion that handwriting should still be taught to elementary public school students, and I will do what I can to make this happen. Thank you again for your generous donation.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. D'Amato

  This classroom project was brought to life by Wells Fargo and 3 other donors.

• "Sea-ing" Is Believing - A Closer Look At Planet Earth

  Funded May 22, 2009

  Thank you so much for your generous donation. The NY Aquarium is an amazing resource within our own borough, but it is a pricey trip, especially when you add the cost of the new 4-D show, Planet Earth. My students thoroughly enjoyed themselves and learned interesting facts at the aquarium, and it is all because of your generosity.

  The kids were lucky enough to get front row seats to the sea lion show, and many were kissed by Osborne the sea lion. They also loved the shark exhibit, the walrus, the glow-in-the-dark sea anemones, and of course the 4-D Planet Earth show. It is hard for many of them to pick their favorite part of the visit, as they loved all of it so much!

  Thanks again for your concern for our children, and your dedication to helping and enriching the lives of others. ”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. D'Amato

  This classroom project was brought to life by Wells Fargo and 2 other donors.

• Destination: The Intrepid Sea, Air, & Space Museum

  Funded Mar 8, 2009

  Thank you so much for choosing to give this incredible adventure to my students. My kids had the time of their lives at The Intrepid! We had been talking about going to The Intrepid all year long, and it finally happened, all thanks to your generous donation.

  Many of my students do not have the opportunity to go on trips such as this one outside of school, so I feel it is incredibly important to provide kids with these types of excursions as much as possible. The Intrepid combines everything that my 3rd grade students are interested in - transportation, history, outdoor adventure, and lots of facts that they can then share with their families and friends.

  Your donation helped to "level out the playing field", allowing my students to visit a beautiful landmark in the greatest city in the world. Thank you for giving my students the chance to further explore their city, and to learn a lesson in kindness and generosity.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. D'Amato