Ms. Netherwood's Classroom Edit display name

Current requests

Past projects 7

• Boys Love to Dance

  Funded Feb 26, 2025

  Your generosity knows no bounds, and we are so very grateful for your help making our boys shine just as much as our girls in this year's annual dance showcase. When I showed the boys their costumes, their jaws dropped and were so excited! I teared up watching them try on their suits and look at themselves in the mirror saying how "cool" the costumes were and how they were excited for their families to see them.

  That afternoon I overheard one of the boys shouting with joy "MOM! We got the COOLEST costumes for the dance show! Wait until you see how awesome they are!" as he jumped into his mom's car a pickup time. His mom's reaction was the most special, she reached through her window and took my hand saying, "Thank you for giving my son this gift, dancing means everything to him. Thank you for always making it so special for him." I told her that it wasn't just me, but the amazing Peach Tree foundation that made the donation. She asked if I could thank you on behalf of her family and her son. So thank you, thank you, thank you for supporting dance, the arts, and our kids.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Netherwood

• Balance and Technique

  Funded Dec 31, 2024

  Thank you for your generous donation. Our students appreciate being able to have clear space markers that allow them to move safely throughout the room, and they love learning about to care for their muscles and protect their bodies from injury. Since I have been suffering from my own personal hip injury the students have been a part of my physical therapy journey, and they have seen how challenging it's been for me not to be able to dance the way that I used to. These materials have inspired them to learn more about self-care to avoid similar injuries.

  Most of all the dancers are so excited for our new fan. We actually joked about how powerful it is, and they were pretending like it blew them away! They are able to dance longer and perform with more energy now that we are able to better control the temperature in the classroom. Sometimes rehearsals can last for hours, and the kids get burnt out so quickly. This fan has really helped with circulation and preventing asthma attacks from our most high-risk dancers.

  Our dancers have found new energy getting ready for our end of the year showcase in May and we know the audiences will also be grateful to have a cooler space to enjoy our show.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Netherwood

  This classroom project was brought to life by Allison and Austin McChord.

• Safety Mat (Exploring New Movement)

  Funded Mar 2, 2024

  I can't thank you enough for your generosity in supporting our students with these incredible mats. The students are more confident than ever to explore new movements and take risks.

  When they first saw the mats in the room, they were so excited and immediately asked if they could try new acrobatic tricks that they have been afraid to try before. While I absolutely adore being able to support my students and give them the proper safety equipment to achieve their movement goals, I'm even more thrilled how it has inspired them to work even stronger as a team. Since they can now safely explore more challenging acrobatics, they are eager to support and spot one another. They love taking turns and learning to be both support and performer.

  This is a HUGE win for us, and I feel as though now our students feel safe and supported to be able to practice and match private studios at a performance level. I'm also thrilled to say that some of our autistic classes have also begun to come out of their shell since now they feel comfortable on a soft surface. They will even be performing in a showcase later this month.

  Thank you again so very much!”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Netherwood

• Striving for Success Rewarding Positive Habits

  Funded Oct 11, 2023

  Thank you so much for your donations to support the positive behavior incentive program in our dance classroom. Each day our students are making great choices to earn points that lead them to choosing their favorite prizes!

  When first seeing the filled treasure box they screamed with excitement! It's often hard for students to work towards long term goals in the future so they are gradually learning the value of saving points to spend on bigger prizes.

  Thank you all so much for your generosity and kindness. Your gifts have really helped so many of our students put in their best efforts and learn the satisfaction they get when completing assignments and accomplishing goals!”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Netherwood

  This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community & an Anonymous Partner and one other donor.

• Dancing Feet

  Funded Sep 7, 2022

  Thank you so very much for your support of our student dance shoe shop! The kids were thrilled to have access to ballet slippers and dance shoes for class. They were so excited to see the color coordination by size, and the no-tie shoes laces were a huge hit for both my little ones and our students with special needs. The number spots for the floor provide the classes with fixed places that allow them to have adequate space while still learning to explore movement.

  We are now ready to start preparing for our first in-person performance since 2018!

  The students are working in all different genres and cultures of dance to prepare for our "Greatest Show" themed performance in June 2023.

  Thank you again for your continued support of the arts and our classroom.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Netherwood

  This classroom project was brought to life by Valhalla Foundation and 3 other donors.

• Learning to Grow Through Dance

  Funded Sep 24, 2021

  While teachers area always in need of supplies for special projects, sometimes it's the little things that set us up for a full year of success. These small sticker tools/supplies have helped organize my classroom with clear boundaries for students to easily transition and feel comfortable while staying safe and maneuvering through an in person school year during this pandemic.

  The headset microphone has been a life saver for my voice! It ensures that all students are able to hear the directions while in such a big space wearing masks. The tape has also helped reinforce many of my falling anchor charts. When working in a concrete room nothing seems to stick to these walls.

  Working with so many students can be challenging, so clear and consistent routines are the only way to ensure that every student can get the most out of their dance education, and the best utilization of our space and time. From the bottom of my heart thank you so very much.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Netherwood

  This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community and 2 other donors.

• Kinesthetic Connection: Dancers Don't Need Wings to Fly

  Funded Sep 8, 2019

  Thank you so much for your generous donations to my students and classroom. I have been teaching dance education for 12 years and often struggle, or pay out of pocket, to get basic supplies for my classroom due to limited funding. My school has over 700 students that participate in dance class and these seemingly simple supplies have really helped them get excited to embark in a new school year/dance season.

  My after school program is made up of students that LOVE dance so much that they commit over 3 hours a week to additional training. The shoe bags are one of their favorite items. The bags gave me a space to write their individual names on them, which they were just beaming over! They feel like they are really part of a team and they take such good care of their dance shoes because they love the feeling of being organized.

  The hula hoops are another fan favorite for my classes, but perhaps my kindergarten/pre-K students love them the most because it gives them a visual of exactly how big a "personal space bubble" is when we play games/activities that teach "spacial awareness" and movement. The hula hoops have also come in handy when teaching different locomotor movements and dance technique to my older students because they provide simple obstacles for them to maneuver around and over that are easily visible, appropriately sized, and level with the ground. The shoe covers have also been instrumental with a few of my autistic students that struggle with the idea of changing their shoes. These covers allow them to dance in their street shoes, and still allow them to move fluidly without the thick rubber soles impeding their movement.

  My personal favorite would have to be the number spots, and carpet markers. For over a decade I have struggled to find a system that would allow me to space students out evenly throughout the room. For years I have been using electrical tape, but honestly the pieces fall off so quickly and are so small that kids move them all the time resulting in major spacial issues and formation problems as the year goes on. When I saw these, I was so excited to see something larger and more durable that would also brighten up our windowless room. However, when I saw the price-tag I became discouraged because they were far more expensive than I would anticipate. The carpet markers are also such a nice addition to my regular classroom management routines. Lining the students up (no matter what age level) has always been a challenge due to the layout of my classroom. These markers just help everything go more smoothly, and it gives them a positive thought to take with them as they leave the room. The kids love to stand in line and read the positive messages while they wait to be picked up by their classroom teacher.

  Thank you again for your generosity, thank you for supporting a school subject that is often over-looked or non-existent in most schools, and thank you for making my job just a little bit easier. Most of all, thank you for believing in my amazing students and helping me create a space that they truly deserve.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Netherwood