Past projects 16
2023-2024: We Need More!
Funded Oct 12, 2023Thank you to everyone who donated, especially the anonymous donor that matched yesterday’s donations!! I couldn’t have done it without all of your generosity! My students and myself definitely are feeling the love! We can’t wait for our new vests, pillows, and body sox! Thank you so much!”
With gratitude,
Ms. D’Ambrosio
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose Community & an Anonymous Partner and 12 other donors.Bins for the Win
Funded Jan 8, 2022It's been so amazing watching my classroom visually transform into an organized haven! Each workstation is fully color coordinated, and with all the bins, it has become so much easier for my staff to access the necessary workbooks and folders when working with our students. My students have gained some independence, too! They are able to easily locate their pencil cases when it is time to do their work, which is so amazing! As always, my students are so lucky to have wonderful donors like all of you!”
With gratitude,
Ms. D’Ambrosio
Flex-Space Seating
Funded May 28, 2020To all my wonderful donors, thank you so much! What a difference this Flex-Space Seating has made!! We don't even use standard chairs in my classroom anymore! Some students sit on the Wobble Cushions, some use the Wobble Chairs, and some use the Balance Ball Seats, but ALL have shown great improvement in their ability to remain seated at their desk!
Not only has this seating been beneficial to my students, but to other classes as well! I have loaned several of these seats to other teachers (both general and special ed) and their students love the seats, too!
Thank you again for your thoughtful contributions!!”
With gratitude,
Ms. D’Ambrosio
This classroom project was brought to life by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 11 other donors.Sensory Materials Swept Away By Hurricane Ida
Funded Jan 21, 2022All I can say is wow! I honestly didn’t think this project was going to get funded, but once again, amazing donors like yourselves pulled through! So many materials were destroyed by the flood Hurricane Ida caused, so it’s so awesome that they will all be replaced! Thank you so much!”
With gratitude,
Ms. D’Ambrosio
Sensory, Sensory, Sensory!
Funded Apr 16, 2019Thank you again to everyone who contributed!! My students are very lucky to have you in their lives! All the sensory materials that were purchased for my class have made such a huge impact, especially the Wobble Chairs and Magnatiles! It has been so amazing watching kids who could never stay seated now sit at their tables for extended periods of time! As for the Magnatiles, all my students love to build with them and we have been able to teach sharing as a result! We have also learned that one of our students is quite gifted with designing different structures!
Overall, Donorschoose.org has been such a blessing!”
With gratitude,
Ms. D’Ambrosio
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose.org Community and 9 other donors.Sensory Overload: Help my Students Process the World Around Them
Funded Mar 27, 2018Having two projects fully funded, and both so quickly, has been so humbling! I love being a special education teacher, and knowing that complete strangers are willing to donate to help the needs of my students is such a blessing! My students have so many sensory needs and the positive changes that have occurred in my room since receiving the noise-canceling headphones, pressure vests, and BodySox have been incredible!
This year I have three students who suffer from extreme noise-sensitivity and being able to put the headphones on them when the classroom becomes too loud (or better yet - them seeking out and putting the headphones on themselves) has been so helpful! The number of daily aggressive episodes from these students has decreased dramatically, and the overall dynamics of my classroom has experienced a complete 180 and has been running so much more smoothly! I have also implemented the pressure vests as part of a sensory diet for one of my students, and his hyperactivity has declined greatly, while his ability to attend during group lessons has improved drastically! However, the BodySox has probably had the most significant impact. I have one student who would have aggressive episodes daily prior to receiving the BodySox (biting, scratching, hair pulling). Since giving her the BodySox, these episodes have been reduced to only a few a MONTH. When she becomes frustrated or overwhelmed, rather than attacking staff or peers, she climbs into her BodySox, remains there until she is calm, and then crawls out ready to work! It has been such a game changer and I could not be more thankful and appreciative!
Thank you again for caring about the cause and for bringing such vital coping mechanisms to my students! You should all feel very proud for what you have done. Thank you!”
With gratitude,
Ms. D’Ambrosio
This classroom project was brought to life by Ripple and 7 other donors.Autism Speaks (Through iPads)
Funded Oct 27, 2017Words cannot express how thankful I am for your generous contributions; your donations have truly impacted my students in such a positive way. My class consists of students with limited communication skills. Most of them use their picture communication books to communicate their basic wants and needs, but that was where it always ended. My methods of helping them to participate during group lessons were extremely limited, until I received the iPads.
During group lessons I am now able to login to Proloquo2Go and preprogram the app to fit the needs of my students for that particular lesson. For instance, during Morning Circle my students are able to activate Proloquo2Go to tell me their name, the day of the week, the month, and the weather. During story groups I preprogram the app to coincide with the story being read aloud so that my students can use the iPad to answer simple 'WH' questions.
There is so much more positive change these iPads can bring to my students, so this is only the beginning! Thank you again for caring about the cause and for bringing a voice to my students! You should all feel very proud for what you have done. Thank you!”
With gratitude,
Ms. D’Ambrosio