You're on track to get doubled donations (and unlock a reward for the colleague who referred you). Keep up the great work!
Take credit for your charitable giving! Check out your tax receipts
Donate
To use your $50 gift card credits, find a project to fund and we'll automatically apply your credits at checkout. Find a classroom project
Skip to main content

Help teachers & students in your hometown this season!
Use code HOME at checkout and your donation will be matched up to $100.

See this teacher's page

This teacher needs your help!

Ms. Rutkelis from Chicago, IL is requesting supplies through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

See what Ms. Rutkelis is requesting

Help Organize 900 Kids in One Music Classroom!

My students need seat sacks which will hold boards, pencils, and markers. This will cut down paper usage and will keep the room organized for 6 grades in one music class.

  • $1,062 goal

Hooray! This project is fully funded

Hooray! This project is fully funded

Keep the momentum going! Make a donation to Ms. Rutkelis for her next project!

Help Ms. Rutkelis

Celebrating Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month

Celebrate Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month

This project is a part of the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebration because it supports a Latino teacher or a school where the majority of students are Latino.

My Students

Most classrooms see 30-40 kids per day, my classroom has on average 150 students per day. We make music during the day from kindergarten to 5th grade, and after school in band and choir three days a week. Each week this classroom totals to over 900 students making music together.

Currently, we have 40 chairs that are designed for posture and have tables for the various musical lessons that the students learn at our school.

Some class sizes are around 37 students, and with 30 guitars, 40 trombones, 2 drum sets, 40 hand drums, 7 pianos, and drum line equipment, it gets a bit difficult to move around in the classroom. The school is extremely supportive of our students in their musical quest in the music classroom. Many students have pursued honors bands, choirs, and other groups that display their excelling ability to make music, in which they have learned from school. These 900 students are traveling from other classrooms, to lunch, to recess, and often have a hard time carrying things down to class. It is my goal to make my classroom as organized as possible, and that is just what this project is aiming to do.

My Project

If you looked at my desk now you would find stacks of music for the various 6 grade levels of students. I can show you how my students will be able to utilize their seat pockets each class period. The seat pocket would allow for music magazines to stay in one place (all grades use them at some point each week), allow for a board to write answers to problems and give me a chance to quickly assess learning levels of my students,give all my students a place to quickly compose music, give my students a chance to respond and assess themselves and their ability to listen or play instruments, this pocket will keep writing materials for them to complete assignments and not worry about bringing supplies down to class. The best part of this pocket is that it will cut down on paper usage and allow more students time for making and listening to music rather than passing out paper and supplies.

My students love making music.

They have many instruments available in the classroom for us to play each class period. This project will help keep their musical supplies all in one place and give them more time to play the classroom instruments because we will not have to waste time passing out materials. this project will my students a fun quick way to respond, assess, compose, and stay engaged at any grade level in the music classroom.

Ms. Rutkelis Mark Twain Elementary School Grades 3-5

Equity Focus

At this school, more than 50% of students are Black, Latino, and/or Native American, and more than 50% come from low-income households. Learn how your donation to this school supports a more equitable education.

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

More about Ms. Rutkelis

Chicago, IL View local requests

More than half of students from low‑income households Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more

900 students impacted 8donors

Boost your odds

Add a profile photo in addition to your classroom photo. If you add a photo, it'll show up right here on your project page.

You are more likely to receive funding if you put a face to your name.

Upload a photo

Top rated for efficiency and transparency.

You donate directly to the teacher or project you care about and see where every dollar you give goes.

Expand the "Where your donation goes" section below to see exactly what Ms. Rutkelis is requesting.

See our finances

Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes
Materials Cost Quantity Total
Seat Sack - Large 17" - Black • Teachers' School Supply $11.95 40 $478.00
Dry Erase Board 12/pk 9.5 X 12 • Teachers' School Supply $34.79 4 $139.16
Expo Low Odor Dry Erase Markers - 16 Color Set • Teachers' School Supply $29.60 3 $88.80
Pencil Pouch w/ Ziplock Closure Clear • Teachers' School Supply $1.19 40 $47.60
Smiley Bunch Pencils - Asst 12/pk • Teachers' School Supply $3.38 4 $13.52
Economy Eraser Caps Pink 144/bx • Teachers' School Supply $4.29 2 $8.58

Materials cost

$775.66

Vendor shipping charges

 $85.32

Sales tax

 $0.00

3rd party payment processing fee

$11.63

Fulfillment labor & materials

$30.00

Total project cost

$902.61

Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

$159.28

Total project goal

$1,061.89

How we calculate what's needed

Total project goal

 $1,061.89

6 Donors

-$517.72

Donations toward project cost

-$451.31

Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$66.41

match offer

-$530.94

Match offer toward project cost

-$451.30

Match offer to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$79.64

Excluded support for DonorsChoose

-$13.23

Still needed View calculationHide calculation

 $0.00

Our team works hard to negotiate the best pricing and selections available.

View complete list Show less

Give the most requested basic supplies

See teacher requests

Give back to your community

Find opportunities to impact local needs by exploring a map of classroom projects near you.

See local area

Project Activity

Project Activity
Back to top

DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Ms. Rutkelis and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

See how DonorsChoose works
{"pmaHash":"","showProjectRecommendations":true,"leadGenEnabled":true,"hideTeacherDetails":false,"schoolState":"IL","teacherPossessivePronoun":"her","PMsManager":null,"schoolGradeType":{"id":2,"name":"Elementary School"},"TeacherPMForms":{},"completingDonationAmount":0,"teacherHasClassroomPhoto":true,"proposalURL":"https://www.donorschoose.org/project/help-organize-900-kids-in-one-music-clas/1949161/","mayHaveReplacements":false,"numStudents":900,"teacherScreenName":"Ms. Rutkelis","isEquityFocus":true,"proposalHash":"1014656323","isApplePayMobileOnly":true,"progressBarPercentage":100.00,"photosPublished":true,"queryString":"","DonorPMForm":null,"schoolCity":"Chicago","teachersOnPage":[2596062],"isTeacherViewingTheirOwnProject":false,"minimizedLeadGenEnabled":false,"proposalId":1949161,"proposalMessageFormModel":null,"numActiveProjects":0,"verifyShowPhotos":"","eligibleToBeCopied":false,"authorIds":{"2596062":{"owner":"Ms. Rutkelis","donationSalutations":{}}},"displayedPercentFunded":1.0,"proposalsOnPage":[1949161],"pmaId":"","teacherProfilePhotoURL":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp2596062_272x272.jpg?width=136&height=136&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1455117523029","teacherHasProfilePhoto":true,"currentWorkflowStatusCode":21,"teacherChallengeId":20498551,"isApplePayEnabled":true,"fundedByTarget":false,"activeProject":null,"donorIdsForImpactPhotoCheck":["MzUxODEyMw==","MTM5OTU2MQ==","MzU2MzU0MQ==","MzU1NjA3Mw==","Mjg3NTQwNA==","MzIyMzYyNA==","MjA0ODg0Mg=="],"teacherId":2596062,"schoolCounty":"Cook","fullyFunded":true,"isStudentLed":false,"isExpired":true,"schoolStateObj":{"code":"IL","name":"Illinois"}}