{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"West Hills Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":38.5,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":10106283,"projectId":9524625,"letterContent":"The students are absolutely loving their new flexible seating for their classroom. I teach out of a portable so spacing is a little tight in there, especially for my classes of 20+ students. But these wonderful donations have made it possible for my students and we cannot thank you enough!\r\nOur students have used these seats during project work, experiments, and testing. They love getting to use the pillows and cushions around the classroom to sit on the floor, relax on the ground during free time, or just to make their desk a little more cozy for learning. The stools finally make my kidney bean- shaped table a secure place for learning and small group outreach. These donations have made this classroom and safe and comfy place to learn. Thank you so much for the generosity towards this first year teacher!","fullyFundedDate":1758276354399,"projectUrl":"project/flexible-seating-for-new-classroom/9524625/","projectTitle":"Flexible Seating for New Classroom!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Trageser","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-2_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/10106283"},{"teacherId":1969298,"projectId":9537703,"letterContent":"Oh my goodness! I cannot express how appreciative we all are for the items in this project! My kiddos were so excited when I shared all the various STEM kits that we got. They are fascinated during indoor recess now, with STEM activities that are really challenging them to think, and they gravitate to these activities every single time we have to stay inside for recess. The pillows are loved and used every time we have partner activities (multiple times a day). My students regularly tell me that the class feels cozy to them because they are comfortable sitting in so many different places. \r\n\r\nBecause I had surgery in the middle of all this, we have not yet gotten to use the pool noodles for desk drumming. I need to cut them down to the appropriate size, and then we will be set to go. I am finally starting to feel like myself and will get the noodles cut over the winter break. The kiddos will be so excited!\r\n\r\nAgain, thank you so very much!","fullyFundedDate":1757423335493,"projectUrl":"project/my-classroom-is-a-safe-space-for-me/9537703/","projectTitle":"My Classroom is a Safe Space for Me!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Dempsey","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-10_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/1969298"},{"teacherId":9023723,"projectId":9605756,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for helping us enrich our library! Your generosity has provided us with a diverse collection of new books that is essential for nurturing my students' individual qualities and boundless curiosity. We are using the new books every day and students are excited to check them out for independent reading. \r\n\r\nThe impact was immediate when the boxes arrived. The students' reaction when they first saw the colorful, unwrapped books was pure joy. They treated it like a treasure hunt! Students immediately flocked to the shelves, drawn to the covers depicting characters and cultures that looked like their own families, and others that introduced completely new worlds. These new items to our collection ensures that every child can find a story that speaks to them, making their learning journey more personal and impactful.\r\n\r\nThese new, engaging books are highly motivating for students to practice their reading skills and build fluency and comprehension. Your donation has truly helped our library become a dynamic, inclusive, and engaging learning environment for all.","fullyFundedDate":1758854742891,"projectUrl":"project/fueling-young-imaginations-one-book-at/9605756/","projectTitle":"Fueling Young Imaginations, One Book at a Time","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Schultz","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9023723_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1725731200546","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9023723"},{"teacherId":9023723,"projectId":9605032,"letterContent":"Thanks to your generous contribution, our students are diving into a world of hands-on discovery! We've transformed our library into a vibrant learning space using the new STEM materials, logic puzzles, and cooperative games. The resources are a huge hit and are being used daily to supplement our core lessons.\r\n\r\nOne exciting project we just completed was a structure-building challenge using the new materials. I saw incredible collaboration and resilience. A specific moment that stands out is when one group's initial structure collapsed. Instead of getting discouraged, one student, typically very quiet, said, \"Wait, we can't just try again. We have to figure out why it fell.\" They then spent five minutes talking about a new design for their base. This hands-on, failure-is-learning approach perfectly illustrates the impact of your support.\r\n\r\nWhen the students first saw the new materials, there was a collective gasp of excitement and a burst of questions: \"Are we allowed to touch these?\" and \"Can we try them right now?\" Their initial reaction was pure, enthusiastic curiosity, and that energy hasn't faded.","fullyFundedDate":1758854743107,"projectUrl":"project/a-mind-benders-library-puzzles-games/9605032/","projectTitle":"A \"Mind Benders\" Library: Puzzles, Games, and STEM Fun","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Schultz","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9023723_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1725731200546","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9023723"},{"teacherId":2173953,"projectId":9400597,"letterContent":"Thank you so much! We have already jumped in and been enjoying these supplies... but we still have many more fun days to look forward to! A few weeks ago we celebrated National Talk Like A Pirate Day with pirate culture, thinking about the \"arrr\" sound as in car and farm. We did pirate math solving word problems dealing with nasty waves, overboard pirates, and coconuts on the beach.\r\n\r\nThank you so much for helping bring some fun and spice into our classroom to keep learning engaging and exciting... all while learning necessary skills!\r\n\r\nI couldn't do what I do everyday without the amazing support of this fantastic website... and also donors like you! You are so appreciated!! Thank you again!","fullyFundedDate":1757423379820,"projectUrl":"project/love-for-learning-the-fun-way/9400597/","projectTitle":"Love for Learning... The Fun Way!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Harrison","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp2173953_272x272.png?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1467329425632","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/blairharrison"},{"teacherId":1969298,"projectId":9440191,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for all of the items purchased through this project. When we had Pirate Day in September, students had eye patches and hats, and they were so excited to look the part as we immersed ourselves in the world of pirates for our learning day! They loved looking like pirates while they created pirate names for themselves and learned about pirate culture, since we were studying culture in Social Studies. We used a pirate story to teach our reading concepts that day, and students seemed so much more engaged throughout the lesson. The same thing happened with math. I used the treasure box to hide their snack for the day (the Pirate Booty), and they were so excited to see that they not only got a snack (we don't usually have), but that it also fit into our theme and it was unveiled when I opened the box. \r\n\r\nI am so thrilled to use the remaining materials when we have Rock Your School Day in January/February. Students will be able to make their own shiny bracelets going up their arms and have icy popsicles when they get hot from dance breaks in the hall. These special days make learning so much more meaningful for my kiddos!","fullyFundedDate":1754341075198,"projectUrl":"project/loving-learning-special-activities-tha/9440191/","projectTitle":"Loving Learning - Special Activities That Make the Learning \"Stick\"!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Dempsey","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://cdn.donorschoose.net/images/placeholder-avatars/272/teacher-placeholder-10_272.png?auto=webp","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/1969298"},{"teacherId":7393538,"projectId":9857741,"letterContent":"Thank you for giving cheer and excitement to our classroom environment. We are so excited to liven it up. The kids could not wait to open the box and wanted to decorate and put everything out on display. Our reading corner is now inviting, and the kids always choose to sit there. They love being creative and use their imaginations when they read their books. The characters, they say remind them of fairytales and how things can be made up when they read and write and use their imaginations to come up with their stories. They are so excited for this reading nook to feel like home.","fullyFundedDate":1761661570182,"projectUrl":"project/cheerful-environments/9857741/","projectTitle":"Cheerful Environments","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Fersten","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7393538_orig.jpg?crop=803,803,x70,y96&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1693699778346","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/fersten"},{"teacherId":2173953,"projectId":9171759,"letterContent":"Thank you so much for making this come to life! The white drawer set is PERFECT for classroom organization and our classroom economy store. Each morning, 3-5 students come and shop. They use their classroom coins which are a tool of positive reinforcement as well as encouraging money standards of counting coin money. \r\n\r\nAlso, thank you so much for speaker! I can't wait to utilize it as We play soft instrumental music daily during work time, transitions, or a measure to keep our indoor voice level in check by monitoring if we can hear the music. Thank you again for being so generous and encouraging to teachers all over our country!","fullyFundedDate":1744200828938,"projectUrl":"project/speakers-for-our-second-grade-selves/9171759/","projectTitle":"Speakers for our Second Grade Selves","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Harrison","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp2173953_272x272.png?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1467329425632","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/blairharrison"},{"teacherId":2173953,"projectId":9260424,"letterContent":"Wow! Thank you so much! I am so excited to utilize these for our lessons. The kids are already excited from their table of contents and photographs. It will be a great lesson the first time we pull them out for a reading lesson to further explore with specific purposes! We will use these to explore headings, bold and italic text, photographs, captions and more. A great thing about these text feature rich books... they hit right on our science curriculum standards, too! I can't wait to build background knowledge and reading skills with this set. Thank you again!","fullyFundedDate":1746451925398,"projectUrl":"project/text-features-in-authentic-texts/9260424/","projectTitle":"Text Features in Authentic Texts","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Harrison","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp2173953_272x272.png?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1467329425632","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/blairharrison"},{"teacherId":9023723,"projectId":9024561,"letterContent":"The excitement in the library was immediate and palpable. When my students first saw the new reading nooks, their eyes lit up with curiosity and joy. They gravitated toward the cozy flip-back loungers and soft cushions, testing out the different seats and excitedly claiming their favorite spots. It was wonderful to see them so eager to settle in with a book. The nooks have completely transformed the space, making the library feel even more welcoming and personal for each child. It's moments like these that create a relaxed atmosphere where reading becomes an even greater pleasure.\r\n\r\nThe new reading nooks are being used constantly, fostering a deeper sense of community and independent reading. They have become the go-to spot for students looking for a quiet, comfortable escape to enjoy a new book. One of the most rewarding moments so far was seeing a student who often has trouble focusing become completely engrossed in a chapter book while nestled in one of the new inflatable yoga seats. He was completely lost in the story and the magic of reading.\r\n\r\nLooking ahead, we are building on this momentum by launching a \"Reading Heroes\" project. Students will create short book reviews and personalized recommendations to display within the library. The idea is to make our students the experts, sharing their love of literature with their peers. This project is directly inspired by the sense of ownership and excitement the new nooks have brought to the library, and I can't wait to see what our students create next.","fullyFundedDate":1744200829120,"projectUrl":"project/cozy-up-and-read/9024561/","projectTitle":"Cozy Up and Read","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Schultz","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9023723_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1725731200546","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9023723"},{"teacherId":7393538,"projectId":9321359,"letterContent":"Thank you for making our class feel like a home. We spend so much time here and ant to feel those cozy good feels while we have to be here. We feel welcomed and happy to be in the classroom. This project brings a great environment for the kids rather than the plain and boring classrooms that feel dreary and unwelcoming. The kids are always excited when they walk into the room. They want to be in here and they love showing off our room to others. Thank you for giving them a safe place that they can call their home away from home.","fullyFundedDate":1746787018450,"projectUrl":"project/a-classroom-into-a-home/9321359/","projectTitle":"A Classroom Into a HOME","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Fersten","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp7393538_orig.jpg?crop=803,803,x70,y96&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1693699778346","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/fersten"},{"teacherId":2173953,"projectId":9260267,"letterContent":"THANK YOU! I am so excited to get this idea going for the whole year. I have dabbled with it before, but now I have texts to continue it for the majority of our units. These books will be spotlighted on a special bookshelf in the classroom and rotate as the school year progresses. The books correlate with our reading units and each unit's theme. This selection will be an opportunity for students to make their own choice about what they want to read... but all will be building background knowledge surrounding our topics of reading and conversation. I am excited to use this as a way for students to make connections with the world, themselves, and various texts in authentic ways outside of \"I'm reading this because my teacher told me to.\"\r\n\r\nThank you again!","fullyFundedDate":1746451925501,"projectUrl":"project/reading-for-roots/9260267/","projectTitle":"Reading for Roots!","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Harrison","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp2173953_272x272.png?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1467329425632","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/blairharrison"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_92848","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":753,"numTeachers":50,"percentFrplEligible":54,"percentAsian":3,"percentBlack":11,"percentWhite":56,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":18,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"Pre-K - 5","studentTeacherRatio":"15.1:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":false,"metroType":"URBAN","ncesMetroType":"CITY_MIDSIZE"},"inStateSupporters":61.5,"schoolId":92848,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about West Hills Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"West Hills Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/tennessee/knox-county-schools/west-hills-elementary-school/92848"}