Burke Classroom Causes, Projects That Need Your Help

BURKE, VA — Whether it’s for a classroom in need of art supplies, a library that needs more comfortable seating or funding for new science kits — teachers are connecting this school year with those who are willing to help enrich the lives of students in Burke.

DonorsChoose offers a space for teachers to share project requests to improve the quality of education for their students across Virginia and the nation.

The education crowdfunding nonprofit allows people everywhere to search for and donate to classroom projects that will help students gain access to quality supplies, opportunities and resources.

And as students begin returning to school after summer break, students in your community may need certain supplies to set them up for a successful school year.

Teachers in America spend an average of $700 of their own money to provide their students with pencils, paper, books, art supplies and technology, according to DonorsChoose.

On average, public school teachers in Virginia make a median salary of $61,294 per year, according to data from Salary.com.

Nearly 100,000 teachers are currently seeking donors across the nation.

The nonprofit vets every teacher request and only sends supplies, not cash, to classrooms. Donations to teachers are tax deductible and guaranteed to be spent as the donor describes, according to the platform.

Here is one cause that a teacher in Burke is requesting help for:

Sensory Brain Lab (Burke, VA)

• Ms. Weiss is requesting educational kits & games through DonorsChoose
• The Project: "Our school is a public separate day school with a special education setting, for students in kindergarten through 8th grade. At our school, programming focuses on the socioemotional, behavioral, and academic needs of students who demonstrate difficulties regulating their emotions which impacts their ability access the general education curriculum," Weiss writes.
• "We tailor our social emotional learning opportunities to meet students where they are and help them develop coping skills. We have created a Brain Lab where students can go to regulate their emotions with different sensory items which will help students return to baseline and successfully re-enter the learning environment," she continues.
• To donate to her cause, click here.

DonorsChoose was started by Charles Best in 2000, a history teacher at a Bronx public high school.