Florida Mesa Elementary School in Durango, Colorado on �ǿմ�ý

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For many of our students, functional play skills must be taught directly, and this kitchen set provides a motivating, concrete way to work on those goals.\r\n\r\nWe have also incorporated the Tonies and Yoto players into daily independent-play opportunities. These devices are helping students expand listening skills, tolerate longer periods of independent engagement, and access music and stories without the use of screens. Several students who previously relied heavily on iPads for leisure now choose a Tonie or Yoto character during quiet play. This is a meaningful shift toward more balanced and developmentally appropriate options.\r\n\r\nThank you again for creating a space where our students can learn, regulate, and grow in ways that match their unique strengths and needs. Your generosity is helping us build skills that will support them far beyond this school year.","fullyFundedDate":1754546661997,"projectUrl":"project/creating-a-playful-and-supportive-space/9428033/","projectTitle":"Creating a Playful and Supportive Space for Our Autism Program","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Clark","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp4640800_272x272.png?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1503163843392","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/elyssaclark"},{"teacherId":2422287,"projectId":8021783,"letterContent":"Since receiving these wonderful learning toys and books, my students have been fully engaged in interactive learning and storytelling activities. When we first introduced the Magnatiles, felt-board sets, and train set, their eyes lit up with excitement, and many immediately began collaborating, building, and creating stories together. These hands-on tools have become a central part of our small-group interventions, helping students practice taking turns, planning, organizing, expressing themselves, and developing self-control in meaningful, playful ways.\r\n\r\nThe books, such as Mo Willems' Waiting Is Not Easy, have sparked lively discussions about emotions, relationships, and flexible thinking. Students are beginning to apply these lessons in real time—taking a deep breath when frustrated, using words to express feelings, and supporting peers in collaborative tasks.\r\n\r\nNext, we plan to integrate these materials into more structured social-emotional lessons, such as group storytelling projects and problem-solving challenges with the Magnatiles. Thanks to your generosity, my students are not only having fun—they are building essential language, emotional, and social skills that will support them for years to come.","fullyFundedDate":1699831063203,"projectUrl":"project/social-emotional-learning-and-language-d/8021783/","projectTitle":"Social Emotional Learning and Language Development","teacherDisplayName":"Ms. Maria","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp2422287_orig.jpg?crop=1:1,smart&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1693186847480","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/2422287"},{"teacherId":2804165,"projectId":8623832,"letterContent":"When these books arrived to our classroom, the whole class watched closely as I unpacked them. My Spanish speaking student was astounded at the Spanish version, and the rest of the students immediately asked when we'd get to read them. You see, the movie was soon to come out in theater and all of the kids were excited. \r\n\r\nThis book set has made it's way into two small groups, including that Spanish speaking student into deeper thoughts about reading than he could do in English, and the homes of several children as they take turns passing around the second book in the series. \r\n\r\nSo, thank you once again for bringing this spark of reading fun to my classroom.","fullyFundedDate":1725234029559,"projectUrl":"project/a-wild-robot-for-a-calm-classroom/8623832/","projectTitle":"A Wild Robot for a Calm Classroom","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Turner","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/272x272/tp2804165_272x272.jpg?width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1501544203057","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/2804165"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_42321","uses�ǿմ�ý":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":293,"numTeachers":26,"percentFrplEligible":69,"percentAsian":0,"percentBlack":0,"percentWhite":59,"percentIndigenous":6,"percentLatinx":29,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"K - 5","studentTeacherRatio":"11.3:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"RURAL","ncesMetroType":"RURAL_DISTANT"},"inStateSupporters":66.7,"schoolId":42321,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Florida Mesa Elementary School on @�ǿմ�ý:","schoolName":"Florida Mesa Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/colorado/durango-school-district-9-r/florida-mesa-elementary-school/42321"}

Florida Mesa Elementary School

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About this school

Florida Mesa Elementary School is a rural public school in Durango, Colorado that is part of Durango School District 9-r. It serves 293 students in grades K - 5 with a student/teacher ratio of 11.3:1. Its teachers have had 39 projects funded on �ǿմ�ý.

Equity Focus School

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Public School

Title 1

Grades K - 5

293 Students

26 Teachers

216 Highway 172

Durango, CO 81303 View local requests

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Ms. Vero, a �ǿմ�ý teacher for 9 years.

Kindergarten teacher at PS81 - Robert J. Christen School in Bronx, NY

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Florida Mesa Elementary School Demographics

69%

of students receive free or reduced price lunch

Source: the National Center for Education Statistics

35%

of students are Black, Latino, Native American, or Asian

Schools in districts that mainly serve students of color receive substantially less state and local support than similar districts that serve primarily White students. Learn more about this gap, why it exists, and how you can help close it.

Florida Mesa Elementary School Support on �ǿմ�ý Last updated Dec 20, 2025

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