Classroom Air Conditioner
Good afternoon everyone, and happy Wednesday to you and yours. Thank you for your time, I am sincerely grateful and appreciative of it.
My name is Jennifer and I am fundraising for my fabulous, soon-to-be Firsties at my rural school in Northern California. We are getting everything ready for our students, that we have missed so much since March, to return to us at the end of August. Our small community has been fortunate in our ability to work within CDE and CDC guidelines and feel we are able to reopen safely for staff, students and families alike. We are also offering distance learning opportunities for families to participate in as desired. However, around 80% of our families are ready to return to in-person learning.
Because we are reopening in-person, and with a combination of other various factors, I find that myself and my future students are in a pickle. Our classroom has not been fully renovated in quite some time and a number of rooms in our primary hallway do not have air conditioning. Teachers have compensated in the past by providing fans and placing them strategically around the room while also opening and closing the hallway and back doors as needed throughout the day to let air flow. Air conditioning was something that was going to be addressed this summer, but ultimately was not due to budget cuts that were a result of the pandemic.
This fund is for an AC unit that will help my students and future students work comfortably through the hot days to come at the beginning of every year. I would not be asking, but without this unit I will not be able to teach in my classroom and would have to be moved far away from other grade level teachers to a classroom with AC, thus isolating my students and myself from our peers. Also, the primary hallway is the heart of our school; it’s where people fall in love with and get to see the true spirit of our small community. If all of us are placed randomly around the school, we all feel our campus culture and community would suffer. Furthermore, our younger students’ classrooms are all near the primary playground. If we are all moved then even going to recess, walking to lunch, walking to the library and computer lab will become even more of a task.
The most important reason I am reaching out for help for my littles is them themselves. This asset would be incredibly beneficial to my students for many reasons and we would be incredibly grateful. Students who play and work hard also really work up a sweat and coming into a hot and stuffy classroom with no cool air around can be stressful, exhaustive, and overall just not a great learning environment for anyone. I need to give my students this year 100% and anything else I can as they are living through something unprecedented. There are so many unknowns in the upcoming year and I understand that times truly are tough for everyone, and for some it’s more than others. Any little bit will help make this year memorable in a positive way for the first graders of our school. Thank you again for your time and help! We are all so appreciative. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for your kindness. I’ll be sure to let my students know of your kindness and to make sure to take time to teach that there is good in the world and together we can make a difference for anyone, anywhere.
If we do happen to hit our goal, I will give the rest of the donations to another teacher at my school to help him or her out during this time too. Thank you for listening. Take care, stay safe and I hope everyone enjoys the last couple weeks of summer fun!
