How to Help Fund Your Dream Classroom – From the very beginning Schoolgirl Style was inspired and created from the love of teaching and design. And my desire is for every teacher to have a space that inspires.

The outline of growth began with UPRINT pieces I created late at night after a full day of teaching – to partnerships that offered my products in preprinted format online and in stores – to now producing my preprinted products on my own, along with all the bells-and-whistles of classroom rugs, organizational pieces and furniture. And when I think about this journey, though I acknowledge the struggle and growth, and I celebrate BIG with sparklers and cupcakes {figuratively, but that’s not a bad idea ;)}.

And I celebrate not for myself, but for the teachers I love so much. At its very core, Schoolgirl Style’s hope and desire will forever be, to come alongside teachers. To support them in creating spaces that encourage them. Lift them up. Spaces that give a sense of peace and calm. Teachers are my heroes. And I acknowledge the work they do goes unseen and uncelebrated, but I will work to always champion them on, using the avenue of Schoolgirl Style.

We are pioneering a new path in the journey of Schoolgirl Style and we are SO excited to continue the expansion of being the one-stop-shop for teachers!

This venture is focused on partnering with schools and donors to support teachers in creating dream classrooms, starting with the infrastructure – beautiful and functional furniture. We know the value of high-quality furniture that supports teachers in creating practical learning spaces, while also curating soothing ambiances. We have worked diligently to provide furniture that will year-after-year pair beautifully with classroom decor, as well as, aid in organizing classrooms in a way that supports all endeavors of teaching!

Now, how do we get the Schoolgirl Style furniture into classrooms? Enter: purchase orders.

Purchase orders are orders that can be placed BY schools, districts or even PTA’s, USING their funds. Whether you are wanting to fund a new classroom rug, a new teacher desk, a reading table, an organizational system or more, purchase orders placed with your school or district are a great option! Literally ANYTHING on our site can be bought via a purchase order!

Step 1: Open up the line of communication and chat with your administrators and/or PTA. See if there is funding available to get some Schoolgirl Style goodness into your classroom!

Step 2: Point them in the direction of our online shop and meander. Everything from UPRINT to DECOR TO YOUR DOOR to rugs to, of course, furniture qualifies for a purchase order.

Step 3: If funding is available, you can share this link with your administration or PTA, for the step by step process in placing an order with Schoolgirl Style!

We LOVE working with schools and welcome all the inquiries! For any questions regarding purchase orders, reach out to schoolpurchaseorders@schoolgirlstyle.com.

But what if school or district funding is not available?

A great option, if your school does not have funding available, is DonorsChoose. This organization works with donors who will help fund projects you create specifically for your classroom. Currently, we are NOT a vendor on DonorsChoose, so there are extra steps involved. BUT we are working hard to become a vendor because it will make the process SO MUCH easier for our teachers. Many are familiar with this organization, but let’s dive into the details!

Because we are not a vendor, to create a project on DonorsChoose it will be classified as a “special request”. In order to accomplish this you will need to have accumulated at least 6 points. Check your points by logging into your account, click the arrow in the top right corner, then click on “private info”. Your points will be displayed on this page – if you have six or more – YAY and a happy dance! Follow along for the step-by-step “how to get” Schoolgirl Style furniture and decor into your classroom with DonorsChoose!

Step 1: Log into your DonorsChoose account and select “Create Another Project” (reminder: you must have SIX points to create a custom project).
Step 2: Select “Standard Project” and click “Let’s Go”
Step 3: Fill in the details then click “Save and Continue”
Step 4: {THIS IS WHERE IT GETS GOOD} On the vendor page, scroll all the way to the bottom, and you will see “Don’t see what you need?” with a “Create a Special Request” button below it.
Step 5: Now you will be prompted to fill in details – vendor name – gather the URL of desired item and click “Retrieve Item Info” – then adjust the quantity and add a description.
Step 6: Follow the prompts to complete the rest of the application and your project will go “live” once it has been review by DonorsChoose

Then SHARE that beautiful URL like crazy!

DonorsChoose is a great option for funding a new classroom rug, a new teacher desk, an organizational system, or reading table. AND as soon as we become a vendor we will shout it from the roof tops!

If DonorsChoose and school funding are not options, I would suggest GoFundMe. This would be very similar to DonorsChoose, except it is open to anyone who is looking for funding (AKA no stipulations). You would create a campaign specific to the desired items for your classroom. Then you share the URL with friends, family and your community. Many times, people want to give back to teachers, but they don’t know how. This gives them a specific avenue in which they can bless you!

Again, though the process of this new venture of Schoolgirl Style may look different, at the center, our hope remains the same: to support teachers in creating dream classrooms.

At Schoolgirl Style, we believe in the POWER of teaching and the POWER of creating a safe, comfortable and beautiful space for students to learn and grow. Our products are designed, created and compiled with teachers and students in mind. Products are formulated to support and encourage teachers in their endeavors of pouring into future generations!