Dozens of St. Paul teachers have a little more to be thankful for this season.

Around 90 educators from St. Paul Public Schools were surprised by Amazon with a shopping spree to help their classrooms.

The teachers were able to grab books, games and other learning tools to help their students.

It was specifically for teachers in the district’s What I Need Now (WINN) program, mostly elementary and middle school literacy specialists who help improve reading and other educational gaps students face.

SPPS says testing data shows that more than 4,000 kids in the K-8 program are learning to read more quickly than their peers.

“If we know anything as educators, we know that not every kid is alike,” Hazel Park Preparatory Academy teacher Carrie Kyung said. “So, we need to look at what each student needs individually, and there are groups of students who didn’t get what they needed and that was direct instruction in how to read, how to sound out words, how to pull, blend things together. It’s about gaps, and it’s not about gaps that are at the fault of anyone. It’s just us not recognizing that we have different learners who need to be taught in different ways.”

The district is aiming to further improve literacy through its new SPPS Reads program, which provides resources for families and tries to improve engagement and excitement around reading.