Linking Homeless Students to Academic Success

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Linking Homeless Students to Academic Success

• McKinney-Vento Implementation in Akron Public
  Schools

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Identification, Enrollment and Transportation
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Identifying Students

• Schools
• Secretaries
• Counselors
• Principals
• Shelters
• Community
• Social Service Organizations
• Juvenile Court
• Akron Metropolitan Housing Authority
• Fair Housing Contact Service

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Enrollment

• School Staff Awareness.
• See Project RISE- Model of Seamless Enrollment-
  What Principals and School Personnel Need to
  Know
• Specifications are listed in the Board of
  Education Board Policy
• Enrollment form contains checkboxes for
• Student resides in shelter or transitional
  housing program
• Student resides in hotel or motel
• Student resides in a car/trailer/motor home on
  private property
• Student resides in a place not designated for
  normal residence
• Student not living with ANY parent or legal
  guardian
• Student and students family are living with
  another family
• Involvement of shelter staff and school
  personnel.
• Coordination with other school districts

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Transportation

• When transportation is requested all parties
  communicate via e-mail for documentation and
  record keeping purposes. E-mails include the
  following
• Students name and birthdate
• Temporary address
• Parent/guardian name and contact number
• Key Points
• Coordinated transportation between liaison,
  principals, counselors, transportation department
  and shelter staff.
• Coordination with other school districts
• Parent involvement

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Project RISEProgramming and Services
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After School Programming

• Tutoring
• 9 shelter sites have tutoring at
• least once a week
• Tutors are certified teachers,
• service learners from the
• university and volunteers from
• the community
• Fosters increased academic stabilization

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After School Programming

• Getting Started

• Meet with local shelter staff to assess needs and
  find out about current programming.
• Who will staff the activities?
• Secure volunteers to support staff efforts.
• Designate a space to conduct activities and store
  needed supplies.

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Parent Outreach

• Parent Pack Folder filled with useful
  information.
• Monthly Mailings
• Parent Letters

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Love and Learn Doll Project
This program utilizes local volunteers who make
handmade dolls and tote bags that come with a
book and activity booklet. The Love and Learn
Doll Project promotes positive parent-child
interaction and school readiness.
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PACT- Performing Arts Can Teach

• Performing arts program that exposes students and
  families to live theater.
• Each student who attends the performance receives
  a study guide and storybook.
• Community Partners
• First United Methodist
• Provides space and food for Dinner Theater event
• Weathervane Theater
• Provides tickets for local performances
• Magical Theater
• Provides tickets for performances
• Performs plays for the Dinner Theater events
• University of Akron Theater
• Provides tickets for plays and musical
  performances

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Parents RISE-ing
Parents RISE-ing events are focused on family
fellowship, food, and programming that is both
fun and educational for students and parents.
Themes include Harvest Dinner Soul Food
Dinner Spring Celebration
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Arts Literacy Programs
Kidz Art, a local contracted service provider
presents art and literacy programs at the local
shelter sites during the school year and the
summer
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Moms on the RISE
Traces of a life hoped for- peace, love,
happiness, smile.
MAM (Mothers Assisting Mothers) is a local
contracted service provider who works with the
mothers at the shelters on parenting techniques
through art, activities, and discussion.
Heart Love and hope. Lace Border Protection of
family Tear Release of pain and hurt. Peace
Brings it all together for good. Flowers Growth
and beauty from within me
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Summer Field Trips
Each summer, staff members accompany youth and
families on five different educational field
trips. Time is spent observing, creating, and
processing.
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Clothing Room

• Project RISE partnered with Trinity United Church
  of Christ to provide students with
• New and used uniforms
• Clothes
• Shoes
• School Supplies
• Toiletries

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Akron Street Card

• Pocket directory of local agencies covering many
  needs.
• Updated yearly by RISE staff and a committee of
  representatives from local agencies
• Funded by community donations.
• 150,000 printed annually

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Resource Directory

• Booklet format directory similar to the Street
  card focused on services for families.
• Distributed to the shelters and
• doubled-up families.
• Some categories include Clothing Shoes,
  Fatherhood Initiatives, and Resources for Parents
  Grandparents.
• Approximately 750 printed annually.

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Community Awareness
Displays and events take place around the
community to raise awareness about Project RISE
and family homelessness
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Advisory Council

• Since 1998, the Project RISE Advisory Council has
  expanded and developed into a strong and diverse
  collaborative council comprised of community
  members
• Akron Public Schools
• Transportation
• Student Services
• Child Study
• Title 1
• Special Education
• Child Nutrition Services
• Local Shelters
• Continuum of Care
• Area Agencies
• The University of Akron
• Childrens Services
• Jobs and Family Services
• Juvenile Court
• Akron- Summit County Public Library
• Head Start
• Akron Urban League
• Formerly Homeless Parents

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Advisory Council cont.

• This collaboration has brought forth greater
  understanding of the special issues and needs of
  homeless children and youth while at the same
  time generating greater involvement and community
  resources. These efforts have helped reduce the
  barriers of homeless children and youth. There
  are presently 32 Council Members and Resource
  Persons

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Community Collaboration
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The Benefits of Community Collaboration

• Provides enrichment that may not have otherwise
  been provided because of funding.
• Provides expertise that may not be part of your
  staffs skill set.
• Helps raise awareness of homeless children and
  youth.

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Community Partners

• First Book
• Local chapter of the national organization
• provides age appropriate brand-new
• books to the students at various events.
• University of Akron and Kent State University
• Service Learners who volunteer with the tutoring
  program and at other events.
• Hospice of the Western Reserve
• Outreach to shelter residents who have
  experienced loss

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Community Partners cont.

• IJN-1 Foundation
• Provides tickets to performances such as Disney
  on Ice and the circus
• Akron-Summit County Public Library
• Shelter Programming
• Advertise about library programs
• Age-specific programming at Parents RISEing
  Dinners

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Community Partners cont.

• VFW
• Provides turkey and volunteers for the annual
  Harvest Dinner
• Boy Scouts
• Performs traditional Native American dances for
  the annual Harvest Dinner
• Sons of Italy
• Provided over 200 wrapped Christmas gifts for
  families at the shelters.

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Community Partners cont.

• Local Schools
• Donates clothing and leftover
• uniforms from school uniform
• exchanges for the clothing room.
• Summit County Department
• of Jobs and Family Services
• Summit County Childrens Services Board
• Local Businesses
• Adopted doubled-up families for Christmas

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Community Partners cont.

• University of Akron Association for the Education
  of Young Children
• Created t-shirts blankets
• Collected new athletic shoes
• Collected teddy bears to distribute at
• the shelters
• Other Partners
• Feed the Children
• Provides school supplies, books, and food packets.

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• School and Community Collaborations
• Getting Started

• Identify key school and community partners
• Locate local chapters of national organizations
• Network, network, network!
• Communicate, Coordinate, and Collaborate

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Contact Information

• Debra Manteghi
• District Homeless Education Liaison and Program
  Manager
•  
• Akron Public Schools
• Project RISE
• 70 N. Broadway St. Room 300
• Akron, Ohio 44308
•  
• 330-761-2969
• 330-761-3226 fax
• dmantegh_at_akron.k12.oh.us