• Describe a program for serving preschoolers and their families experiencing homelessness in WJCC

• Provide examples of district and program level strategies utilized to support families

Provide a brief overview of the intake and family assessment process used to identify students with risk factors likely to negatively impact Kindergarten success

Population: 15,167 16.1% living below the poverty level 11.3 % unemployment

Population: 68,971 7.1 % living below the poverty level 4.6 % unemployment

Avalon Shelter Transitional housing program Hands Together Historic Triangle Child Development Resources United Way Departments of Social Services Colonial Behavioral Health and other counseling

services Faith Based Community

› Supports the United Way Community Resource Center› GWOM – Friend in Need program› Shelter program – Community of Faith

Population: 11,265 (as of September 2013) 15 schools – 9 Elementary, 3 middle, 3 High 4 Preschool sites Homeless identification trends

› 2005/2006 – 86› 2006/2007 – 109› 2007/2008 – 223› 2008/2009 – 106› 2009/2010 – 217› 2010/2011 – 353› 2011/2012 – 428› 2012/2013 – 425

Project HOPE School Social Work staff Erase the Need Center School Based Resources Bright Beginnings Preschool program

› Central Point of Entry› Homeless Education Program

Awareness and Education program Training program for all school

staff/employees Strategies appropriate to the group, i.e.

teachers, administrators, registrars, bus drivers, custodians

Resource and Guidance manual – Connecting the Pieces: Access, Stability, Success

Outreach materials specific to school division Needs assessment completed in spring 2013

– will guide continued interventions

WJCC has provided preschool services to children at risk for the past 29 years

Bright Beginnings established for children at risk as a federal demonstration grant in1983

Currently 305 students enrolled 4 sites 21 Homeless students identified this

year Homeless trends

› 2009/2010 – 14› 2010/2011 – 28› 2011/2012 – 36› 2012/2013 – 41

Risk factors include:• Poverty

• Homelessness

• Child Protective Services or Foster Care

• Incarcerated Parent

• Parent did not complete high school

• Family Stressors – domestic violence, death, divorce, mental health

needs, military deployments

• Child is an English Language Learner

• Prenatal Substance Exposure or Substance Abuse in the home

• Sibling or Parent with Special Needs

• Atypical Behavior

Risk factors are conditions known to negatively impact school success

This presentation will give a brief overview of the intake and family assessment process used to identify students with risk factors likely to negatively impact Kindergarten success

Particular focus in this presentation will be given to students within the homeless population

A Bright Beginning lasts a lifetime….

“Ability gaps open at early ages.

Schooling after the second grade

plays only a minor role

in alleviating these gaps.”James J. Heckman

Director, Economics Research Center and the Center for Social Program Evaluation at the

Harris School for Public PolicyNobel Prize Winner in Economic Sciences

Our community recognizes the value of high quality early childhood programs and the direct relationship to school readiness & lifelong success

Child referred to program Referral sources

› Self› School Social Workers› School Staff› DSS Social Workers› Part C Program› Other Community Agencies

Initial Intake› Demographics› Reason for Referral› Concerns

Developmental Family Dynamics

› Attempted Strategies

Ages and Stages Questionnaire Hearing and Vision (School Nurse) Developmental (Special Education

Teacher) Speech/Language (Speech/Language

Pathologist) Family Interview (CPE Staff)

Items › Comprehensive

Medical Prenatal/Postnatal Information Child’s current medical history

Family Medical History (including Mental Health Diagnoses)

Social History Current Family Situation Stressors Family/Child/Siblings’ educational history Home Language Survey (Teaching Strategies)

Structured face-to-face (preferred method) By phone (if needed)

CPE staff completes Homeless Section of Family Interview (adapted from the National Center for Homeless Education)

If Homeless, Complete This SectionWhere is child presently living? in a shelter with more than one family in a house or apartment in a motel, car or campsite with friends or family members (other than parent/guardian) CONTINUE: If you checked a box above, who does the child live with?   1 parent a relative, friend(s) or other adult(s) 2 parents alone with no adults1 parent & another adult an adult that is not the

parent or the legal guardian 

• CPE staff contacts the school social worker of the zoned school

• School social worker contacts family to verify• School social worker contacts CPE staff,

Preschool Administrators and Administrative Assistant of status

• If child flagged as homeless, information is entered• In Preschool Database• In WJCC School Division Database• Student falls under McKinney-Vento if enrolled

› Case management/direct intervention services for high risk preschool students and families

› Parent programming – both at school and in home› Coordinates and facilitates a group compromised

of community service providers› Needs assessment of preschool staff - results

provided to staff and used to guide activities› Available for onsite consultation for staff and

administration› Provide continued training on M-V and strategies

for classrooms and interacting with families› Link with school age programs

Central Point of Entry Coordinator Administrative Assistant –

transportation School Social Work staff Homeless Liaison Special Education Department Program Administrators Bright Beginnings Nurse

All families that received services from the HEC in 2011/12 and 2012/13 increased their self-sufficiency scores

Requests for consultation and support from BB staff members increased 67% in 2012/13

Referrals to families increased by 38% in 2012/13

Referrals received by the HEC from school division staff increased by 37% in 2012/13

For Bright Beginnings students that were identified under M-V in the 2012/13 school year› PALS – Phonemic Awareness and Literacy

Screening› Teaching Standards Gold Kindergarten

Readiness› Teaching Standards Gold Widely Held

Expectations

No student identified as homeless in the 2011/12 school year required PALS intervention in kindergarten in the 2012/13 school year

Developing a lending library for both staff and parents

Fostering relationships with community partners

Questions?

Stephanie Leek, MSWSchool Social WorkerHomeless Liaison

757-603-6436

leeks@wjcc.k12.va.us

Sabrina ClemonsHomeless Education Coordinator

757- 564-8721 x 47509

clemonss@wjcc.k12.va.us