3. 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

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

5. City of Williamsburg James City County  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

6.  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

7.  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

8.  Project HOPE  School Social Work staff  Erase the Need Center  School Based Resources  Bright Beginnings Preschool program › Central Point of Entry › Homeless Education Program

9.  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

10. 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

11.  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

12.  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

14.  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

15. A Bright Beginning lasts a lifetime….

16. “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 Policy Nobel Prize Winner in Economic Sciences

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

18.  Child referred to program  Referral sources › Self › School Social Workers › School Staff › DSS Social Workers › Part C Program › Other Community Agencies

19.  Initial Intake › Demographics › Reason for Referral › Concerns  Developmental  Family Dynamics › Attempted Strategies

20.  Ages and Stages Questionnaire  Hearing and Vision (School Nurse)  Developmental (Special Education Teacher)  Speech/Language (Speech/Language Pathologist)  Family Interview (CPE Staff)

21.  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)

22.  CPE staff completes Homeless Section of Family Interview (adapted from the National Center for Homeless Education) If Homeless, Complete This Section Where 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 adults  1 parent & another adult  an adult that is not the parent or the legal guardian

23. 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

25. › 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

26.  Central Point of Entry Coordinator  Administrative Assistant – transportation  School Social Work staff  Homeless Liaison  Special Education Department  Program Administrators  Bright Beginnings Nurse

27.  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

28.  Referrals to families increased by 38% in 2012/13  Referrals received by the HEC from school division staff increased by 37% in 2012/13

29.  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

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

31.  Developing a lending library for both staff and parents  Fostering relationships with community partners

32. Questions?

33. Stephanie Leek, MSW School Social Worker Homeless Liaison 757-603-6436 leeks@wjcc.k12.va.us Sabrina Clemons Homeless Education Coordinator 757- 564-8721 x 47509 clemonss@wjcc.k12.va.us