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Contact Info | Student & Personnel Services Division | |||||||||
Phone: 831.479.5246 Karen Lemon
| Student Support Services: Students in Transition (SIT)Back to School: Students in Transition Program Helps Homeless Students Succeed in School
The Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act (PL100-77) was the first — and remains the only — major federal legislative response to homelessness. For education, the now revised McKinney-Vento legislation aims to remove the barriers which keep a homeless child from enrolling in, attending and succeeding in school. Lacking housing consistency creates many problems for homeless children. It is difficult to enroll in programs that require a residency address. Health records may be lost or in storage and inaccessible. Families may be afraid or ashamed to contact a school or other agencies that are available to help. Students who are highly mobile may have missed part of their education. They might be learning at a “lower than grade level” rate or have difficulties socializing in a new school situation.
Write Start Project
Over the last 15 years SIT has been able to supply more than 7800 students with their back to school needs. This year, thanks to Costco’s generous donation of 1000 elementary size backpacks, SIT should be able to reach a goal of assisting 1400 students!
All items may be dropped off or mailed to: Summer Art Project: Exposed
The backpacks were debuted as an exhibit at the downtown art walk on Friday August 5th, and will be seen throughout the county as a movable installation during the month of August as part of a public awareness campaign regarding the issues and concerns of homeless children in Santa Cruz County.” In the end, it was the kids who were the teachers. Their artwork spoke more than any words could express.  Recent articles about the Write Start Project:
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There are over 3000 identified homeless children and youth attending public schools in Santa Cruz County. These children may not be hanging out on street corners or even visible to the public. They are the children who may be camping, living in cars, moving from motel to hotel, friend to friend, or relative to relative. They may have a roof over their head and may call it home, but to the federally funded programs under the Stewart B. McKinney Act, they are homeless, which means they lack a fixed or permanent place to live.
The SCCOE Students in Transition Program is dedicated to assisting families and youth to access their right to a free and appropriate public education. Students in Transition (SIT) offers trainings to school sites to help identify homeless children and has developed assistance models to connect families to services. SIT works cooperatively with teachers, administrators, school counselors and psychologists to ensure that homeless students are being served with their special needs in mind. Some can flourish by simply having the continuity and support that school offers while others need more than a place to learn. Students are offered backpacks and school supplies, clothing and shoe vouchers, bus passes and tutoring through the Write Start Project.
The Write Start Project is an annual end of summer back to school supply drive to give assistance to students in need.
Every summer the SCCOE Students in Transition program provides creative and therapeutic art based literacy projects for homeless children. Past programs included photography, poetry and art. This summer, through a partnership of 
Questions or comments? Email the webmaster. |
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