'Homeless to homeroom': April lunch and learn focuses on how public schools address housing insecurity
Central office representatives from Staunton, Augusta County and Waynesboro Public Schools will facilitate a community conversation entitled 'Homeless to Homeroom: Recognizing Housing Insecurity in our Students.'
The Lunch & Learn event will be from noon – 1:30 p.m. at Augusta Health's Community Care Building on Thursday, April 24.
Participants are encouraged to bring a brown-bagged lunch for the community conversation.
'Every child deserves not just a place in the classroom, but a place in our hearts,' said Ryan Barber, assistant superintendent of Waynesboro Public Schools. 'When we serve students experiencing homelessness, we affirm their dignity and invest in a future where every student, regardless of circumstance, has the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive. We truly believe in the power of education to change outcomes for our students."
The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act is a federal law that establishes access to free and appropriate public education.
It's something that the three local public schools systems take seriously.
Ashley Whitesel is the homeless liaison coordinator for Augusta County Public Schools. Students experiencing homelessness face numerous challenges that impede their educational progress, she said.
'The McKinney-Vento Act eliminates the barriers to education for these students, ensuring that they have equal access to high-quality education and the necessary supports to succeed," said Whitesel. "By addressing the specific needs of students experiencing homelessness, the act works to ensure they have the opportunity to thrive, no matter their circumstances.'
Miriam Burrows is part of the SAW Housing leadership team, as well as the director of educational programming for the Community Foundation of the Central Blue Ridge. She helped coordinate the April Lunch & Learn topic, because she believes the link between housing insecurity and quality education is worth a community discussion.
'While I'm lucky to get to work with students from all of our public schools — I also walk the halls as a parent, and I see how far beyond traditional academics our teachers and administrators are asked to stretch,' Burrows said. 'They're navigating hunger and trauma. I was floored to learn how many students in our schools are housing insecure. Our educators are being called on to carry more than ever, and we owe it to them — and to our students — to talk about it, understand it, and together, ask how we can help.'
Dan Layman, CEO of the Community Foundation and part of the leadership team for SAW Housing, agrees.
"The profound impact of housing insecurity is often lost in conversations about public education in our community,' Layman said. 'It is a hard truth to digest, but the efforts of our school districts to overcome these obstacles are equally heroic.'
Nate Collins, executive director of student services for Staunton City Schools, hopes the community conversation sheds light on challenges the three local systems are working to overcome.
'I hope to help attendees better understand the real impact of housing insecurity and homelessness on student learning and growth,' Collins said. 'I'm also excited to share steps schools take to support students experiencing homelessness in our area, and I hope attendees leave the session thinking about ways we can work together as a community to support some of our most vulnerable children and families.'
Since the inaugural SAW Housing Summit in October of 2023, the Lunch & Learn series has been a way to continue the community conversation around affordable housing solutions. Past recent topics have included critical home repair, community land trusts and housing justice and the poor.
'Ongoing dialogue helps maintain momentum, drive action, and keep people engaged,' said Anna Leavitt, director of Community Action Partnership Staunton Augusta Waynesboro (CAPSAW). Leavitt is also part of the SAW Housing leadership team. 'Keeping conversations alive between meetings helps build stronger relationships among stakeholders — whether it's community members, locality officials or advocates."
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— Patrick Hite is a reporter at The News Leader. Story ideas and tips always welcome. Connect with Patrick (he/him/his) at phite@newsleader.com and on Instagram @hitepatrick. Subscribe to us at newsleader.com.
This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: Lunch and learn tackles topic of public schools and homelessness
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