THORPE’S CHILDREN

(Article published in HWW March 2007)

by Brunie Feliciano, the NYC Department of Education’s Family Assistant at Thorpe Family Residence. It’s her job to see that homelessness doesn’t disrupt the education of school-age children. In an interview with HOW…WHEN…WHERE, she explained how she helps the parents help the kids do well in school.

I encourage parents at Thorpe to take an active role in their children’s schooling. I suggest –

1. •Put the children to bed early so they won’t be tired in the morning.
   

2. •When your kids come home, show interest in their school day – Ask questions:
   

How did their day go?

1. •Did they find anything especially difficult?
   

2. •Do they have any homework?
   

- Be sure to stay involved with their teachers.

- Find out when they hold Parent-Teacher conferences, and be sure to be there.

We have 18 children staying here at Thorpe, from age 5 to 11, and they go to eight different schools. My job starts at 8 every day but I try to get there by 7:45 or so to see that they are out of the building by 8 or 8:15. When parents leave the building to take their kids to school they have to sign out with the time they left. I have a printout of the children’s names and schools and when I go upstairs if they aren’t gone or on their way I call or knock on the door. If a child has just a little cold I encourage them to go to school. P.S. 32 is just across the street so it’s easy to go get the child if she feels worse. But if a child is sick, the mother takes him to the doctor and brings me a doctor’s note.

Parents who come into the shelter have a choice – they can transfer their children to a nearby neighborhood school. Or they can leave their children in their old school and I will provide transportation. The kids get yearly Metrocards from their school and I provide the moms with weekly Metrocards as long as they are here.

We have six children who transferred to the local K through 5th grade elementary school nearby – P.S. 32. The rest remained in their old schools.

If a child is 5 when the family arrives here, I encourage parents to place their child in kindergarten. It isn’t required but it’s very important. School is mandatory at age 6. But kindergarten is where children learn the basics.

When families come to Thorpe, we have an intake interview within 24 hours. I ask if they have all their shots, if they want to keep their child in the old school or move them to the neighborhood, if they need other services, if they have other children who not living with them. Often they don’t know that they are entitled to start school even if they are missing their immunization record.

We work closely with Family Assistants in other shelters, too. and with the schools. We have meetings with staff and principals to be sure that our kids aren’t labled. Teachers aren’t allowed to identify them as homeless. We’re especially concerned that children in families with a domestic violence issue aren’t identified. School staff isn’t allowed to give out information. Their addresses are not in the computer. God forbid someone comes to the school and something bad happens.