My school is an alternative grades 6-12 school. We teach students from a diverse background. Our demographics are 75% African American and 25% Caucasian and/or other races. More than 85% qualify for free/reduced meal programs. Almost all of them come to school with some home life issues. Some come with issues in the juvenile justice system. I believe all of them still have the ability to become productive citizens of our country. I have not given up hope for them.
Students are admitted to our school for a variety of reasons: academics, behavior, learning disabilities that may or may not affect their behaviors, gifted, regular education (not labeled) and other issues.
Some students come to us from mental or criminal institutions. All our students have the ability to return to their h if they meet the individual goals that are set for them when they are enrolled. We have seen many successes, every semester we have 4-10 graduate High School. About 50% are returned to their school of record after successfully completing their goals.
We have many services in place to support our students with their current needs and their future plans. We have programs to support our parents.
My Project
No fancy technology needed. No new textbooks or art supplies.
Our students come to school not knowing where they will be sleeping that night.
Worrying about if they will have dinner? Will they have to babysit their siblings and get them to bed and/or ready the next day? Some have no water or electricity at home. We have students come to school with bed bugs, lice, mites, fleas. We can supply clothing, a shower, and personal hygiene items. How can we expect them to focus on learning when they have so many basic needs that are not being met? How can we expect them to come to school if they are embarrassed about their issues? We need to give them a support system to help them, not point fingers but simply be there for them.
Our students come to school with problems they bring from home. We can’t fix those, but we can give them a safe clean place to learn. We can temporarily supply them with clothing and personal hygiene items so that they don’t have to worry about being ridiculed by their peers or being ostracized. We have a simple dress code of collared shirt tucked in, and pants without holes and belt loops. This dress code applies to all students. We need collared shirts, pants and deodorant.
Our clothing that we loan to our students are collected at the end of the day, washed and returned to be used again and again. Our personal hygiene items are labeled by the student’s name and kept for further needs. Funding our request will allow us to help students for years to come. Please help us help our students so that they may for a few hours each day, focus on their learning, their future.
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Ms. Sherman and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
