At a recent 7 a.m. meeting, Camino Nuevo elementary and middle school teachers clustered into groups, sounding a lot like social workers. Their task: to figure out how to “use positivity and relationships to reverse some of the negative effects of poverty.”
Sarah Wechsler reported a dramatic improvement in one of her students, whose mother was recently deported.
“We’ve loved him, and we’ve replaced his mom the best we can,” she said. “And he’s done all his work this week.”
Ponce said she sees the school’s job as improving the lives of students’ entire families.
Staff helps parents enroll younger siblings in preschool and hooks parents up with healthcare providers. School sites have a full-time parent liaison to provide referrals for those struggling with housing, employment or legal problems.
In group sessions, parents are taught how to participate in their children’s education and relate better to them.
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