The Clairton Collaborative is an initiative of the Homeless Education Network (HEN). It's primary objectives are to

• improve communication among parents, school faculty and staff, and housing provider staff
  
• facilitate increased parental engagement in children's education
  
• train school staff for more effective identification of and service to children and youth who are homeless
  
• develop and implement a targeted literacy program using both school and housing provider resources, and
  
• evaluate the impact of the collaborative initiative

Collaborating partners are

• Clairton City Schools
  the Social worker/Homeless Liaison, a high school guidance counselor, and a reading specialist provide day-to-day program support; the Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent provide planning and oversight
  
• Sisters Place, Inc.
  the Program Manager and Child Development Specialist provide day-to-day program support; the Executive Director provides planning and oversight
  
• Homeless Children's Education Fund
  the Education Program Manager Laura Bailey provides day-to-day program support; the Executive Director Bill Wolfe provides planning and oversight
  
• Community Partners
  PAHCI Region IV Coordinator; Duquesne University; the Homeless Education Network Director Charlie LaVallee provides planning and oversight

The beneficiaries of this interagency collaboration are

• Clairton City Schools and Sisters Place personnel
  Administrators and front-line staff have received training on McKinney-Vento requirements and on identifying students who are homeless; school and agency staff have ongoing access to one another and data-sharing is enabled; HCEF provides funding and administrative support to facilitate the joint initiative through the Homeless Education Network (HEN)
• Parents
  A back-to-school orientation acquaints mothers with key school personnel, important dates, and contact information; mothers meet with a school guidance counselor and social worker each month at Sisters Place to review student attendance, grades, behavior, and special concerns
• Students
  A back-to-school orientation and school tour introduces students to their teachers; student participating in the Sisters Place after-school program receive one-on-one instruction with a school reading specialist at Sisters Place; the needs of individual students are more effectively addressed because of improved communication between the Clairton City Schools and Sisters Place staffs
  
• The community
  The Clairton City School - Sisters Place - HCEF initiative will serve as a model program in Allegheny County with the potential for replication at many other schools and homeless provider sites

See also Clairton Collaborative - Observations

(6/6/11)

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