Homeless Question hope someone can answer or ideas?

Hound dog

Nana's are Beautiful
We have an issue. There is supposed to be a spot being held for katie's family in wilmington for thurs. But the kids have already been out of school a week. And while the shelter is supposed to be holding a spot........well, come on, things happen and there is always the risk it may fall thru and they'll have a longer wait.......If katie hadn't done her daily phone call this morning they'd have bumped another family into her spot. :tongue:

She just tried calling the school to ask how long the kids can be out of school without getting into trouble. Issue is.....even if they go to the wilmington shelter it's only temp until an opening in hillsboro becomes available........supposed to be about a month. While we hate to keep transferring the kids until a perm situation can be found.........we also know we can't keep them out of school that long.

School evidently doesn't have much clue either. Katie just got transferred from one person to the next.......and then got stuck on voice mail. ughhh

Anyone with experience with this? Any ideas? We may just have to pay a visit to the grade school and do a face to face to get an answer.

Thanks.

Oh, and by the way.......plz keep the prayers coming. Food issue is solved......whole family has rallied together.......including my own extended family........to keep that under control plus food pantries ect. But these kids need a place to stay asap. If for no other reason than to get these grands into school.
 

DaisyFace

Love me...Love me not
Lisa--

Why not just homeschool until a permanent place is found? Contact the state - find out what paperwork needs to be filed - and let the kids learn at home. There are all kinds of resources available at the public library or online or even for sale cheap on Craigslist.
 

Hound dog

Nana's are Beautiful
Daisy I would except that well honestly..........Alex is a huge difficult child (sweetheart but still difficult child) and it simply would not work. He needs his Special Education for the MRDD. And the kids need something to do they're getting bored outta their minds......and Papa could use the break from watching all 3 while we do necessary running. lol And the process to start home school here takes awhile in and of itself. been there done that with Nichole.
 

DaisyFace

Love me...Love me not
Daisy I would except that well honestly..........Alex is a huge difficult child (sweetheart but still difficult child) and it simply would not work. He needs his Special Education for the MRDD. And the kids need something to do they're getting bored outta their minds......and Papa could use the break from watching all 3 while we do necessary running. lol And the process to start home school here takes awhile in and of itself. been there done that with Nichole.

O yes, you definitely wouldn't want to do it long-term...

I just thought that on a temporary basis it would meet the "schooling" requirements while they were still getting settled vs enrolling them in different schools, pulling them out, re-enrolling etc etc
 

hearts and roses

Mind Reader
In all the running around, I think you should stop at the local Board of Ed office to get a real answer asap. OR - call your state's education department and ask there. Someone has the answer and calling the actual elementary school is not going to get you the official answer. BOE or state department.
 

Hound dog

Nana's are Beautiful
Thanks Jo, excellent idea!! :D

Katie is at this moment on the phone doing an intake for wilmington shelter............fingers crossed this means they may get bumped in sooner.
 

Mattsmom277

Active Member
I hope that an answer is found. Sounds however that there is no way to know how long they will be at this particular shelter before moving to the other one. I know that a new school followed by another new school can't be good. Yet playing devils advocate, they have moved states, they are with family now, going to a shelter, heading to yet another shelter down the line and hopefully a home of their own. That is a ton of transition. While it will be a upset to start a new school and leave again, I think they should get the kids started the day them go to the shelter. For these reasons: 1) the kids probably would NOT enjoy kicking around a homeless shelter all day long (how depressing and unfair to the kids) 2) The kids probably would NOT enjoy having no attention focused on them if their parents indeed are filling their days job hunting, apartment hunting, and applying for programs to get back on their feet 3) Yes, the kids will likely make friends and lose them due to another move however for kids? Making new friends for a short time has got to be better than having no friends. 4) Falling further behind in classes is going to be a hard thing to overcome so I would want them getting consistent schooling at this time 5) THe school itself may have programs or links to programs that could help the kids and their parents in any manner of fashion.

This also frees up your daughter and her b/f's time to get their feet to the pavement to get stuff moving as fast as possible. If welfare is a option, I wouldn't even be THINKING about moving to yet again another shelter. Goal should be an apartment, period if financing can be brought into place. Even a 1 bedroom apartment for the kids to share a room (parents can crash in living room, not glam but beats shared living in a shelter) will be a blessing it sounds like.

I'm sorry these kids have to go through so much transition. I do hope their parents wake up to the fact that their lifestyles are going to cause needless grief (already have) for those children and its never too late to turn things around and now is that time. I'm glad they have knowledge that you are rooting for them. Sometimes in a low place, it makes all the world of difference. Strangely, I do believe that your daughter and her b/f are going to be ashamed if they don't make the best of this opportunity. I don't think they'll want to let you down. Perhaps in the process of making you proud, they will accomplish things to get more self pride which can lead to nothing but positive improvements for them both. THey can learn to expect more for and from themselves and for their kids.

(((hugs))) to all of you
 

Hound dog

Nana's are Beautiful
SWEET!!! :D

We can enroll the kid in school tomorrow!! There is a federal law : Mc Kinney-Vento Law that states that a child has a right to continue to attend the school of origin as long as it is feesable for said school to provide transportation. School has no choice, they HAVE to provide transport. So we can enroll the kids here tomorrow and even if katie's family does go to wilmington shelter, hillsboro has no choice but to send transportation for them to and from school so they don't have to change schools since it is not that far away. (20 miles) So kids won't get yanked from school to school.

AND just because I know our SD so darn well I also have the name and phone number of the state board of education employee for them to contact when they have a hissy fit over it..........which of course they will. lol muahhaahhhaahhhaa!!

This law covers families in homeless/shelter situations. Assuming since it is a federal law it applies all over the country. Woot!!
 
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