Story Created:
Mar 4, 2010 at 11:11 AM PST
Story Updated:
Mar 4, 2010 at 11:11 AM PST
SANTA FE SPRINGS — Little Lake City School District officials are reviewing applications for a new, unique position, a temporary part-time job as the district’s homeless outreach liaison.
A recommendation for the job is expected to go to the board this month for the classified, non-teaching position which lasts only through June 30, said Superintendent Phil Perez.
Officials estimated 15 homeless students attend Little Lake schools, many of them at Paddison Elementary in Norwalk which is near the Rio Hondo Temporary Shelter on the grounds of Metropolitan State Hospital.
However, students who qualify as homeless need not necessarily live in a shelter but could be residing in a motel or their vehicle, Perez said.
“The impact of homelessness is significant to the well-being of our students,” Assistant Superintendent Joseph Ybarra said in a written report to the school board Feb. 23. “Students lacking stable housing have special challenges when it comes to school success.
“Students who frequently change schools or lack stable housing are at risk of losing valuable learning time and maintaining academic performance.”
Ybarra said a federal grant from the Education for Homeless Children and Youth program will pay the costs.
The liaison would work five hours a day Monday through Friday under the director of special education and would organize and implement programs to help homeless students to succeed in school and their families to support them, he explained.
A salary of $17.04 to $20.75 an hour would be covered by a federal grant. There would be mileage reimbursement and a bonus stipend for those who are bilingual.
The outreach liaison must have completed at least high school or its equivalent, have a California driver’s license and have some experience working with at-risk youth.
Perez said the liaison will be asked to identify homeless students in the Little Lake district by working with teachers, the county Office of Education, foster child youth services and city social service agencies in Santa Fe Springs, Norwalk and Downey, which are the cities covered by the district.
He or she would make home contacts with students, parents and guardians to offer support and refer them to agencies which might help them in their respective situations.
The liaison would attend special meetings with teachers and parents reviewing education goals for the students, would provide transportation vouchers if needed for the students to come to classes and perform other duties which may come up.
The employee will work 40 percent of the time in the district office and 60 percent in the field. He or she must be in reasonable health and able to push, pull or lift at least 25 pounds.
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