Community Transitional School
2007-08 Programs & Services
Transportation
One challenge faced by homeless students is their inability to get to and from
school each day. Bus services to neighborhood schools are not designed to handle the students'
last-minute route changes due to frequent and sudden moves between shelters, cheap motels,
friends' homes and even the family car. Even with free Tri-Met passes, public transportation can
be a confusing prospect for children trying to get to school from so many different locations.
In response, we designed a transportation program to accommodate our students' complicated
living circumstances. We make every effort to stay in contact with their families as they move
around Portland. Many times the children themselves will call us with updates. We restructure
our bus routes each day to keep pace with their families' mobility. Fifty-two percent of our
students move at least once per school year. Over the past two years, one group of three siblings
has moved 29 times. The oldest sibling makes the calls to tell us where they were staying. Our
transportation program serves 60-70 children per day. As a result of this approach, our
attendance rate hit an all-time high at 86 percent in 2005-06. This rate has steadily increased for
the past three school years. Without this flexible program, the majority of our students would
simply miss school.
Classrooms
The foundation of our school is its strong academic program coupled with an
emphasis on building student character. Most of our students come to us with gaps in their
education. Our classroom goal is to ensure that these children are given the encouragement and
tools to raise their social and academic level to that of children with stable homes who attend
public schools. We have a kindergarten through 1st grade class, a 2nd through 5th grade class and a 5th
through 8th grade class. All are taught by state-certified teachers, and with the help of two
instructional assistants. In addition, Title I and special education services are provided on-site by
Portland Public Schools. Many of our longtime classroom volunteers are retired teachers. Along
with focusing on the "Three Rs," our curriculum weaves important character education lessons
into every school day.
The Clothes Closet
Our Clothes Closet provides each student with several new or gently used
outfits, plus new shoes, underwear and socks each season. Clean and new clothing can make a
big difference in how our students feel about themselves. We provide alarm clocks, shampoo,
hairbrushes, soap, deodorant and laundry detergent -- essentials that most of our families cannot
afford to purchase. We also provide each student with a backpack and all necessary school
supplies.
Meals and Food Donation
Due to their unstable living environments, many of our students do
not receive regular meals outside of school. All of our students qualify for free breakfast and
lunch through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). We provide them with two meals
each school day. School is also a place where they learn about balanced nutrition, table
etiquette, and spending quality time together over a meal. We also utilize the meal program to
prepare our students for the work environment. Each student applies and interviews for a school
job. Many of these jobs, such as table captain and lunch server, occur in the cafeteria. On
occasion, students can be removed from their jobs if they decide not to try their best. Students
who hold their jobs for an entire month have a special lunchtime celebration.
In addition, we distribute non-perishable food to our families throughout the year. For example,
we give our parents a food box each time they attend a conference with their child's teacher.
Health Checks.
Our school is a critical point of access for children to receive
routine health checks. We have weekly visits from the Multnomah County
Mobile Medical Van, which provides much needed consultation and
care for our students. Multnomah County dentists will also continue to
visit once per school year to provide our students with dental
sealants.
Confidentiality
We offer security and strict confidentiality for children and parents fleeing
from domestic violence situations.
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