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Homeless Liaison

Saucon Valley School District Homeless Liaison

Margaret Davalos

610-838-7001 x1109

margaret.davalos@svpanthers.org

Responsibilities

- Coordinates and collaborates with ECYEH regional and site coordinators.

- Collaborates with appropriate staff to determine eligibility for McKinney-Vento mandated services.

- Identifies students experiencing homelessness including children under age 5 and school-age children. 

- Collaborates with school staff to develop interventions for students identified as homeless and develops individualized service plans as appropriate. 

- Maintains necessary records and prepares related reports while ensuring confidentiality for the purpose of documenting students experiencing homelessness. 

- Ensures the complete and accurate collection and submission of LEA homeless data to PIMS and ECYEH.

- Acts as a resource to school-based administrators, guidance counselors, teachers, and health services personnel regarding students experiencing homelessness,  interpretation of homeless/school attendance policies and  laws, and record-keeping requirements.  

- Models nondiscriminatory practices in all activities. - Obtains resources necessary to promote students’ educational readiness, regular attendance and academic  success. 

- Attends state and regional meetings and conferences to  ensure full knowledge of McKinney-Vento requirements. 

- Collaborates with all levels of school and district administration and staff (e.g. building liaisons, human  resources, special education, transportation, principals, psychologists, registrars, nurses, secretaries, etc.) for the  purpose of ensuring the development and implementation  of students’ individualized service plans. 

- Conducts orientation/training for school staff regarding  school policy/procedure as it relates to students experiencing homelessness and/or facilitates related orientation/training provided by the ECYEH regional/site coordinator/s. 

- Interprets laws relating to homeless students for the  purpose of advising administration, staff and parents regarding the rights of homeless students. 

- Provides support and information (e.g. to parents, guardians, etc.) for the purpose of communicating the  availability of services and activities. 

- Serves as a liaison (e.g. with schools, homeless shelters/ facilities, social service agencies, court related services,  police departments, etc.) to coordinate appropriate  assistance for students experiencing homelessness. 

- Meets with families and students experiencing homelessness to assess and prioritize needs and make  linkages with district and community resources as appropriate. 

- Coordinates with a variety of outside service providers and  community agencies to meet students’ needs and avoid  duplication of services. 

- Connects students experiencing homelessness with  available tutoring, afterschool and summer programming to  support academic success. 

- Ensures that families, and children and youths experiencing  homelessness receive early childhood educational services  for which they are eligible, including Head Start, Early  Intervention, and preschool. 

- Ensures that families, and children and youths experiencing  homelessness are referred to health care services, dental  services, and other appropriate medical services. 

- Ensures that public notice of the educational rights of  students experiencing homelessness is displayed in every  school building, and in community locations as appropriate.

- Ensures that the parent/guardians of students experiencing homelessness, and any unaccompanied youth, are fully informed of all transportation services.  

- Intervenes in cases where excessive absence or truancy is  related to homelessness. 
- Ensures that all students in homeless situations enroll in  and have a full and equal opportunity to succeed in school.