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.