Local school divisions will take part in a discussion about housing insecurity and its impact on education on Thursday at noon.
Representatives from Staunton, Augusta County and Waynesboro public schools will facilitate a community conversation to discuss issues surrounding students experiencing homelessness at SAW Housing’s April Lunch and Learn.
The event is scheduled to run approximately 90 minutes and will be held at Augusta Health’s Community Care Building in Fishersville. Those in attendance are encouraged to bring a brown-bagged lunch to enjoy during the event.
The Lunch and Learn series has covered a variety of topics related to affordable housing. Topics have included critical home repair, community land trusts and housing justice and the poor.
“Every child deserves not just a place in the classroom, but a place in our hearts,” said Ryan Barber, assistant superintendent of Waynesboro Public Schools. “When we serve students experiencing homelessness, we affirm their dignity and invest in a future where every student, regardless of circumstance, has the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive. We truly believe in the power of education to change outcomes for our students.”
The three local public school systems have access to funding to ensure students have access to free and appropriate public education regardless of their housing and financial issues.
“Supporting students experiencing homelessness is crucial, because it directly affects a student’s ability to succeed academically, emotionally and socially,” said Ashley Whitesel, the homeless liaison coordinator for Augusta County Public Schools. “When students experience homelessness, they face numerous challenges that can impede their educational progress.”
Community Foundation of the Central Blue Ridge CEO Dan Layman called the efforts of schools as “heroic.”
“The profound impact of housing insecurity is often lost in conversations about public education in our community,” said Layman. “It is a hard truth to digest, but the efforts of our school districts to overcome these obstacles are equally heroic.”
For more information, visit www.sawhousing.com
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Crystal Graham
