students running

PUSD Family Resource Center Changes Lives

00:00 AM - May 22, 2019

FRC Director, Kim Kahn, and McKinney-Vento Aide, Bethany Bowers, showcase the Clothing Closet – a critical piece of the PUSD Family Resource Center.

The Placerville Union School District (PUSD) is fortunate to serve diverse student and family populations through Edwin Markham Middle, Louisiana Schnell Elementary and Sierra Schools. Approximately 1,300 students call PUSD home, and 56 percent are classified as low income. Over the past five years, PUSD has served a high of 188 McKinney-Vento(Homeless)/Foster students to a low of 91. When students experience a level of instability at home (trauma, neglect, homelessness, poverty, etc.), they become at-risk of falling behind in school and life.  Therefore, PUSD takes steps to ensure vital services are available to those who need a helping hand today, so they may ultimately thrive in the community tomorrow.

For the last 17 years, the PUSD Family Resource Center (FRC), located at Schnell School, has benefitted countless individuals with a wide array of services and tools. The FRC works closely with a large range of community agencies to have the most current information, community activities, counseling, and medical support. When qualified, students receive daily wrap-around support including shoes, backpacks, clothes, transportation to and from school, after-school enrichment registration, books, regular check-ins, and more. Kim Kahn is the Family Resource Center Director and explained, “We are a grant-funded program that is here to help! Students come to us and feel cared for regardless of what is going on at home.” The FRC is funded through the Education for Homeless Children and Youth Grant Program and has received grants from the El Dorado Community Foundation and other local charities.  PUSD understands the importance of serving this population and commits significant general fund money to meet all the needs required.

FRC Director, Kim Kahn, and McKinney-Vento Aide, Bethany Bowers, welcome families into the PUSD Family Resource Center located at Louisiana Schnell Elementary School in Placerville. 

Many community organizations support the Family Resource Center. “We cannot thank our community partners enough for everything they provide to our students and families,” PUSD Superintendent, Eric Bonniksen, noted. “I’m grateful for our hard-working team and their accomplishments for our community.” Through monthly newsletters titled “Tips on Supporting Homeless (MV-McKinney Vento) Youth”, the FRC informs district staff on current events and resources offered by the community to help guide families towards success.

Kim went on to explain, “The FRC gives families a renewed sense of confidence that they are supported. What can we do to take away the barriers? We want families to know that we are listening to them and doing what we can to help them become successful during challenging times.”

FRC Director, Kim Kahn, spends quality one-on-one time with a student.

For example, the FRC helped a homeless and jobless family last year who expressed, “You have gone above and beyond every day to be sure our family has what we need or require due to our family situation of being homeless. You continue to strive and make it ‘a mission’ to help my family and other families I know of with anything from snacks for my daughter, clothes, gas cards, community giveaways, transportation needs, school lunch programs, hand-knitted fabrics and you have at one point even taken an ambulance ride with my daughter to the hospital.” Today, the parent is employed, the student regularly attends school, and she is performing well. The family has aspirations of purchasing a home in El Dorado County. This is not an uncommon story.

For more information about PUSD, visit https://www.pusdk8.us/

Back Back