Getting Back to Our Roots to Move Forward
As a new school year begins, there is a brief period of time to reprogram young minds about what they last studied which establishes the continuum of learning. It's a little bit like "remembering where you've been to see where you're going."
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Artwork completed by CORA Educator, Jill Van Rawley |
This seems to be a running theme that is being replicated here at CORA. In September, the entire staff came together to celebrate Heritage Day. The purpose of this event was to remember where we come from, why our mission matters, and how it drives our work now and into the future. One of our educators, Jill Van Rawley, interpreted the day's discussion with a visual representation. This time was special and important to the leadership and staff, as we continue our 45th anniversary and look to the next iteration of CORA Services, its programs and deepening commitment to serving the needs of the community.
Heritage Day was just the beginning of this exploration into the past, experience of the present, and preparation for the future. Our Board of Directors has begun a strategic planning process to examine opportunities for CORA's growth and expansion over the next three years, keeping children and families at the heart of the matter. I look forward to updating the community on our progress and sharing highlights of our plan upon completion of the process.
We
 welcomed
Stacy MacMurray Leonard, MSW, MEd as the new Director of Intervention Services in July. The Out of School Time (OST) Program has grown with great success. The OST Program was initially implemented at Northwood and Thurgood Marshall schools with a staff of 13 serving 120 children during the 2015-2016 academic year. For this current school year, CORA will be extending OST to include Pollock, Loesche and George Washington for a projected total of 230 students. To accommodate this expansion, seven new staff members will be hired. I am so grateful for the hard work demonstrated by Stacy , Kyle Rouse and the staff!
AnnMarie Schultz
President & Chief Executive Officer
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CORA's BACK TO SCHOOL
Back to School Moments for our CORA Staff and family.
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CORA Early Years were full of excitement as they started their first days in preschool.
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CORA's 40 paraprofessionals will serve six schools in the ChiChester School District.
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CORA's Truancy Staff will attend several Back to School Nights this month to help educate families.
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Gearing Up for the School Year
Truancy Case Managers Helping Families
CORA's Truancy Case Managers are gearing up for the 2016-2017 school year with over 200 activecases to help families in the Northeast section of Philadelphia. Last year, we served over 1000 students in our prevention and intervention services. Under the supervision of Roxanne Green, staff are helping students transfer to appropriate schools, following up on paperwork for needed academic support and assisting parents with interagency meetings to start the year on a positive note. CORA will show a presence at Back to School Nights at about 20 schools throughout the Northeast section of Philadelphia. Staff has begun to meet with principals of our 33 partner schools to discuss truancy prevention services for the upcoming year.
Throughout the year, CORA focuses on intervention resources to help students re-engage with schools and reduce barriers to consistently attending school. As child advocates, case managers provide assessment reports to Family Court in the best interest of the child. CORA tries to help families overcome obstacles that cause truancy. The program's goals include identifying youth at-risk of truancy and providing resources to improve regular attendance. Usual cases of truancy with the Philadelphia School District involve families going on vacation, immigrating into the community, loss of student motivation, gaps in medical care and issues with bullying.
A new rule from the School District of Philadelphia states that a child coming after 10am in the morning or leaving before 1 pm is considered a half day unexcused. According to Pennsylvania State law, a child becomes truant when there are 10 or more unexcused absences. "Parents are often unaware that school year vacations are marked an unexcused absence even if a note is sent in by the parents," reports Roxanne Green, CORA's Truancy Services Supervisor. To have a successful school year, Roxanne recommends for families to limit TV/Screen time close to bedtime, ask students about their school day every day, and promote learning outside of the school building through extra-curricular activities or supporting their hobbies.
Parents can improve student attendance by
- Understanding each school's attendance policy
- Setting a bed time/curfew that is age appropriate
- Creating a plan for getting to and from school
- Scheduling doctor appointments after school hours
- Communicating with school about any prolonged absence with excuse notes
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Save the Date to Celebrate CORA!
On
Tuesday, November 22nd, we will celebrate the 45th Anniversary of CORA Services and give thanks to our friends, community leaders, partners and an amazing team of professionals, who support our mission to help children and families.
Champions for Children Celebration
Tuesday, November 22, 2016 | 5:30-8:00 PM
The Union League of Philadelphia
LEARN MORE ABOUT SPONSORSPHIPS & TICKETS HERE
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