A Virginia principal on achieving equity amid poverty
It’s difficult for children to be hungry for knowledge when they’re physically hungry for food and emotionally hungry for attention.
Another challenge is that many students arrive at school feeling stressed out or traumatized by their home environment. They don’t just come to school in need of an education; they come to us in need of social-emotional support. So, each morning, we watch students as they arrive. We look for signs of trouble so we can address it early with counseling or other support to ease their transition into the school environment. Students know they can get a hug from me if they need it. Sometimes that alone is enough to calm them so they can settle into learning.
We don’t judge or blame students — or their families — when they show up hungry because there’s no food at home, or tired because they don’t have a bed to sleep in, or wearing dirty clothes. Instead, we provide solutions wherever we can. For example, we keep a washer and dryer in a storage room and use it throughout the day. We have a collection of clothing donations so students have something to wear while their clothes are being washed. Most importantly, we treat our students like they’re our own children.
To be successful, we believe that we need to educate and strengthen the whole child and empower the family. At Highland View Elementary, our goal isn’t just to make a difference in students’ and families’ lives; we want to be the difference in their lives.
To read more of the Opinion authored by Principal Pamela Davis Smith, please click here.
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