Schools

Darien's Schools Rally to Help Students in Need

A look at how three schools supported the economically disadvantaged this year.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics released statistics last week that hint an economic recovery may be slowing. Across the U.S., the jobless rate in May held steady from April at 9.1 percent.

In Darien the economic struggles of the past few years have made life tough in some way for nearly everyone. But like any good parent, the schools did their best this year to insulate children from hardship.

Most of the time the schools acted in partnership with parents to preserve as much normalcy as possible for children in the midst of economic turmoil.

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Since 2007, has seen the number of students eligible for state-funded free or reduced lunches increase to 27.4 percent from 17.1 percent, according to the Illinois State Board of Education. The school serves students grades three through five.

Social worker Megan Seagraves said she has observed an increase in the number of families requesting donations from the school’s annual coat drive, as well as a greater demand for provisions from food pantries.

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The economic troubles have reached widely across the district, she said.

“When parents do call asking for help, they say, ‘I can’t believe I have to make this call,’” she said. “They didn’t think they’d ever need to reach out.”

But Principal Marty Casey said just as families adapt when things get tight, so too has the school adjusted to maintain consistency for students facing economic difficulties at home.

The school helps cover the cost of field trips and other extras if it would prove burdensome to the family, Casey said.

“We want to make the students’ experience as normal as possible,” Casey said. “We don’t want them to miss any opportunity.”

Lace has also worked with local groups such as Smile Illinois and the Darien Lions Club to provide dental and vision checkups for students.

Parents stay very involved as the school does its part to lend a helping hand. This spring, Seagraves said the school worked with a single mom, who’s laboring at two jobs, to get eyeglasses for her daughter.

“Many parents do everything within their power to make sure their kids are impacted as little as possible,” Casey said.

Supportive partnerships

Amy Malone, a social worker in , said that she has had some parents reach out to let the school know there has been some sort of economic change at home, such as a layoff.

“Kids are so resilient,” said Helen Park, a counselor at District 63’s . “And parents do take the necessary steps to ensure their child is safe and comfortable.”

The District 63 schools—which also include —reported the number of students eligible for free or reduced lunches increased to 15.4 percent in 2011 from 5.42 percent in 2007.

But Park said the district has acted to help struggling families by collecting donations from the community, as well as working with stores such as Macy’s to provide winter coats for children.

The donations are done anonymously, so for the kids it’s like getting a present, Park said. She described one child this year who came in on a Monday excited about the new coat her mom had given her over the weekend.

District 63 schools take a “whole child” approach by also educating the students about underprivileged children living in other countries, Park said.

“It not only teaches them empathy but it also gives them the energy to help others,” she said. 

Positive resolve

Over in ,  social worker Val McCaffrey said that parents will call her seeking advice on how to discuss tough topics such as a layoff with their children.

But the difficult times have netted out positive energy among many of the students, she said.

“There’s a general acceptance that this is the condition, this is the way it is now,” McCaffrey said. “It’s almost motivating: Kids think, ‘If I want to do well, I want to work hard at school.’”

Although a relatively small portion of Lakeview students participate in the free or reduced lunch program, the number has risen since 2007 to 6.73 percent from 3.58 percent, according to the ISBE.

District 63 participates in a number of charitable endeavors, McCaffrey said, partnering with groups such as the Darien Lions Club and to help kids out.

The district also has made it a longtime priority to cover participation costs for sports and most other extracurricular activities, regardless a child’s financial situation, said Supt. Jay Tiede.

And despite the district’s own challenges, such as delayed state payments and slow-growing investments, Tiede said the district is committed to keeping it that way.

“The board has been pretty resolved that they’d like to try and not charge for participation in extracurricular programs,” he said.

At Lace, participation in one specific type of extracurricular has been booming: charitable work.

Casey said the school sponsored numerous drives and fund-raisers during the 2010-11 school year, and participation was as strong as ever.

“Even kids who are having a difficult time will find something to donate,” he said. “There’s a real understanding that other people need help.”

So although corporate greed largely contributed to the economic meltdown, Darien’s school children—even those in need—have taken from this time a lesson in giving.


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