http://www.nysun.com/article/70679
Mott Haven Academy Charter School in the Bronx plans to blends it education program with city social services in one facility. One wing will be for teachers to teach, and another for case-workers to provide tutoring and lessons in personal responsibility. School founders are seeking to revolutionize the way the government tackles poverty. "Kids come in hungry, kids come in with dirty uniforms on, kids come in late and sleepy - those kinds of issues can eat up your day," said Mott Haven's founding principal, Jessica Nauiokas, a former teacher and assistant principal. With caseworkers just down the hall, teachers would be freed to focus solely on academics. Every time a child misses school, a caseworker, the person who has already been working with their family, will be alerted. Rather than interacting only during infrequent home visits, caseworkers can also meet with parents and students at school at convenient times for families. "There's no reason why caseworkers can't be congregating in the entryway and making informal contact with people - 'Hey heard you had a job interview. Hope it went well,'" said Nauiokas.
Source: New York Sun
Date: 02/02/2008
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