Where Do Kids Come From?
SUPPORTING OUR STUDENTS
Ingrid Cruz, School Counselor
Judy Soto, School Social Worker
Natalie Stokes, School Psychologist
Instructions
 Please get into groups.
 Read the scenario provided to your
group.
 Come up with 2 possible reasons why
the student in your scenario is behaving
the way s/he is.
 Be prepared to share at least 1! 
Elementary Report Card Behavioral Data:
District 4th Quarter
Targeted Area
Satisfactory
Needs Improvement
Unsatisfactory
Study Skills
81%
16%
3%
Peer-Adult Interactions
91%
7%
2%
Self-Control
87%
10%
3%
Report Card Behavioral Data for 4th Quarter
Study Skills
Satisfactory
Needs Improvement
Unsatisfactory
Males
75%
20%
5%
Females
87%
11%
2%
Peer-Adult Interactions
Satisfactory
Needs Improvement
Unsatisfactory
Males
88%
9%
3%
Females
94%
5%
1%
Self-Control
Satisfactory
Needs Improvement
Unsatisfactory
Males
81%
15%
4%
Females
93%
6%
1%
Report Card Behavioral Data for 4th Quarter
Study Skills
American Indian/Alaska Native
Asian
Black
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
Hispanic
Multiracial
White
Satisfactory
85%
93%
70%
80%
82%
79%
83%
Needs Improvement
11%
7%
23%
20%
15%
16%
14%
Unsatisfactory
3%
1%
6%
0%
3%
5%
3%
Report Card Behavioral Data for 4th Quarter
Peer-Adult Interactions
American Indian/Alaska Native
Asian
Black
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
Hispanic or Latino
Multiracial
White
Self-Control
American Indian/Alaska Native
Asian
Black
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
Hispanic or Latino
Multiracial
White
Satisfactory
94%
99%
80%
91%
93%
89%
93%
Satisfactory
89%
96%
76%
86%
89%
86%
89%
Needs Improvement
6%
1%
15%
9%
6%
9%
6%
Needs Improvement
11%
3%
17%
14%
9%
11%
9%
Unsatisfactory
0%
0%
5%
0%
1%
3%
1%
Unsatisfactory
0%
1%
7%
0%
2%
3%
2%
District Discipline Data: Elementary 2013-2014
Gender
Male
Female
Total
Race
American Indian/Alaska Native
Asian
Black
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
Hispanic or Latino
Multiracial
White
%age of Population with a Discipline Referral
23%
8%
16%
%age of Population with Discipline Referrals
15%
4%
30%
17%
14%
18%
13%
District Discipline Data: Middle 2013-2014
Gender
Male
Female
Total
%age of Population with a Discipline Referral
47%
28%
38%
Race
American Indian/Alaska Native
Asian
Black
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
Hispanic or Latino
Multiracial
White
%age of Population with Discipline Referrals
56%
9%
68%
36%
38%
43%
31%
District Discipline Data: High 2013-2014
Gender
Male
Female
Total
Race
American Indian/Alaska Native
Asian
Black
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
Hispanic or Latino
Multiracial
White
%age of Population with a Discipline Referral
47%
34%
40%
%age of Population with Discipline Referrals
56%
15%
57%
47%
43%
44%
36%
Dive, dive, dive!!!!!!!
Homeless Children in Florida
HTTPS://M.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=XDWWD0DZ6LY
Causes of Poverty & Homelessness
 Loss of Job/Income
 Divorce
 Incarcerated Parent
 Domestic Abuse
 Substance Abuse
 Eviction
Symptoms of Poverty & Homelessness
 Hunger
 Poor hygiene
 Inadequate clothing
 Lack of school materials/supplies
 Inability to complete work
 Gaps in knowledge and skills
 Fatigue
 Erratic attendance
 Undiagnosed/untreated learning disabilities
Symptoms of Poverty & Homelessness:
Social/Emotional
 Difficulty completing
 Short attention span
tasks
 Resistance to forming
relationships
 Frustration/Aggression

Distancing themselves
from peers
 Seemingly uncaring
about schoolwork
 Shame
 Sadness/Depression
 Difficulty with
transitions
 No sense of roots,
personal space, or
possessions
 Restlessness
What we can do to help
 Be supportive


Listen and reassure students that there are adults who
care
Provide school supplies as needed

Have a location in classroom where they can keep supplies (bucket, cubby,
etc.)
Provide time to do their homework/projects during
school day
 Access student services team for community resources
 Have routines
 Teach appropriate ways to resolve conflict

What we can do to help
 Encourage participation in extracurricular activities
Help students access available scholarships
 Be flexible and creative with parent contact
 Vary days/times for conferences
 Coordinate a school wide parent/teacher conference
night
 Be open to using technology
 Have a library or resource center for parents with
information on child development, parenting tips, building
family routines/traditions, etc…

What we can do to help
 Contact parent to provide positive feedback
 Have breakfast snacks for students in need
 Allow time in class to use internet for projects
 Use ICEL when problem-solving
 Use positive class-wide strategies rather than
shame-based systems
 Take time to access professional development
opportunities regarding poverty & homelessness
What we can do to help
 Invite guest speakers to share personal life





experiences & success stories/strategies
Access available funds to help students cover fees for
school events
Provide mentors
Have a volunteer come represent the student’s
parent during events
Look for ways to build connections with classmates
Add hygiene supplies to any food pantries at school
Links & Resources
 http://www.nlchp.org/
 http://www.apa.org/pi/families/poverty.aspx
 http://www.nationalhomeless.org/factsheets/familie
s.html
 http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/progra
m_offices/comm_planning/homeless
 http://www.endhomelessness.org/pages/families
 The Where to Look Book
Activity
 Break into your groups and come
up with 2 things you could do to
help the student in your scenario.
 Be prepared to share at least 1.
One last time! Get your tissues.
“IT'S THE CHILDREN THE WORLD
ALMOST BREAKS WHO GROW UP TO
SAVE IT.”
― FRANK WARREN