Homeless Children: The McKinney-Vento Act defines children and youth who are homeless (twenty-one years of age and younger) as:

Children and youth who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, and includes children and youth who are:

• sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason (sometimes referred to as double-up);
•  living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to lack of alternative adequate accommodations;
• living emergency or transitional shelters;
• abandoned in hospitals; or
• awaiting foster care placement.
   

Children and youth who have a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designated for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings.

Children and youth who are living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings.

Migratory children who qualify as homeless because they are living in circumstances described above.

If you are personally aware of or are acquainted with any children who may qualify according to the above criteria, the West Bend School District provides the following assurances to parents of homeless children:

• The local district staff person (liaison) for homeless children is Sharon Kailas, Director of Pupil Services, 262-335-5409 and skailas@west-bend.k12.wi.us.
• There shall be immediate enrollment and school participation, even if educational and medical records and proof of residency are not available.
• All educational opportunities and related opportunities for homeless students (preschool to age 21), including unaccompanied youth, shall be the same as for the general student population.
• Enrollment and transportation rights, including transportation to the school of origin. “School of origin” is defined as the school the child or youth attended when permanently housed or the school in which the child or youth was last enrolled.
• Written explanation of a child or youth’s school placement, other than school of origin or the school requested by the parent, with the right to appeal within the local dispute resolution process.
• Meaningful opportunities for parents to participate in the education of their children. These shall include: special notices of events, parent-teacher conferences, newsletters, and access to student records.

Please contact Sharon Kailas, homeless liaison for the West Bend School District for additional information about homeless issues. Ms. Kailas can be reached at 262-335-5409 or skailas@west-bend.k12.wi.us.

Notice of Pupil Non-Discrimination:The West Bend Joint School District #1 will not discriminate against any person, deny admission to any public school, or deny participation in, or the benefits of any curricular, extracurricular, pupil services, recreational or other program or activity because of the person's sex, race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, creed, pregnancy, marital or parental status, sexual orientation or physical, mental, emotional or learning disability. The board policy on pupil nondiscrimination and the complaint procedure is contained in Board Policy 411. Copies of the Board Policy 411 and information about the complaint procedure or how to file a complaint respecting pupil discrimination can be obtained from the West Bend School District Superintendent’s office, at 735 S. Main St., West Bend, WI 53095 (262-335-5435). To file a discrimination complaint, contact Sharon Kailas, Director of Pupil Services, 735 S. Main St., West Bend, WI 53095 (262-335-5409).

Confidentiality of Personally Identifiable Information and Child Find Activities: West Bend Joint School District #1 is required to locate, identify, and evaluate all children, with disabilities, including children with disabilities attending private schools in the school district, and homeless children. The process of locating, identifying, and evaluating children with disabilities is known as child find. This agency conducts the following child find activities each year: monthly formal child find screenings, contact with private schools annually, and notices and referral forms located on the District website. This notice informs parents of the records the school district will develop and maintain as part of its child find activities. This notice also informs parents of theirrights regarding any records developed.
 

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