May 2019 - Supporting Families

By Brook Price, Principal, Woodland Elementary School

We began a “Basic Needs Shop” at Woodland Elementary School this school year, where teachers may take items for a for a family in need and discreetly place them in a student’s backpack as needed, such as snacks, toiletry items and gently used outwear. Our faculty and staff members were the driving force behind setting this up. We all became aware of how many employees would see a need and then go purchase an item for a family. We decided we need a more intentional effort that can enable them to immediately react. With the Basic Needs Shop, they are able to grab an item that is needed and send it home that day.

Items are sent home in student backpacks with a little note from Woodland that says: “The community has been generous in donating various items to Woodland Elementary. Please accept this gift for your family. If we can provide additional support, please contact Mrs. Ohms at [email protected] or Mrs. Price at [email protected].”

The Basic Needs Shop started with donations from teachers, but then the First Alliance Church collected and donated items that allowed us to broaden what our shop had to offer. We added these donations to the generous donation of food items from the Islamic Food Bank and individual families began to donate as well. To receive items, there is no red tape and no application. For those who need a larger amount of food items than a student could carry discreetly in a backpack, we drop them off for the family. In addition to donated items, the American Legion and First Alliance Church have provided monetary donations that are used to assist with student lunch fees.

There was a lot of conversation around putting ourselves in the position of the student and their family members. How would you feel if other kids asked why you were getting these items? How would you respond? We decided discretion was the best route.

School district-wide, over 11% of our students are participating in the free or reduced-price lunch program. Others may not qualify for this program but may have experienced a life event suddenly that has created a need, such as the loss of a job, hospitalization of a parent, etc.

While people may be aware of different avenues for assistance through school, we have found many are often hesitant to inquire further. My school counselor or I reach out personally with a phone call or email, for example if a lunch account is low, to let them know we have help available if needed. Sometimes they just forgot to put more money in the account, but so often I will get an email response of relief that there is help available.

This also opens lines of communication we may not otherwise have had. A family may owe us money on a lunch account, so we can get that off the table so they still feel comfortable talking with us about educational matters. When basic needs are met, then children are much better able to learn.

Woodland Parents Club has also adjusted its programs to be more sensitive to the range of socioeconomic status amongst the student body by selecting activities that are more inclusive and that involve fewer individual fees.

In addition to the Basic Needs Shop, Woodland also offers Book Fair and YMCA Summer Program scholarships as well as funding through the Studer Foundation. The Studer Foundation is a long-standing assistance fund at Woodland Elementary established in honor of Mr. Larry Studer, former and first principal of Woodland Elementary, at his retirement in 1993. In lieu of gifts, it was Mr. Studer’s wish to start a fund to benefit Woodland families during times of need. Continuing Mr. Studer’s legacy of helping children, the foundation has assisted families during crises, including storm damage, house fires, temporary loss of jobs, illnesses and many other circumstances.

The work of The Studer Foundation continues with the tremendous support of our Perrysburg schools employees, families, community members and retirees. Woodland Elementary staff members annually hold a silent auction, along with other fundraisers, during the year to continue the work that Mr. Studer began. In years past, The Studer Foundation has helped more than 30 students per school year.

Perrysburg Schools is working to create a “Full Experience Fund” at the school district level to help pay for yearbooks, extracurricular tickets and unique school supplies as needed.