District Programming Information

Programs

Parent Academy
Saturday Academy
ESL Newcomers Academy
Take Two EOC Re-administration
Counseling Services
Student and Family Assistance
- School Social Workers
- School Nurses
- School Wellness Centers
- System and Care
McKinney Vento Homeless Assistance
504 Services
Exceptional Children's Services
Mental Health Services
- Alliance Behavioral Health
- Duke
- Durham Co. Healthy Partnership
- Student U
- Youth Risk Behavior
Co-Located Mental Health Services
- Carolina Outreach
- CCFH
- Turning Point
- Upward Change
Second Change Academy
Gang Resistance Education Training Program

Parents

Parent Resource Guide

https://www.dpsnc.net/cms/lib/NC01911152/Centricity/Domain/131/Parent%20Resource%20Guide.9.24.15.pdf

School Social Workers

School Social Workers serve as the link between school and home around issues that are impacting student achievement. The primary focus of the social worker is to ensure that students who have excessive unexcused absences receive the support and follow-up that they need in order to come to school every day.

Contact: Theresa McGowan, 919-560-2122 Ext. 35733

School Wellness Centers

School Wellness Centers offer medical/physical and emotional well-being services at school-based wellness clinics through a partnership with Duke University Health System’s Lincoln Community Health Center. The school sites are staffed by medical personnel who, with parental permission, see students to address medical and social/emotional issues that are interfering in the learning process.

Contact: Rick Lemke

Systems of Care

System of Care is an integrated network of community resources and services which supports collaboration among families, professionals, and the community. The local system of care integrates the work of education, juvenile justice, health, mental health, child welfare, family court, other community organizations, and families form teams that share the responsibility to ensure that children and families have access to the services and supports they need.

Contact: Dr. Christopher Soto, 919-560-2208 Ext. 85309

Office of Transitional Services (Homeless)

Homeless Liaison Services are mandated to all students who meet the federal definitions of a homeless student under the McKinney-Vento Act. Services are provided to ensure equal access to educational opportunities for students whose families are homeless or are in transitional living situations.

McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act

In January of 2002, Congress authorized the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act to assist families and youth experiencing homelessness. This Act entitles children who lack a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence to a free, appropriate education and requires schools to remove barriers to their enrollment, attendance and success in school. The McKinney-Vento Program meets the needs of homeless students attending Durham Public Schools by addressing academic challenges and family issues affecting their success in school.

Example living situations that may qualify include, but are not limited to:

Living with a friend, relative or other person/family because of a loss of housing
Staying in a motel or hotel because of a loss of housing or fleeing domestic violence
Living in an emergency shelter, transitional housing or domestic violence shelter
Living in a car, park or public place, abandoned building or bus station
Living temporarily in substandard housing
Living in a campground or an inadequate trailer home
Living in a runaway or homeless youth shelter
Youth living on their own, even if their families want them to come home

The McKinney-Vento Program also meets the needs of "a youth not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian" (42 USC §11434a(6), 2001). Youth not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian and lacking a fixed, regular and adequate residence are referred to as unaccompanied homeless youth. Youth who run away are also eligible for services even if the parent/guardian/caregiver wishes the student to return home. Some reasons a youth may be on his/her own include, but is not limited to, family dysfunction, parental neglect and abuse (emotional, physical, sexual, or substance), incarceration, illness and deportation. Runaway youth and unaccompanied homeless youth are eligible to be enrolled immediately without a legal guardian. Under the McKinney-Vento Program, there is no age limit for an unaccompanied homeless or runaway youth as long as the student is eligible for K-12 public education in NC. Schools must immediately alert the School Social Worker or the District McKinney-Vento Liaison if presented with a possible runaway or unaccompanied homeless youth.

Family Academy

Family Academy, in partnership with Title I, is a family engagement initiative of Durham Public Schools, helping parents and families to become full partners in our students’ education. Classes and events focus on what students are learning in schools, encouraging positive behavior, the IEP process, test prep, helping with homework, advocacy, parent leadership and so much more. Research confirms that when there is a high level of parent engagement we can anticipate that children will have higher grades, improved test scores and graduation rates, improved student attendance, and decreased discipline problems. We invite schools to work with families and select classes that are aligned with student learning goals.

Family Academy connects with Community Partners to provide a variety of topics that supports family health and wellness, family support, child development, homework support, and social and emotional learning. Explore these resources on pages 10 and 11 of the Signature Classes and Resources Catalog.

Parent Communication

Connet Ed
Newsletters
Remind 101 App
Class Website
School Website
The communication systems varies from school to school.
We will use parent surveys to determine if parents feel that communication is effective

Community Connections

HEALTHY FUTURES DURHAM SCHOOLS CLINICS

Healthy Futures Durham Schools is an innovative health care delivery model provided by the Durham County Department of Public Health, in partnership with Durham Public Schools and Duke Health. If you're looking for a place to get your children immunized before school starts or just need to do their annual checkups, then visit one of the Healthy Futures Durham Schools clinics at one of these elementary schools: E.K. Powe, George Watts, Glenn, Merrick Moore or Oak Grove. Please visit the Durham County Department of Health for more detailed information.