Keeping kids warm a priority for Elkhart schoolsby Ed Ernstes (ernstes@wsbt.com)
Roosevelt Primary School Asst. Principal Andy Wood folds a jacket that was donated as part of a program to help clothe students of the Elkhart school, 90 percent of whom live in poverty. (WSBT photo) ELKHART — Schools are dealing with students who come to school ill-equipped to face the day’s activities. In some areas, the problem is getting worse. Area schools are seeing a growing number of parents who can't afford their children's clothes for winter. Multimedia As winter weather approaches, students in the Elkhart school system can be found bundling up for the cold. But at Roosevelt K-2 Primary, that's not always the case. There is a 90 percent poverty rate for families with children who attend that school. “They're coming in without socks, underwear, coats, gloves and it affects their attendance and it also affects their ability to pay attention," explained Asst. Principal Andy Wood. The school has set up its own in-house project to provide students with what they need. "We try to protect the dignity of all the students and families and so we find students in need very discreetly," added Wood. Staff members, including the school nurse and social worker, many times are the first to notice that students here do not have the proper clothing. “Well with the colder weather that's now upon us, I am seeing quite a bit of kids coming into school, they don't come in with coats and they're having a lot of sore throats, coughing," said school nurse Beth Malloy. "A lot of our kids just will tell you ‘I don't have a warm coat,’ and we'll just take them up here and give them a coat, and they're just excited to have something new," added social worker Danielle Miller. Roosevelt Primary School keeps its clothing program going with the help of donations. Hawthorne Elementary has a similar clothing project. Most PopularMore Good Stuff |
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