SCHENECTADY — Each school day, CSEA members in school districts across the state do the quiet work of community building.
This work goes beyond job descriptions or time clocks; it helps kids and families and weaves the fabric of communities.
This is especially true in high-needs districts, where the entire school community works together to overcome barriers to education.
In the Schenectady City School District, several programs are in place to ensure that kids are in seats and ready to learn. Programs like “The Walking School Bus,” the “Unique Boutique,” a community room and a pantry program support families and learning.
The Walking School Bus program at Schenectady’s Martin Luther King Elementary school is staffed by volunteers who are also CSEA members working for the district. Kids who are habitually tardy or absent are identified for pickup.
Each school day, the group walks from home to home, picking up kids and getting them to school safe and on time. When the last bell rings, the “bus” heads out again, dropping students safely home.
Schenectady City School District Secretaries/Registered Nurses Unit President Beverly Healey noted that in high-needs districts, lack of clean clothing correlates with increased absence from school.
The district solves for that by offering a community room where parents can come without judgment or cost to use laundry facilities.
The community room at MLK provides a welcoming atmosphere and features couches and chairs so parents can wait comfortably while doing laundry.
Also part of the community room is a full kitchen. Nutrition is another known barrier to learning.
When Safety Officer Kissair Savage arrives at school after her time staffing the Walking School Bus, she often makes breakfast for kids and she reports that her pancakes are a crowd favorite.
Christine Ewert, another Walking School Bus volunteer, frequently whips up some hot chocolate coming off those winter walks on the “school bus.”
At the school’s “Unique Boutique,” kids can select clothes, shoes or accessories from the displays, all donated by the community and through nonprofits like Schenectady’s City Mission, who along with local businesses sponsor a “Back to School Block Party” each summer with free food, drinks, clothing, school supplies and haircuts.
While these programs help bridge the needs of the community, they also serve another purpose — to break down barriers for families who can benefit from the support but may not feel comfortable asking for help or visibly receiving help.
Ewert said it is all about making people feel comfortable.
“The pantry or Unique Boutique, it’s for everyone. Parents can slip a note in their kid’s backpack and I will take care of it, sending some pantry items home with their kid,” said Ewert. “I talk to parents all the time to build that trust, for things to feel inclusive. If you can’t come to the school, I’ll bring it your house.”
CSEA Capital Region President Shana Davis, who spearheaded a donation drive for the MLK community, stopped by the school in December to deliver gloves, hats, scarves and laundry detergent to support the school programs and thank members for their efforts.
“The community part of this work and the partnership is what stands out,” said Davis. “I want to thank Capital Region members who donated so generously to the drive and also thank these members who work so hard to help the community.”
— Therese Assalian