Kanawha County: December Spotlight

I am Mrs. Jenna, and I am the Communities In Schools Site Coordinator at Horace Mann Middle School. This is my second year as a Site Coordinator at this school. Working in a middle school is a very unique population of students, and when I began this journey I knew I had to build trust with my students for them to be honest about their needs.  

In this area of Charleston, there are families who live very close to the school and some who reside across the river, over a mountain, etc. This poses transportation challenges for families with no car. Due to the growing needs of our families- we have been busy creating ways to make sure our school environment is welcoming and meeting those basic needs for students each day.  

This year my goal is to focus on chronic absenteeism. While our overall attendance has improved, there is still the challenge of educating students and parents about the importance of making school attendance a priority.