School attendance is up thanks to Camp Connect, a new program aimed at helping at-risk students to return to school. Created as an extension of the summer academic program Camp Achieve, the Camp Connect Pilot facilitated outreach to families of students with low attendance, many who had not attended school since mid-March.
A cornerstone of our Back to School Connection and Tools initiative, Camp Connect reached out to 75 students from 40 families attending four elementary schools in the District using phone calls, emails, and text messages, followed by home visits. Families were overwhelmed and struggling economically. None had information about getting their children back in school. Through Camp Connect, families received access to much-needed resources including: hotspots, Chromebooks and/or iPads and coaching on distance learning platforms.
Families also connected to the District’s Clothes Closet, to food box deliveries and school meals, and to early learning programs and intervention services for their younger children. All Camp Connect students received a “Student Success Kit” with basic school supplies, made possible by BEF, the School District, and community financial support and donations. Additionally, Camp Connect families received supplies including extension cords, lamps, or lap desks along with a gift card to set up for at-home learning.
Principals at all four schools shared how important home visits were to the success of Camp Connect. “Having something of real value to offer seemed to help families see the schools as their partner,” said Monique Singleton, principal at Vose.
Early results of the pilot were very promising: 90% of Vose families attended the first week of school, as did were 80% of Fir Grove’s families. This is a major achievement when you consider none of these students had been in school since the spring.
Terra Linda Elementary School Principal Christy Batsell praised the program’s outcomes, adding, “The support from BEF made all the difference.”
Based on the incredible success of the Camp Connect Pilot, the program is expanding to better serve students from all of Beaverton’s 34 elementary schools with additional family outreach beginning immediately. Learn more about the expansion.