Letter to the Editor: Readiness to Learn thanks Community Foundation for grant

Last Friday, the Orcas Island Community Foundation (OICF) awarded the Readiness to Learn school program $7,500 in a Community Endowment Grant “for the purpose of connecting needy families with social services and providing emergency funds.”

Readiness to Learn is the name of the program that enlists social services in the community when a student or group of students has some obstacle that makes it difficult to come to school every day “ready to learn.”

The program is administered through the Orcas Island School District and for the last nine years, has been funded primarily through the state Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction.

The times they are a-changin’ – there is an increase in students who speak English as a second language, and the numbers of unemployed and foreclosed families are also increasing. These and other stressors on families make it hard for many children to be ready to learn when they come to school.

These needs have become increasingly apparent to RTL Family Advocates, this year Moriah Armstrong and Julie Pinardi; next year, Family Advocate Sandi Burt will return to the district.

Through their efforts, and a caring community, students are able to do their work – which is acquiring social, emotional and academic knowledge, not worrying if their mom can get a job, or if their dad will get well, or if their family will have to find another place to live – or even if they’re going to be able to go on a $40 field trip with the rest of their class.

RTL provides counseling referrals, social service and Medicaid referrals, parent social gatherings in their children’s classrooms, parenting classes, “Family Nights Out,” with the cooperation of Camp Orkila, talk circles where middle school students, with the participation of Family Advocate Julie Pinardi, can air their worries and concerns, just to cite some of the RTL programs.

In addition, RTL administers an emergency account, funded by island donors, that has helped with rental assistance, utilities, transportation, scholarships, right down to food and shoes.

RTL also serves as the homeless liaison, researching emergency housing resources for students and their families. And yes, even on our “hamlet-sized” community, we have homeless students.

While we often focus on small groups or individual students, the programs of RTL and its partners are able to support success at school and health and safety in home and community for a far larger number of students and their families.

The Orcas Island Community Foundation has given Readiness to Learn and the Orcas Island School District a huge “vote of confidence” in the $7,500 grant awarded to us. We are deeply grateful that we will be able to continue to help our kids and our community in this way.

For some of our most vulnerable children, the need is overwhelming. We all can be generous, and the Community Foundation is leading the way to seeing and answering the needs of Orcas Islanders.

We want Orcas Islanders to know that we welcome their concerns if they should see a child in need of financial, emotional, social or academic support. Please feel free to contact Readiness to Learn at 376-1566, or email mdoyle@orcas.k12.wa.us.

All information and services are confidential.

Thank you, Orcas Island Community Foundation,

Margie Doyle

Readiness to Learn Coordinator