Letter to the Editor: Windermere and Readiness to Learn Address Homelessness

Readiness to Learn Thanks Windermere

Readiness to Learn is a K-12 program that has been on Orcas Island for about 12 years. It uniquely serves Orcas Island students from Kindergarten through 12th grade, and their families, through specialists in the Elementary School (Nancy O’Brien) and Middle/High School (Julie Pinardi). It connects students and their families with immediate needs in four areas: academic, medical, social/emotional and basic needs such as food, housing, transportation, always respecting the student’s entitlement to privacy and confidentiality.

Recently the Windermere Foundation, through its Orcas Island office, awarded $925 to Readiness to Learn to help families that come to RTL’s attention, particularly in providing adequate housing. RTL is proud to have merited this award and thanks Moriah Armstrong for initiating this request, and Patsy and Stu Stephens who have shepherded it for four years.

The Readiness to Learn program, through the Orcas Island School District, complies with the McKinney-Vento Homeless Student Enrollment Act, the County Mental Health grant for School-based mental health services and Point-in-Time survey, and Orcas Island School District policies. RTL strives to make sure every island student is “ready to learn” every day, no matter what his or her personal situation.

We also thank the Orcas Angels, a 501(c)3 non-profit, for monitoring the Readiness to Learn Student Family Support Fund, which makes disbursal of funds for RTL-identified needs possible.

RTL will continue to strive to make every Orcas child’s school experiences productive and hopeful. Thank you Winderemere Foundation, for believing in our mission.

Margie Doyle
Readiness to Learn Coordinator, Orcas Island School District