We believe in the power of nurturing, transforming, and inspiring the lives of kids by supporting programs that go beyond the scope of traditional education and more. This week, we spotlight Lumen High School in Washington State, the recipient of our recent $10,000 grant. This grant will help foster Lumen High School’s innovative Collaborative Problem Solving program, aimed at empowering students and staff through restorative practices and neurological research. In this blog, we will dive deeper into the program’s objectives, outcomes, and how it stands to impact the Lumen High School community positively.
Lumen High School and the Charter School Structure
Lumen High School is a public charter school committed to empowering two generations by providing high academic standards, a specialized early learning center, and wrap-around support to meet the layered needs of teen parents.
A charter school is a public school that operates as a school of choice. Charter schools commit to obtaining specific educational objectives in return for a charter operating a school. Charter schools are exempt from significant state or local regulations related to operation and management but otherwise adhere to the rules of public schools — for example; charter schools cannot charge tuition or affiliate with a religious institution.
In other words, charter schools are publicly accountable — they rely on families choosing to enroll their children and must have a written performance contract with the authorized public chartering agency. Charter schools are also autonomous — they have more flexibility in the operations and management of the school than traditional public schools. For further information, refer to a list of charter terms and definitions (PDF).
Guaranteeing Education To Marginalized Kids
Lumen High School receives funding from Title I. Title I is a section of federal education law that provides funding to elementary and secondary schools for programs and services to help marginañiozed students succeed. Title I is the most extensive federal aid program available to elementary and secondary schools. If you would like more information about Title I, click here.
The term “Title I school” traces its roots to President Lyndon B. Johnson’s War on Poverty policy in 1965, with Title I funds being one of its cornerstones. Title I is also a focal point of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. The program gives a fair chance to improve US students’ academic achievements through funding holistically (Bajak et al., 2020).
Lumen High School is rooted in belonging, social justice, and empowering our staff, students, and their children so that students’ roles as a parent will not be at odds with their roles as students.
Lumen High School Offers GLOW (Go Light Our Way)
Lumen offers 50-75 students and staff a not-for-profit childcare center. Lumen Early Learning Center (LELC) serves children from birth through twelve years old. Our mission is threefold: (1) to provide a safe and healthy early education program primarily for children whose parents attend Lumen High School, (2) to educate and advocate at the local and state level about the benefits of high-quality early education programs and (3) to address the crucial issues of poverty, trauma, and equity particularly within vulnerable populations, such as teenaged parents.
Collaborative Problem-Solving Program gets a Boost with Believe In Me Award
The collaborative problem-solving program is a skill-building, brain-building approach that uses restorative practices and what is known about the neurological functioning of the brain to create an environment where all staff and students can learn skills, heal their brains and grow both academically and professionally. Keep reading the blog to learn more about this program and Lumen High School. In addition, it builds empathy amid interpersonal ruptures and creates a culture of trust and belonging. We are excited to be a part of the critical work Lumen High School is doing to help pregnant and new teen parents between the ages of 14 to 21-year-old, to stay on track with their futures and have academic success!
Students gain essential skills needed to raise healthy children and receive appropriate coursework required to graduate prepared for contribution to their community and advancement into higher education and future careers.
The Future is Bright for Young Parents and Pregnant Teens
As staff and students grow, heal and learn together, the Collaborative Problem Solving program has a ripple effect throughout the school community. By fostering a culture of empathy and collaboration, the atmosphere at Lumen High School is a supportive and nurturing space for students and their families. The program’s impact extends into the community by enabling students to become better parents, employees, and community leaders.
The $10,000 grant from Wrap Around will provide invaluable support to help Lumen High School expand the Collaborative Problem Solving program. The grant will fund staff training, curriculum development, and resources necessary to implement the program effectively. With this support, Lumen High School can continue nurturing its students and creating more success stories for future generations.
