Back to School at Joshua Station

Figuring out school for your kids during the Covid-19? You’re in the same boat with Joshua Station families this fall. Spring 2020 was about simply making it through. For this coming school year, our parents are eager for their kids to thrive.

Joining our residents in their determination, we provide robust educational support. Joshua Station Education Liaison Benjamin Armas meets with each family regularly to assess students’ unique needs, goals, and progress. Getting on track with stable schooling is always a huge challenge in the aftermath of homelessness, let alone in 2020. Benjamin, together with our four staff Family Advocates, make vital connections. Thanks to the federal McKinney-Vento Act, every school district has a homeless education liaison—and Calvin Knutzen, assigned to our neighborhood by Denver Public Schools, has been fantastic.

Desiree, a new resident, is pouring all her effort into making sure her five-year-old son’s very first school experience will be a great one. “She’s taken this whole thing head on—she’s on it,” says Benjamin. Desiree knew she didn’t have enough information to choose a school program, so she met with Calvin at Joshua Station to get a clearer picture and learn about homelessness-focused resources.

“Along the way, I’m in Desiree’s ear as a cheerleader, affirming what an amazing job she’s doing as a mom right now,” Benjamin says. He designs daily/weekly planners and other tools to help our families create learning structure in their homes. He facilitates weekday morning enrichment activities with local artists and gets kids moving their bodies and minds outdoors. With our team, he’s repurposing common spaces for group remote learning pods, and working on the big need for wifi hotspots on location. “I tell our families we’re all new at this situation—parents, students, teachers, principals, Joshua Station. We might strike out sometimes, but we’re figuring it out.”