Hancock Place Parents As Teachers Taking on 100 Bayless Families

The Hancock Place School District has agreed to take on approximately 100 high-needs families from the into its Parents As Teachers (PAT) program.

Unable to fully fund its PAT program due to state budget cuts and falling district revenues, Bayless appealed to neighboring districts for help. This year, Hancock personnel will make home visits an provide screening and work referrals for Bayless families enrolled in the program.

PAT is a Missouri nonprofit organization that, through school districts, works with parents to improve early childhood development and education efforts at home. According to www.parentsasteachers.org, the mission of the organization is “to provide the information, support and encouragement parents need to help their children develop optimally during the crucial early years of life.”

Last year, Bayless scaled back its PAT program to cover only high-needs families, Bayless Elementary Principal Gina Siebe said. High-needs families may be single-parent families, families struggling with poverty or families that include children with developmental problems.

This year, Bayless only had funds to pay one parent educator, and Siebe said that one educator could not possibly serve all Bayless families.

Bayless will reimburse Hancock Place an expected $16,500 for taking on these families, but the district will save on the salary of a parent educator. PAT was originally budgeted to cost Bayless $33,500 for the 2011-2012 school year.

At a regular meeting Wednesday night, the Bayless School Board approved this agreement, which was passed earlier by the Hancock Place School Board.

Bayless Superintendent Maureen Clancy-May said she was touched by Hancock’s generosity.

“We are glad that we can help. I feel good that they reached out and asked us,” said new Hancock Place Superintendent Kevin Carl. “Geographically, it makes sense for us to work together.”

Carl stressed that because Bayless was reimbursing his district, the shift would have no impact on Hancock’s budget or on PAT services to Hancock families.

Bayless will continue to provide PAT services to teen parents in the district through one part-time parent educator.

Bayless and Hancock have a history of combining early childhood efforts. In the 1990s, Bayless had a similar PAT arrangement with Hancock.

Carl said that while the current arrangement applies only to this year, a future partnership was possible.