Principals share hardships of poverty-stricken students
Photo 
Becky Bicha
Photo
John Walczak
JANESVILLE — They might get unruly or fidgety at school on Fridays because they know they're not likely to be well fed for a couple of days.
Back at school on Mondays, they'll eat more than normal.
They're the poor kids who live in Janesville.
If they're homeless, their parents might not tell anyone.
Teachers look for signs:
-- They might come to school in the same clothes day after day.
-- Homework will go undone.
-- They might steal food.
-- They might need a bath.
-- They might be jumpy or sad.
"When they don't know where they're going at the end of the day, that's what's on their minds, not the three states of matter," said Becky Bicha, principal at Wilson Elementary School.
Bicha and John Walczak, principal of Jackson Elementary, spoke about poverty to the local League of Women Voters chapter Wednesday.
As of Monday, Wilson staff knew of 54 cases of homelessness this school year. Jackson has had 16 cases. The principals suspect there are more cases they don't know about.
More often than not, homelessness means doubling up with another family when the family can't pay rent. Walczak cited a recent case of 14 people living in one mobile home.
Seventy-three percent of Jackson students are eligible for the federal free/reduced price lunch program. At Wilson, it's 96 percent.
By these measures, they are the two poorest schools in the district. But the schools are also rich in caring staff and good kids, the principals said.
"Please don't feel sorry for our Wilson kids because they're second to none," Bicha said.
Both schools employ social workers who connect families with school and community resources. Teachers often buy clothes, food or school supplies for "their" kids.
Wilson and Jackson are the only two Janesville schools, by virtue of their poverty rates, that receive state funding to keep student-teacher ratios at 15-to-1 in kindergarten through third grade.
Schools also supply emotional support—hugs—and things kids might not get otherwise, such as field trips, Walczak said.
Volunteers help in a Lunch Buddies program at Jackson, and volunteer mentors are being sought, Walczak said.
At Wilson, a breakfast club provides breakfast, a federal program provides a "brunch," and lunch is later in the day, so kids get three meals, Bicha said.
But what happens to these kids in the summer? asked Carolyn Brandeen of the League of Women Voters. Brandeen noted malnutrition can harm brain development.
Wilson has a lunch program for most of the summer, Bicha said. Jackson has none.
"I'm not sure what to do," Walczak said. "I don't have the answer."
Jan 17, 2011 at 2:39 a.m.
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Song Title: Breathe (soul)
Subject: a song about making it through hardships
Video URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7Qxq9blA...
Apr 17, 2009 at 10:02 a.m.
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Volunteer and donate to help children in poverty ? But some say we NEED to spend $1.5M on an ice rink. So, instead of being able to donate, I have to work to pay the taxes to support the ice rink and the other trillions in socialist spending by state and federal Democrats and Republicans.
Apr 17, 2009 at 9:16 a.m.
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I agree with rosewood,miltonman and all the others who think our tax dollars should be spent more wisely! We do not need a tunnel to nowhere, or childrens museum(especially since alot of these children could not afford to go anyway!)We need more people to get busy volunteering with these issues, me included! I have a friend who works at wilson school, she suggested each one of the school board members should show up there unannounced and see where the real needs are. It would break your heart and give them a dose of reality. Maybe make them come down off their high horse and stop the lofty spending!( by the way the last 2 sentences were mine, she did not say that) Let's get toghther and make this a real community with no class lines, just everyone out for the good of everyone. I grew up in a poor welfare family myself and I know from what I speak.
Apr 17, 2009 at 8:51 a.m.
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For anyone interesting in helping end child poverty, check out Vision 2020's website at http://2020wi.org.
Apr 17, 2009 at 8:18 a.m.
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I love this story we should run it on the same page as "Lets build a Tunnel" or "Lets spend 2 million dollars to repair a historic Building" Or how about "Rotary Garden" I'd like to be around 100 years from now just to see what people think of us. We put more value in a building that should have been torn down years ago , and a tunnel when people are to laze to walk to a corner and cross. How about this "when crossing the street look both ways and don't expect the idiot driving the car to slow down!"
Apr 16, 2009 at 4:34 p.m.
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The Wilson staff has always been wonderful and caring. We were involved with the PTO for a long time and they always need members. Call the school and ask how you can help. Sometimes it's just letting kids read to you.
Apr 16, 2009 at 3:41 p.m.
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I would imagine that anyone who would like to volunteer their time with kids could contact a neighborhood school to ask how they can help. A better way may be to join a school's PTA / PTO. The PTA's tend to get a "bad rap" for always calling & wanting volunteers (which is really NOT the case!). These organizations seem like a great way to get involved in schools.
Apr 16, 2009 at 3:11 p.m.
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For people who want to volunteer, and missed the volunteer fair last month, just click on the this link:
http://www.uwnrc.org/Volunteer-Opportuni...
Apr 16, 2009 at 2:23 p.m.
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I, too, will help if someone directs me to the path to take. There must be something that I can do despite not being very mobile these days with my bad knees.
Apr 16, 2009 at 2:13 p.m.
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I love the fact that Wilson offers the lunches for the kids in the summer! I wish more schools offered that. In fact a-lot of the children that go to Jackson are bused in from Rockvale Mobile Park and it would be a great idea to offer some kind of lunch program at the Club house there during the summer! Does anyone have contact information on who to ask about this?
Apr 16, 2009 at 1:29 p.m.
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well these are just the two "worst" schools, there's still kids at every school who struggle with poverty. I grew up going to Adams and Van Buren and Jefferson, (moved alot with different families after my parents divorced and my mom was put in the welfare back to work program) where I fell under all of the signs. I'm lucky teachers noticed and helped me get care packages but at the end of the day, the government controlled my life. Our little city government should be fixing these issues instead of talking about the ice arena, bike tunnel, museums, new fair grounds. We don't need any of that stuff. What we need is a bigger well funded MERCY HOUSE and homeless shelter and more resources devoted to helping single parents get back on their feet so they can get their family out of poverty.
And before some of you people make judgments about poor kids coming from lazy families, just think have you ever had a welfare christmas? Have you ever gone to school with the same clothes on for a week? Not all poor people are lazy and dirty. Just like not all rich people are hard working and golden.
I would love to volunteer for summer lunch programs and be a coordinator for arts and crafts activities, where do i find info for that?
Apr 16, 2009 at 12:58 p.m.
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when is the city going to wake up and deal with the issues at hand. Feed these kids and not make a tunnel so the poor babies from Wuthering Hills don't have to go to a corner to cross E Milwaukee with bikes. The Tallman house is a joke anyway. It's a white elephant and a money pit. It has had it's time and all things end sooner or later. Kids need to eat everyday. I work in a food store and see the things people get with the little money they may have or using food stamps. Most of them should be ashamed for not buying the things that are needed to make a good meal for these children. Not soda,chips,candy,gum,donuts,bottled water and oh yes the expensive food from the deli.Then what cash or of course the credit card they buy liquor,lottery tickets,magazines,and of course cigarettes.Now tell me which of those items are for the kids. These parents need to get things straight, I know jobs are hard to come by and times are tough but at the end of the day the kids still have to eat.
Apr 16, 2009 at 12:08 p.m.
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Who do we contact to get a summer lunch program going at Jackson? I'll volunteer for that. My summer schedule isn't nearly as hectic as it is right now...
Apr 16, 2009 at 11:19 a.m.
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parents or legal guardians need to step up in these cases
Apr 16, 2009 at 11:18 a.m.
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I am glad to see that something is finally being done about it. Unfortunately for the past students, they didn't get the help. Poor students did not just pop up with the closings that have been occurring over the last few months.
I agree, rosewood, we do need money sent in to help those that are living in poverty. Are you interested in working together to go in and mentor before it's too late for some kids?
I look forward to meeting you in the mentoring aspect!
Apr 16, 2009 at 10:16 a.m.
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This is where the city's money should help out instead of a tunnel or a museum. With the unemployment rate climbing, its only going to get worse.
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