Contact Information:

Stephanie Ganns, LCSW
Family Resource Center Coordinator
Telephone (direct line): 859-283-3236
Telephone (main office): 859-334-4460
Email Stephanie Ganns

FRC Advisory Council meets at least five time per year. Meetings for this year are as follows: 8/30/22, 10/4/22, 12/5/22, 2/7/23, 4/11/23, and 5/2/23. Meetings take place at 3:45pm in the FRC, Room 190 and are open meetings, so all are welcome to attend

FRYSC Mission: Our mission is to enhance students' ability to succeed in school by developing and sustaining partnerships that promote early learning and successful transition to school, academic achievement and well-being, and graduation and transition into adult life.

Background: Family Resource (elementary level) and Youth Services (middle and high school level) Centers (FRYSC) were created as part of the Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA) of 1990. FRYSC are now recognized as the nation's largest school-based family support initiative. In the latter part of the 20th century, the need for education and human services to join together to deliver support and services to our students and families rapidly increased. The growing number and complexity of problems faced by our society (e.g. poverty, family dynamics, substance abuse, physical health, mental health, and domestic violence) caused increasing levels of stress on both families and students, which creates a barrier to learning. FRYSC coordinators work to remove barriers to learning.

Advisory Council: The foundation to a successful Family Resource Center is the FRYSC Advisory Council. The purpose of the Advisory Council is to provide the center coordinator with input, guidance, and recommendations with regard to planning, development, implementation, and coordination of center services, programs, and activities. Membership is comprised of parents, Stephens staff, and community representatives. Bylaws are adopted and provide the framework for ongoing success and continuity of the council. Meetings are held 5 times per year and are open to the community.

Funding:The funding for the FRYSC is provided by state education funds through the Kentucky Department of Education as specified in the Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA). At least 20% of students in each school with a center must qualify for free and reduced-priced meals. All students and families enrolled in the school, regardless of family income can utilize FRC services.

Collaboration:

Community Agencies/Organizations/Businesses
School Based Resources and Programs
Parents/Guardians/Families
Students

The more partnerships we can make, the better we can help make a difference in the lives of students and families.

Services provided are based on the following Core Components:

Preschool Child Care: To provide access to full-tome quality child care, centers will identify, coordinate and/or develop resources for child care. Early learning experiences promote growth, education and successful transition into school for children. Access to quality care may help families continue employment and/or education.

After School Child Care: To identify, coordinate and/or develop resources to ensure children have access to quality out-of-school time child care enrichment activities. This will reduce unsupervised time, increase interpersonal skills, and promote continuation or learning during out-of-school time. (i.e. before/after school hours, seasonal breaks, etc.)

Families in Training: To ensure a productive start in life for every child ages prenatal- 5 (with emphasis on prenatal- age 3), and promote a strong foundation for future school success. Centers will: 1. Recruit, engage and educate parents on early child development and parenting skills through consistent ongoing contact; 2. Assist families in identifying developmental concerns; 3. Collaborate with community partners and link families to appropriate prevention and intervention services. Consistent and ongoing contact includes interactive home visits and group meetings with parents and parents and children together, with emphasis on expectant parents, infants and toddlers and children not yet in school. Topics should include: Early brain development, child abuse prevention, appropriate developmental experiences and the importance of education.

Family Literacy: To move families toward self-sufficiency and work to break the cycle of poverty by providing a comprehensive family literacy program through on-going center, school and community activities that must include: 1. Child time: Developmentally-appropriate educational activities for children; 2. Parent time: Instruction in parenting; strategies for families to support their child's education and enhance the home-school relationship; 3. Parent and child together time: Quality educational interaction between parents and their children that promote lifelong learning and supports parents in their role as the child's first teacher; 4. Adult education: Parent instruction in academic and employ-ability skills; assisting parents to obtain their GED or post-secondary education goals.

Health Services or Referrals to Health Services: To improve the overall health and well-being of students through activities that support the Whole School, Whole Community, and Whole Child (WSCC) model, therefore increasing students ability to succeed in school. This WSCC model supports the while child through ten components: health education, social and emotional climate, physical education and physical activity, physical environment, nutrition environment and services, employee wellness, health services, family engagement, counseling, psychological and social services, and community involvement.

Stephens Elementary School