Items Created by Refugee School Impact Grantees

  1. A Counselor's Companion: Working with Refugee Students in Secondary Schools. 96 page s . 2010. English . http://www.education.state.mn.us/MDE/Learning_Support/English_Language_Learners/Resources/index.html

    This handbook for counselors provides helpful information about scheduling, placement, graduation and career pathways for secondary refugee students and was made available through a Refugee School Impact Grant from the Office of Refugee Resettlement.

  2. Attending School in the Anchorage School District. Anchorage School District page s . 2010. English Hmong Nepali Nuer Russian Samoan Somali Spanish Tagalog . http://www.asdk12.org/depts/ELL/

    This online video is shown to immigrant and refugee families when they register for school in Anchorage, Alaska.  Their Web site also includes video success stories from students who attend their district's Newcomers' Center.

  3. Boise Schools Translated Letterhead. Independent School District of Boise City 4 page s . n.d.. Arabic Chinese Korean Russian Spanish Vietnamese Czech Farsi French Japanese Bosnian - Serbian - Croatian Swahili . http://www.boiseschools.org/ell/forms/translate_letterhead.doc

    This letterhead, used by the Boise Schools, says "Please find someone to translate" in 14 languages. From top left, moving clockwise: Russian, Swahili, Spanish, Serbo-Croatian, French, Mandarin, Korean, Vietnamese, Japanese, Czech, Farsi, Uzbek, Arabic, and Cantonese.

  4. Collection of Lesson Plans and Resources for the Refugee Student Services Program of Catholic Charities of New Mexico. Campbell, Meredith 37 page s . 2009. English . http://www.brycs.org/documents/upload/RSSNM.pdf

    This collection of lesson plans and resources was created by the staff of the Refugee Student Services Program at Catholic Charities of New Mexico, which is funded by a Refugee School Impact Grant. It includes sections on: -Goals Assessment -Sample Lesson Plans -Study Skills Curriculum -Leadership -Coping with Culture Shock -Fond Memories -Magazine Project -Babysitting Tips -Internet Safety -Web Resources Used

  5. Color Charts. Saint Paul Public Schools English Language Learner Programs page s . 2006. English Spanish Hmong Somali This resource may be free from your local library or purchased from the publisher.

    These 12" x 18" color posters display the colors and are available in Hmong, Somali, Spanish, and English.

  6. Educational Glossaries. Saint Paul Public Schools English Language Learner Programs page s . 2002. English Hmong Khmer Oromo Somali Spanish Vietnamese This resource may be free from your local library or purchased from the publisher.

    Each glossary contains common English educational terms and recommended translations (available in Hmong, Khmer, Oromo, Somali, Spanish, and Vietnamese). These glossaries were created because many students' languages lack the native language words for much of the terminology needed in the school setting. These glossaries provide the St. Paul Public Schools with standardized translations for much of this educational terminology.

  7. Educational Supports for Refugee Youth. Pennsylvania Department of Education 2 page s . 2008. English . http://www.brycs.org/documents/upload/PA_RSIG.pdf

    This document briefly outlines the history and future of refugee students in the Pennsyvlania school system. It clearly lays out the way in which school districts should work to better educational opportunities for the growing refugee student population. The Pennsylvania Department of Education describes in this document how schools receiving school impact grants (RSIG) should strive for better coordination and cooperation with refugee students to improve their high school graduation rates.

  8. ELL Programs Co-Teaching Models. Saint Paul Public Schools English Language Learner Programs page s . n.d.. English This resource may be free from your local library or purchased from the publisher.

    In this DVD by the St. Paul Public Schools, different models of co-teaching (when a general education teacher and an ELL teacher work together in the planning, delivery, and assessment of instruction) are discussed and teachers and administrators provide testimonials and discussion about the benefits of each model.

  9. English Language Learner Handbook. Farris, Ann , de Fuentealba, Molly Jo 41 page s . 2008. English . http://www.boiseschools.org/ell/handbook/index.html

    "The ELL Handbook provides district staff with information about Boise School District programs and procedures for English language learners. Information is specified concerning contacts, program guidelines and interpretation, frequently asked questions, instructional strategies, and additional resources that can be used in assisting English language learners." - Publisher's description

  10. English-White Hmong and White Hmong-English Dictionary. Saint Paul Public Schools English Language Learner Programs 110 page s . 2002. English Hmong This resource may be free from your local library or purchased from the publisher.

    This dictionary has continued to expand since it was first assembled in 1995; it now contains more than 9,000 words and phrases. A talking CD is available to accompany the dictionary.

  11. Family School Orientation Checklist. World Relief - Chicago 1 page . 2009. . http://www.brycs.org/documents/upload/WRFamilySchoolOrientationChecklist.pdf

    This orientation checklist is used by World Relief Chicago staff to make sure that all topics listed are covered during the school orientation they provide refugee students and their families. Though it is specific to their agency and school district, it may be a useful model for others to adapt.

  12. Guidebook for Parents of English Language Learners. Houston Independent School District 33 page s . 2007. Arabic Chinese English Farsi French Somali Spanish Swahili Urdu Vietnamese . http://www.houstonisd.org/portal/site/Multilingual/menuitem.048a2bcc8aa72ba27300dc10e041f76a/?vgnextoid=0a2b57ebf04ef010VgnVCM10000028147fa6RCRD&vgnextfmt=default

    This multilingual resource provides parents of English language learners in the Houston schools with basic information about school programs their children may be eligible for.  It may also be helpful to other school districts seeking to create similar handbooks.

  13. Heritage Curriculum Guides. Office of Language and Cultural Education, Chicago Public Schools . various. . http://www.olce.org/publications.html

    These guide books, which include lessons plans, were created to help teachers educate students about various cultural groups' contributions to society.  They may be used to teach students about their own cultural heritage or can be used to introduce these cultural groups to other children.

    There are Heritage Curriculum Guides for:

    1. Arabs
    2. South Asians (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka)
    3. Chinese
    4. Koreans
    5. Mexicans
    6. Polish

     

     

  14. Hmong Social Studies Curriculum Kit. Saint Paul Public Schools English Language Learner Programs page s . n.d.. English This resource may be free from your local library or purchased from the publisher.

    These kits serve as guides for educators who would like to embed elements of Hmong culture into the K-3 and/or grades 4-6 social studies curriculum. Each kit contains a curriculum guide ("Embedding Hmong Culture in the K-6 Social Studies Curriculum"), lesson plans, books, CDs with Hmong music, art and more.

  15. How to Navigate the Oakland Unified School District. Oakland Unified School District 49 page s . 2008. Arabic Burmese Cambodian Chinese English French Nepali Spanish Vietnamese . http://www.reftrans.org/community-resources/

    This handbook for refugee and asylee families, service providers and support people includes the following sections:

    • Overview of the U.S. school system
    • Understanding the Oakland Unified School District
    • Communicating with your child's school
    • Helping your child succeed in school
    • Tools for communicating with your child's school

    Much of the information is applicable to those in other areas of the country.

  16. Illinois’ Refugee Children School Impact Grant Video Tool Kit. Illinois' Refugee Children School Impact Grant (RCSIG) Partnership, Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), Illinois Department of Human Services, Chicago Public Schools page s . 2005. Arabic English Maay Maay Somali Spanish Swahili . http://www.isbe.net/bilingual/htmls/refugee_services.htm

    This toolkit includes In Our Country: Educating Newcomers in America and Welcoming New Learners: A Professional Development Tool. Schools struggle with the challenge of welcoming and adjusting to this entering population. Teachers and administrators must search for ways to make these new students feel safe and secure while instilling the standards of behavior and achievement expected from all. The new arrivals and their parents have no understanding of the American educational process, the school policies and resources, or what to expect from the classroom experience. Both school personnel and refugees have a profound need to understand one another. In order to help facilitate the integration of refugees into the classroom, the Illinois State Board of Education and the Illinois Department of Human Services/Bureau of Refugee and Immigrant Services have created these two videos.

  17. Latino Social Studies Curriculum Kit. Saint Paul Public Schools English Language Learner Programs page s . n.d.. English This resource may be free from your local library or purchased from the publisher.

    This kit includes a curriculum guide ("Embedding Latino Culture in the K-3 Social Studies Curriculum"), lesson plans, books in Spanish and English, maracas, flags, and other items to assist mainstream teachers in embedding elements of Latino culture in the social studies curriculum.

  18. Newcomers in Chicago Unit Plan. Troiano, Beverly 25 page s . unknown. English . http://www.olce.org/HS_Unit_PDF/unit%20Plan%20newcomers'%20Chicago.pdf

    This unit is designed to help low literacy students express their feelings living in a new country, and at the same time learn basic school skills. Students with little or no prior education need to learn the concept of "school" which includes organizing papers in a binder or folder, working individually and in groups, comprehending oral directions, asking and answering questions, brainstorming, building vocabulary, acting, guessing, presenting, reading and listening to oneself read, typing, using a computer, and experiencing the writing process.

  19. Number Charts. Saint Paul Public Schools English Language Learner Programs page s . 2006. English Spanish Hmong Somali This resource may be free from your local library or purchased from the publisher.

    These 12" x 18" color posters display the numbers and are available in Hmong, Somali, Spanish, and English.

  20. Parent Curriculum: Module 1. Cotton, Jessica , Lutheran Social Services of Michigan 34 page s . October 2007. English Arabic Bosnian - Serbian - Croatian . http://www.brycs.org/documents/upload/lssmparentorientationmanual.pdf

    This manual was created by Lutheran Social Services of Michigan's Senior School Impact Specialist as a part of their Refugee School Impact Program. It was designed for refugee parents to provide them with information they need to prepare their children for school and to be involved in their education. It includes sections on: structure of the American school system, getting involved in your child's education, parent-teacher conferences, getting ready for school, understanding the American culture, federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, overview of the youth orientation/support sessions, LSSM ESL classes, and resources used and information available.

    This booklet is available in English, Bosnian, and Arabic. 

  21. Picture Dictionaries. Saint Paul Public Schools English Language Learner Programs page s . 2004. Hmong Karen Somali Spanish This resource may be free from your local library or purchased from the publisher.

    In White Hmong, Somali, Karen, and Spanish. Each dictionary has approximately 800 words (including common phrases, cultural artifacts, numbers, and more) with corresponding pictures. Talking CDs are available separately to accompany the picture dictionaries.

  22. Refugee Children and Youth Backgrounders. International Rescue Committee 55 page s . November 2006. English . http://www.rescue.org/sites/default/files/migrated/where/united_states_salt_lake_city_ut/refugee-backgrounders.pdf

    This resource is for teachers who have refugee students in their classes. The packet provides teachers with an introduction to refugees in the United States, background information on students' home countries, tips for engaging refugee youth and parents, and web resources concerning education, language, and culture.

  23. Refugee Family Engagement Project DVD Set. Denver Public Schools . 2010. Arabic Burmese French Karen Nepali Somali . http://www.dpsk12.org/video/newcomer/index.shtml http://www.dpsk12.org/video/newcomer/professional_dev.shtml

    This is a set of two DVDs.  The first is a professional development DVD for educators, administrators, and staff and provides background information on the U.S. refugee resettlement program.  Denver Public Schools staff describe their best practices and communication strategies to inform and engage refugee families, and identify resources for schools and families.

    The second DVD is for newcomer families.  It invites families to participate in school activities and informs refugees about American school culture.  It covers attendance policies, health policies, after-school programs, parent-teacher conferences, and adult education opportunities.  It describes services available at schools and in the greater community.

  24. Refugees: Buffalo's New Generation. Chance Encounter Productions . 2009. English . http://www.squeaky.org/channels/2008/refugeebuffalosnextgeneration

    The majority of Buffalo's incoming population is made up of refugees from distant areas around the globe. Refugees bring a wealth of diversity and experience to Buffalo; however, they are confronted with enormous obstacles while trying to make a new life for themselves in a foreign country. The Refugee School Impact Program, a department of Journey's End Refugee Service Inc, specializes in outreach to refugee students in the city of Buffalo. Since its inception in June of 2007, the program has made great strides towards easing the transition of refugee children into the Buffalo Public School System. This film illuminates the issues that refugee students face and how the RSIP team works closely with the families and schools to help bridge the existing cultural and linguistic gap.

  25. School Enrollment Information. Fort Wayne Community Schools page s . 2008. Burmese English Spanish . http://www.fwcs.k12.in.us/StudentServices/forms.php http://www.fwcs.k12.in.us/StudentServices/kindergarten.php

    Various translated forms are provided for parents enrolling their children in the Fort Wayne Community Schools. In addition, this Web site includes a Kindergarten orientation video (in English with the script translated into Burmese and Spanish).

  26. School Liason Program Manual. Refugee Family Services, Inc 76 page s . 2008. English . http://www.refugeefamilyservices.org/images/uploads/School_Liasion_Program_Manual_Small2.pdf

    This report is intended to provide refugee service providers, state education agencies, and local school systems with:

    • A viable, proven solution to the challenges of educating a diverse student population
    • A blueprint for how to create a program that will meet this challenge
    • Strategies for advocating for the resources you need in your community

  27. Skills Checklists of Student Orientation. Secondary Bilingual Orientation Center 6 page s . 2009. English . http://www.brycs.org/documents/upload/SBOCchecklists.pdf

    This group of checklists is used by the staff of the Secondary Bilingual Orientation Center in Seattle to gauge which skills newcomer students still need to work on after they receive student orientation.

  28. Somali Social Studies Curriculum Kit. Saint Paul Public Schools English Language Learner Programs page s . n.d.. English This resource may be free from your local library or purchased from the publisher.

    This resource kit serves as a guide for educators who would like to embed Somali culture into the K-3 social studies curriculum. The kit includes a curriculum guide ("Embedding Somali Culture in the K-3 Social Studies Curriculum"), lesson plans, books, a cultural handbook, pictures, posters, DVD, CD and more.

  29. Somalia and the Somalis: A Handbook for Teachers. Saint Paul Public Schools English Language Learner Programs 90 page s . 2005. English This resource may be free from your local library or purchased from the publisher.

    For school administrators, teachers, counselors, social workers and paraprofessionals who work with Somali immigrants and want to learn more about their culture. The handbook covers a broad range of topics, including holidays and celebrations, family, food, songs and basic Somali language.

  30. Starting Again: Stories of Refugee Youth. School’s Out Washington page s . 2010. English . http://www.schoolsoutwashington.org/1260_194/StartingAgainStoriesofRefugeeYouth.htm

    This short film was produced by School's Out Washington and Jill Freidberg of Corrugated Films, with funding from a Refugee School Impact Grant from the Office of Refugee Resettlement.  This film chronicles the lives of four refugee youth in Washington State, from Burma, Bhutan, Russia, and Somalia. 

  31. Student Rights and Responsibilities. Fort Wayne Community Schools 20 page s . 2008-09. English Burmese This resource may be free from your local library or purchased from the publisher.

    Specific discipline violations and consequences are outlined in order to inform parents and students in the Fort Wayne Community Schools (IN) of expectations. In addition, law violations where the police will be called to assist with the situation are outlined. Transportation guidelines, extracurricular codes and expulsion procedures are also included.

  32. Student-Parent Guide. Fort Wayne Community Schools 16 page s . 2008-09. English Burmese This resource may be free from your local library or purchased from the publisher.

    This annual publication is designed to provide parents of students in the Fort Wayne Community Schools (IN) with important information they need to know to be involved in their children's education.

  33. The Hmong: A Handbook for Teachers. Saint Paul Public Schools English Language Learner Programs 49 page s . 2006. English This resource may be free from your local library or purchased from the publisher.

    This handbook includes information on Hmong history, culture, traditions, basic Hmong language, and many other topics. The Hmong handbook is a must-have for those who want to better understand Hmong students, friends, clients, or co-workers. There is also a list of tips which are particularly helpful for educators.

  34. Translator Strips. Independent School District of Boise City 4 page s . 2010. Arabic Chinese Korean Russian Spanish Vietnamese Czech Farsi French Japanese Somali Thai Bosnian - Serbian - Croatian Turkish Swahili Kirundi Karen Maay Maay Burmese . http://www.boiseschools.org/ell/forms/translator_strips.pdf

    This document, used by the Boise Schools, says "This is very important. Please find someone to translate" in 23 languages.

  35. Welcome to Our Schools Kit. New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, Bureau of Refugee and Immigrant Assistance (BRIA) page s . 2007. Arabic Burmese English Karen Maay Maay Russian Swahili Vietnamese This resource may be free from your local library or purchased from the publisher.

    The Welcome to Our Schools Kit is designed to ease the transition of refugee children into the elementary and secondary schools of New York State, and to empower their parents to be effective partners in the education of their children. This kit includes: 1) Curriculum for the Refugee Academy, Parent Programs, Professional Development, and Mini-Academies; 2) Welcome to Our Schools posters for posting and distribution to students; 3) USA puzzles for use in Module 4; 4) Beach ball for use in Module 1; 5) Bus Number stickers for use in Module 3; 6) DVDs for use in all Modules; 7) Handouts for use in all Modules; and 8) Pencils, crayons, and colored pencils for use in all Modules. The DVDs include 5 segments: 1) A Day in Elementary School; 2) A Day in Middle School; 3) A Day in High School; 4) Student Interviews; and 5) Parent Interviews.  Contact BRIA to order a copy.