Goal is to get more newcomers acclimated to Louisville, JCPS
By Mark Hebert
April 24, 2023 - Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) has received more than $500,000 in federal funds to expand summer programming and tutoring opportunities for refugees. The funding comes from an annual grant from the Kentucky Office for Refugees.
“We are ecstatic to receive this grant,” said Justin Matson, JCPS director of ESL (English as a Second Language).
This year’s dollar amount is more than double the award from previous years. Matson hopes 230 immigrant students will attend the summer camps this year, an increase of 80 over last year. JCPS will be collaborating with Kentucky Refugee Ministries and Catholic Charities to develop specialized camp experiences just for refugees. There with be fun activities along with academic and social-emotional learning programs. Transportation will be offered. Bilingual instructors will lead the camps along with specially trained ESL teachers.
JCPS staff will receive training on how they can better support immigrant students and families including virtual tutoring for refugee students.
Parents and family members will benefit from the grant as well. Engagement and information sessions will be offered to help families understand how American schools work, what programs are available and how to navigate JCPS with their child.
A portion of the grant - $132,000 – specifically targets the children of Afghan refugees.
“There may be more families arriving in our city than in the past few years,” Matson said. “For many of these newcomers, it’s the first time they’ve been out of their country and, for some, the first time they’ve had school experiences. We hope these programs will help them get acclimated to our city and school system more quickly.”