Nearly 2,000 backpacks and totes filled with school supplies and hygiene kits were recently distributed to support students experiencing homelessness across Orange County, thanks to a regional collaboration led by the Orange County Department of Education’s HOPES Collaborative partnership.
On Tuesday, July 29, OCDE joined community liaisons from five participating school districts — Centralia, Fullerton, and Magnolia school districts as well as Fullerton Joint Union High School District and Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District — to help distribute 1,450 age-specific school supply kits donated by Supply Bank. Delivered in 28 pallets to the Fullerton School District, the supplies were sorted into grade-level bundles and will be shared with school sites throughout the county.
Working under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, the HOPES Collaborative — or Homeless Outreach Promoting Educational Success — partners with local districts to identify and support students who lack stable housing. Through community outreach, OCDE and its partners help ensure students experiencing homelessness are enrolled in school and connected with resources.
Earlier this month, OCDE worked with the Buena Park School District to host a donation event coordinated by SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union. Six SchoolsFirst representatives helped donate 450 backpacks stocked with essential school items like pens, pencils, crayons, notebooks, folders, rulers and glue sticks. About 25 backpacks were provided to Families Forward, an Orange County housing support agency.
“It’s more than just distributing pencils, notebooks or backpacks,” said Jeanne Awrey, coordinator of the HOPES Collaborative. “It’s about restoring dignity, building equity and ensuring every student starts the school year with the tools they need to succeed.”
In addition to the tote bags, Supply Bank donated 200 dental hygiene kits for sixth- through 12th-grade students.
Here are the other stories we’ve been following this week:
- At the OC Fair’s annual Junior Livestock Auction this weekend, Orange County students in 4-H and Future Farmers of America programs showcased the animals they raised, from lambs to rabbits, after gaining months of hands-on learning in agriculture and animal care.
- County Superintendent Dr. Stefan Bean recently spoke with Parenting OC about the recent launch of OCDE’s 5-3-1 Strategic Plan to support Orange County’s 29 school districts in the upcoming academic year and beyond.
- On Oct. 7 and Oct. 14 in Costa Mesa, the OC Civic Learning Institute hosted by OCDE will offer TK-12 educators training to enhance classroom civic readiness and encourage student engagement.
- Before the Anaheim Elementary School District reopens its campuses Aug. 6, Superintendent Jesse Chavarria sat down with FOX 11 News to share about the district’s academic enrichment programs for students.
- Edison High School named Matt White as its next principal, after previously serving the Huntington Beach Union High School District as assistant principal.
- The Anaheim Union High School District released a timeline detailing the process of its search for a new superintendent amid some concerns voiced by community members, according to the Voice of OC.
- As artificial intelligence usage becomes a part of students’ daily routines, experts have weighed in with strategies parents can implement to help shield their kids from the technology’s potential dangers.
- A new bill that would increase oversight of charter schools in California — placing stricter audit requirements on non-classroom based charter schools and potentially creating a new Office for the Education Inspector General — is moving through the legislature, as reported by the Orange County Register.
- With the start of the school year just weeks away, Spectrum News highlighted ways that parents, teachers and students can protect their mental health amid academic and emotional challenges.
- Approximately six percent of California students attend schools that are located in high or very high fire hazard severity zones, according to new data from Cal Fire and the Office of the State Fire Marshal.
- The U.S. Department of Education announced that it would release federal funds for several education programs — such as migrant education services — starting this week.
- On Thursday, President Trump announced plans to reinstate the Presidential Fitness Test in order to emphasize healthy, active lifestyles among American schoolchildren, according to the Los Angeles Daily News.
- A private school that offers academic instruction driven by AI is set to open its doors to students in Lake Forest next month.
- High schools across Orange County — including Mission Viejo — officially began preparing for the football season with practices starting Monday.
This is the part where we encourage you to keep up with local education news stories by bookmarking the OCDE Newsroom, subscribing for emailed updates and following us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.