By: Tyler Berkich, DSO | Salish Sea Elementary
At 草榴社区, community isn鈥檛 just a buzzword – it鈥檚 a daily commitment. Our core values鈥攍ike Everyone Grows and Brave Solidarity鈥攁ren鈥檛 just printed on postersThey show up in the way we greet our scholars each morning, in how we support families through hard seasons, and in the choices we make to ensure no child is left behind.
When a family is experiencing homelessness or housing instability, our job as a school is to wrap around them with care and partnership. The support that comes from the helps make that possible – removing barriers so that every scholar can access the learning, joy, and connection they deserve.
And at the end of the day, that鈥檚 really what this work is about. Kids deserve to just be kids. To learn, grow, laugh, and feel like they belong.
Getting to School Shouldn鈥檛 Be the Hardest Part
One of the biggest challenges for families without stable housing is transportation. So we鈥檝e learned to get creative. From coordinating shared rides and van routes, to tapping into services like to get students to school safely and on time.
But more than that, we鈥檝e seen something beautiful happen at Impact | Salish Sea Elementary: families stepping up for one another. Our carpooling initiative started as a logistics solution鈥攁nd turned into a real reminder that when we work together, we can move mountains. Not just buses.
Community Is the Curriculum
We can鈥檛 do this work alone. That鈥檚 why we鈥檙e so grateful to partner with organizations across South Seattle who share our belief in showing up for families, no questions asked.From after-school care subsidies, to collaboration with local housing developers like , to sharing warm meals with over 25 families through partnerships with and New Life Church鈥攚e鈥檙e building a community where families feel seen, supported, and connected.
Meeting Basic Needs Without Red Tape
School success doesn鈥檛 start and end with multiplication tables and reading logs. Sometimes, it starts with shampoo. Or clean socks. Or knowing there will be enough groceries to get through the weekend. That鈥檚 why we stock essentials for families, donate fresh produce from our P-Patch garden, and reroute leftover school meals to neighbors in need.
These small, consistent acts of care make a big difference.
Uniforms Should Build Belonging, Not Burden
Uniforms can create a sense of belonging鈥攂ut only when they鈥檙e accessible. That鈥檚 why we offer a Uniform Assistance fund and host Uniform Swaps, so every family can outfit their scholar with pride, no matter their budget.
All In, Always
Here鈥檚 the truth: schools can鈥檛 do everything. But we can do a lot. And we can do it together.
At Impact, our commitment to McKinney-Vento families isn鈥檛 just about checking boxes鈥攊t鈥檚 about care. It鈥檚 about showing up fully, every time, because that鈥檚 what kids need. That鈥檚 what families deserve. And that鈥檚 what we鈥檇 want for our own.
We鈥檙e proud of the work we鈥檝e done鈥攁nd even more proud of the community that鈥檚 grown alongside us. There鈥檚 always more to learn, more to build, and more to give. But if there’s one thing we can promise, it鈥檚 this:
We鈥檙e all in.