By: Tyler Berkich, DSO | Salish Sea Elementary
At Impact Public Schools, community isn’t just a buzzword – it’s a daily commitment. Our core values—like Everyone Grows and Brave Solidarity—aren’t 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 McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act 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’s 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’t Be the Hardest Part
One of the biggest challenges for families without stable housing is transportation. So we’ve learned to get creative. From coordinating shared rides and van routes, to tapping into services like HopSkipDrive to get students to school safely and on time.
But more than that, we’ve seen something beautiful happen at Impact | Salish Sea Elementary: families stepping up for one another. Our carpooling initiative started as a logistics solution—and turned into a real reminder that when we work together, we can move mountains. Not just buses.
Community Is the Curriculum
We can’t do this work alone. That’s why we’re 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 HomeSight, to sharing warm meals with over 25 families through partnerships with Union Gospel Mission and New Life Church—we’re building a community where families feel seen, supported, and connected.
Meeting Basic Needs Without Red Tape
School success doesn’t 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’s 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—but only when they’re accessible. That’s 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’s the truth: schools can’t do everything. But we can do a lot. And we can do it together.
At Impact, our commitment to McKinney-Vento families isn’t just about checking boxes—it’s about care. It’s about showing up fully, every time, because that’s what kids need. That’s what families deserve. And that’s what we’d want for our own.
We’re proud of the work we’ve done—and even more proud of the community that’s grown alongside us. There’s always more to learn, more to build, and more to give. But if there’s one thing we can promise, it’s this:
We’re all in.