True Lasting Connections

Posted by Dan Fox

on Mar 11, 2014

by Lorine Parks

Our own Downey School District Superintendent Dr. John Garcia introduced Dr. Robert Jagelski, who directs an important adjunct to the workings of the District, TLC, or True Loving Connections.

Absences from schools, suspensions and expulsions, take a terrible toll in the school district, Jagelski told us how the TLC program, which he says has “tremendous heart” for the kids, has helped reduce that problem. He says he is proud when he goes to district conference and can tell about “the great little secret we have here, in our corner of Southwest L A.”

True Loving Connections operates as a Family Rescue center, servicing the twenty-two thousand students in the Downey Unified School District. The mission is to form lasting connections between the community of Downey, the schools and the kids in our thirteen K-5 Elementary Schools, four Middle Schools and three High Schools. TLC works to “improve students’ opportunities to succeed.”

Downey Unified School District - True Lasting Connections – DUSD-TLC - was originally funded by a State Healthy Start Program in 2000. It is located in a re-claimed school building which was moved to the corner of Bellflower and Foster Road and receives over 2,000 referrals a year. TLC has won the Principal’s Vision Award, and the Golden Bell Award from the California School Boards Association.

In Downey, TLC focuses first on the family, preventing child abuse and neglect, and providing school supplies. Thanks to TLC, the attendance rate here is great. Drop-outs cost the District money. In Downey, students have a 91% graduation rate, which compares favorably with a nation-wide rate of 78%.

For those not familiar with the outstanding work that TLC does, Jagelski listed the rest of the programs, such as health and dental services, which are staffed by volunteer professionals. More than fifty agencies collaborate with providing services for the center. Counseling is a major project, and includes grief counseling. Many students have lost a parent recently and need help in coping with that.

Downey has homeless students, which can range in meaning from a truly homeless family living in the open, to an “episode” of being locked out for the night. Living in a substandard garage room counts as being homeless. For these students, school is an oasis in the midst of their personal turmoil.

TLC operates holiday programs such Thanksgiving dinners, and the Downey Police cooperate by “adopting” ten or more families each Christmas season.

There are also monthly vision clinics and eye exams. TLC helps enroll students in health insurance programs, and staff sees to food and clothing referrals.

Many organizations in Downey support TLC with voluntary gifts. An opportunity which is coming up is the Second Annual 5k Run/Walk on April 5th, to benefit TLC. This event is sponsored by the Downey School District and the city of Downey. A sponsorship gift can get your name on the official T shirt for the event. Adult registration is set at $35, and student $25, and includes the official t shirt. Registration forms may be picked up at TLC, the Downey family YMCA or the Barbara Riley Adult Center. The event starts at 8 am and is run on the Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center grounds. How about a Rotary team?

Additional funds come from high school kids raising money at special basketball games where teachers and administrators play star athletes.

As President Paul said, nothing is more important to the District than TLC.