Children First Academy is host to 174 students this week. They had 179 last week, but lost 5 to transience. In the shifting world of homeless children, the Children First Academy provides an anchor, a stable lenvironment where the kids can learn.
Children First Academy (replacing the former Tempe Pappas School) provides education for homeless children. The kids learn in an environment where they are not ridiculed or ashamed for being poor because all of the kids are poor. Kids start the day with a hot breakfast prepared by the Gilbert School District Food Service department. They then march in columns to the classrooms. Many of the kids have Attention Deficit Syndrome. The teachers do an amazing job of engaging the students and keeping them interested in the material. The school has acquired two "Smartboards" - electronic whiteboards - that help keep the children focused. The interactive smartboards are almost like a video game that forces the kids to learn to play.
The school is in a new campus at 1938 E Apache Blvd, Tempe. It has an auditorium/cafeteria. It has a nurse station where kids go when they don't feel well or need to take their medication. The school has a food pantry where kids can pick up food to take home to their family. It has a clothing room where kids can get clean clothes. Kids are bused to school in vans that have ever-changing routes as the kid's families move about or are evicted.
Diane Fernichio is doing miracles with the little money she receives to run the school. She gets much of the children's school supplies donated (she maintains need lists). Some workers donate their time. Diane has some regular donors to help keep the school running, but is struggling to add smartboards (about $3500 each) to classrooms to engage the students and keep them riveted to the material