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Dist. 204: Don’t look far for poor kids

Sometimes Indian Prairie District 204 parents will approach Jason Altenbern and ask him what they can do to support a needy school. He tells them they need to look no further than the one their children attend.

“I can say the percentage of people who are surprised there are needs in our district is high,” said Altenbern, community relations coordinator. “I think this economy doesn’t care about ZIP code.”

This week, Altenbern filled up his van with backpacks and school supplies donated for about 500 students attending District 204 schools. That’s a typical job for Altenbern, who was hired by the district four years ago to be a connector between the district and the community.

That can mean facilitating electrocardiogram heart screenings by volunteer cardiologists for thousands of high school students, coordinating career fairs for freshmen or finding resources like winter boots and coats for students who can’t afford them.

Last year, about $700,000 in goods, services and cash were provided to the district for such uses. About $427,000 of that was for the heart check program, but the rest was made up of winter gear, gift cards, soap and hygiene products, school supplies, dress shirts and ties for graduates and dozens of other products and services.

“I think sometimes we look at our district and say, ‘Hey, we’re pretty affluent.’ I don’t know if everyone realizes we have this need in our district,” school board member Susan Rasmus said.

The struggling economy clearly has affected District 204 students. The number taking part in the free and reduced price lunch program has increased from 7.3 percent in 2008/09 to 12.8 percent during last school year. Last year, two of the district’s schools received School Wide Title I classification because about 50 percent of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunches. Eight of the district’s schools receive Title 1 funding as part of the No Child Left Behind federal education program because 10 to 50 percent of students demonstrate a level of need.

The district also has seen an increase in the number of homeless students.

“We’re seeing those needs change dramatically,” Superintendent Kathy Birkett said. “It sounds like we should maybe do something flashier with a partnership, but the kids need boots. They need coats.”

Altenbern says when he reaches out with a need, it generally is met. Last year’s coat drive through the parent teacher organizations collected and distributed 1,100 coats. The coats first went to students in the school where they were donated and extras went to schools in the district where the need was greater.

“We kept donations in the school community,” Altenbern said. “All it takes is for simple communication and awareness for people to get involved.”