Metropolitan Ministries

Food, shelter and proper schooling. Those are the three main things parents want to provide for their children. But what if a family has no where to call home, and no place to send their children to school?

In Assignment:Education Bill Ratliff tells us how Tampa's Metropolitan Ministries is stepping in to help with the district's first Charter Elementary School for homeless children.

-- "You can color these any color you want, o-k? Very nice." --

In many ways it looks and sounds just like any other busy classroom. But the 30 or so children inside this one-room school at Tampa's Metropolitan Ministies all share something unique. For one reason or another they are homeless. The principal, two teachers and psychologist here all face a special challenge.

--"Sarah, nine plus six? 15! Very good."--

In an average of six week's time, they must assess each child's learning level, develop and execute a teaching plan, and prepare follow-up treatment. Rosetta Causey and her daughters arrived at Metropolitan Ministries a few weeks ago. She believes Sharelle, 7 and Rosay, 8, receive extra support here, while mom is busy putting their turbulent family life back in order.

--[ Mom, Rosetta Causey says:] "A little bit more tender loving care. A little bit more attention. Because one of my girls, she's quite smart. And at another school before, we were leaving the school. The teacher was recommending her for gifted classes, and I pulled her out before she got a chance to do that."--

Since the Academy opened its doors last week, teachers are discovering each child's brilliance while working extra hard to improve any area of weakness they find.
Principal Jean Woodley Brown says teaching these special children is more rewarding than she ever imagined.

--[ Principal Jean Woodley Brown says:] "Oh they just want to read...They want to write..They want to draw. We have one that wants to make a book. We had stories yesterday that the children wrote that were just... the feeling comes out. It's difficult sometimes for them to have enough time and space and help to show that - to give it - to write the story, and be really special. And here they can be really special." --

Bill Ratliff, Newschannel 8.





Metropolitan ministries' academy was made possible by several donations totalling more than 2-point-two million dollars.

This article was brought to you
straight from the desk of

in the Newsroom of