We love learning about our customers and the ways they support STEM education in their communities, which is why we’ve started a series to showcase how the educators we work with on a daily basis are making a difference.
In this recent conversation, we spoke with the Migrant Education Coordinator at Lower Kuskokwim School District in Alaska, to learn more about their program and how they’ve incorporated KiwiCo offerings into the resources they provide for their migrant families.
We collaborate with many migrant education programs throughout the country as they support the students and families in their districts. As we continue to better understand their unique needs and what we can offer to expand their services, we want to share how one of our longest-standing migrant education customers implements their KiwiCo program.
Q: Can you tell us about your program?
A: We work with students from birth until they reach school, as well as students up to age 20 if they are in school. We are a fully Title IC federally funded program. That funding is specifically for students whose families travel at least 20 miles or more from their home and do 7 overnights for subsistence, like fishing, logging, farming, or agriculture. The whole purpose of migrant education is to provide support to our students to graduate high school, and we have some family engagement pieces in it, too.
Q: What makes the Lower Kuskokwim Migrant Education program unique?
A: Our school district covers an area about the size of West Virginia, so we constantly seek creative ways to deliver services and educational materials to our students and their families. Given the vast distances and remote locations, getting materials to families can be challenging, but it’s a critical part of our work. Many of our families migrate for subsistence or work to sustain their livelihoods. As a result, some of our students spend time on commercial fishing boats or in fish camps, trying to catch a data signal or access Wi-Fi so they can stay caught up with their classes, as this work often keeps them out of school for extended periods.
Q: What is one of the main reasons you return to KiwiCo year after year?
A: Most of the activities do not require internet (which is incredibly limited in our villages) or electricity. This feature is truly valuable for our students because it allows them to bring the crates with them to places like fish camp, where they can keep their minds engaged and creative without needing to rely on cell phones or games.
Q: How does your office include KiwiCo as part of the full set of services you provide?
A: KiwiCo crates really fit in with science enrichment. Our district sends boxes directly home monthly to each of our migrant families. They've become an essential part of our program, helping us foster hands-on-learning and family engagement in various environments. Families love it!
Q: Why do you think the families love it so much?
A: Every month, we get notes from families who look forward to getting their box in the mail. The crates are easy for parents and the students to complete independently because the instructions are so well laid out. We get a lot of pictures we didn’t expect because parents will send us photos of their students completing a kit.
Q: Thanks for sharing why families enjoy it so much, but what about your experience from the district side. Can you share how that works?
A: Our district purchases KiwiCo crates using both purchase orders and purchasing card (pcard) transactions. Purchase orders typically take longer because they must be processed through the Accounts Payable department before a check is issued. For this reason, I prefer to use my pcard. However, since my pcard has a set limit for single purchases, our Account Manager has been great about being able to split larger KiwiCo orders into two or more charges, which speeds up the process and ensures the crates arrive on time.
We are thrilled to partner with the Lower Kuskokwim School District and look forward to supporting their migrant education and family engagement initiatives in the years to come. To learn more about the options we offer and how we might be able to support migrant education families in your district, please reach out to our team here.