Family Support

Family and Community Engagement | Families in Transition

Prenatal to Three Home Visiting Program

Who is eligible?

Prenatal mothers
Children ages birth to three
At-risk families that reside within Rockford Public Schools boundaries

Services offered

Home visits
Developmental, hearing, and vision screenings
Connection to community service agencies
Parenting information and encouragement
Parent-child interaction groups
Transition to preschool
Referrals to Early Intervention

For more information please contact the Prevention Initiative Office at 815-489-7342.

Ask an early childhood question

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Family and Community Engagement (FACE)

The goal of the Family and Community Engagement department is to serve as a bridge to our schools and our community by building partnerships and connecting our schools and families with the many resources our community offers.

We recognize the importance of families and community members as partners in the learning process. Our work includes managing district volunteers, building and supporting community partnerships, organizing community donations and drives, supporting our school-based parent liaisons, and providing resources to school PTOs.

Volunteer Information

PTO Resources

PTA Parents' Guide to Student Success
PTO Today - Use Plus Member code: QQ36P6

How can we help?

After School & Saturday Programs

Community Based Programs- Live, Learn, Play

RPS 205, along with other community partners, created Live, Learn, Play – a community initiative dedicated to filling Rockford with opportunities for students to re-engage with academics, recreation, and social activities after experiencing social distancing protocols and interrupted learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Learn More about Live, Learn, Play Programs

21st Century Community Learning Centers Program

RPS 205 offers the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program at 16 schools. The program is run with several community partners including the Rockford Park District, YMCA, Boys and Girls Club, Discovery Center and Burpee Museum of Natural History.

Learn more about the program

Community Support

United Way

Call "211"
211 is a free, confidential referral and information helpline and website that connects people of all ages and from all communities to the essential health and human services they need, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Call4Calm

Text "TALK" to 552-020
Call4Calm, is a new emotional support hotline for those in Illinois experiencing stress related to COVID-19. To connect with a mental health professional to talk about stress, fears, etc., text "TALK" to 552-020. The hotline is free-of-charge and anonymous.

Community Resources in the Rockford Area

Community Resource Guide
This community resource workbook is a collective effort with Rockford Public School staff district wide as well as many of our community partners. When using resources in this workbook, please note that organizations frequently change services being offered as well as operational days and times so it is recommended to call beforehand. The Family and Community Engagement team commits to updating this guide every summer with our last update summer of 2022.

Food Support

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline & Crisis Text Line

988

988 offers 24/7 access to trained crisis counselors who can help people experiencing mental health-related distress. That could be:

Thoughts of suicide
Mental health or substance use crisis, or
Any other kind of emotional distress

People can call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org for themselves or if they are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support.

988 serves as a universal entry point so that no matter where you live in the United States, you can reach a trained crisis counselor who can help.

Other Mental Health Resources

Find Mental Health Resources

For more information please contact the Family and Community Engagement department at 815-966-3271.

Ask the FACE department a question

Families in Transition (FIT)

RPS 205 serves the City of Rockford as well as parts of Winnebago County and partners with numerous organizations to serve our families including Crusader Clinic's Health Care for Homelessness and the City of Rockford's Community Services Division. All families seeking FIT services should visit the Welcome Center.

McKinney-Vento Assistance Act

Your school-aged children may qualify for certain rights and protections under the federal McKinney-Vento Assistance Act. The McKinney-Vento act defines "homeless children and youth" as individuals who lack a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence.

This act also includes:

Eligible families who live in any of the following situations:
Eligible children and youth have the right to:

Eligible families who live in any of the following situations:

Children living in "Substandard" conditions which include housing that lacks utilities (such as working water, gas or electricity). Housing that is infested with vermin and mold, and does not have a working kitchen or a working toilet. Housing that might present unreasonable dangers to adults, children, or persons with disabilities
Children sharing housing with of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason (sometimes referred to as doubled-up)
Children living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to lack of alternative adequate accommodations
Children living in crisis shelters, emergency shelters or transitional shelters
Children abandoned in hospitals
Children and youth who have a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings
Children and youth who are living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, at bus station or train stations, or similar settings
Unaccompanied youth (students not living in the physical custody of parent/guardian. Commonly referred to as runaways, lockouts, throwaways, etc.) who are living in circumstances described above.
Migratory children who qualify as homeless because they are living in circumstances described above

Eligible children and youth have the right to:

Receive a free, appropriate public education
Enroll in school immediately, even if lacking documents normally required for enrollment
Enroll in school and attend classes while the school gathers needed documents
Enroll in the local school; or continue attending their school of origin (the schools the attended when permanently housed or the school in which they were last enrolled), if that is your preference and is feasible
If the school district believes that the school you select is not in the best interest of your child(ren), then the district must provide you with a written explanation of its position and inform you of your right to appeal this decision
Receive transportation to and from school, if the students meet the state statue eligibility requirements
Receive educational services that "Non-homeless students" are eligible to receive
A priority to certain pre-school programs

For more information please contact the Welcome Center at 815-967-8070.

Ask the FIT department a question