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Support Services

Paladin’s Care Team

Paladin’s Student Care Team is instrumental in forming partnerships between our staff, students, families, and community organizations. Their goal is to support students in challenging circumstances and help to remove their barriers to success. The Care Team provides support with mental, social, and emotional health needs, including, but not limited to chemical recovery, cultural equity, homelessness, academics, and teen parenting.

Our Care Team has been essential in helping students develop resilience by addressing their immediate daily needs. Our school has two individual showers, a food shelf, washer/dryer, clothing closet, and free school breakfast and lunch program for all students regardless of their socio-economic status.

This team also collaborates with and refers students to medical and mental health resources that provide free or sliding scale services and helps students and their parents/guardians apply for medical insurance and county benefits. Additionally, we provide resources to support students who are parenting, are in recovery, or are experiencing homelessness. The Care Team’s goal is to help all students and their families in every aspect of their lives.

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“At Paladin, it’s a family. You feel welcomed and loved by all staff members. They listen to what you need and help you get it. If you’re upset they are there to talk to you about it. It’s more than just a job to them – they actually care about what you are going through. In my opinion, no other school can offer that.”
Paladin Student

Student Homelessness

With the downturn in the economy over the past few years, and the large number of displaced workers in the north eastern metro, Paladin Career and Technical High School students have struggled individually, or with their families, to find sustainable housing. Staff at Paladin work with students who are facing homelessness by helping them finding community resources, as well as temporary housing options.

If you are struggling to stay in your home, or are unable to find shelter, please contact the student services support coordinator at the school number to set up a time to meet about this issue.

Supporting our McKinney-Vento Eligible Students

Children and youth staying in shelters, hotels, or other temporary situations, have certain rights to ensure access to public education.

Paladin is guided by the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act and the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). These federal laws provide students experiencing homelessness access to opportunities that will help them to fully participate in school.

Community Support is Essential

If you are a community member, a parent of a Paladin student, or perhaps someone who lives in the area who is just learning about our school – we need your help. Please join us in providing the gift of pride, confidence, and belonging.

Homelessness is a significant obstacle to overcome for a high school age student. In addition to monetary donations, Paladin needs help with essential supplies such as winter jackets, sleeping bags, toothpaste and toothbrushes, shampoo, deodorant, food, etc., for its homeless students to ensure that all students are able to come to school ready to learn.  If you, or someone you know might be able to help, please call 763-786-4799 or email Maria Hartwell.

How is homelessness defined?

Under the McKinney-Vento Act, homelessness is defined as the lack of a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence; this includes individuals who:

  • temporarily live in a hotel, motel, trailer park or camping grounds due to the lack of alternative adequate accommodations;
  • live in a car, park, public space, abandoned building, substandard housing, bus or train station; live in other public or private spaces not designed to accommodate regular sleeping for humans;
  • live in an emergency shelter or transitional housing;
  • have been abandoned in hospitals;
  • temporarily share housing with another household due to loss of housing or economic hardship;
  • are migratory and live in any of the circumstances described above;
  • are considered unaccompanied youth, i.e. not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian and live in any of the circumstances described above.

For more information about how Paladin could help your family, contact our Homeless Liaison Maria Hartwell.

Paladin Career & Technical High School has partnered with VEEMAH and Fuller Living Counseling in order to provide school-based therapy options to students. Paladin staff members can help connect students with this team by completing a referral form. If student would like to begin paperwork before meeting with the therapist they can pick up an information folder at the front desk.

Transportation

For information about Paladin’s Van transportation and other ways to get to school, click here.

Health

For information about immunizations and other health questions, click here.

Accommodations

For information about Paladin’s Special Education and 504 Policy, click here.

School Meals

For information about Paladin Food & Nutrition program, click here.

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“At Paladin, the caring and concern for my student is miles above any other school. The communication is, as well. We love all staff at paladin!”
Paladin Family