Homeless Education Assistance Team's Services
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The Homeless Education Assistance Team (H.E.A.T.) of Pinellas County Schools provides educational and social work services to homeless children and families. Dee Burns is the administrator and Althea Hudson is the project supervisor. The resource teachers are Duane Kinnison and Janet Walker. The social worker is Sue Hennessey. Karen Leggett is the project secretary. Here is a brief description of how the resource teachers, social worker, and project secretary serve these children and families. |
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Resource Teachers
Duane Kinnison (727) 638-3274
Kinnisonr@pcsb.org
Janet Walker (727) 638-3229
Walkerja@pcsb.org
Mr. Kinnison and Mrs. Walker work with elementary schools impacted by the homeless student population. They are liaisons for the school and the shelters, helping whenever problems arise. This may include conferencing, getting permission for testing, and addressing other concerns that the schools, shelters, and parents may have.
After school tutoring and remediation services for K-12 homeless students are offered in various shelters thoughout the county. A summer enrichment program is also offered in shelters for elementary students. Mr. Kinnison and Mrs. Walker plan and coordinate this program. It provides academic enrichment for homeless students. The students participate in a variety of activities including academics, field trips, and arts and crafts.
Mr. Kinnison has a B.S. and certification in Elementary Education. He has worked 34 years in Pinellas County as a teacher with 10 years as a homeless resource teacher.
Mrs. Walker has a B.S. and certification in elementary education and mentally handicapped. She has been a teacher for 34 years with 5 years as a homeless resource teacher.
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Social Worker
Sue Hennessey, L.C.S.W. (727) 588-6434
Hennesseys@pcsb.org
Ms. Hennessey receives referrals from school personnel and shelter staff for homeless families and children who need assistance with educational services and community resources. She assists children and youth ranging in age from birth to 21 years of age.
Ms. Hennessey assists homeless families and children with a variety of school concerns including school registration and placement in exceptional educational services, dropout prevention programs, and GED programs. She refers families to community resources for shelter, housing, food, clothing, financial assistance, mental health and substance abuse services, and medical services. She also provides group counseling and crisis intervention as needed for the children and families.
Suzanne Hennessey, social worker, joined the H.E.A.T. program in 2007. She holds a master’s degree in Social Work, from the University of South Florida, Tampa. She received her Florida License for Clinical Social Work in 1996. Sue’s social work experiences include working with individual children, individual adults, families, and groups.
Maintaining a close relationship with other agencies providing services for the homeless is a key responsibility. Ms. Hennessey and Mrs. Walker are members of the Pinellas County Coalition for the Homeless.
Ms. Hennessey, Mr. Kinnison and Mrs. Walker work together to sensitize school personnel to the needs of the homeless families and children. They both provide in-service trainings during pro-ed days in the county, and they are available to do presentations at the schools upon request.
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Secretary
Karen Leggett (727) 588-6305
The secretary provides the clerical support for the Homeless Education Assistance Team. This person does the payroll and purchasing, creates brochures, and answers and routes phone calls. The secretary also distributes our quarterly FTE survey and tabulates the data.
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