Story originally printed in the La Crosse Tribune or online at www.lacrossetribune.com
Published - Tuesday, May 18, 2004
La Crosse schools expect 100 Hmong refugees
Another 100 Hmong children are expected to enroll in the La Crosse School District before the 2004-05 school year begins, administrators were told Monday.
Kathie Tyser, associate superintendent of instruction, said the children are among about 220 refugees coming to the community this summer from Thailand.
Catholic Charities of the Diocese of La Crosse, which is coordinating sponsors, met Monday with La Crosse County and school officials about the new Hmong families, she said.
Community agencies were told to expect 28 families, who will be sponsored by 17 La Crosse families, Tyser said.
Tyser said the new Hmong families have been living in primitive conditions in Thailand, so they will need help to adjust to school and the community.
At a meeting Monday evening, school board member asked whether emergency federal funds were available for the district, especially after it just announced $2.5 million in staffing cuts due to state revenue caps. District administrators said they knew of no such funding.
The district eventually would receive additional per-pupil funding, administrators said, but annual funding is based on three-year averages.
Administrators said it would be very difficult if one or two schools had to serve the entire new student population.
Woody Wiedenhoeft, associate superintendent of business services, said building principals and staff have been asked to keep an eye on the situation in case any "hot spots" develop at certain schools.
"We're hoping to make it fit," Wiedenhoeft said. "It will be a balancing act."
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