1985
Alexandra House was the first domestic violence organization in the state to offer an on-site school for children and youth staying in the shelter.
Federal funding for battered women was allocated through the Family Violence Prevention and Services (FVPSA) and Victims of Crime Acts (VOCA).
MN Legislation: OFP law allowed the court to restrict or deny child visitation if it found the safety of the child or the victim would be at risk during unsuper- vised visitation.
U.S. Surgeon General identified domestic violence as a public health issue.
1985… An In-Shelter School is Opened Alexandra House had the distinction of being the only domestic violence service provider in the State of Minnesota to have an in-shelter school for children and youth. The school was run by a state certified teacher who was assisted by qualified Alexandra House staff members. Alexandra House believed that mothers should not have to be concerned about the continuity of education for their children while they were staying in the shelter. A domestic violence incident and the subsequent move into a shelter environment was unsettling. Offering an in-shelter school allowed for mothers and children to maintain a close and continuous bond as they moved towards a life free from violence. Initially, the Anoka-Hennepin School District #11 devoted one certified teacher who would come to the shelter to teach the children and youth in a classroom setting. Later, the school at Alexandra House would have two teachers who worked closely with advocates to ensure their students’ needs were met.
1
2
3
4
9 1) Ms. Karen Williams taught elementary aged children from 1988–2008. 2) Ms. Sharon Moenkhaus educating youth in the Alexandra House on-site school. 3) Ms. Karen Williams 4) Ms. Sharon Moenkhaus
Made with FlippingBook Annual report