>> For a new refugee arrival they face many challenges.
>> Mm-hm. >> But the majority of the challenges that
recently refugees have been facing is a language barrier.
>> Right. >> Cultural barrier and
also understanding the US education system.
>> Yeah. >> As well as providing financially for
their family because it's really hard to find a specific job with lack of
the language.
>> Sure, sure, definitely.
>> English language.
And so employment, it's one of the challenges as well.
>> Okay, great.
And what challenges do you help parents overcome
when they're working with their children's school?
>> We receive many challenges or
cases between the school and their parents, and a few examples of these
challenges are understanding the grading system in school.
>> Yes.
>> When it comes to GPA, grade letters, and also elective classes.
>> Uh-huh. >> And what classes to choose.
Other challenges are when notices are given to students
to be delivered to their parents, or parents receive letters in mail they lack
of understanding of what the letter contains or what they should do.
>> Sure. >> And
we try to explain to them how important it is to attend the parent-teacher
conference.
And also have knowledge about after-school activities or
even before school and how they can help or follow up with their children.
>> So there's a lot of information that they need to know.
>> Right, and I believe in my opinion that they need to, upon their arrival,
there should be a special session where it's given to the parents.
Whether it's coordinated with the school or
with some agencies that bring them here.
Explaining the US school education system,
because it's totally different than back home.
>> That's a great idea.
That really is, because I can't imagine being a parent and
having all that new information coming at me.
>> Right.
>> So Fatema, describe one particular situation that you had
when you had to work with some parents and their school.
>> I had a case about a year ago where I had to help one of the clients where
she had a PE course, and she had to take within that course, swimming session.
>> Okay.
>> And due to her culture she felt uncomfortable taking the swimming class
and swimming in front of guys with having her head scarf on.
>> Right.
>> When she asked the teacher if she could do other activities instead,
the teacher refused and she was sent to the office.
Later on we came in to discuss the situation with the office and the teacher,
explaining the culture behind the idea of her refusing to swim.
>> Mm-hm.
>> Where later on the case was taken to the district office, and
they changed the rule that for any student that doesn't feel comfortable swimming
during that session they could do other activities instead.
So it wasn't only based on that cultural aspect.
>> So I like the idea that cultural information made this big change.
>> Right. >> For everybody.
Not just one population of people.
That's wonderful.
So can you describe for
us one success story that you can think of off the top of your head?
>> I worked with a client about a year and a half ago.
He was in fourth grade and he was diagnosed with autism and
behavioral health disorder.
>> Okay.
>> His situation was that he wasn't able to be on the same
pace with other students in his class.
>> Of course.
>> And he would have some behavioral,
he would do some comments in class that the teacher wasn't accepting it.
>> Sure.
>> Therefore the teacher recommended to the parents and
the office if this student can be transferred to a different school.
>> Mm-hm.
>> Where he could be with the same students his age and
also with the same health issue.
And the parents weren't accepting the idea for their student, for
their child to be transferred to special schools because of the stigma.
>> Stigma, sure.
>> Therefore we had to go to the school and speak to them, and
explain that again it's the cultural or even the idea of not accepting