Now in our twentieth (20th) year, the JPPSS Westbank Family Literacy Program (formerly the JPPSS Even Start
Family Literacy Program) continues to help strengthen the families of Southeast Louisiana through an integrated,
comprehensive family literacy approach.

Family literacy services are those services provided to participants that are of sufficient intensity {in terms
of hours and duration} to make sustainable changes in a family.  The following four components are integrated
within a site-based as well as a home-based setting:

  1. Adult Education Instruction (ABE, ASE, GED)/English language acquisition (ESL);
  2. On-site Early Childhood Education;
  3. Parenting Education; and
  4. Parent and Child Interactive Literacy Activities (ILA/PACT)

Our center offers a comprehensive, four-component family literacy program, which services families with children
between six (6) weeks and seven (7) years of age, whose parent/parents are in need of academic upgrade such as
obtaining their General Education Development (GED) Diploma, obtaining English language skills, gaining employability
skills, obtaining post-secondary educational skills, etc.

Home-based instructional visits are completed at least once a quarter to active participating families.  Typically, families
receive monthly home-based instructional visits.

As part of the Jefferson Parish Public School System, our center follows the traditional school-based calendar and
holidays in addition to a six-week summer (June and July) program.  Assistance and priority placement through the
Jefferson Youth Foundation, Inc., allows our older, school aged children enrollment within their summer camp during
these months.
About the JPPSS
Westbank Family Literacy Program
Program Entrance Requirements...

There are only two requirements to enter the program:

1)  You must be an adult (aged 16 years or older) who is in need of academic upgrade such as obtaining your General
Education Development (GED) Diploma, obtaining English language skills, gaining employability skills, obtaining
post-secondary educational skills, etc; and,

2) Have a child or children six (6) weeks to seven (7) years of age.

THERE IS NO COST TO ATTEND THE PROGRAM.  All testing, instruction, family instructional trips and on-site
school lunch are FREE of charge.

Please note: Because our program encompasses the whole family unit, our family literacy centers are limited to an
enrollment of a maximum of twenty-four families at any given time.  A waiting list is available if no immediate space is
available.    
Information
Program questions or web page comments should be sent to the terrance.hayes@jppss.k12.la.us.

Copyright 2006-2011, T. Lane Hayes, Webmaster.  
No public funding is used to create, maintain, or publish this web page.  
How to enroll...

To enroll in the our family literacy program, parents should contact the center at 349-0709 between the hours of 8:00
am and 3:00 pm to speak with a staff member.  

NOTE:  If a staff member is not immediately available, please leave a detailed voice mail message and working
telephone number and a staff member will return your call.

Currently, our program has a waiting list; however, this waiting list is not the usual "first come, first serve".  Due to our
federal regulations, we must serve those families most in need.  Thus, parents will answer several questions and will be
placed on the waiting list via a scoring rubric.  Based on their score and the age of their on-site child/children, they will
be placed within our waiting list.  The amount of time spent on the waiting list depends upon the current needs of the
existing waiting list families.

When your family's name comes up on our waiting list, a staff member will contact you to set an orientation and testing
appointment, which occurs on Friday mornings at 9:00 am.  During this appointment, you and the staff member will
review our Parenting Handbook, which outlines the program's rules, regulations, and expectations, and will also decide
upon your daily school schedule.  This appointment usually lasts approximately three hours.

The following information/documentation is required for completion of your orientation:
  1. Birth Certificate (all children and adults ages sixteen (16) and seventeen (17) years);
  2. Up-to-date immunization (shot) records (for all children);
  3. Social Security Cards* {all children and parent(s)};
  4. Official JPPSS (or other local education agency/school system) Drop Slip/Exit Waiver [16 and 17 year old
    students only] (see FAQ navigation tab above to download form); and,
  5. JPPSS Family Literacy Program's Family Supply List - SY 2011-2012.

Note 1: All parents aged sixteen (16) years of age MUST have their parent or legal guardian attend their orientation and
testing appointment with them to enroll within the family literacy program.

*Note 2: For those parents without a Social Security Card, some type of Photo ID/Passport/VISA (state or government
issued) is allowable for registration within the program.

All interested families are encouraged to contact the center to be placed on our waiting list and/or get more
information about enrolling in the program today!