Ready to S.O.A.R.

School is back in session at Legacy Scholars Academy (LSA) which was founded in 2015 as a partnership school with the Volusia County School District. LSA serves middle and high school students on the Enterprise campus which includes youth living in family foster homes. LSA was designed to meet the academic and social and emotional needs of the students. The school utilizes Yale University's R.U.L.E.R. program, which has proven to be great success with helping students to recognize and regulate their emotions while increasing their grades and learning scores. Last school year, LSA adopted S.O.A.R. into their school charter (similar to school rules) stating how staff and students want to feel. Through S.O.A.R. they want focus on feeling safe, open-minded, accountable, and respectful during the school day. Mirta Principe, Education Liaison, who has worked at the Children's Home for 16 years says, "In my role I work with students to ensure their learning needs are being met and they have the extra support needed to achieve their academic goals."

The Foster Care Program provides licensed foster families with the necessary training and support needed to ensure children in the child-welfare system are placed in safe and loving homes. Our programs serve foster families in Volusia, Flagler, Broward, and Palm Beach counties.

The program provides quarterly orientation sessions for those who may be considering opening their homes to children in the child welfare system. During these sessions our Foster Care Licensing Counselors share information and the necessary requirements in order to become a licensed foster home.

This fall they will be offering four orientation sessions for anyone interested in attending.

Broward & Palm Beach Counties
1. September 12, 2022
2. October 10, 2022

Volusia & Flagler Counties
3. October 6, 2022

For more information, please contact our main Foster Care office 386-753-2056 or visit our website www.fumch.org.

Circle of Friends joined the Children's Home in 2019 as a community mental health provider offering trauma-focused services to children and families. Circle of Friends has offices located in Debary, Kissimmee, and Bradenton equipped with play therapy rooms to offer a safe and welcoming environment for all. Telehealth services are also available across the state. Circle of Friends is unique as one of the few agencies in the state to offer post-adoption counseling services for families. They also provide a free online monthly support group for adoptive parents. If you would like more information on Circle of Friends please visit their website cofsfl.org or call their main office at 386-259-5413.

We were delighted to have Kat Grygiel (left) and Paula Labonte (right) visit the Children's Home to drop off donations on behalf of Lake Deaton United Methodist Church. Kat and Paula serve as co-LCR's and graciously coordinated a "Christmas in July" drive which supports our cottage points stores. We are grateful for the gifts as it affords the direct care staff an opportunity to recognize our youths' achievements in meeting daily and/or weekly goals through the Teaching Family Model of Care.

Florida United Methodist Children's Home| 386.668.4774| www.fumch.org
...empowering children and families to experience the transformative love of Christ
through (w)holistic care.