BCPS McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Program

09/14/2026

💚 McKinney-Vento Monday Sept. 14

Yesterday was Grandparents Day, so today we’re recognizing the grandparents and relatives who step up when a parent or guardian is unable or unwilling to care for a child.

At the BCPS McKinney-Vento Program, we work to support relative caregivers and unaccompanied youth during periods of temporary custody, transition, and housing instability helping ensure students have the support they need to stay connected to school.

Many grandparents who are raising grandchildren are on fixed incomes and have limited resources, which makes community support especially important.

💚 Kinship Coalition of Kentucky is a great resource for relative caregivers, offering a caregiver handbook, resources, support, and events such as the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren (GAP) Conference on March 18, 2027.

Learn more: https://kinshipky.org/

09/11/2026

💚 FRIEND FRIDAY: Bullitt County Retired Teachers Association

This week, we had the privilege of sharing about the BCPS McKinney-Vento Program and HEART House with the Bullitt County Retired Teachers Association.

We are incredibly grateful that these retired educators continue to care about BCPS students and families and they showed that support by presenting the McKinney-Vento Program with a generous donation at the end of their meeting! 💚

Thank you for being a true McKinney-Vento Friend and for continuing to make a difference in the lives of students in our community!

09/07/2026

McKinney-Vento Monday, Sept. 7

This Labor Day, remember:
Having a job doesn't always mean having a home.

Families can be working hard and still experience housing instability because of high housing costs, unexpected expenses, job loss, or other circumstances.

That's one reason McKinney-Vento identification matters. 💚
If you or someone you know is experiencing homelessness, please contact the BCPS McKinney-Vento Program for help.

09/04/2026

💚 McKinney-Vento FRIEND FRIDAY: Turnaround Resource Center

We’re thankful for community partners like Turnaround Resource Center, who help our McKinney-Vento families with food assistance throughout the week. 🍎

Hot meals and food boxes are available on select days. Check the attached flyer for the schedule and follow Turnaround for updates! https://uturnrc.org/

Thank you for being a friend to our students and families!💚

08/31/2026

💚 McKinney-Vento Monday | August 31

New Kentucky data released. Important context.

Kentucky reported 20,329 students experiencing homelessness during the 2025–26 school year, a decrease from previous years. But a lower number does not necessarily mean fewer students are experiencing housing instability.

Here in Bullitt County, we have seen the opposite trend. Our McKinney-Vento identification has continued to rise:

📈 2022–23: 348 students
📈 2023–24: 380 students
📈 2024–25: 460 students
📈 2025–26: 474 students

That's an increase of 36% in just three years.

Many families experiencing homelessness may not consider themselves homeless, especially those staying temporarily with friends or relatives or experiencing other forms of housing instability.

The numbers tell a story. Identification matters. Awareness matters. And behind every number is a student who deserves support. 💚

Read the full story from FOX 56: https://www.tristatehomepage.com/news/new-data-on-homelessness-among-kentucky-students-explained/

08/28/2026

💚 FRIEND FRIDAY: Mark 12 Ministries

This week, we’re shining a light on a longtime friend and partner of the BCPS McKinney-Vento HEART Program, Mark 12 Ministries and Executive Director Perry Cooke!

Perry is a dedicated advocate for individuals and families experiencing homelessness in Bullitt County and a valued partner of our McKinney-Vento program.

Mark 12 Ministries provides a variety of services to support individuals and families, including Pathway Home, Operation Restore, Healing Together, the White Flag Shelter, and the Outreach Thrift Shop. Through the Outreach Thrift Shop, Mark 12 provides vouchers that allow our McKinney-Vento students and families to shop for clothing and household items at no cost.

Perry has also been right there beside our team in the work of educating our community about homelessness. During the BCPS 24-Hour Homeless Challenge in November 2025, Perry joined our McKinney-Vento team and helped participants better understand homelessness, the barriers individuals and families face, and the resources available through Mark 12 Ministries.

We are incredibly thankful for Perry and the entire Mark 12 Ministries team for the compassion, advocacy, and support they provide to our students, families, and community. 💚

Thank you for being a McKinney-Vento Friend, Mark 12 Ministries!

Want to learn more about Mark 12 Ministries and the services they provide? Visit their website: https://www.mark12.org/

08/27/2026

💚 HELP US MAKE A HOUSE A HOME! 🏡

A BCPS McKinney-Vento family is moving into their own apartment next week! We’d love to help them start this new chapter with a few basic household needs:

🍽️ Kitchen table & chairs
🛏️ Queen-size bed set
🗄️ Chest of drawers/dresser

Have one of these items in good, usable condition to donate? We’d love to hear from you! Please contact Tiffany Reynolds or a member of the BCPS McKinney-Vento HEART Program. [email protected]

Thank you for helping our students and families turn a new space into home!💚

08/24/2026

📢 We’re Hiring!

The BCPS McKinney-Vento HEART Program is looking for a McKinney-Vento Program Assistant (van driver) to join our team!

If you’re passionate about supporting students and families experiencing homelessness and making a difference in our community, we’d love to hear from you!

👉 View the position details and apply here:

Search or browse thousands of teaching jobs and other school jobs from dozens of education job sites in one easy search. Sign up for daily or weekly job alert emails and apply online!

08/24/2026

🌟 McKinney-Vento Monday, August 24: Meet Our Team! 🌟

Today, we’re excited to introduce Tiffany Reynolds, MSSW, CSSW , our McKinney-Vento HEART Program District Liaison!💚

Tiffany has been a social worker for more than 20 years and joined BCPS in 2013 as a Family Resource Coordinator at Maryville and Overdale Elementary Schools. After seven years in that role, she stepped into the McKinney-Vento Liaison position in January 2021 and she is now in her sixth year leading the district’s McKinney-Vento program.

💚 What does Tiffany love most about her work?

Being able to make a difference, especially when students and families are going through some of their darkest moments. Sometimes even the smallest thing like connecting with a resource or just being a kind listening ear can make all the difference.

🏠 Her most meaningful project?

Without a doubt, the creation of the HEART House.

The HEART House was a vision Tiffany dreamed about for years, and seeing that vision become a reality has been one of the most meaningful accomplishments of her career. She hopes the HEART House will continue to be an impactful resource for students and families for many years to come.

A few fun facts about Tiffany:

🎵 She loves music, dancing, and musicals and can recite the words to most songs from almost any genre.

🛍️ She loves to thrift and has turned her passion into a small business with an Etsy shop and antique booth.

❤️ Her greatest joy is spending time with her family and being a “TiTi” to her grandbabies.

🐾 She is a lifelong animal lover and has 5 dogs!

☕ Her day starts with a caramel iced coffee, and she loves a good salty-and-sweet snack especially chocolate-covered pretzels.

One of her favorite quotes is:

“Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny.”
— C.S. Lewis

We are grateful for Tiffany’s vision, dedication, and heart for this work and especially for the vision that led to the creation of the HEART House. 💚

08/21/2026

🌟 FRIEND FRIDAY, August 21: A Special Visit from a McKinney-Vento Friend 💚

Sometimes our HEART House friends are local and sometimes they travel across the country! 🌎

We were so excited to welcome Diane Nilan for a visit to the HEART House!

Diane is a nationally known author and advocate for families experiencing homelessness. Through her work, she travels across the country raising awareness, advocating for students and families, and providing training to communities working to address homelessness.

Our connection with Diane began back in November 2023, when she joined us for the BCPS McKinney-Vento Mini-Conference. We were thrilled to reconnect with her when she stopped by the HEART House while traveling home from training.

During her visit, Diane toured the HEART House, shared ideas and encouragement, and generously brought us copies of her book, The Three Melissas, to use as a resource with our staff and families.

We are so grateful that a connection made through McKinney-Vento work nearly three years ago has continued to grow. Diane's passion for ensuring that families experiencing homelessness are seen, understood, and supported is an inspiration to all of us.

Thank you, Diane, for stopping by, for sharing your wisdom, and for continuing to be a friend of the BCPS McKinney-Vento Program and HEART House! 💚