S6/E20: Supporting Refugee Students and Uplifting Communities with Rebecca Masters

What supports can a designated immigrant/refugee program provide for students and families that go beyond what a typical school or district may be providing? After the past year of interrupted learning, what can we learn from educators who have worked with SIFE students and newcomers - particularly when it comes to social-emotional needs? How are refugees actively benefiting or improving the communities they are in, and in turn how can community partnerships play a vital role in supporting refugee students and families? We discuss these questions and much more with Rebecca Masters. Rebecca Masters is a Senior Youth Coordinator for New American Pathways, an Atlanta based nonprofit with the mission of Helping Refugees and Georgia Thrive. Their vision is for new Americans in metro Atlanta to become successful, contributing, and welcomed members of Georgia’s communities. They fulfill these goals by offering the most comprehensive, fully integrated continuum of services targeted to meet the specific needs of refugees and other immigrants in Georgia. Our conversation with Rebecca focuses on educational services that supplement the amazing work schools are doing to support their newcomers. Special thanks to Julie Allen of International Community School in Clarkston, GA for introducing us to Rebecca. You can find additional resources and episode takeaways on our ELL Community page at ellevationeducation.com/ellcommunity. If you haven’t done so already, we invite you to join our ELL Community while you’re there so you get weekly resources, strategies and tips from that you can use right away.