About The Shenandoah Valley Migrant Education Program
Who We Serve
Migrant eligible families served in the Shenandoah Valley are families who have moved within the past 3 years in search of work in agriculture or raw food processing. Extended families or persons from the same town are commonly found in proximity, providing valuable, mutual support. It is important to note that not all migrants are Latinos, just as not all Latinos are migrants or immigrants. While nearly all local migrant eligible students and families are Latino, there is a growing population of migrant families from North Africa and the Middle East. Our students and families have diverse origins in their culture, customs, and education. We serve our students and families with a desire for success in education, employment and a tradition of cherishing their roots while embracing opportunities for the future.
Areas of Service
- Harrisonburg City
- Rockingham County
- Shenandoah County
- Winchester City
- Clarke County
- Frederick County
- Fauquier County
- Prince William County
Volunteer Tutoring for Migrant Education
The Migrant Education Program relies on a dedicated team of volunteer tutors to provide educational enrichment in the homes and classrooms of school-aged migrant students. Volunteers meet with their students twice a week for one-on-one tutoring sessions that last about an hour. Tutors use this time primarily to help students with their homework; however, they are also welcome to prepare extra educational activities, games, and lessons for their students. Tutors act as an educational resource for migrant students—assisting them with their school assignments and helping them develop the skills and confidence to meet their academic goals. Volunteers are also mentors, who foster a love of learning and demonstrate positive and healthy life choices with their own example. Volunteers with the Migrant Education Program are rewarded with the opportunity to engage in a cross-cultural experience; develop their communication, language, and teaching skills; and make life-long friends in their community. Anyone with a desire to make a difference in the life of a migrant student is welcome to apply-- no teaching or foreign language experience is required! Recruitment and training happen every September and January. If you are interested in volunteering with our program please reach out to us at shenvalleymigranted@jmu.edu.
Student Resources
- Tutors for students who need supplemental academic help
- Transportation to appointments that directly affect a student's education or well-being
- Interpretation for school and/or health related appointments
- Assistance with social services processes such as Medicaid and SNAP
- Information and referrals for community resources
- Summer programming
ALL SERVICES ARE FREE OF CHARGE!
Download the Eligibility Questionnaire (PDF)
Document includes English, Arabic, French, Swahili, and Spanish versions.
Parent Advisory Council
The Shenandoah Valley Migrant Education Program holds four Parent Advisory Council (PAC) meetings every year. The purpose of this committee is to empower migrant parents to become self-advocates. This can be accomplished by providing parents with information about services that have the potential to enrich their child’s health and education through topics of expressed interest or topics that SVMEP feels are important for migrant parents to obtain.