Families in Transition

Resources for local districts working with homeless students and unaccompanied youth.

Definition of Homeless according to McKinney-Vento Legislation:

The law says that a child or youth without a fixed, regular and adequate residence is homeless. It does not matter how long the child or youth has been without a home. It also does not matter if the child or youth is living with a apparent or is separated from parents. Under the Act, students are homeless if they are:

  • Living with a friend, relative or someone else because they lost their home or can't afford a home
  • Staying in a hotel or motel
  • Living in an emergency or transitional shelter or a domestic violence shelter
  • Staying in substandard housing
  • Living in a car, park, public place, abandoned building or bus or train station
  • Awaiting foster care placement
  • Living in a campground or an inadequate trailer home
  • Abandoned in a hospital; or living in a runaway or homeless youth shelter

The following are designated liaisons from the districts covered by our McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Grant: 

District ContactsTitleDistrictPhone
Lisa Buckingham*School CounselorBig Rapids 231-796-7651
Marci Augenstein*Principal (K-12)Bear Lake231-864-3133
Paul Liebenow*SuperintendentCadillac231-876-5000
Sarah Bailey*Assistant DirectorCasman Academy231-723-4981
Dawn Hawley*AdministratorChippewa Hills 989-967-8150
Lynn Gullekson*SuperintendentCrossroads Charter Academy231-796-9041
Sue Lenahan*CounselorEvart 231-734-5595
Tina Fairbanks*Title I TeacherKaleva Norman Dickson231-447-5355x219
Holly Helsel*School Success WorkerLake City231-839-7162
Matt Kieffer*Principal Manistee 231-723-3271
Kay Salyer*Director of General EducationManistee ISD231-398-2982
Beth Wallin*HS CounselorManton231-824-6411
Lisa HolmesHS CounselorMarion231-743-2836
Becky Howe*School Success WorkerMcBain231-825-8041
Meghan Howell*HS Guidance CounselorMesick231-885-1201
Karen Schneider*Director of General EducationMOISD231-592-9618
Tom RojeskiCommunity Homeless LiaisonMOISD231-592-9605
Karen Wing*School Social WorkerMorley-Stanwood 231-856-4550
Scott McKenney*School CounselorOnekema 231-889-5521
Craig Smith*HS/MS Guidance CounselorPine River231-829-3251
Kris Griffin*Assistant Principal GT Norman ElementaryReed City231-832-5548
Shelly Marcusse*Prevention Consult/Truancy OfficerWMISD231-876-2306