ABSTRACT
This chapter recognizes the importance of home and school literacies and begins by sharing a community initiative to help Sudanese refugees and immigrants. Immigrant and refugee students are often at risk of school failure in the United States. The Episcopal Cathedral in North Dakota was actively involved in the resettlement of Sudanese across the state. Initially, the parishioners supported them by collecting clothes and furniture, providing transportation, and helping those complete applications for employment. Parishioners also organized a daycare and preschool at the cathedral and held classes in English staffed by retired teachers at the church for the parents of the children. They were unhappy about the fact that they were told that their children needed English as Second Language (ESL) instruction and were performing below grade level in reading and math. Yet, these children were placed in ESL classrooms for additional language arts instruction.
