Across the School District of Lancaster, families deserve a steady partner who knows their children by name, understands their realities, and helps them navigate school with clarity and care. That is the daily work of our Home School Visitors. They are advocates. They bring the school to the doorstep and the family voice into the school.
When you ask Jose Anzules what he does for the School District of Lancaster, he’ll give you a modest answer. “I’m a Home School Visitor,” he says. But spend even an hour with him, and you realize his work is much more than the title suggests.
He’s part social worker, part problem solver, part neighbor. He’s the knock at the door when a student hasn’t been in school for a few days, and the reassuring voice that says, “You’re not in trouble. We just want to help.” His job begins with attendance but often ends with something deeper, rebuilding trust between families and schools.
Early years and family roots
Jose’s story begins in Manhattan, where he was born, and in the Bronx, where he was raised. His father is from Ecuador, and his mother is from Venezuela. Growing up in a bilingual, bicultural household shaped his understanding of what it means to belong. “At my mom’s house, everything was about working hard and being American. At my dad’s, it was all Ecuadorian pride,” he recalls. “I had to adapt constantly, which taught me how to connect with people from different backgrounds.”
As a child, school was not always easy. He was one of only a few multilingual learners in his classroom. “I wanted to speak Spanish, but everyone around me spoke English,” he says. “I felt caught between two worlds.” That experience taught him empathy for students who face language barriers today. He understands the courage it takes for a child to show up, participate, and find belonging in a new environment.
The move to Lancaster
The path that led Jose to Lancaster is as unexpected as it is memorable. One day, while shopping for ice cream with his family in the Bronx, his mother picked up a carton of Turkey Hill and wondered where it came from. “We looked it up in an atlas,” Jose laughs. “Next thing we knew, we were in the car driving to Lancaster County.”
That spontaneous road trip became a turning point. The family fell in love with the area’s pace of life and sense of possibility. Within six months, they relocated to Lancaster in search of a fresh start.
For Jose, that move marked a new beginning. At the time, he had dropped out of school and was unsure of his future. In Lancaster, he earned his GED through PA CareerLink, which connected him to his first leadership position as a CVS supervisor. A manager at the company noticed his natural ability to organize, lead, and motivate others. “He told me, ‘You take charge without asking for permission,’” Jose recalls. That encouragement sparked a lasting confidence that would carry him through the next stages of his life.
Lessons in leadership
Seeking more direction and structure, Jose joined the United States military, earned his associate degree and trained as both an electrician and a carpenter. The experience strengthened his leadership skills and reinforced his belief in responsibility, humility, and service to others.
He recalls one mentor in particular, Sergeant Seal, who modeled what true leadership looked like. “He used to show up for his soldiers at three in the morning if they were in trouble,” Jose says. “He didn’t just tell us what to do. He showed us what care looks like.” That lesson stuck with him. When injuries eventually forced him to leave the military, he brought that same mindset into his civilian life and future work with families.
Discovering a purpose in education
While traveling to Haiti with friends who were helping to build a school there. Watching children learn in open-air classrooms made him realize how powerful education can be. “That trip changed how I saw the world,” he says. “Education is not just about academics. It’s about hope and community.”
When he returned to Lancaster, Jose knew he wanted to make a difference in education. He went on to work in several roles across the district, including paraprofessional, office assistant, and HR office manager. Eventually, he earned his Home School Visitor certification and joined the growing team that serves families across SDoL.
Mentors who paved the way
Throughout his journey, Jose was guided by people who saw something in him before he saw it in himself.
There was Ms. Singleton, his fifth-grade teacher in the Bronx, who refused to give up on him. “She sat me next to her desk and made me talk to her every day,” he remembers. “At the time, I didn’t understand why, but she saw potential in me.”
There was former Hamilton ES Principal Ludwig, who showed him the power of listening. “He would sit quietly and let families say everything they needed to say. No interruptions. No judgment. Just listening,” Jose says. “That taught me that sometimes, what people need most is to be heard.”
And there was Melissa Ramos, a fellow Home School Visitor, who encouraged him to apply for the position. “I saw how she connected with families and how much she cared,” he says. “She helped me see that this is where I belonged.”
The work behind the role
Jose’s workdays are filled with movement and connection. He reviews attendance reports each morning, looking for patterns and reaching out to families who may need support. Some days, he spends hours on the road, visiting homes, making phone calls, and collaborating with school social workers, school counselors, teachers, and administrators.
“I tell families, you’re not in trouble,” he says. “My job is to understand what’s really happening and find solutions together.”
He often discovers that absences are symptoms of deeper issues, transportation struggles, health concerns, language barriers, or economic challenges. “Many families just don’t know who to call,” he says. “They feel lost. My job is to help them find the right door to knock on.”
Building trust, one family at a time
Jose recalls one family whose student refused to return to school after a custody change. He visited their home and suggested a small goal of attending for just a couple of hours a day. “She came in for that hour, then two the next day,” he says. “By the end, she was back full-time.”
Another family had an older child missing school to babysit a younger sibling. “The mom didn’t realize there were resources to help,” he says. “I connected her to our social worker, who helped her find childcare and healthcare support. Now both kids are attending regularly.”
For Jose, these small moments are everything. “Progress doesn’t have to be perfect,” he says. “If a student comes half a day instead of missing the whole day, that’s a win.”
Persistence and compassion
Building trust takes time, and Jose understands that consistency matters. He continues checking in with families long after initial meetings, even when conversations have been difficult. “Sometimes they get upset with me,” he admits. “But when I call a few weeks later to check on them, they realize I meant it when I said I care.”
He also believes in celebrating progress, no matter how small. “When I call a parent and say, ‘Your child made it to school three days this week,’ that matters,” he says. “Parents need to hear good news too.”
What he wants families to know
When asked what message he wants families to take away, Jose’s response is simple. “You are not alone,” he says. “Even if you don’t know what help you need, reach out. We’ll figure it out together.”
He wants families to know that the Home School Visitor team is there to listen and to support. “Our district has people who truly care,” he says. “We might not always have the answers right away, but we’ll work together until we find them.”
Why he loves SDoL
Jose is deeply proud of the diversity that defines Lancaster. “This city feels like a potluck,” he says with a smile. “Every culture brings something to the table. You can walk down one street and hear five different languages.”
That sense of belonging reminds him of his time in the military, where people from all walks of life came together with a shared purpose. “That’s what SDoL feels like to me,” he says. “We’re all different, but we’re working toward the same goal, helping kids succeed.”
A future built on connection
Jose’s journey within SDoL, from Building Assistant to Home School Visitor, reflects what is possible when perseverance meets purpose. He is currently working toward his master’s degree and hopes to continue growing as a leader in education, with deep gratitude to his wife, April Anzules, whose steadfast support has been instrumental throughout my academic endeavors. “I believe in this district,” he says. “It’s where I learned who I am and what I’m meant to do.”
Gratitude for the team
The work of a Home School Visitor is not easy. It requires patience, cultural awareness, and a deep sense of empathy. But Jose and his colleagues show up every day, building bridges between families and schools one conversation at a time.
“Data and deadlines matter,” he says, “but people matter more.”
Across SDoL, Home School Visitors like Jose are proof that progress often begins with something small, a phone call, a kind word, or a knock at the door that says, we’re here, and we care.
