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| Parents As Partners In Reducing Truancy |
The Walton-Verona
Independent School District is taking a proactive
early intervention approach to address school
truancy. School and judicial officials agree that
early intervention is critical, and in 1999 they
initiated Project S.A.F.E., Students and Families
Empowered to reduce truancy rates. Primarily a rural
area, this Northern Kentucky district serves a
school population of 462 students.
The S.A.F.E. program recognizes that parental
involvement is critical to a child's success in
school, and that family problems can result in
student attendance and behavior problems. Rather
than view the family as the problem, the school
district reaches out to parents and engages them as
partners in finding solutions.
The program is open to all grades throughout the
district, and teachers refer students who are having
attendance and/or behavior problems. Larry Davis, a
former principal, has administered the program since
its initiation. His familiarity with students and
families in the community is an important asset to
the program. Once he receives a referral, he
interviews the youth at school and visits the family
to determine the nature of the problem. The staff
then links the family and/or student to appropriate
community resources or provides assistance directly.
Types of assistance provided depend on the needs of
the families and students. Staff may find a mentor
for a student, get medicine for a sick mother, or
find employment for the youth. Staff meets with the
student and family on a regular basis to monitor
progress and review attendance and behavior reports.
School Resource Officers are also involved in
working with families and students. Frequently, an
SRO accompanies staff on home visits. The presence
of a law enforcement officer sends a strong message
that the school is serious about solving the
problem.
Mediation is another critical part of
Walton-Verona's program. If early intervention by
the S.A.F.E. staff does not improve attendance, the
case is referred for mediation provided by a
professional. A letter instructs the family to
attend a mediation session on a particular date.
During that session, the mediator works with all
parties to reach agreement with all parties on
corrective actions. Walton-Verona S.A.V.E. staff
believes it is important that a mediator not be a
member of the school staff. The use of an impartial,
independent party trained specifically in mediation
to conduct these sessions further reinforces to the
parents that the focus is on finding solutions
rather than pointing fingers.
This project has greatly reduced the number of
truancy cases that the district court processes;
fewer than four cases in the last five years. When a
case does go before the judge, the school's
credibility is enhanced as a result of the steps
that have been taken. Walton-Verona believes that
this program is one of the reasons the district has
had no dropouts for the past six years.
The S.A.F.E. program is realizing the goal it was
created to achieve: student attendance and behavior
have improved and families are becoming more
involved in their children's education.
For additional information, contact
Larry Davis. |
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