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Show Truancy Program Takes New Twist By TOM BUSSELBERG FARMINGTON Kids miss school for a lot of reasons. Some of them are absent ab-sent more than others, and the reasons aren't always due to sickness or a doctor's appointment. appoint-ment. IT'S THAT number estimated esti-mated at into the hundreds that Davis School district principals, prin-cipals, teachers and staff are trying to reach and keep in school. In fact, a new program to combat truancy is being inaugurated in-augurated that combines efforts of parents and educators educa-tors in concert with the courts in bringing students back into school. As explained by Milt Shaum. pupil personnel director, direc-tor, and Tom Feil, district liaison officer between the courts and the schools, the program, s bottom line aimes at convincing students it's better to stay in, rather than out of, school. A KEY ELEMENT is immediate im-mediate action when a student misses school for an unexplained unex-plained reason. That means if John misses two periods on Thursday afternoon his parents pa-rents probably will get a tel-phone tel-phone call the next day seeking an explanation. Based on a recently-enacted state law, more burden is placed on the schools to make an earnest effort at solving the problem before referring a student stu-dent to juvenile court, Mr. Feil explains. That means a conference confer-ence between the parent and child, a daily progress report where needed and meetings with the vice principal and possibly others with the truant student. IT DOESN'T take long to get the wheels in motion. If a student stu-dent misses three or four days for an unexplained reason, it could mean a request the student stu-dent attend a truancy school along with his parents. During three sessions of about I'i hours, students and parents are asked to do some goal-setting goal-setting and are given help in building communication skills. Truancy school is recommended recom-mended after Mr. Feil reviews reports form the school and determines de-termines every effort possible has been expended by author ities there. If a child misses the school and doesn't respond to notices to attend, a court appearance could be in the offering. EVERY EFFORT is made to keep a student from having to attend court but he's warned of the consequences if he doesn't "shape up," the pair explained. ex-plained. That "day in court" will probably last only a matter of minutes, but could bring a fine anywhere from $15-5200 depending on severity of the case. "In the past, there hasn't been the consequence on the student as we would've liked," Mr. Feil says. "That's one of the main reasons w e use the court, noting that at times all the lectures in the world may die on deaf ears. And where the time between a referral re-ferral and court appearance was one-two months before it hopefully will be more like a week, now. IF A STUDENT is slapped with a fine it'i hoped parents will insist their child pay it-through it-through assignmer to a school work project, if necessary, Mr. Shaum says. And should a student continue con-tinue to violate school attendance, attend-ance, he could find the judge referring him MOWEDA, the juvenile detention center in Roy. BUT EVEN after a student attends court, the school makes an effort to assist the student. He is asked to meet with the vice principal, in most cases, where help can be arranged as necessary. Under the new program, the vice principal can play a more positive posi-tive role rather than just be the woeful disciplinarian, Mr. Feil says. Mr. Shaum stresses schools have been asked to consider "the special needs" of students stu-dents with truancy problems. "Maybe there's some big underlying problem" that could mean a more structured learning situation with fewer students per teacher, for example. ex-ample. "TRUANCY IS a symptom of some sort of problem-boredom problem-boredom with the school system, sys-tem, peer problems, some sort of difficulty." Mr. Shaum says. "It's symptomatic of a health or emotional problem, social abnormalities or all of these." The drug-user, shoplifter sho-plifter or burglar could well be a truant. Stressing the importance of getting a child back in shool, Mr. Shaum says arrangements for transfer to another school could even be worked out, if needed. "Fright could come from many sources. He may not want to see a certain child." A TEAM can be set up to help a child including teachers, the parents, vice principal and others having a stake in the student's activities. The efforts of that team and others at counseling are put into play after a student appears in court, for instance, with a rehearing generally set two weeks later. Thorough reporting re-porting is required from each school to document efforts made at helping the student, we will, with those used by the district and court in future action. ac-tion. WHILE TRUANCY is not considered as much a problem in Davis County because of the more suburban, bedroom-community bedroom-community atmosphere compared com-pared to some major urban centers, it is significant and is likely to increase in numbers if not percentage of students as Davis County's population continues to grow, Mr. Shaum says. In addition, he adds, "There is some concern because of some restriction on (social service ser-vice program) budgets and there could be a backlash. As you increase the pupil-teacher ratio and unemployment goes up" truancy is likely to increase. in-crease. "THESE ARE realities." he emphasizes, noting he's not criticizing federal policies. "As a society there are various va-rious kinds of shocks that have repercussions clear through the system." The county's attendance, however, has always stood near the top. at about 95 percent per-cent on the average day. That means about 2,400 students might be absent for sickness or other reasons. |