Truancy Prevention Program

MISSION STATEMENT

The Shenandoah County Truancy Prevention Programs’ goal is to reduce truancy, improve academic achievement, and strengthen truant’s families’ attachment to schools and communities. By utilizing case management, agency referrals, and incentive based rewards, we hope to make a positive difference and provide support and accountability to the youth of Shenandoah County.

GOALS OF TRUANCY PREVENTION

Reduce truancy and rate of truant youth entering juvenile detention.  Develop working and trusting relationships with truant youths’ families. 

THE PROCESS

Individual schools in Shenandoah County have attendance incentives but tend to be on a yearly basis.  Truancy Prevention will target at risk truant youth at two week intervals to allow for timely, meaningful rewards or sanctions.  Please view ‘Truancy Prevention Supporters’ for participating partners in the community.

Individual schools in the district either hold a 10 (absences) day meeting with the child and parent or send a letter home notifying appropriate people of the child’s attendance.  The goal of the meetings is to determine the cause of the absences and develop a plan to reduce the number of unexcused absences.  At this juncture, as a team, we would determine if this child is suitable for the incentive based component of truancy prevention.  If so, then we would proceed with the incentive based component.  If not, we would determine what needs/risks are involved with the family and child.  Based on that assessment, we would proceed with referrals to community agencies such as CLEAN, Inc., Northwestern Community Services, and various counseling agencies.

If the child continues to absent and has accumulated 7 full day absences which are unjustified/unexcused, the child will be forwarded to the Truancy Officer.  The Truancy Officer will consider all of the information on a case by case basis to be sent to an IDT (Interdisciplinary Team) meeting.

An IDT consists of many community partners and is generally the final preventative measure before court action can be pursued.  In general, the following are present at an IDT meeting: Truancy Officer, Probation Officer, Truancy Prevention Case Manager, Assistant Principal from child’s home school, Department of Social Services, Northwestern Community Service Board member, child, and parent.  The IDT team meeting introduces themselves then the IDT chair member opens the discussion to the parents and child.  Each member of the IDT team asks questions and depending on the feedback, make suggestions and recommendations to address the underlying reasons for poor attendance.

If the child is absent one more day after the IDT meeting, by VA Code 16.1-228, a complaint must be filed with the Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court allegeing the pupil is a child in need of supervision (CHINS).  A court date then will be set and the parent and child will have to appear before the Juvenile and Domestic Relations Judge. 

Truancy Preventions’ goal is to limit the number of families appearing before the court.  With collaboration with community agencies, businesses, Police Departments, and the School District, we are ecouraged about the future of Truancy Prevention in Shenandoah County.

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