TRUANCY PREVENTION PROGRAM

 

The Center of Grace Truancy Prevention Program will focus on schools located in the 4th Ward of the City of Paterson. As a result of a planning meeting held with School District Assistant Superintendent Dr. Joseph Fulmore and Mr. Hector Santos, School District Attendance Supervisor to discuss school attendance issues, it was agreed that student truancy was a critical issue within the school district.
Specifically, the Center of Grace Truancy Prevention Program will concentrate on the students attending Elementary School Number 6, 10 and 21. According to Mr. Santos these schools have a high rate of student truancy. The District also confirmed that a review of school attendance indicated that a student's attendance problems begin at the Kindergarten level. It was decided that Truancy Prevention Program will be structured to begin with Kindergarten students who were beginning to show signs of attendance problems. 
After meeting with the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General and New Jersey Office of Faith Based Initiative representatives to discuss the Center of Grace Truancy Prevention Program proposal and national model Truancy Prevention programs, Center of Grace proposes to present the following model programs to the Paterson School District for review and approval.
Model Programs:
Chronic Truancy Initiative: Chronic Truancy Initiative was created by Michigan State University School of Criminal Justice. The programs’ goal is to reduce juvenile crime, loitering, and graffiti through reduction of truancy. The program targets students aged 6 - 11 with poor attendance records and those identified as chronic truants. Practices include monitoring and family intervention for children with poor attendance records until attendance meets the targeted level of improvement. A caseworker is assigned to a truant family to make an initial assessment and provide necessary services. If attendance does not improve within 2 weeks of the caseworker's intervention, a local police officer visits the home to brief the family on additional services available and consequences for noncompliance with school attendance laws. The police officer may refer the family to a participation community resource. If attendance remains unimproved after the police officer's visit, additional steps are taken depending on the child's age.

 

Parenting Wisely: Parenting Wisely (PW) is an interactive CD_ROM program designed for families at risk with children from early elementary to high school. Video programs which overcome illiteracy barriers meet the needs of families who don't usually attend or finish parenting education. PW is based on social learning theory, family systems theory, and cognitive theory, family systems theory, and cognitive theory. PW see asks to help families enhance relationships and decrease conflict through behavior management and support. It enhances child adjustment and potentially reduces delinquency, substance abuse and involvement with juvenile justice systems. In addition, PW builds parental confidence in parenting skills. It seeks to improve communication, problem solving and parent-school communication while improving school attendance and grades and reducing disciplinary infractions.
After careful research of available resources, Center of Grace proposes to incorporate the following support resources into the Truancy Prevention Program:
Resources:

 

 

  • National Center for School Engagement - Tool-Kit for Creating Your Own Truancy Reduction Program
  • City of Paterson Weed and Seed Program
  • Foundation Center Education Funding Watch

 

  • National Community Service - Urban Schools Service Corps
  • Big Brothers - Big Sisters Program

 

  • Paterson School District Retired Teachers
  • Passaic County Community College - Community Resources Program

 

  • Office of Juvenile Justice Program

 

In direct partnership with the Paterson School District, Center of Grace will work directly with the Paterson School District to implement the above program activities. The District will provide attendance policy orientation sessions to Center of Grace staff prior to implementation of the Truancy Prevention Program as well as providing technical assistance to incorporate the Truancy Prevention Program into the existing School District Attendance Policy. The District will also provide the technical assistance and program evaluation instruments for the Truancy Prevention Program.

 

The grant from the Office of Faith Based Initiatives will enable the Center of Grace to begin he program within the existing school term. Ms. Marie Ligon, Center of Grace Executive Director will be responsible for program administration and the mentoring component. Ms. Jean Godfrey, retired educator will be responsible for program implementation, after care activities, parenting workshops in collaboration with the school district and Passaic County Community College. Ms Marilee Jackson will provide technical assistance to the program in the area of research and development and collaborate with the school district and Weed and Seed representatives regarding strategic plan development, program goals and objectives and measurable outcomes as well as student/parent monitoring instruments.

The need for a Truancy Prevention Program was determined by the Center of Grace's ongoing interaction with the Paterson School District on behalf of the children of client families and students participating in St.Peter's activities.

A meeting was held with Dr. Joseph Fulmore, Assistant Superintendent of Schools and Mr. Hector Santos, School Student Attendance Director, who both confirmed that School Truancy was indeed a critical issue within the School District.

The School District has agreed to support the involvement of Center of Grace and the Truancy Prevention Program. As a result of a Planning Meeting to discuss student school attendance, these officials decided that the proposed Center of Grace Truancy Prevention Program would be an asset to the District's ongoing school attendance activities.

It was decided that the Truancy Prevention Program would concentrate on the students attending three (3) elementary schools in the 4th Ward. Schools Number 4, 10 and 21 have a high rate of school truancy and tardiness. The District also confirmed that a review of student records indicated that a student's attendance problems began at the Kindergarten level. It was recommended that the Truancy Prevention Program be structured to begin with Kindergarten students who were beginning to exhibit attendance problems. The School District will provide comprehensive support services, technical assistance, a Truant Officer and school Counselor. The Center of Grace will conduct follow-up activities of students and parents who are referred by each school and assist the Truant Officers whenever necessary.

The follow-up activities will include direct contact with the student's family, monitoring the student's attendance, educational progress, providing a mentor and/or after care activities. Center of Grace will identify family needs and issues that impact on the student's behavior and school attendance. Parents will be encouraged to become active participants in their child's education and will be provided with Parenting Skills Training. The School District has agreed to provide parent education courses to help parents understand their responsibility to their child's education and the District's attendance policies.

The New Jersey Office of Faith Based Initiatives (OFBI) and the New Jersey Office of Juvenile Justice have provided the Center of Grace with national model truancy and parenting programs. The Center of Grace chose three (3) models from this group of programs. They are the Parenting Wisely Program, Chronic Truancy Initiatives and Strengthening Families Program. Center of Grace will also work collaboratively with the Paterson Weed and Seed Program, Big Brothers and Big Sisters Program, National Community Service AmeriCorps Program and Passaic County Community College - Community Resources Program.

 

ADDENDUM 2

CENTER OF GRACE
RENEWED LIFE PROGRAM

 

According to a Research Report (A Portrait of Prisoner re-entry) Published in November, 2002, the size of New Jersey's prison populatiho quadrupled for the period 1977 to 2002 considtent with the national trend.  As the prison population has increased, those persons facing re-entry have also increased. 
A growing numbr of those persons being released are women, as evidenced by a 1998 statistic showing 1,653 female inmates representing a ratio of 39 per 100,000 women.  The total number of parolees in Passaic County was 695 in 2002, with the majority of those returing to the cities of Paterson and Passaic.

Of the total prison population in the State of New Jersey, Passaic County represents 13%.  As of 2006, there were a total number of 2,294 inmates in NJ correction facilities (1,353) male, 57 female, 427 juveniles and 457 other: i.e., sex offenders), thus making Passaic County the third highest county in the state.

These individuals will be returning to to the communities in Passaic County.  The Center of Grace,
Renewed Life Program statistics gathered over the past year has gleaned that women were the largest percentage of our population served with 60 women and 50 men refceiving varius services and referrals.  The emergent priority area for the majority of our recfently relased is securing safe and decent housing to allow for a base and a sense of permanency and self-sufficiency, with the city of Paterson having the highest rate for residency issues.

COG RLP intends to rent a one- family house that will serve as a temporary residential space for seven (7) women.  The request for funds from the City of Paterson Department of Community Development will used to cover housing costs, additional staff and personnel for both the residential space and the current operating space located at 175 Fair Street, Paterson.