mission in partnership with the community, we will continually improve all educational services to...

Mission

In partnership with the community, we will continually improve all educational

services to prepare our students today for a successful tomorrow

Innovative Programs

JAC• Judicial Attendance Council of Granville

County

Purpose of JAC

The purpose of the Judicial Attendance Council is to assist the Granville County School System in addressing the needs of families in violation of the Compulsory Attendance Law without resorting to judicial action.

Purpose…continued

The Judicial Council will serve as a diversionary program instead of charging the parent(s) or children with truancy. The focus of the Council will be to determine solutions the council members can offer the family to avoid future truancy problems.

Eligibility

•  Families that are in violation of the Compulsory Attendance Law (G.S.115C-378)

• Families that are consistently truant due to ongoing problems

• School Administrators may utilize past attendance records to determine whether a family should be referred to the council

Referral Process

• Schools seek assistance from District Attendance Officer after they have exhausted their resources

• Attendance Officer meets with the family and the school to make a contract

• Attendance Officer makes referral to JAC Coordinator if contract is violated

Referral Process…continued• JAC Coordinator interviews the family and

invites them to JAC• JAC Coordinator and parent agree on a

date and an official letter is delivered to the parent via local law enforcement

• JAC Coordinator briefs the council with background information

Referral Process…continued

• Council makes recommendations to the family

• JAC Coordinator follow-up with families and service providers for a period of time as determined by the council

• Families that fail to appear before the council or fail to follow the council’s recommendations will be charged through the regular judicial process

Judicial Oversight

• The Honorable Carolyn J. Yancey

• The Honorable S. Quon Bridges

Council Members• District Attorney’s Office

• District Court Judge

• Granville County Schools

• GC Department of Social Services

• Five County Mental Health Authority

• Department of Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention

• Oxford Police Department

Council Members…continued

• Granville County Sheriff’s Department

• Clergy

• Families Living Violence Free

• Interpreter (as needed)

• Total Resource Foundation

• Oxford Housing Authority

• Juvenile Community Service and Teen Court

Successes• Families that comply continue to use

resources after they have been terminated from JAC

• Families learn how to request assistance from the schools

• Students find new interests that forces them to make school a priority (volunteering, sports, etc.)

Challenges• Funding to employ enough personnel to

adequately manage truancy• Identifying the families that have a

genuine need for assistance• Addressing the needs of the habitually

truant families

Innovative Programs

Dr. Timothy J. Farley, Superintendent

Dr. Michael A. Myrick, Presenter

Director of Innovative Programs

myrickm@gcs.k12.nc.us

(919) 693-4613

www.gcs.k12.nc.us