Butler, Ripley Co. truancy court to begin in August

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo.--The 36th Judicial Circuit is approaching a historic moment, Presiding Judge Robert Smith told those gathered Friday for an organizational meeting of the newly-formed Truancy Court.

In less than two months, the specialty court will meet for the first time with families of Butler County and Ripley County school children to address chronic absenteeism.

This is perhaps the first time Missouri has had a Truancy Court effective for an entire judicial circuit, Smith explained.

"It is miraculous how we came together," he said. "It is not one person who accomplished this. ... The whole community grabbed hold of this problem and found a solution."

Poplar Bluff, Twin Rivers, Neelyville, Naylor and Doniphan school districts have committed to participate and are providing the funds to staff the court with two officers from the Juvenile Office. Gatewood and Lonestar districts are in discussions to join the effort. Judges in both counties will hear cases.

Organizers have eliminated the ability for a family to switch school districts within Butler or Ripley counties to avoid resolving truancy issues by making this circuitwide, Smith said.

"I hope this can become a statewide initiative," he said.

Initial startup costs of the court are being paid for with a $2,700 donation from the Judge Rex A. Henson Memorial. Henson was presiding circuit judge of the 36th Judicial Circuit for more than 20 years, until 1990, and was the juvenile judge for most of that time. He died in October 2009.

The Henson family wanted to use the funds this way because of the judge's involvement with children, said his son, Mark Henson, also an organizer of Truancy Court and attendance officer with Poplar Bluff School District.

His father was supportive of efforts to start this court, according to Mark Henson.

Butler County will hold its first session of Truancy Court at 7 a.m. Aug. 2. Truancy Court will be held in Ripley County at 3:30 p.m. Aug. 5.

Judge Thomas Swindle said Ripley County is working toward a 7 a.m. start time, but that it was not possible for the initial court date.

Swindle indicated he would like to see Gatewood and Lonestar districts become a part of this effort.

"There are kids in these schools who are borderline and we don't want them to get (worse)," he said. "We're going to try to work in everyone (student) that we can. We want to find the root of the familial problem and cut it off at the pass."

Judge John Bloodworth told organizers he would also like to see these courts handle as many cases as possible.

Districts sent warning letters to students with the highest absenteeism rates before school ended in May. Informational letters were also provided to all families.

Poplar Bluff has chosen students for the first court date by looking at those with years of poor attendance rates and families with multiple children who are not attending school, said Assistant Superintendent Sarah Long.

The district sent 187 letters April 8 to students who had missed more than 20 unverified days in the 2009-10 school year. From those, two letters could not be delivered. Eighteen parents withdrew their children from school and said they would provide home-schooling.

Of the remaining 169 students, 19 students achieved 100 percent attendance in the final month and a half of school. Approximately 45 percent lowered their missed days to fewer than three. Only 15 percent missed days in the double digits, said Mark Henson.

"There is no doubt in my mind Truancy Court and a follow up on those letters is going to make a remarkable difference," Henson said. "There are going to be some parents in this district who are going to have to be held accountable or we're not going to break this cycle."

Doniphan School District sent 78 letters, seeing 63 percent of those students improve their attendance and 22 percent achieve perfect attendance.

Twin Rivers and Neelyville districts reported at a previous meeting they saw similar success.

Organizers have hired two new juvenile officers for Truancy Court. Melissa Dowd worked with Missouri Children's Division for 14 years before taking this position. Pamela Stark had been a paralegal for 16 years.

Bloodworth commented that he has worked with both women and is pleased the court was able to find such qualified personnel.