Cape truancy officer wants earlier start on cases

Cape Girardeau's truancy officer Margo Block has a plan for this school year.

On Wednesday, Block sent out a letter to Cape Girardeau public schools requesting she be informed the fifth time a child misses school without an excuse. At that time, Block said, she would also ask for a copy of the child's demographic information and attendance record.

At a statewide summit last year held to address dropout rates, Cape Girardeau school officials discussed the need for a crackdown on truancy, saying the juvenile system did not have the resources to be effective.

Block said the earlier she finds out that a student is having a hard time getting to school, the more effective she can be in correcting the problem.

"Everyone involved in working with children knows the importance of them being present and getting into a routine of going to school," Block said in her letter.

Block's job is funded by a grant from Missouri Department of Social Services' Division of Youth Services, as part of a program designed to keep juveniles out of detention facilities, said chief juvenile officer Randy Rhodes.

Rhodes said the program is a "big payoff" for the juvenile system because it can help children get back on the right track when they have problems early on.

During the 2008-2009 school year, Block struggled because some cases weren't referred to her until near the end of the year, when the child had already missed a lot of school, Rhodes said.

"If I can get them early and start working with them early, I have better results," Block said.

Block said she approaches her job by first identifying why a child is missing school, such as being a target of bullying or having a communication problem with a teacher,

Then she tries to offer incentives for the child to want to attend school, like coupons to fast-food restaurants, and sets short-term goals, such as making it through one full week of school, she said.

Then she'll explain to them the importance of being on time for school, and build up to longer periods of time with no unexplained absences.

"If they don't have anybody getting them up and ready for school, and they wake up at 10, they may be like, 'well, what's the point?'" Block said.

bdicosmo@semissourian.com

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