St. Clair County Learning Academy

1. St. Clair County Learning Academy Day Treatment/Night Watch Program Presented by: Denice Lapish,St. Clair County RESA

2. History • Chartered in 1995 by St. Clair County RESA • Public School Academy • Partnership with St.Clair County Circuit Court Family Division • Opened fall of 1996

3. Student Profile • 30 students • Male and female • Ages 13-17 • Grades 6-12 • May have been expelled • All are court adjudicated

4. Student Profile cont. • 2-3 grade levels below peers academically • Poor history of attendance • Low achievement in school • Have diagnosed learning disabilities and/or mental health issues • Home environments are not conducive to learning

5. Purpose and Goals • The purpose of the SCCLA is to provide a quality education. • The purpose of the DT/NW Program is to provide an alternative to residential placement for those under court supervision. • The mutual goal is to work cooperatively to instill pro-social behavior and to transits students back to the public school.

6. Leadership & Management • Oversight is provided by SCCRESA as the authorizer of the academy. • 5 member Board of Trustees • Consists of experienced community and education leaders • Representing Education Circuit Court Family Division, • Meet monthly • Fourth Wednesday at 7:30 am.

7. 3 person Management Team • Director of SCCLA • Funded by SCCRESA • Responsible for school fiscal management, curriculum supervision, special education services, school improvement, public relations, grant writing and reporting, technology coordination, data analysis, school personnel supervision, and school liaison. • Director of DT/NW • St. Clair County Circuit Court Family Division • Responsible for day to day operation, develop and implement Program policy, supervise Program staff, student discipline, family and court liaison, screening and orientation of students. • Assistant Director DT/NW • St. Clair County Circuit Court Family Division • Responsible for assisting with administrative functions, fiscal management, National Food Program accounting, student transportation, secure bids for contracted services, coordinate Program rewards and sanctions.

8. Funding Sources • School Funding • State Aid • Title I • 31a funds • Public School Academy Charter Grants • Eisenhower • Title VI • National Free and Reduced Lunch Program • USF-eRate • The above funding provides the resource for • Staffing of three full time certified teachers • One part-time classroom aid • One part-time secretary • Fringes, teaching supplies, professional development, 1/3 utilities, etc.

9. Funding Sources, cont. • Day Treatment/Night Watch Funding • St. Clair County Circuit Court Family Division • State Child Care Fund • The above funding source provides funding for: • One Full time Director • One Full time Assistant Director • Two full time and one part time Youth Specialist Aides • Six Surveillance Officers • One full time and one part time Clerical • Building, utilities and maintenance work

10. Funding Sources, cont. • Family Independence Agency • Provides funding for Case managers • St. Clair County Community Mental Health • Provides funding for two full-time clinical social workers

11. Enrollment Criteria • 1. Court Probation Referral • Case is presented and screened • 2. Court Disposition Hearing • Student and parent are court ordered to participate • 3. Orientation meeting held by Program Director with parent and student • 4. First day of school student is assessed in reading and math using the SRA and Star instrument. • 5. Curriculum is designed and education goals are determined.

12. School Curriculum • Language Arts • Mathematics • Social Studies • Science • Health Education • Keyboarding • PASS Program • Accelerated Reading and Math • Computer Curriculum Corporation (CCC) • Plato

13. Requirements • All students must show at least one year progress in reading and math • All students must earn a minimum of 7 semester credits

14. School Day • 7:00 – 8:15 am students are transported to site by surveillance/program staff • 8:15-8:30 Breakfast • 8:30 am – 3:00 pm School Day • 12:00 – 12:30 pm Lunch • Two 15 minute breaks • Monday through Friday • 12 months • Three classrooms • 1 Middle School • 2 High School • 30 daily points can be earned for appropriate behavior in the classroom

15. After school • 3:00 pm to 5:30 pm Monday – Friday • Students rotate through a sequence of activities • Community Service • Drug Unit programs • Tutoring • Life Skills • Group counseling sessions

16. Day Treatment/Night Watch • Three Distinct levels/phases which structure the youth’s movement through the Program. • Phase 1 – Orientation (30 earned days) • Phase 2 – Day Treatment (120 earned days) • Phase 3- Reintegration/Transition and preparation for discharge (120 earned days) • Each phase has a comprehensive behavioral contract that includes goals set by the student.

17. Surveillance • Random contacts are made in person and by phone during non-day treatment hours including the weekends and holidays.

18. Counseling • The St. Clair County Circuit Court Family Division requires that students and parents participate in the counseling process provided by Community Mental Health. • Weekly student group counseling • As needed individual sessions • Bi-monthly home family sessions • Bi-monthly parent group sessions

19. Parent Involvement • The Program stresses and demands parental involvement including: • Signing a contract that specifies their roles, responsibilities, and expectations and their agreement to follow and cooperate with Program stipulations. • Parents are to be involved integrally in developing their child’s individual treatment plan. • Parents are required to help develop a family treatment plan. • Parents are required to be involved in parent support groups. • Parents are expected to be involved in their child’s school program, including doing schoolwork with their child and attending parent/teacher conferences. • Parents will meet with the Program Social Worker twice a month for family counseling. • Parents, as necessary, will be provided a wide range of support services including assistance in budgeting, housekeeping, child care, substance abuse, employment, etc. • Parents are required to report any Program or probation violations to Program staff including inappropriate behaviors at home, and their child leaving the home unauthorized.

20. Phase 3Reintegration/Transition • The goals of Phase 3 are to assure that the youth can function productively and responsibly in the community setting and eventually provide the youth with opportunity to function in the community without the benefit of the extensive controls imposed by DT/NW. • These ends are accomplished through: • 1) initial frequent client and ancillary contacts that diminish; and • 2) continued monitoring during all hours of the day and night, including weekends and holidays, and • 3) monitoring school progress. • The program will make use of phase levels that are very restrictive in the beginning and become less intensive and restrictive as youth nears the end of the Program and are ready to be integrated into the community without further Program or Court involvement. • Student has the opportunity to continue his/her education process and at the same time earn credits toward High School Graduation requirements.

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