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Monday, December 09, 2013

SCHOOL-BASED PROBATION OFFICERS KEEP CLOSE EYE ON STUDENTS

The starting running back for an Anne Arundel County high school football team doesn’t like world history, wears a hoodie to class and is soft spoken. He also has a probation officer right down the hall.

Through a state-funded program called Spotlight on Schools, the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services places case managers within 65 middle and high schools across the state, which probation officers believe increases graduation rates by providing close monitoring and support for students in the juvenile justice system.

“The ultimate goal is to keep them in school,” said Shannon Hazard, the football player’s caseworker who has worked in the high school for three years. “I have daily check-ins with the students and monitor everything from behavior to grades, to be aware of everything that is going on.”
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2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I was so lucky to have gone to a schools who didn't need probation officers "right down the hall". We had teachers who demanded our full attention, and Mr Belz is we didn't give it. If any student ever needed to see a court room, they were pretty much ostracized from friends. Being sent home to our parents was about the worst that could happen.

lmclain said...

I'll bet the starting running back doesn't like ANY school work....his parents are PRAYING he goes to the NFL. They, too, couldn't care less about any scholastic ability. 6:14 nailed it. And THAT'S why our generation got jobs, raised families, bought houses, and were generally successful. Now, all we have are victims, people who "society failed" (their single momma had NOTHING to do with it...), and kids with a legacy of failure. But, they got the certificate for "participating", and "showing up", and help with the baby they celebrated having in the ninth grade, so they feel really, really good about themselves. Until they hit the job market.