July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Grant given to AEP program (01/31/08)
By By JACK RONALD-
A $5,000 grant from the Pacers Foundation will help support the Alternative to Expulsion Program locally in the 2008-2009 school year.
"I thought the proposal was fantastic," Pacers Foundation executive director Jami Marsh said Wednesday during a stop in Portland. "It's a very great fit."
AEP is operated by the Youth Service Bureau of Jay County in conjunction with Jay Schools and provides an alternative to sending an unruly student home without supervision.
"We don't really have any alternative school," Jay County High School principal Jeremy Gulley said, noting that some school corporations have a separate building and separate teaching staff. "This is our answer to that. ... I think it's the best bang for the buck."
Under AEP, students who may be headed for expulsion because of their behavior are referred to the Youth Service Bureau where they're plugged into focused study sessions at the Jay Community Center supervised by Priscilla McFarland and counseling and community service work supervised by AEP manager P.J. Corwin.
"Typically we meet weekly with the participant and their parents," said Corwin. "We establish a plan for service and set at least three goals."
"Community service work is not punishment," added Youth Service Bureau chief executive officer Reda Theurer-Miller. Instead, it's an attempt to find areas of interest where students can achieve some success. "If you see yourself succeed, that's what we all want."
Corwin works with the school system and parents to determine a student's educational standing and determine what issues and areas of conflict may exist that are leading to behavior problems. He continues to have contact with the students throughout their participation in the program and does a minimum of three follow-up visits after the student has returned to the classroom.
Launched in August 2003 with support from a grant from the Indiana Department of Education, AEP has worked with a total of 503 local students who have performed more than 3,000 hours of community service work.
Of the 503, 41 have been long-term participants. Of those, 19 are still in school, nine quit school, nine graduated, and four moved away.
There have been 57 participants to date this school year who have completed 881/2 hours of community service work.
One of those was JCHS student Jacob Dishman, who says the program has made a difference in his school life.
"He made one bad decision," Gulley said of Jacob. "Rather than throwing him out to the curb, we said, 'We have a program.' ... This young man would not have been anywhere but on the streets. This is our safety net in Jay County."
Dishman was out of school for about a semester but is now back at JCHS. He did community service work at the community center and the Jay County Humane Society's animal shelter.
Academic work done under the program uses the Plato software and Internet portal acquired by Jay Schools for its Credit Recovery Program.
Fifty-one JCHS students are using the Credit Recovery Program - which allows them to do computer-directed course work online at their own pace - currently at the high school in addition to those using it in AEP.
Gulley said 50 percent of the serious disciplinary incidents at JCHS involve just five percent of the student body. The Alternative to Expulsion Program provides an opportunity to get those kids back on track.
"We need to allow the teacher to teach and the kids to learn," Gulley said, referring to student discipline.
Founded in 1979, the Youth Service Bureau's original mission was to provide shelter care to abused and neglected children in the region. Its mission has expanded to include a number of programs for children and families that are aimed at filling the gaps in existing services. Today it provides 23 beds for residential treatment and emergency care and operates a number of services including the Healthy Families program.
The Pacers Foundation has made grants from its "Be Educated" Fund totaling $107,500 this cycle, Marsh said.
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"I thought the proposal was fantastic," Pacers Foundation executive director Jami Marsh said Wednesday during a stop in Portland. "It's a very great fit."
AEP is operated by the Youth Service Bureau of Jay County in conjunction with Jay Schools and provides an alternative to sending an unruly student home without supervision.
"We don't really have any alternative school," Jay County High School principal Jeremy Gulley said, noting that some school corporations have a separate building and separate teaching staff. "This is our answer to that. ... I think it's the best bang for the buck."
Under AEP, students who may be headed for expulsion because of their behavior are referred to the Youth Service Bureau where they're plugged into focused study sessions at the Jay Community Center supervised by Priscilla McFarland and counseling and community service work supervised by AEP manager P.J. Corwin.
"Typically we meet weekly with the participant and their parents," said Corwin. "We establish a plan for service and set at least three goals."
"Community service work is not punishment," added Youth Service Bureau chief executive officer Reda Theurer-Miller. Instead, it's an attempt to find areas of interest where students can achieve some success. "If you see yourself succeed, that's what we all want."
Corwin works with the school system and parents to determine a student's educational standing and determine what issues and areas of conflict may exist that are leading to behavior problems. He continues to have contact with the students throughout their participation in the program and does a minimum of three follow-up visits after the student has returned to the classroom.
Launched in August 2003 with support from a grant from the Indiana Department of Education, AEP has worked with a total of 503 local students who have performed more than 3,000 hours of community service work.
Of the 503, 41 have been long-term participants. Of those, 19 are still in school, nine quit school, nine graduated, and four moved away.
There have been 57 participants to date this school year who have completed 881/2 hours of community service work.
One of those was JCHS student Jacob Dishman, who says the program has made a difference in his school life.
"He made one bad decision," Gulley said of Jacob. "Rather than throwing him out to the curb, we said, 'We have a program.' ... This young man would not have been anywhere but on the streets. This is our safety net in Jay County."
Dishman was out of school for about a semester but is now back at JCHS. He did community service work at the community center and the Jay County Humane Society's animal shelter.
Academic work done under the program uses the Plato software and Internet portal acquired by Jay Schools for its Credit Recovery Program.
Fifty-one JCHS students are using the Credit Recovery Program - which allows them to do computer-directed course work online at their own pace - currently at the high school in addition to those using it in AEP.
Gulley said 50 percent of the serious disciplinary incidents at JCHS involve just five percent of the student body. The Alternative to Expulsion Program provides an opportunity to get those kids back on track.
"We need to allow the teacher to teach and the kids to learn," Gulley said, referring to student discipline.
Founded in 1979, the Youth Service Bureau's original mission was to provide shelter care to abused and neglected children in the region. Its mission has expanded to include a number of programs for children and families that are aimed at filling the gaps in existing services. Today it provides 23 beds for residential treatment and emergency care and operates a number of services including the Healthy Families program.
The Pacers Foundation has made grants from its "Be Educated" Fund totaling $107,500 this cycle, Marsh said.
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