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Trustees discuss absenteeism, incentives and juvenile-court referrals as attendance tools
Summary
Board reviewed staff feedback on chronic absenteeism and discussed positive incentives, parent education and juvenile court referrals (SAAB/JPO) as mechanisms to address truancy; board emphasized incentives and school-level efforts over direct fines by trustees.
Trustees and district staff reviewed suggestion-box feedback that identified chronic absenteeism and low parental engagement as a recurring problem across Lyon County schools.
Superintendent Logan summarized the concerns and said the district is pursuing reading and attendance interventions. Trustee Whistler raised the question of penalties for parents and noted the board does not have authority to directly fine families. In response, a district official described a subcommittee process and involvement of juvenile probation officers and the juvenile court master, saying those interventions "could include fines, community service, loss of the driving privilege," and confirming principals have some authority to remove driving privileges.
District staff also described positive incentives used at schools, such as class and school competitions, "donut day," extra recess or afternoons with the principal and other visible recognition for daily attendance. A district speaker said the initial year of the SAAB program produced cases where "students really [came] to school after that where the family got on the student, and it worked." Trustees discussed balancing incentives with accountability and asked staff to share information about parent-university sessions and other outreach activities.
Board members did not adopt new attendance policy at the meeting. Instead, trustees asked staff to continue existing incentive programs, publicize parent-education events and work with juvenile-court partners where appropriate. The board also asked to be notified about future parent-academy sessions so trustees and board representatives could observe or participate.
