Kane County Regional Office of Education, Court Services explore scope of student support in discussion with schools
GENEVA, Ill. – Ensuring that all students have the resources and environments necessary to succeed is one of the core services of the Kane County Regional Office of Education (ROE). That involves working with colleagues across County departments to provide resources and supports to schools.
Last week, the ROE hosted school counselors, psychologists, and social workers to speak with representatives from Kane County Court Services. Those in attendance included Kane County 16th Circuit Judge Sandra Parga, Kane County Assistant State’s Attorney Jessica Michels, and Public Defenders Walter Werderich and Sebastian Toppel.
The group reviewed an overview of the court system, what happens when children become involved in the court system, what the Kane County ROE does to support these cases, and how schools can best support students during the court process.
“The relationships our Student Services staff have with our schools makes their work possible, and because of our experience with the people in Kane County Court Services, we have the ability to bring these groups together to give our schools the full scope of our support services,” said John K. Jonak, Regional Superintendent for Kane County. “Many students that are involved with the court system are also in one of our alternative learning programs, so there is a lot of collaboration that occurs. School staff received a first-hand account of this process, which builds that understanding of how we can help guide students back to a productive path.”
Student Services offered through the Kane County ROE are designed to assist youth and families experiencing hardships or challenges that may interfere with regular educational settings. State-approved alternative education programs that are available include Regional Safe Schools Programs (RSSP), which serve students in grades 6-12 that have been expelled or suspended from their home districts due to factors such as chronic misconduct or absenteeism. The ROE administers multiple RSSP sites across Kane County. Students are placed in those respective sites based on recommendations by school districts and mutual agreement from ROE staff.
Alternative Learning Opportunities Programs (ALOP) work in tandem with RSSPs, serving a broader range of students in grades K-12 who still attend their home districts, but are at risk of academic failure, chronic absenteeism, or dropping out of school.
The focus of these programs is to keep students connected to their home district while providing a customized, effective learning environment, improve attendance, boost academic success, support mental health and social-emotional- growth, and prepare them for the next stage of their educational or occupational career.
“We recognize that not every student succeeds in the same setting, and what success looks like can also differ,” said Jonak. “Our Student Services team works with our schools to find the right fit for students experiencing these circumstances. Our goal in this collaboration is to create the safest, most effective educational experience for each student.”
The ROE also runs the education program at the Kane County Juvenile Justice Center. Licensed teachers give daily instruction year-round in language arts, math, science, and social studies. The program aims to guarantee that students in juvenile detention continue to be educated and make a successful transition back into their public school program.
The process to make the transition successful begins well before release. Staff at the ROE work directly with the child’s home district to share documentation of progress, completed coursework, individual needs, and all pertinent information to create an effective plan for a return to a traditional school setting.
Staff continue to monitor the child’s education journey through case management check-ins and truancy support as needed. Youth outreach team members continue to check in with students that have been referred to the ROE’s Truancy Prevention/Intervention Program, while a family counselor on staff may walk family members through specific aspects of the legal process and connect them with community resources.
These processes all operate in tandem with the goal of providing a support line for children and families.
“We understand the scope of the work that school staff do to support these students. Chronic absenteeism has continued to be an issue for schools well beyond Kane County since the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Jonak. “If schools refer a student to one of our programs, we are here to support them. While not every child may reap the full benefits of this system, we do hear the success stories. Those who work in our schools should know that they played a significant role in that outcome, which is improving that student’s life.”
For more information on this work, visit kaneroe.org/student-services.
