Courtesy Image/TCSOS
Sonora, CA — The Tuolumne County School Attendance Review Board (SARB) recently received state recognition for being one of 23 in the State of California that is a model example of excellence.
A ceremony/luncheon was held on Wednesday in the Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors meeting room to thank members of SARB, hosted by the Superintendent of Schools Zack Abernathy and the local SARB Director Rob Egger.
The SARB provides guidance and community services to help students improve attendance or behavior. When a student is referred to SARB by their school, they attend a hearing where the 25 member SARB board listens to the student, family, and the school, and seeks to find solutions to the root causes of the attendance or behavior issue. Members of the board offer advice and services to meet this goal. They hear about 60 cases each year and have 191 open cases at this time.
During Wednesday’s event, Egger noted that Tuolumne County was the only SARB board recognized that is connected to a county superintendent of school’s office (many of the others are from individual school districts in larger areas).
Egger stated, “I wish the community could witness what happens during a School Attendance Review Board hearing. What happens in a SARB hearing is a reflection of the larger issues of those who are struggling in our community. We hear about loss, death, abandonment, homelessness, physical illness, mental illness, drug and alcohol addiction, transportation problems, learning challenges and more.”
Egger continued, “This Board listens with compassion and professionalism at each and every hearing. Through questioning and listening, this Board is able to find the root causes of the attendance or behavior issue, and, more importantly, offer resources to help the student and family. Parents typically come not knowing what to do to improve their child’s attendance, but leave with hope because they have resources, a plan, and someone to contact when they run into another obstacle. This would not be possible without each and every member of this board.”
The SARB members are listed below:
Written by BJ Hansen.
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