Topic: Student Court as an Elective Class

Question: What student courts have been established as an elective class at the school and are designed to handle only school disciplinary issues (not cases that could become juvenile court-involved)?
 
If your student court fits those parameters, would you please respond with a brief description of the class and the types of behaviors for which the program receives referrals. Also, could you indicate how long your student court has been in operation and whether it is at the middle or high school level.

Responses from Coordinators:

Pima County Teen Court
Kate Spaulding
Coordinator
Teen Court in the Schools
2525 E. Broadway Blvd, Suite 100
Tucson, AZ 85716
520-326-2528 Ext.110 Fax: 520-792-3072
kspaulding@thepartnership.us
www.pcteencourt.com

Teen Court in the Schools fits this description. It is a year-long elective class taught either by a teacher or a probation officer at the school. Currently the program is in one elementary school, 14 middle schools, and 7 high schools in the Tucson, AZ area. TCIS classes handle school referrals made to the administration. Types of offenses include tardy, class disruption, vandalism, plagiarism, gum-chewing, dress code, verbal fights, theft, etc. More information about the program is available at the Teen Court in the Schools link at www.pcteencourt.com. Our curriculum is also available to be downloaded from this site.

I hope this helps. If you’d like more information, feel free to contact me.

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Santa Rita High School Teen Court
Rick Lamparzyk
Tucson Unified School District
3951 S. Pantano
Tucson, AZ 85730
520-731-7500 Fax: 520-731-7501
Richard.Lamparzyk@tusd.k12.az.us

Well, we are handling discipline issues not requiring suspension, expulsion, or law enforcement involvement. This is the first year for our court program. It’s not actually an elective, although it may morph into an elective in the next year or two. Right now, I’ve tweaked the curriculum to conform to state standards and still accomplish the Teen Court requirements. As such, kids in the class will get a standard Government (Social Studies) credit. We handle things like, ID card violations, dress code issues, standard insubordination, ditching, excessive tardies, and school debts (under $50.00). I suspect we handle more complex cases as the school administration becomes more comfortable with us.

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Orange County Teen Court
David Medvec
Teen Court Coordinator
Orange County Court Administration
2000 East Michigan Street
Orlando, FL 32806
407-836-9517 Fax: 407-835-5022
ctaddm1@ocnjcc.org
www.ninja9.org

We are not a class but are authorized to give 1/2 elective credit of High School by participating for our program.

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North Valleys High School Peer Court
Kevin Browning
Community Policing Coordinator
Sparks Police Department
1701 E. Prater Way
Sparks, NV 89434
775-353-2450 Fax: 775-353-2488
kbrowning@cityofsparks.us

Our court has been in operation for five years. It is working at a high school, and the kids are referred to the court from the disciplinary administrator. The students that run the court are seniors and volunteer for this through their government classes. This is not offered as a class, but the students get an additional half credit for being part of the court.

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Teen Court, Inc.
Marcia Frazier
Executive Director
"Teen Court, Inc."
P.O. Box 1971
Lawton, OK 73502
580-250-1466 Fax: 580-536-5281
cagirlnok1@sbcglobal.net

We do not have any info. on this but are also interested in beginning an elective course.

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Hazelwood Student Court
Ron Hutchens
Law Related Education Teacher
Hazelwood Middle School
1021 Hazelwood Ave.
New Albany, IN 47150
812-949-4280 Ext. 3349 Fax: 812-949-6962
rhutchens@nafcs.k12.in.us

I am currently the sponsor of the student court at Hazelwood Middle School in New Albany, IN. The court meets during our resource block. The school is set up on a block 8 schedule with a resource block every other day. This is typically like a study hall for most students, but school clubs and the student court meet during this time. It is approximately 90 minutes long.

Interested students apply in the spring of their 7th grade year and about 12 to 15 are selected for their 8th grade year. The first grading period is largely training. Cases are referred to the court by our assistant principal. Most cases involve repeat offenders who the office has had problems with. Cases are heard during this resource block.

If anyone has specific questions, I would be happy to tell them what we are doing.

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Monongalia County Teen Court
C.W. Mullins
Teen Court Coordinator
265 Spruce Street, Room 116
Morgantown, WV 26505
304-598-3053
monteencourt@hotmail.com

We are not directly involved in Student referrals, but I do handle a lot of referrals that come from schools. I get referrals on disciplinary issues like fighting and mouthing off to teachers, but also handle drug and alcohol cases that arise in the school.

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Perquimans County Teen Court
Barbara Gustafson
Executive Director
Perquimans County Teen Court
Communities in Schools of Perquimans County
P.O. Box 12
Hertford, NC 27944
252-426-3644 Fax: 252-426-3100
guses@net-change.com

Our Youth Court has recently (since November 2005) begun a "Peer Jury Model " in-school at our high school as well as our previously instituted "Adult Judge Model" in our County Courtroom. The Peer Jury model deals with violations of the school disciplinary policies and the Adult Judge model deals with petitionable offenses and issues that deal with the upper levels of offenses in the school disciplinary code. The new model was instituted to apply the teen peer concept to the school environment in a fashion that could be initiated and the disposition administered in a more timely fashion than the 8-10 days required to get an adult judge model trial in place.

We use the same approach to registering the respondents and the intake interviews with the parents, but use no judge, simply a panel of peers, an advocate, a clerk of court, and a bailiff. The Teen Court Director is in attendance as is an adult school representative.. We receive the referral from the school counselor, complete the intake and have the panel in place usually within 4 days, depending on school schedules of in-school days. Communities in Schools of Perquimans County sponsors our program, both models, our students are volunteers but it is not an elective high school class.
 
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Carol Leonard-Reynolds
Co-Coordinator
Dundalk High School
1901 Delvale Avenue
Baltimore, MD 21222
410-887-7023 Fax: 410-887-7025
cleonardreynolds@bcps.org

Dundalk High School student court has been operating since 2001. The court handles school related offenses such as truancy, smoking, minor theft, plagiarism, and any other offense that occurs on the school grounds. The court is aligned with the SRO program. The sentences are all designed to make the student accountable for their behaviors. These sentences include: letters of apology, restitution, essays, and school service hours. The student court is not an elective but is part of the Criminal Justice completer program. It is considered a club and students can receive student service hours for their participation.

Any other questions please feel free to contact me at cleonardreynolds@bcps.org.
 
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Silverton/Mt. Angel Youth Peer Court
Cynthia Schaeffer
Coordinator
City of Silverton
306 S. Water St
Silverton, OR 97381
503-873-1995 Fax: 503-873-7452
cschaeffer@silverton.or.us

Unfortunately, I do not have any information on this use of youth court but I am very interested in finding out more.
 
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