alfanoslblog yoderslblogLinda L. Yoder and Alyce Alfano will present at the Connecticut Bar Association, Education Law Section’s Seminar, When Students Don’t Attend School: The Law’s Response to Truancy & Chronic Absenteeism.  This seminar will be held on March 5th from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., and will take place at the CBA Law Center.

About the Program: The alarming rates of truancy and chronic absenteeism in Connecticut public schools have enormous social and economic consequences for our state. This seminar will address all aspects of school attendance, including the role of the courts and other public agencies, educational neglect proceedings in the juvenile courts, racial and disability-based disparities in chronic absenteeism rates across the state, students with chronic illness, excused versus unexcused absences, truancy, and the link between reading proficiency and chronic absenteeism.  Attendees will receive a comprehensive outline of all state and federal statutes and regulations relevant to school attendance. The seminar will conclude with a panel discussion and the opportunity to ask questions of the panelists.

Who Should Attend: Attorneys of all experience levels, who practice education law, or in other areas of children’s law; and school administrators and other professionals working within the educational, judicial, child protection, and mental health systems.

You will Learn: 

  • About state and federal statutes and regulations relevant to school attendance.
  • About the responsibilities of school districts and parents regarding school attendance, including responses to excused and unexcused absences and truant behavior.
  • How the policies and procedures of various state agencies, including the juvenile courts, juvenile probation, the Department of Children & Families, and the Department of Public Health, interface with school attendance issues.
  • Successful approaches for re-engaging students and improving attendance rates

Speakers include:

  • Bonnie Opielowski-Brouwer, Director of Pupil Services, Killingly Public Schools
  • Timothy Tokarski and Erica Velarde, Sunrise Community School, Killingly
  • Brad Martin, Principal, The Depot Street School, Storrs
  • Hon. Richard W. Dyer, Presiding Judge, Superior Court for Juvenile Matters, Willimantic
  • Bet Gailor, Connecticut Legal Services Inc.
  • Stephen Tracy, Superintendent of Schools, Department of Children & Families, Hartford
  • Kevin Urso, Court Support Services Division, Juvenile Probation
  • Linda L. Yoder, Shipman & Goodwin LLP, Hartford
  • Alyce Alfano, Shipman & Goodwin LLP, Hartford

Event Cost:  $45

To register, call go to http://www.ctbar.org/events/event_details.asp?id=472730&group=   or call the CBA Member Service Center at 860-223-4400.