“In light of the community interest I thought that it would be important to remind you of that protocol and to just simply make a presentation of that protocol for the benefit of the community,” said Superintendent Ed Smith.
Group homes have been in the spotlight since the November shooting death of a clerk at the Shell Mart at 505 Vernon St. An 18-year-old charged in the killing had been a resident of a group home on Ridley Avenue before leaving the home several weeks before the shooting.
Stephanie Phillips-Hardy, director of student interventions for Troup County schools, conducted the presentation, which showed what determines whether a student is allowed into the school system.
Following a request for admission into the school system, the student’s parents or guardian are notified of the required information for considered placement.
Completed registration forms, a withdrawal form, high school transcripts, discipline records, attendance file, an alternative school decision letter, a psychological evaluation and exceptional education records may be required before a students admission is considered.
“I take these records and I read them very carefully,” Phillips-Hardy said. “They are not forwarded to the student services office until we gather all of this information.”
A meeting to discuss the student is held with the requesting agency representative or parent and the student, along with school and school system representatives. Probation officers or a representative of the juvenile justice system are also allowed to attend.
“One of the good things about this process is it gives us all an opportunity to sit down to talk about all of the special circumstances by which this student might be in our community,” Phillips-Hardy said,
She said the psychological evaluations are particularly important as they allow officials to “craft a plan that will help these students transition into our school system very well if they are admitted. All students who make petitions are not necessarily admitted into our schools for various reasons.”
System attorney John Taylor said a student’s admission can be denied under specific circumstances, such as if a student was expelled from another school system.
“There is a similar Georgia statute that authorizes you to refuse to administer to a student that has be adjudicated or accused of felonies and some other offenses,” he said.
If a student’s admission is accepted, the school and parent or group representative are notified, allowing the student to continue with registration.
“We work very hard to have all the people around us that we feel would help us make the best decision because we are working with paper, and, you know, a lot of it has to do with judgment,” Phillips-Hardy said, “so we try to do the best job that we can.”
Last month a parent asked the school board to look into how it handles sex offenders enrolled in classes. Two group homes on Ridley Avenue and one nearby on West Bacon Street are designed for residents who display sexually inappropriate behavior. Both are within walking distance of La-Grange High School.
LaGrange City Council had proposed an ordinance that would set zoning standards for all future group homes, require current and future group homes to purchase licenses, and give the city some control over the homes. Council tabled that proposal in favor of a task force of residents which would study the issue and come up with a new ordinance proposal.
In other action Thursday, the board:
n Approved member John Darden’s request to table a proposal to shorten the school calendar by 15 days for next school year to allow more input from staff and residents.
n Backed a plan permitting the County Commission and the mayors and city councils of West Point, Hogansville and LaGrange to create tax allocation districts. The districts, which aren’t a tax, allow bonds to be floated for infrastructure improvements.
Trey Wood can be reached at twood@lagrangenews. com or (706) 884-7311, Ext. 228.
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