Tuolumne County SARB Helps Local Students Reach Success
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:
- Aaron Quin – Tuolumne County Probation
- Adrianna Castle – Behavioral Health
- Allison Morfoot – Tuolumne County Probation
- Amanda Brunner – Tuolumne County Public Health
- Amanda Fournier – TCSOS Foster & Homeless Liaison
- Ashely Boujikian – Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Department
- Bob White – ATCAA Prevention/Youth Development Programs
- Bobby Nikiforuk – Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Department
- Cassandra Jenecke – Tuolumne County District Attorney
- Colleen Whitlock – TCSOS, Assistant Superintendent, Student Support Services
- David Vasquez – Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Department
- Diana Carpenter – Tuolumne Me-Wuk Tribal Social Services
- Diana Silva – TCSOS, SARB Executive Assistant
- Elizabeth Buetter – TCSOS Mental Health Navigator
- Elizabeth Wright – Infant/Child Enrichment Services/ICES
- Heather Chung – Tuolumne County Child Welfare Services
- Hollie Brown – Tuolumne County DA Victim Witness
- Janelle Quin – TCSOS Foster & Homeless Liaison
- Jennifer Hannula – Sonora Police Department
- Jennifer Reggiardo – Infant/Child Enrichment Services/ICES
- Jessica Carter – TCSOS, Alternative Education Counselor
- Kate Graham – Tuolumne County District Attorney’s Office
- Kendra Ziepfel – TCSOS School Nurse
- Kristen Youngman – Jamestown Family Resource Center
- Laticia Mantzouranis – TCSOS, Coordinator of Student Support
- Laurie Darby – Tuolumne County Department of Social Services
- Lisa Hieb-Stock – Tuolumne County Public Health
- Lisa Hope – TCSOS School Nurse
- Maria Chavez – Center for a Non-Violent Community
- Mark Dyken – Executive Director, Resiliency Village
- Martha Stolp – TCSOS School Nurse
- Michelle Clark – Tuolumne County Child Welfare Services
- Michie Anderson – Tuolumne County Child Welfare Services
- Mike Arndt – Tuolumne County Probation
- Patty Aguiar – Jamestown Family Resource Center
- Reiko Craig – Tuolumne County Child Welfare Services
- Rob Egger – TCSOS, SARB Director
- Stacy Wheat – SELPA Executive Director
- Steve Machado – California Highway Patrol
- Tamara Saunders – Center for a Non-Violent Community
- Terri Alford – TCSOS Mental Health Coordinator
- Tou Yang – Tuolumne County Department of Social Services
- Vannesa Hofmann – Tuolumne Me-Wuk Tribal Social Services
- Zack Abernathy – Tuolumne County Superintendent of Schools
