Success Stories
Case Studies
DATE: January 2009
(All names and identifying information in this case study have been
changed to protect the confidentiality of this student. However, the story
is an accurate description of the services that Communities In Schools –
Bay Area provides to students and families.)
Lane is an 11 year old 6th grade male that was referred to CIS due to
anger issues and depression stemming from ongoing family conflict between
his mother and step-father that had recently made the decision to divorce.
CIS first met with Lane on a day that he was extremely fearful. He
explained that he had been instructed by his step-father not to leave with
his mother if she tried to get him from school. As it turned out, his
step-father had taken Lane and his two half sisters out of the family home
and moved them with Lane’s step-grandmother because he felt that Lane’s
mother was using drugs.
CIS worked with Lane to calm his fears and re-assure him that the school
would not let him leave with anyone (even his mother) if she did not
appear to be coherent and able to appropriately care for him.
From this point on, CIS began to regularly meet with Lane to help give him
a place where he could express himself and deal with his fears and sadness
about his parents divorce.
As CIS developed a close relationship with Lane, he opened up about his
history which explained much about his depression, anger, and sadness so
obvious in his shut-down demeanor. He disclosed that he had never met his
biological father because when he found out that his mother was pregnant,
he left them because he was not ready to be a dad. He also reported that
since he had returned to the care of his mother, he had not been able to
see his two sisters very often and missed them very much.
On one visit, CIS met with Lane during his Language Arts class in the
computer lab. He teacher informed CIS that it had been difficult for Lane
to participate in any writing assignments and so she finally told him to
just write about anything he wanted. Lane chose to title his essay “My
Personal Problems” which was his personal struggle with the family
divorce. He later told CIS that writing the essay had helped him to vent
about his sadness.
The last time CIS met with Lane he freely participated in answering the
“Get to Know You Questions” and he had also reported that he was getting
to see his sisters each Sunday during a visit he and his mother would have
at the step-fathers home. Lane still appeared very sad and shut-down but
willing to talk with and participate in discussions with CIS about his
feelings.
Later, CIS attempted to meet with Lane to see how he was doing. It was
discovered that he had been suspended for fighting and that he had not
returned to school even though his suspension had expired. CIS contacted
his mother and she reported that due to the divorce, having no car or job,
she was having trouble caring for Lane. She explained that options were
discussed and that Lane had chosen to move to Louisiana with his Aunt. His
mother stated that she was aware of the distress the divorce was causing
him and that for now, this was the best decision for him. CIS asked his
mother to pass on a word of care to Lane and to wish him the best. She
said she speaks to him nightly and would do so. CIS also offered continued
help and services to her especially in networking her with job resources.
She stated that she would be in-touch and appreciated all that CIS had
done.
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DATE: December 2008
(All names and identifying information in this case study have been
changed to protect the confidentiality of this student. However, the story
is an accurate description of the services that Communities In Schools –
Bay Area provides to students and families.)
Jane is a 15 year old female who was referred to Communities In Schools by
the school nurse for supportive guidance. She had approached the nurse
with complaints of stomach pains and in the course of talking to the nurse
revealed to her that she was experiencing family problems.
During the initial visit with CIS, Jane was very shy and did not want to
discuss the problems she had mentioned to the nurse. CIS staff allowed her
to relax in the office for a while and reassured her that any conversation
between her and CIS staff would be confidential (the limits of
confidentiality were explained to Jane to ensure informed consent). CIS
staff also encouraged Jane to come by the office any time she needed to
talk.
Before Jane returned, CIS staff checked her grades and attendance and
determined that she had missed too many days and also had a tendency to
skip classes. Jane was then called back into the office to discuss her
attendance issues. During the interview Jane revealed that she did not get
along with her father and would occasionally spend the weekend away from
home without letting him know where she was.
CIS staff discussed the situation at home and also talked about the need
to let her family know where she was going (for safety reasons, in case
something happened to her). Jane was informed that the CIS staff would
have to call her father to discuss her attendance issues, but reassured
her that any other conversation between them be confidential.
During the conversation with the father, he stated that Jane would often
stay away from home over the weekend and that she had also had a history
of running away from home. Ways to motivate the student to attend school
and work on improving her grades were discussed.
During the week after that last conversation, CIS staff became aware that
Jane had been absent again. When called, the father stated that she had
once again run away. CIS staff encouraged him to file a report with the
police department and asked him to keep them abreast of any new
developments.
During the student’s absence, attempts to stay in touch with the father
proved unsuccessful. After three weeks, CIS staff was called to the
counselor’s office to meet with a student and parent. Jane had returned to
school to re-enroll. She was accompanied by her father and a family
friend. Jane had run away to be with her mother who sent her back to live
with the father. She had been picked up by the police department and
returned to her home here.
After Jane had been re-enrolled and escorted to class, CIS staff met with
the father and family friend (who is taking care of the student at this
time). The father explained that he did not want anything to do with his
daughter until she had “straightened out her act.” The family friend
explained that Jane would be living with her and that they are considering
giving her guardianship. After the father left, Mrs. X explained that Jane
had been in bad shape when she was picked up by the police. She asked CIS
for referrals to a doctor, dentist, and also a mental health professional.
CIS staff gladly provided Mrs. X with the information she needed and also
assisted her in filling out paperwork for the school.
Since returning to school, Jane has seen the dentist to have a broken
tooth fixed and has had a complete physical by a family
doctor/gynecologist. She has also seen a psychiatrist who is referring her
to a drug rehabilitation facility. She is attending her classes and doing
her work, trying very hard to make up for the time she was absent from
school. She is eager to participate in drug rehab to kick her addiction to
pills. Jane has been to the CIS office many times, sometimes just to say
hello or to get a hug. CIS staff and Jane have talked about her situation
and have discussed her plans for the future. Also they talk about her drug
use and how to deal with stressful situations in a more positive way while
she is waiting for the referral to rehab. Jane and CIS staff will meet for
supportive guidance once a week, and she also knows that she is welcome to
stop by any time she needs to talk about her issues. CIS staff and Jane
are both positive that she will be able to turn her life around and become
successful and lead a meaningful life.
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DATE: October 2008
CIS staff received a referral for two siblings who transferred from
another school. Needing assistance with school clothes, the single mother
expressed appreciation for referrals to Operation School Bell and the
school supplies provided by CIS staff. The thirteen and fourteen year old
boys came to school for one day. Then they both refused to attend. CIS
staff attempted a home visit, and followed up with a phone call to the
mother. CIS staff asked the mother to respond. Waiting for a response,
information came to light that the students had been grossly truant at
their previous school.
Now that their mother is a single parent, the boys were finding it even
easier to be truant. The mother had been working with the district
Attendance Officer who noted that the students were defiant in a way she’d
not seen before. The family received a warning letter and was scheduled to
be in court due to the boys’ truancy. CIS staff attended the court hearing
in an effort to meet and talk with the family. The Judge told the boy that
was present that he would need to attend school every day or go to
Juvenile Detention. The boy, crying, agreed to do so. The mother reported
that the other boy said he was sick, and so was not present for the court
hearing. Another hearing was set for both boys two weeks later.
CIS staff met with the mother and boys at their home afterward. Having
left an abusive relationship with her husband, the mother is committed to
supporting her two younger boys. Her goal is to provide for them in a home
environment free of the physical and verbal abuse which had been allowed
by her husband. Self employed and working at a part time job, the mother
has not been able to afford to file for divorce. Receiving no child
support or assistance from her husband, she is struggling financially. Her
husband had allowed the boys to hit their mother and speak disrespectfully
to her. The mother shared her struggles to get them to attend school. When
the boys went to school one day after enrolling, the mother bought them
each a puppy. She reported that sometimes one of the boys would get up to
go to school, get dressed and be ready to go. The other brother then
declared that he would not go. This led the boy more amenable to attending
to go back to bed. The mother said she had tried everything to get the
boys to go to school, including pouring water on them in bed when they
refused to get up and taking things away from them. After the court visit,
the boy who attended told his brother, “all you have to do is cry and you
won’t have to go to Juvenile.”
Over the course of several home visits in the next weeks, it was
determined that the boys were allowed to stay up late into the night and
sleep all day while the mother would work at home. CIS staff noted that
the boys still had things they enjoyed,; cell phone, television, video
games, etc… and talked with the mother about taking those things away
until the boys attended school. The mother said she’d tried this, but that
the boys broke the doorknob to her bedroom to get in and take their things
back. CIS staff agreed to secure the cell phone and video games at school,
locking them in the school’s safe. The boys were told that these items
would be returned to them when they attended school as expected. The boys
were also cautioned that destroying things would cause their mother to
pawn their belongings to pay for damages. The mother said that the boys
have hit her when she has pushed an issue enough, and that she’s called
for police help more than once. One of the boys routinely would go into
the bathroom when CIS staff arrived, and not come out. The other boy
reported that he really wanted his phone back, wanted to move back home
with his friends in the other county, wanted to be home schooled, and did
not have anything specific that he did not like at the current school. He
wished his brother would go to school.
Trying to develop support for the mother’s efforts to regain her power
as a parent, CIS staff worked with her to impose logical consequences for
truancy and to remove reinforcements for truant behavior. CIS staff gave
the mother a link to the Texas Attorney General’s website to show the boys
what conditions were waiting in Juvenile Detention. The mother was given
referrals for Medicaid/CHIPS and Interfaith Caring Ministries. For therapy
and parent support, referrals for the Houston Area Women’s Center,
DePelchin Children’s Center, Bay Area Turning Point, and UHCL’s family
therapy program were provided. The mother completed application for
Medicaid. She has not been able to get the boys to go to appointments with
her, and so has not pursued therapy at a campus through UHCL. Intensive
home based therapy through Triad or DePelchin has been sought, but the
mother is only waitlisted at this time. She agreed that a tour of the jail
might be helpful, but she could not get the boys to go. The campus’
Sheriff Office liaison is no longer able to assist with home visits and
support in this type of case. A scheduled conflict prohibits her
participating in the free support group for mothers through Bay Area
Turning Point, although the mother would be able to go to support groups
at HAWC.
At the next court hearing, the mother and both boys were present. She
said she had to bribe them by agreeing to take them out to dinner
afterward if they would go to court. The judge spoke to both boys,
ordering 15 hours each of community service, ordered them to attend school
every day, and again told them that they would have to go to Juvenile
Detention if they did not attend school. The mother reported that the boys
want to go to Juvenile, and she wants them to have that as a consequence.
One boy asked the brother to go to school with him. The brother’s response
was, “if you will be my slave this week and do everything I say.” This
same brother had been hospitalized briefly after it was discovered he had
taken an overdose of over the counter medication. After the hearing, the
boys confided that their mother would take them to their old home to spend
time with their friends on the weekends, a long drive at great expense,
and the reward that may be perpetuating the problem. The removal of the
cell phone and video games was having a minimal impact. The truancy has
continued.
CIS staff heard from the prosecutor who’d talked with the other
county’s staff, the case was one of the most difficult they had seen. CIS
staff spoke with the Attendance Officer and the Juvenile Detention
facility about the likelihood that the boys would really go to detention.
It is likely that the boys might spend only one night in detention. CIS
staff talked with the mother about home schooling, and insisting that the
boys make up school they’ve missed this year by obtaining home schooling
into the summer as part of a logical consequence. The mother is
considering this option at this time.
(All names and identifying information in this case study have been
changed to protect the confidentiality of this student. However, the story
is an accurate description of the services that Communities In Schools -
Bay Area provides to students and families.)
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Bobby
Bobby, an eleven year old, moved with his father and younger sister to
this area recently. The father had been laid off and used the last of the
family funds to move here in hopes of finding a better job. Having found
only short-term jobs, the family funds were only able to provide food and
rent. Bobby had tried not to ask for anything unless it was absolutely
necessary. At school, Bobby and his sister did not have the school
supplies they needed. Bobby finally told his father that his peers were
teasing him about not having the needed materials.
CIS - Bay Area staff assessed the students' needs for school materials, as
well as school clothes. Bobby's father completed forms to receive new
school clothes through the Assistance League's School Bell program. CIS
staff was able to provide most of the school supplies through donations on
hand in the CIS office. Additional needed supplies were obtained by
soliciting materials from generous community members and school staff.
Staff at a local social service agency assisted with utilities and food.
When Bobby received the school supplies for himself and his sister, he
broke out in the biggest smile. CIS staff explained that CIS would be able
to help his family, and that he should just let his dad know if there were
other things he needed for school.
CIS staff advised Bobby's father that the children could enroll in various
programs to provide them with extra-curricular activities at no charge or
via scholarships, including CIS - Bay Area's summer program.
Bobby's father thanked CIS staff for helping the family bridge the gap
until he could find permanent work and feel settled and self-sufficient.
(Fictitious names have been used to protect the
confidentiality of CIS - Bay Area students)
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Thank you note from a student
The following letter was written by a student after he participated in
the Communities In Schools Bay Area program
Tales of Learning with Ms. Padlach
Throughout my one so many years at this school, I’ve learned one big thing
that sticks out like a sore thumb, and that is you cant slide through high
school doing the bare minimum. The one person who really made that clear
to me was my good friend, Ms. Padlach, A.K.A. the 9th grade truancy
officer.
When I first came to Clear brook, I saw this so called “High School” thing
as a chance to shine in one big course of mine, this was the tardy room my
friends. As the year went on and I racked on more and more tardies in my
effort to suceed in my goal of doing the least amount of work while still
passing. I finally got called down to see a so called truancy officer, I
laughed because I didn’t know what truancy was. I laugh no more because
the very word haunts my dreams.
I had a 2-hour chat with Ms. Padlach on why I try to do so little when in
the past I’ve tried so hard. The answer for me was fun. Well my first
consequence was that I received 2 weeks of ISS which was any thing but
fun. After I got off I realized the principals were always looking at me
in the halls. When I would skip now Ms. Padlach would magically pop out of
my surroundings, such as lockers, stairs, and my least favorite hidden
hallways. Ms. Padlach proved to be a great adversary. As my tardies racked
so did my punishments.
Later and later in the school year I saw Ms. Padlach many times and it
seemed like she always proved to me that I’ll hate myself later in high
school for not going to class. She really taught me a lot in her little
office and proved to me class wasn’t so bad. Not to mention she was really
funny to talk to, I finally got a court warning because of my unexcused
tardies, and this is a reason I started going to class more. Ms. Padlach
finally sat me down, after removing me from the tardy room which she did
everytime I went to the tardy room, and she proved to me school was not
only important but that it would suck being an 18-year old freshman.
I am now a 16-year old freshmore less than a day away from being a
sophomore and I owe it to Ms. Padlach. After over 150 tardies and 8 ISS
visits I was told at the end of last year I couldn’t receive an unexcused
absence till I was 18. I now go to class everyday, never accompanied by
Ms. Padlach, and am almost always on time. I am now passing all courses
and on my way to be a real sophomore not half a fish anymore. Thank you
Ms. Padlach I owe it to you. See ya later fishies.
(Fictitious names have been used to protect the confidentiality of CIS -
Bay Area students)
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