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Juvenile Court Judge Theresa Dellick and local school reps selected to attend Georgetown University School-Justice Partnership Certificate Program
Published: October 6, 2015
YOUNGSTOWN––Through funding provided by House Bill 153 and the Ohio Department of Youth Services, Judge Theresa Dellick and community representatives from Youngstown City and Mahoning County High School, have been selected, through a competitive application process, to attend the Georgetown University School-Justice Partnership Certificate Program.
Georgetown’s Center for Juvenile Justice Reform (CJJR), has partnered with the American Institute of Research to provide this professional development opportunity.
The School-Justice Partnerships Certificate Program provides school and district staff, court professionals, law enforcement and other child-serving community leaders with the knowledge and understanding necessary to address the immediate and long term needs of students known to, or at risk of entering, the juvenile justice system.
The goals of the certificate program are to promote an ongoing engagement in school among youth at risk, re-engage students who have been disconnected, and improve academic outcomes for all.
“Having worked with Mahoning County on issues related to youth known to multiple systems of care, we knew of the high caliber work being done by the Court and its partners,” says Shay Bilchik, CJJR founder and director. “We were delighted, therefore, to see their application and the strong team that applied. The children of Mahoning County will be better off as result of the team’s participation in the School Justice Partnerships Certificate Program.”
As per the participation guidelines requiring representation of court, law enforcement, school and child welfare, the team enlisted by Judge Dellick includes Larry Ellis, YEA union president; Milton Walters, assistant superintendent, Youngstown City Schools; Jennifer Whittemore, superintendent, Mahoning County High School; Duane Piccirilli, executive director, Mahoning County Mental Health and Recovery Board; Chief Morvay, chief of security, Youngstown City Schools; Nick Santucci, manager, education & workforce development, Youngstown Warren Regional Chamber and Joseph McGeorge, executive director, Warriors Inc.
The group will receive the training and support to manage school and classroom behavior in positive ways, balanced with the provision of quality educational instruction for all students.
They will learn how to create safe and supportive learning environments without excluding and forcing out those students who are most at risk for negative life outcomes, including students with special education needs, behavioral problems, child welfare involvement or placement in juvenile justice facilities.
Part of the extensive curriculum includes, review of strategies of how to work with schools and school districts to create environments outside of the school setting that foster better academic and social outcomes for youth at risk.
Participants will receive instruction from national experts on cutting-edge ideas, policies and practices from across the country focused on the development of systems that take a holistic approach to the educational process.
As part of the program, participants are required to develop and submit a Capstone Project, a set of actions designed to initiate or continue information sharing reform efforts.
After the Capstone Project is developed and approved by Georgetown University, participants are offered technical assistance from instructors to aid in the implementation of their project
Upon completion of the program, participants will receive an Executive Certificate from Georgetown University, membership into CJJR’s Fellows Network and ongoing support from the staff.
“We are very fortunate to have been selected from a large list of applicants to participate in this program,” said Judge Dellick. “It has become more evident to me and the entire juvenile justice system that the best and most productive efforts for our children’s future are those that divert juveniles away from any involvement with the justice system and to staying in school.
“This certificate program provides an incredible learning opportunity with the additional benefit of having an extensive group of valuable resources available to the team.
“Through this grant and others including the School Justice grant the court has received from the Department of Justice, the court can assist schools in implementing Early Warning Systems that ensure earlier intervention and positively affect graduation rates.”