b'Washington County Attorneys Office2019 Annual Report Truancy In2019,theWashingtonCountyTruancyInterventionProgram continued to support students and families in removing barriers to consistent school attendance.Of the 487 students invited to the initial stage of truancy outreachAttendanceInterventionMeeting,andthe323studentswhose attendance necessitated an individualized plan and higher level of support throughaone-on-oneschooldiversionmeeting,only47studentswere petitionedtocourtforadditionalintervention.Thisrobustsequenceof engagement continues to prove effective in fostering academic success and quality of life for Washington County students. Thetruancyteam,comprisedofAssistantCountyAttorneyBetsey Urbas, and social workers Nicole Dahlstrom, Gina Morrison, Kasia Heurh, and Alea Jascor, worked diligently in the months of August and September to meet with school administrators all over Washington County to review program guidelines, discuss and problem-solve unique situations to ensureBetsey Urbas theupmostsupportforstudents,andstrengthenthecollaborative relationships that are imperative to the ongoing success of the program.The team took advantage of training opportunities to gain additional insight and knowledge concerning issues that impact our youth andattendance.InApril,BetseyandNikkiattendedatwo-dayconferenceinSeattle,WA,offered through the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention entitledBreakthroughStrategiestoTeachandCounselTroubled Youth,whichfocusedontopicsincludingunderstanding denial,providingfeedbacktoothers,buildingself-esteem,and managing family problems and impulse control. In October, Betsey andallfourtruancysocialworkersattendedaday-longMental HealthFirstAidtrainingthroughtheMoundsviewSchool District.Betsey and Nikki continued to attend the quarterly Metro TruancyGroupmeetingstodiscusscurrentissuesandstrategies with truancy staff from numerous surrounding counties.2019 Pledge to Graduate WinnersStudent at Mahtomedi Middle School awarded a class ring donated by Jostens Student at Grey Cloud Island Elementary School in Cottage Grove awarded an iPad18'