2/9/12

Waterford parents go to court for kids constant tardiness | LoudounTimes.com

Mobile Website | Login | Register

Staff Directory | Advertise | Subscribe | About Us Advanced Search SEARCH

News

Opinions

Sports

Entertainment

Blogs

Video

Classifieds

Advertise

Waterford parents go to court for kids constant tardiness

Monday, Feb. 6, 2012 by Laura Peters | 170 comments | Email this story

92 Mark Denicore leaves early for work each morning from his home in Waterford. His wife, Amy, is in charge of getting their three children ready and out the door for school. With three children, all under age 10, it can be challenging to get them ready all at once and make it to school on time. What is every parents early-morning routine challenge has now turned into a legal battle and a potential life-changing event for the family. On Jan. 31, the Denicores were served with a summons to appear in court on a Class 3 misdemeanor for their daughter Sophies excessive tardiness. The Denicores admit theyre not perfect parents. Their three children have been late to school 85 times since September, but the majority of the time they missed the opening bell by only a few minutes. Mark and Amy Denicore appeared at the Loudoun County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court on Feb. 6 in front of Judge Pamela Brooks for an arraignment. Theyre scheduled for trial on March 14. Mark Denicore, who works as an attorney, says he could potentially lose his license to practice law if he loses the case, not to mention paying upwards of $3,000 in fines for his childrens tardiness. The three children have only missed less than three hours each of school since September, Mark Denicore said. I would say that its pretty extreme. The Virginia truancy statutes is for kids that are blowing off school without their parents knowledge, not for this kind of thing, Mark Denicore said. Theyre taking a lot of leeway in their interpretation of what the code says to make it criminal conduct, its outrageous. Although he and his wife had been warned of the constant tardies, they didnt feel that the school system would take it to this extreme. We understand the school is running a train and they want everybody in the train station before the train leaves, Mark Denicore said. I understand that this is a legitimate goal to have and we are doing our best to try to comply to that. But, were not perfect parents. We dont have perfect kids and sometimes were late. The real issue is is that criminal conduct? I cant find it in the statues. Amy Denicore is a stay-at-home mom and either drives their children to school or allows them to walk the few blocks to Waterford Elementary. Wayde Byard, Loudoun County Public Schools public information officer, said the first mission of the school system is to help the child and help the parent help the child. The judges have asked us to turn over chronic attendance issues such as this. We issue no summons on anybody. The procedure is after five days well call the parent and say we need to talk about this, Byard said. Theres obviously a recurrent pattern developing here. After six days of unexcused absences well have a parent conference and well try to get a strategy going on how can we help you get your child to school, have them here on time and ready to learn.
loudountimes.com/index.php/news//waterford_parents_go_to_court_for_kids_constant_tardiness123/
Follow Us on Twitter News | Sports

Most Popular in News

Monday, Feb. 6 | 23919 views

Waterford parents go to court for kids constant tardiness

Tuesday, Feb. 7 | 10912 views

Purcellville woman arrested over kids tardiness in school

Wednesday, Feb. 8 | 8021 views

School board adopts fiscal 2013 operating budget

Monday, Feb. 6 | 5300 views

Inmate dies from medical condition at Loudoun jail

Monday, Feb. 6 | 4648 views

Suspect arrested for connection to 2007 Ashburn gang assault

Stay Connected

Like Us on Facebook News & Sports

1/31

1 3__mtl 3 2r_dt//n 2 1cgrei.i / eiopfd ssifwo nkese s_apu dtoac auo/s _ow.u n_rrx/ /scen ao n_ted oono dnh tr_p trtm s t

meikpt2 mnW1 ossrtrf 9 eiaca 2 Tngr / cntotr / sdue non u|cito oso drtrd udf oto Lo .s e as a
Mark Denicore said his family received numerous warnings and correspondence from the school system about his childrens tardiness, but the family has never had a conference with officials to discuss the issue. Mark Denicore did request a meeting between the schools principal, attendance officer and legal counsel, but the school system never responded. Byard said the school system has five attendance officers in charge of investigating cases with schools to improve student attendance and enforce compulsory attendance laws. The attendance officers also initiate legal actions against parents or guardians who unlawfully cause their child to be absent from school, among other times, Byard said.
Subscribe via RSS News | Sports

Byard said by Virginia State Code, school officials have to report anything that would affect a childs welfare at school. He also said that the last step would be taking the information to the intake officer within the court system after numerous attempts to work with the family. After that it would have to be only very chronic level cases where the school level has failed where well take it to the intake officer at the juvenile and domestic relations court who will then take it to a magistrate if they deem it worthy of that attention and then they issue a summons, Byard said. The judge will decide if there will be a hearing. This is not us arresting people on the street. According to Mark Denicores records, his daughter Daisy has been late 29 times since September. His daughter, Sophie, has been late 27 times and his son, Tucker, has been late 29 times. Mark and Amy Denicore will go to trial on March 14 and ask for the case to be dismissed. If the case isnt dismissed, the Denicores will have their chance to defend themselves with character witnesses. According to Mark Denicore, Virginia State Code 22.1-254, which they are being charged under, doesnt state anything about a childs tardiness. I cant figure it out Mark Denicore said.

Join Our Email List Sign up for weekly updates

The Loudoun Times-Mirror

According to Byard, there has been one other family summoned to court this year for the same issue the Denicores are involved in. Mark Denicore also questioned students who are able to leave early from school and if they would get the same treatment as tardy students. I would like parents not to be bullied by the school system, Denicore said. We send our children to school so they can learn not to bullied. Mark Denicore said that not only did both he and his wife appear in court on Feb. 6, they also got all three of their children to school on time but it wasnt easy. 92 GASB 45 Valuations Milliman's Website for Small Gov'ts Knowledge to Guide, Tools to Assist
www.GASBhelp.com Weekly Homes Guide

is an interactive, digital replica of the printed newspaper. Open the e-edition now.

View our other print publications available online.

2011 Guide to Loudoun

Holiday Gift Guide

Health and Wellness

Bridal Guide

Historic Frederick Maryland

Comments
Thu, Feb 09 at 03:09 PM by Mike V. | Report this comment

Yea, I was almost sort of on their side till this part: Amy Denicore is a stay-at-home mom and either drives their children to school or allows them to walk the few blocks to Waterford Elementary. Uh, yea. Get out of the house and get your kids to school, lazy.
Thu, Feb 09 at 02:36 PM by Lisa L. | Report this comment

Taste of Loudoun Health Resolutions

Senior Lifestyles Future Leaders

Historic Downtown Leesburg Coming Soon

Disclaimer: tardiness is probably my biggest pet-peeve, so Im perhaps exceptionally hard on people who dont pay attention to the time. I also only have one child that is not yet school age, but my husband and I both work full time and have to be to our jobs on time or risk being fired. That said, I find it incredibly disrespectful and arrogant that these parents dont think their chronic tardiness is a big deal. Furthermore, that mom is a SAHM with ALL 3 kids in school. She can get up early, get her morning commute together, and go back to sleep by 8:15 if she needs to. Every time those kids inturrupt their teachers mornings, it takes considerable time to get the rest of the kids back on task. Start times are not suggestions, people! They exist because OTHER PEOPLE are involved! Quit thinking the entire universe revolves around you!