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Seen in the News - April 2009

Here's an interesting little article to help you see the myrid of ways jigsaw puzzles are used in the world:

Truancy judge uses array of punishments - including jigsaw puzzles
By HOLLY YAN / The Dallas Morning News
metro@dallasnews.com

Starling Jennings looks peeved to be in truancy court. She is there for the first time after racking up 12 unexcused absences from a Mesquite middle school."Why are you missing school?" Judge John Sholden asks.

The 15-year-old sheepishly answers in a barely audible voice.

After a few minutes of questioning, Sholden deftly doles out her punishment – a $195 fine, counseling sessions and a 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle.

So how do jigsaw puzzles fit in with preventing truancy?

According to Sholden, they leave students and parents no choice but to sit down and talk with each other.

"The rules are a parent can't put in a puzzle piece without the child being present, and the child can't put in a piece without the parent being present," said Sholden, whose courtroom and chambers are lined with jigsaw puzzles of students past.

In Texas, a student is truant after missing 10 or more days or partial days within six months, or three or more days or partial days within four weeks.

Punishments in truancy court vary wildly. In addition to Sholden's jigsaw puzzles, students can face up to $500 for every day missed in violation of state law. Parents can be fined for contributing to their child's truancy. The judge can order community service, tutoring, anger management programs or one-year driver's license suspensions.

Sholden assigns puzzles in about 10 percent of the cases he hears. Typically, they involve younger students unsuitable for other punishments or those who are dealing with problems at home as well as at school.

"A lot of times, [students] are upset with rules the parents have made," he said. "The way to get back at parents is by not going to school." For example, some students skip class to hang out with friends that their parents forbid them to see.

The puzzles have other benefits, too.

"So many kids don't think they can accomplish anything, so they don't go to school," the judge said. "When you open [a puzzle] up, it's a mess. But you get it in your head that you can solve the problem. Once [students] have a sense of accomplishment, that transfers to accomplishment at school also."

He said few of the students he assigns jigsaw puzzles reappear as repeat offenders.

Starling and her mother, Lea Jennings, were upset about the stiff fine Sholden administered. But Jennings said she thought the 1,000-piece puzzle was a good idea.

"Honestly, that's probably the best thing – quality time with the parent," she said.

The judge's unusual approach has been well received in a court that is bursting with case filings.

Sholden presides over Dallas County's East Truancy Court in Garland, which handles the Richardson, Garland and Mesquite school districts. Dallas County's other three other truancy courts handle DISD cases.

Since opening in 2007, the east court has received about 34,000 truancy case filings. That's three times the caseload of each of the county's three other truancy courts.

Last week, the Dallas County Commissioners Court approved funding for a fifth truancy court, to be housed in the same building as the existing East court.

"We're looking at having it set up pretty soon, in the next few weeks," said Steve Griggs, executive assistant to Dallas County Judge Jim Foster. "We're moving forward pretty quickly as far as hiring staff."

The new court will cost about $350,000 for its first full year. That includes costs for a judge, a bailiff, two clerks, construction and furniture.

Duane Steele, Dallas County truancy courts manager, said he hopes to start hearing cases in the new court by the beginning of the next school year.

Sholden says he looks forward to the new court because it would allow him to spend more time with each case and follow-up with students when they report back to court.

"I could really use some help," he said.

In a typical day, Sholden hears more than 70 cases. Sholden said he thinks the court's high caseload is due in part to better enforcement, not necessarily more truant students.

"Does truancy court work? Absolutely," he said.

Parents and students who sat in court for hours agreed.

"This is too much of a hassle to come here," said Minnie Akhtar, whose daughter Amber Galvan attends West Mesquite High School.

"Lesson learned," Amber said.

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Welcome!

Welcome to Village Works, Piece by Piece! Now we weren't planning to blog because we already have a lot on our plates creating wonderful things for our wonderful customers. But in an effort to keep you all in the loop about what we do and about the puzzle world in general, we felt this might be needed. So here we are. If you stumbled across us, you should know a little about us.

We are Ramona and Monica. We are Village Works Enterprises LLC, a woman-owned jigsaw puzzles and greeting card business. We have been in business officially since 2005 but we've been working on our craft for longer than that. I assure you, we've got some time put in so we can have something to offer you.

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