For Immediate Release - August 13, 2007

For more information, contact:
Sallie Hilvers, Metro Chief Communications Officer, (513) 632-7681 or shilvers@go-metro.com
Janet Walsh, CPS Public Affairs Department (513) 363-0023 or walshja@cps-k12.org
Jason Barron, Mayor Mallory's Office, (513) 352-5356 or jason.barron@cincinnati-oh.gov

Metro Partners with Cincinnati Public Schools, City to Combat Truancy

With the opening of a new school year just around the corner, Metro is teaming up with Mayor Mark Mallory and Cincinnati Public Schools Superintendent Rosa Blackwell to deliver a powerful message to the district's 35,000 students about the importance of attending school every day.

The week of August 13, 2007, interior transit cards will begin to be displayed on all 390 Metro buses

that feature Mayor Mallory and Superintendent Blackwell urging students to make the most of their educational opportunities. The transit cards will be seen by about 80,000 Metro riders each weekday.

"The future of our city is riding on you," they say. "Take advantage of every opportunity you have. Stay in school, get a good education and make the most of your life."

The transit cards also appeal to community members to help students stay in school by reporting youths who are suspected of skipping school to the truancy hotline launched last March by the district and the Cincinnati Police Department. The Truancy Hotline number is (513) 363-0003.

The hotline is housed in Cincinnati Public Schools' Customer Help Center. Callers are asked to provide basic information about suspected truants, which is then relayed to police communications for assignment to police district officers. Those officers respond and work with school resource officers and school personnel to identify students through school database information.

The goal of the anti-truancy partnership is to work collaboratively to resolve issues that prevent students from attending classes, graduating, and going on to college and productive careers.

This partnership is part of Mayor Mallory's continuing commitment to decreasing truancy. In January 2006, Mayor Mallory made increased truancy sweeps one of the key components of his first comprehensive public safety initiative.

Classes for students in CPS' Walnut Hills High School resume August 14, 2007 and the rest of the district on August 21, 2007.

Click here for a .pdf of the transit card

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