Ribbon Cutting Event to be held Aug. 24 for Successful Transition Education Program (S.T.E.P.)
Williamson County and the Georgetown Independent School District are excited to announce a rebrand and new name for Juvenile Service education programs housed at the county’s Juvenile Services Center. S.T.E.P., the Successful Transition Education Program, formerly known as the Juvenile Justice Alternative Education Program (JJAEP), will celebrate with the community on Tuesday, August 24 during a ribbon-cutting ceremony with the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce.
For more than 25 years, Georgetown ISD has provided the educational staff for the County’s three juvenile programs: Juvenile Detention, C.O.R.E residential treatment program, and the Alternative Education Program for youth expelled from their home campuses in Williamson County. Together, the two organizations are focused on helping students transition to successful outcomes beyond the juvenile justice system.
“Most juvenile service programs are correctional focused,” said Principal Tara Stewart. “Here, we consider this a collaborative learning organization that uses Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI®) to connect with the students and help them hone needed skills, whether their future is back at their home campus or as independent adults in the community.”
Students are provided holistic care, including robust therapeutic and medical services in addition to education. The program focuses on support for the whole family, even connecting them with outside support services.
“What we are able to do for students would not be possible without Georgetown ISD’s administration of the program and the generous financial support from all 12 Williamson County school districts,” said Juvenile Services Executive Director Scott Matthew. “The agencies come together to provide at-promise youth with quality education and comprehensive trauma-informed support and services as they navigate through challenging life experiences.”
Students in the program experience the same academic rigor as their home campus, participate in electives and service-learning leadership classes and also have an opportunity to recover credits or earn their general education diploma (GED) if desired.
“Georgetown ISD is a proud partner with Williamson County,” said Superintendent Fred Brent. “Tara and her staff are doing amazing work facilitating multiple robust education services for youth from 12 school districts across the county. This new name is a true reflection of the work that is happening under the Juvenile Justice education umbrella.”
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