The Whitehall-Coplay School District takes it seriously when students skip school.

In most instances, the parent receives a citation for the student's truancy, according to incident reports for March released by the high school resource officer, Richard Hope.

Police Chief Linda Kulp told the township commissioners and Mayor Edward D. Hozza Jr. 20 students failed to show up for classes last month. In each case, the parent was charged with truancy. In a few cases, the student and parent were jointly cited for truancy and arrests were made.

The youngest student cited for truancy was a second grader. The parent of that child and the parents of eight fifth-grader truants were cited.

Also among the truant were two sophomore boys, a sophomore girl and a high school junior.

No seniors skipped school last month, it was reported.

The police also handled a case involving a 12th grade student cited for underage drinking and a sophomore and junior cited for possession of tobacco on school property.

An 11th-grade boy was cited for theft. Two boys – a sophomore and junior – were cited for disorderly conduct and a sophomore girl was charged with disorderly conduct.

Hope maintains a regular presence during lunch periods and in hallways between classes. He also can be found after school on Campus Drive and in the student parking lot.