Camp Verde AZ (May 24, 2019) – Last week, the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office School District, by and through its Detention Center High School, graduated its first ever student. Graduate Zachary McQuillen, 21, completed his High School course studies while in custody and was presented with his certified High School Diploma.
Oversite of this detention based school is the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) acting under the authority of the State Superintendent of Education. There is also oversite under the Yavapai County Education Service Agency (YCESA) acting under the authority of the Yavapai County School Superintendent. The school is managed by a school board of directors comprised of Sheriff Scott Mascher, Chief Deputy David Rhodes and Detention Services Division Captain Jeff Newnum as well as Lt. Silvernale as Superintendent and Kristie Hambrick acting as Principle.
The Camp Verde Detention Center has many inmates who take advantage of the program, but the majority are released from custody before completing necessary credits. Even so, all their work will transfer to outside programs so the incentive remains to take advantage of this in-custody high school.
The school employs a full time Instructional Specialist, Mary Bordes who serves as our general education teacher. We contract out for the provision of a Special Education (SPED) Teacher, Daria Weir and a School Psychologist, Joe Donaldson, on an as needed basis for the development and implementation of individualized education plans (IEP’s).
Funding is provided by the Arizona Department of Education through the Yavapai County Education Service Agency for the provision of Special Education Services to qualifying adult inmates. Funding for general education services such as GED Prep and Career Online High School as well as our vocationally based education services such as Universal Class, is provided by YCSO through its normal budget as well as the Yavapai County Free Library District and the Cottonwood Public Library via cooperative agreements with those entities.
Congratulations to Zachary as the first Detention Center High School graduate and for the wiliness to dedicate his custody time to achieving this goal.
Citizens can contact the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office with information or questions at 928-771-3260 or the YCSO website: www.ycsoaz.gov