Sims and school district tap East Macon pastor to be new truancy specialist

The Bibb County School District hired East Macon pastor Dominique Johnson as the county’s long-awaited truancy specialist following a June 31 public hearing on the millage rate. 

Similar to what district officials have said previously, Johnson said he sees himself not as a traditional truancy officer but instead as a “facilitator” within the community.

“Let’s put our hand to the problem,” he said. “Let’s approach it restoratively and redemptively and not punitively, while still holding people accountable.”

The hire comes after the Macon-Bibb County Board of Commissioners approved $345,000 on July 15 for the district to hire a truancy officer for three years.

A little more than a quarter of the students in Bibb County Schools are considered “chronically absent,” which means they have missed more than 10% of the school year. 

Superintendent Dan Sims recommended Johnson, the lead pastor at Kingdom Life, for the position, Board of Education President Myrtice Johnson said.

The board president said while she does not know Dominique Johnson personally, she trusts Sims’ judgment and thinks Johnson is “up for the challenge.”

“A lot of our students and their parents don’t really understand the importance of being in school,” she said. “If they missed one day then they’ve missed a whole lot. It will be difficult for them to catch up.” 

Johnson said he plans on continuing his work as a pastor while serving as truancy specialist. He also heads The Urban CEO (Community Empowerment Organization), which runs an eight month leadership academy, a back to school supply drive for Northeast and mentoring and consulting services.

In the past, Johnson worked with Mercer University’s Upward Bound program, ONEMacon and CURE Violence Macon.

Johnson said his previous roles have taught him how to motivate not just students but also parents, and he sees the truancy position as an extension of his work as a pastor.

Johnson, a Northeast graduate, said he comes from the community and won’t be starting “from scratch” when it comes to making the relationships needed to do his job. He added that he’s worked with low-income and first generation students before. 

“This is my makeup,” he said. “I am graced to do this type of work.” 

Johnson said he hopes to push students and see them “blossom” to solve the truancy issue. He added that the district needs to consider impacts of generational poverty and trauma while dealing with truancy.

Johnson said he was meeting with district officials Monday. 

“At the end of the day, I am gonna go and see what’s going on, what’s working, get characteristics of the students who are absent, and build a cohesive team,” he said.