Pubdate: Mon, 19 Jun 2000 Source: Blade, The (OH) Copyright: 2000 The Blade. Contact: 541 North Superior St., Toledo, OH 43660 Website: http://www.toledoblade.com/ N. BALTIMORE ASKS FOR INPUT ON DRUG TESTS NORTH BALTIMORE - With one year of a student drug testing policy under its belt, the North Baltimore Local School district wants parents to tell them how to improve that policy. Superintendent Rick Van Mooy has invited residents of the southern Wood County district to meet with him at 8:30 tonight in the community room of North Baltimore Public Library. Just one topic is on the agenda: How the drug, alcohol, and tobacco policy should be administered next year. "From the get-go, I said this is a trial run," Mr. Van Mooy said. "I think in all fairness I need to sit down and listen to people." While several school districts in northwest Ohio require students to pass urinalysis tests in order to be eligible to participate in athletics, North Baltimore may be the only one that requires students in grades 7-12 who are involved in any extracurricular activity to be tested. That includes student council, the National Honor Society, musicals, and academic clubs. Board members felt athletes should not be singled out, because all after-school activities were a privilege. Last fall, some residents became upset about the policy, which some felt was implemented without enough input from the public. The school board delayed the fall drug tests until after its September meeting where residents queried the board about everything from the legality of the policy to the confidentiality of test results. With some minor changes, the policy was implemented soon after. Mr. Van Mooy said he did not expect a new round of "fireworks" tonight. "My intention here is to seek guidance on how to make this better," he said. "It is not designed to antagonize people." One change under consideration is to test students only at the beginning of the first season they are involved in an activity, not every season after that. Some students, for example, were tested in fall, winter, and spring because their activities took place in each of those seasons. "That is a very valid point," Mr. Van Mooy said. "It would inconvenience kids less and save us some money." It cost $10,670 to test students at North Baltimore last year, which included periodic random tests throughout each sports season. Very few students tested positive, and most who did had turned themselves in before they took the test. Under the current policy, students who refer themselves for an assessment program before the urinalysis test and then test positive do not have to sit out any of the season. Those who test positive without coming forward first automatically miss 20 per cent of that season. Mr. Van Mooy said the school board has no plans to abandon the policy, but most school officials and board members agree it could be improved. "I'm hoping to sit down with the parents of the kids who have gone through this and say what can we do to make this better," he said. "Our philosophy remains, this is an opportunity for the kids and their families to work together." The meeting will be held immediately after the 7 p.m. board meeting tonight - most likely about 8:30 p.m., Mr. Van Mooy said. - --- MAP posted-by: Allan Wilkinson